It’s a whole new The Batman!
The Batman is back…and he has help! Whether he likes it or not, Batgirl has joined the fray and she’s picked Batman as her partner. As criminals like the Joker, Penguin, and the Ventriloquist threaten Gotham, the Batman is there with Batgirl in tow.
The Batman—Season 3 aired from September 17, 2005 to May 13, 2006 and featured a new opening sequence. The thirteen episode season was the final season aired on The WB before being moved to The CW in fall of 2006. The stand-alone movie The Batman vs. Dracula was released in October 2005 during the run of this season.
The Batman is a strange series. After the success of shows like Batman: The Animated Series, The Batman feels like a stepdown…despite this, the series is kind of fun and this season makes a small improvement.
Batgirl’s here…like it or not!
The Batman really needed some fun because it was a lighter show but a dark hero in the lead. The introduction of Batgirl gave some levity to the Batman character. This works a bit better since most of the Batman’s villains take a more humorous approach (falling somewhere between the Batman ’66 series and Batman: The Animated Series). The episodes are light and generally episodic…it is a quick watch.
The visuals of The Batman also don’t live up to the stylish look of Batman: The Animated Series. The Batman does have a style of its own. The character designs are almost psychedelic in nature and the framing and panel designs for the art are quite strong and keep the TV series interesting.
The Batman is a quick watch and it keeps you watching with fun, punchy episodes. I don’t love everything they do with Batman’s characters, but I admire them for simply not doing Batman over again. The Batman was possibly skipped by a lot of Batman fans, but it is worth going back to check out the rather short lived animated series.
The Batman—Season 3 Complete Episode Guide:
“Batgirl Begins—Part 1”
3.1 Batgirl Begins—Part 1 (Episode 27) Airdate: 09/17/05
Pamela Isley is playing a dangerous game. Hiring a mercenary called Temblor, she’s targeting corporations that hurt the environment…despite not having money to pay Temblor. When her friend Barbara Gordon learns what Pamela is doing, Barbara finds herself and Pamela in danger.
“Batgirl Begins—Part 2”
3.2 Batgirl Begins—Part 2 (Episode 28) Airdate: 09/24/05
Pamela Isley has been mutated into Poison Ivy in Batman’s fight with Temblor. With her friend a real threat, Barbara Gordon adopts her own identity as “Batwoman” to try to help stop her…whether the Batman likes it or not.
“A Dark Knight to Remember”
3.3 A Dark Knight to Remember (Episode 29) Airdate: 10/01/05
After an accident in a battle with the Penguin, Bruce Wayne has amnesia and cannot remember he is the Batman. As Batgirl tries to defend Gotham herself, Bruce Wayne must trust his instincts to bring back the Batman.
“A Fistful of Felt”
3.4 A Fistful of Felt (Episode 30) Airdate: 10/08/05
Dr. Hugo Strange tries to cure the Ventriloquist but Batman questions if Arnold Wesker is really free of Scarface’s influence. When Bruce Wayne hires Wesker for a fundraiser, Scarface makes his return.
“RPM”
3.5 RPM (Episode 31) Airdate: 11/05/05
A criminal named Gearhead is taking to the streets of Gotham and the Batman must stop his crime spree. Gearhead’s racing ability is amazing, but the Batman discovers Gearhead’s ability might not be entirely natural.
“Brawn”
3.6 Brawn (Episode 32) Airdate: 11/12/05
Joker’s back but he’s using Bane’s Venom to make himself bigger and stronger. Batgirl sets to make herself stronger to help the Batman, and the Batman questions what Joker’s endgame is.
“The Laughing Cats”
3.7 The Laughing Cats (Episode 33) Airdate: 11/19/05
Batman and Batgirl find a reluctant ally in Catwoman when Joker kidnaps two rare panthers.
“Fleurs du Mal”
3.8 Fleurs du Mal (Episode 34) Airdate: 11/26/05
Poison Ivy’s back and she’s taking over Gotham. When she begins to replace people with plant substitutes, Batgirl and Batman must stop her to free Gotham.
“Cash for Toys”
3.9 Cash for Toys (Episode 35) Airdate: 02/04/06
When the Toyman targets Bruce Wayne, Bruce finds his opportunities to stop the Toyman hindered when Gordon assigns Detective Cash to watch him.
“Thunder”
3.10 Thunder (Episode 36) Airdate: 02/11/06
Maxie Zeus has lost his bid for mayor of Gotham City…but he isn’t taking it lying down. Taking over the city by force, it is up to the Batman and Batgirl to stop him.
“The Apprentice”
3.11 The Apprentice (Episode 37) Airdate: 02/18/06
The Joker decides he needs a sidekick like Batgirl and brings in Barbara’s school’s class clown Donnie. As Prank, Donnie is getting the laughs he wanted…but he’s also getting more than he expected.
“The Icy Depths”
3.12 The Icy Depths (Episode 38) Airdate: 05/06/06
A hidden treasure in Gotham City has brought out treasure hunters including Mr. Freeze and the Penguin. As a former “friend” of Alfred shows up to hunt the treasure, Alfred finds himself caught in the middle.
“Gotham’s Ultimate Criminal Mastermind”
3.13 Gotham’s Ultimate Criminal Mastermind (Episode 39) Airdate: 05/13/06
Professor Hugo Strange has created “Dave”…a criminally programmed supercomputer meant to combat Gotham’s crime before it happens. When Dave uploads himself and escapes the computer, the Batman must stop his crime spree, but Dave might be able to uncover the biggest secret of the Batman…his secret identity!
Related Links:
The Batman—Season 1 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The Batman—Season 2 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The Batman—Season 4 Review and Complete Episode Guide
