10 Batman: The Animated Series Quotes That Aged Poorly
Batman: The Animated Series may be an esteemed cartoon, but not every line of dialogue from the acclaimed show has aged gracefully in a modern light. Considered by many to be the definitive Batman continuity, Batman: The Animated Series has a hallowed reputation as one of the greatest animated superhero series ever created. However, there are some poorly-aged things about Batman: The Animated Series, especially when it comes to the dialogue.
There are a few different reasons some of the dialogue in Batman: The Animated Series" worst episodes doesn"t hold up to modern standards. In many cases, the 90s writing is an ill omen for later real-life events that would go on to make the lines awkward, if not downright offensive. Other times, the events of the DCAU chronology itself are to blame for instantly aging certain quotes.
10 "Hey! Do I Hit Your Kids?" Joker, Old Wounds![]()
The New Batman Adventures picked up where the continuity of Batman: The Animated Series left off, new character designs, an aged story, and new redesigns for many of Gotham"s villains. However, the sequel series unfortunately maintained some of the poorly-aged dialogue of the original in episodes like Old Wounds. This episode detailed the original Robin"s split from Batman"s leadership, becoming the vigilante Nightwing.
In one throwaway line, Joker comedically chides Batman for striking his ravenous hyenas, referring them as his "kids" before pointedly remembering that he regularly beats up Batman"s teen sidekicks. This chilling line is far from child-friendly, normalizing abuse in the context of a kid"s cartoon. But the real thing that ages it so poorly is the continued popularity of the Jason Todd storyline, which the DCAU wisely chose not to adapt, in which The Joker beats Robin to death with a crowbar.
9 “Wrrraarrraak!” The Penguin, I've Got Batman in My Basement![]()
I"ve Got Batman in My Basement is largely considered to be one of the weakest episodes of the entire series, and for good reason. The story revolves around a pair of children amateur detectives who somehow manage to bail Batman out in a case against the Penguin. The first appearance of the classic Batman villain in the series, I"ve Got Batman in My Basement instantly ensures that The Penguin is far from the threat he deserves to be by being thwarted by literal kids.
The kids first come on to The Penguin"s schemes by tracking down his pet vulture to his lair, where The Penguin appears on-screen for the first time. His first line is a ridiculous squawking bird call meant to get the attention of his pet, ensuring that the supposed criminal mastermind is far from intimidating the second he appears on-screen. Considering how intimidating Oz Cobb is portrayed in the HBO series The Penguin, it"s sad to see how much of a joke the most iconic Batman series treats him as.
8 “And People Wonder Why No One Takes Britain Seriously." Red Claw, The Lion and the Unicorn![]()
Another one of the more overlooked Batman: The Animated Series episodes, and for good reason, The Lion and the Unicorn was actually the last episode to air of the entire show. The adventure focuses on Alfred returning to England to help his "cousin" Fredrick with a generic Eastern European spy villain known as Red Claw. At one point, Red Claw injects Alfred with a truth serum, hoping to get some sensitive intelligence out of him. To prevent himself from spilling the beans, Alfred recites lines from English poetry before launching into pure gibberish.
Annoyed at the attempt, Red Claw remarks that Alfred"s speech is the reason why Britain is no longer taken seriously. Eerily enough, it"s safe to say Britain is taken much less seriously in American culture today than when Batman: The Animated Series first came out. While England used to be a symbol of class and high society in American media, Red Claw may awkwardly have something of a point.
7 “When You Taste The Prison Food, You'll Wish I Had.” Batman, The Forgotten![]()
Every now and then, Batman: The Animated Series would clumsily attempt to cover some heavy subjects, ranging from child abuse to poverty. The subject of the day for episode The Forgotten is slavery and homelessness, with Bruce Wayne forced into servitude after losing his memory. Surprisingly, the poorly-aged line associated with this episode doesn"t have to do with its delicate topic.
Instead, the line refers to the eating habits of the forgettable one-off antagonist Boss Biggis, a comically overweight slave driver whose diet is used as a source of humor. When he finally comes to and takes down Boss Biggis, Batman takes the time to mock his size, suggesting he won"t be a fan of the food in prison. Even if it is for a despicable villain, a bit of body-shaming goes a long way to aging even as prestigious show as Batman: The Animated Series.
6 “Nasty Wound You've Got There, Pussycat. You Gonna Lick It And Make It All Better?” Dr. Milo, Cat Scratch Fever![]()
Though it was ostensibly rated for children to watch, Batman: The Animated Series would occasionally veer into some uncomfortably sexual territory for its supposed target audiences. A great example of this is the Catwoman-centered episode Cat Scratch Fever. Here is the first appearance of the seldom-occurring villain and genius genetic bioengineer, Dr. Milo, who injects Catwoman"s pet cat, Isis, with a deadly contagious venom.
The presence of Catwoman invites some strangely graphic line reads from Dr. Milo, who taunts "Nasty wound you"ve got there, Pussycat. You gonna lick it and make it all better?". The creepy lecherousness with which Dr. Milo spouts this line isn"t a good look for the supposedly kid-friendly cartoon, inviting some nasty innuendo. It"s a shame Catwoman can"t seem to exist in stories like this episode or movies like Batman Returns without suffering so many "pussycat" comments.
5 “It Would Appear The Collapse Of The Stock Market Is Now Imminent.” Summer Gleeson, The Last Laugh![]()
The Last Laugh is a great episode that shows off one of Joker"s most damaging schemes in the entire run of Batman: The Animated Series. Creating a massive ship complete with an android pilot, Captain Clown, the Joker sends a massive swathe of his signature venom drifting through Gotham City, predominantly affecting its rich elite. Because of their newfound madness, the biggest corporate interests of Gotham City quickly begin to tank the economy thanks to their capital control.
Reporting on the situation, reporter Summer Gleeson comments on the imminent collapse of the stock market. It wouldn"t be long after the last episode of Batman: The Animated Series aired that the stock market collapsed for real in the 2008 financial crisis. With that knowledge in mind, hearing this line again is almost wince-inducing, even if the writers of the series could"ve never predicted it.
4 “Children And Guns Do Not Mix. Ever.” Batman, The Underdwellers![]()
The 2008 financial crisis wouldn"t be the only real-life event that caused a Batman: The Animated Series line to age poorly. In one of the most infamously poorly-rated episodes, The Underdwellers, Batman encounters a one-off villain hiding in the sewers that forces children to do his criminal bidding. In one chilling line with great gravitas, Batman disarms the pint-sized minions of some firearms, delivering a heartening statement on how children and guns don"t mix, no matter the circumstances.
Sadly, it"s become evident that Batman"s words are somehow controversial in the modern day. Since Batman: The Animated Series came out, a tragic epidemic of gun violence has gripped the country, particularly in schools, retroactively making Batman"s indictment of children and guns a shockingly touchy line. In a lot of ways, Batman: The Animated Series has aged quite well, but in the case of this particular line, it stands out as a product of its time.
3 “I've Seen How You Treat Your Prisoners. Forgotten And Scared, Without Hope Or Compassion.” Batman, Lock-Up![]()
Batman: The Animated Series did a great job of showing off Batman"s more sensitive side, taking the time to congratulate and help rehabilitate villains where he can rather than just locking them up and forgetting about them. Examples of this behavior include Harley Quinn, Two-Face, and Catwoman. However, in one episode, Batman comes across a copycat vigilante calling himself Lock-Up, a former Arkham Asylum head of security with a nasty penchant for abusing the inmates.
With Lock-Up as a foil, Batman is able to make some prescient statements about compassion for prisoners, stressing redemption over pure punitive action wherever possible. Once again, the 90s series produces a quote that runs counter to the problems plaguing society in the modern day, with the cruel prison-industrial pipeline only having gotten worse since the series" aired. If only Batman"s words had just as much of an effect on real life as they do in the DCAU.
2 “What Are You Doing Tonight?” Batman, Torch Song![]()
Torch Song is the episode to introduce Firefly into the rogue"s gallery of The New Batman Adventures. The former pyrotechnics technician and ex-boyfriend of a popular musician, Firefly is a relatively C-list villain in the grand scheme of the show. His signature episode is mired in some questionable treatment of female characters, culminating in an ominous portent of series producer Bruce Timm"s odd obsession with a certain Batman romance.
At one point, Batman asks Batgirl what she"s "doing tonight", only for her to reply with a classic line from Pinky and the Brain. Even if it is a light, offhanded remark, Batman jokingly propositioning Batgirl on a date night is a chilling preview of Bruce Timm"s later romantic pairing of the two in the controversial animated movie, Batman: The Killing Joke. This unfortunate premonition was an ominous portent of awkward DCAU storylines to come.
1 “Oh, Baby, You're The Best! The Ultimate Thrill. The Final Stunt. Me And You. Yeah... Yeah! YEAH!” Roxy Rocket, The Ultimate Thrill![]()
By far the most risqué line in both The New Batman Adventures or Batman: The Animated Series occurs in the episode of the former, The Ultimate Thrill. The story follows Batman chasing down an impulsive adrenaline-junkie criminal, Roxy Rocket, a former stuntwoman whose taste for danger drove her to seek greater and greater thrills, culminating in a chase with Batman. Strapping herself to a rocket, Roxy forces Batman into a dangerous ride for her own pleasure.
The voice acting for Roxy Rocket"s final stunt borders on R-rated, screaming with perverse delight as the rocket takes off. It"s hard to believe the showrunners got away with the blatant sexual imagery of this scene, made rather tasteless on a re-watch by the wild line read. Looking back at the show"s legacy, Roxy Rocket"s infamous line is one of the poorer-aged bits of dialogue in Batman: The Animated Series.
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There are a few different reasons some of the dialogue in Batman: The Animated Series" worst episodes doesn"t hold up to modern standards. In many cases, the 90s writing is an ill omen for later real-life events that would go on to make the lines awkward, if not downright offensive. Other times, the events of the DCAU chronology itself are to blame for instantly aging certain quotes.
10 "Hey! Do I Hit Your Kids?" Joker, Old Wounds
The New Batman Adventures picked up where the continuity of Batman: The Animated Series left off, new character designs, an aged story, and new redesigns for many of Gotham"s villains. However, the sequel series unfortunately maintained some of the poorly-aged dialogue of the original in episodes like Old Wounds. This episode detailed the original Robin"s split from Batman"s leadership, becoming the vigilante Nightwing. In one throwaway line, Joker comedically chides Batman for striking his ravenous hyenas, referring them as his "kids" before pointedly remembering that he regularly beats up Batman"s teen sidekicks. This chilling line is far from child-friendly, normalizing abuse in the context of a kid"s cartoon. But the real thing that ages it so poorly is the continued popularity of the Jason Todd storyline, which the DCAU wisely chose not to adapt, in which The Joker beats Robin to death with a crowbar.
9 “Wrrraarrraak!” The Penguin, I've Got Batman in My Basement
I"ve Got Batman in My Basement is largely considered to be one of the weakest episodes of the entire series, and for good reason. The story revolves around a pair of children amateur detectives who somehow manage to bail Batman out in a case against the Penguin. The first appearance of the classic Batman villain in the series, I"ve Got Batman in My Basement instantly ensures that The Penguin is far from the threat he deserves to be by being thwarted by literal kids.The kids first come on to The Penguin"s schemes by tracking down his pet vulture to his lair, where The Penguin appears on-screen for the first time. His first line is a ridiculous squawking bird call meant to get the attention of his pet, ensuring that the supposed criminal mastermind is far from intimidating the second he appears on-screen. Considering how intimidating Oz Cobb is portrayed in the HBO series The Penguin, it"s sad to see how much of a joke the most iconic Batman series treats him as.
8 “And People Wonder Why No One Takes Britain Seriously." Red Claw, The Lion and the Unicorn
Another one of the more overlooked Batman: The Animated Series episodes, and for good reason, The Lion and the Unicorn was actually the last episode to air of the entire show. The adventure focuses on Alfred returning to England to help his "cousin" Fredrick with a generic Eastern European spy villain known as Red Claw. At one point, Red Claw injects Alfred with a truth serum, hoping to get some sensitive intelligence out of him. To prevent himself from spilling the beans, Alfred recites lines from English poetry before launching into pure gibberish. Annoyed at the attempt, Red Claw remarks that Alfred"s speech is the reason why Britain is no longer taken seriously. Eerily enough, it"s safe to say Britain is taken much less seriously in American culture today than when Batman: The Animated Series first came out. While England used to be a symbol of class and high society in American media, Red Claw may awkwardly have something of a point.
7 “When You Taste The Prison Food, You'll Wish I Had.” Batman, The Forgotten
Every now and then, Batman: The Animated Series would clumsily attempt to cover some heavy subjects, ranging from child abuse to poverty. The subject of the day for episode The Forgotten is slavery and homelessness, with Bruce Wayne forced into servitude after losing his memory. Surprisingly, the poorly-aged line associated with this episode doesn"t have to do with its delicate topic. Instead, the line refers to the eating habits of the forgettable one-off antagonist Boss Biggis, a comically overweight slave driver whose diet is used as a source of humor. When he finally comes to and takes down Boss Biggis, Batman takes the time to mock his size, suggesting he won"t be a fan of the food in prison. Even if it is for a despicable villain, a bit of body-shaming goes a long way to aging even as prestigious show as Batman: The Animated Series.
6 “Nasty Wound You've Got There, Pussycat. You Gonna Lick It And Make It All Better?” Dr. Milo, Cat Scratch Fever
Though it was ostensibly rated for children to watch, Batman: The Animated Series would occasionally veer into some uncomfortably sexual territory for its supposed target audiences. A great example of this is the Catwoman-centered episode Cat Scratch Fever. Here is the first appearance of the seldom-occurring villain and genius genetic bioengineer, Dr. Milo, who injects Catwoman"s pet cat, Isis, with a deadly contagious venom. The presence of Catwoman invites some strangely graphic line reads from Dr. Milo, who taunts "Nasty wound you"ve got there, Pussycat. You gonna lick it and make it all better?". The creepy lecherousness with which Dr. Milo spouts this line isn"t a good look for the supposedly kid-friendly cartoon, inviting some nasty innuendo. It"s a shame Catwoman can"t seem to exist in stories like this episode or movies like Batman Returns without suffering so many "pussycat" comments.
5 “It Would Appear The Collapse Of The Stock Market Is Now Imminent.” Summer Gleeson, The Last Laugh
The Last Laugh is a great episode that shows off one of Joker"s most damaging schemes in the entire run of Batman: The Animated Series. Creating a massive ship complete with an android pilot, Captain Clown, the Joker sends a massive swathe of his signature venom drifting through Gotham City, predominantly affecting its rich elite. Because of their newfound madness, the biggest corporate interests of Gotham City quickly begin to tank the economy thanks to their capital control. Reporting on the situation, reporter Summer Gleeson comments on the imminent collapse of the stock market. It wouldn"t be long after the last episode of Batman: The Animated Series aired that the stock market collapsed for real in the 2008 financial crisis. With that knowledge in mind, hearing this line again is almost wince-inducing, even if the writers of the series could"ve never predicted it.
4 “Children And Guns Do Not Mix. Ever.” Batman, The Underdwellers
The 2008 financial crisis wouldn"t be the only real-life event that caused a Batman: The Animated Series line to age poorly. In one of the most infamously poorly-rated episodes, The Underdwellers, Batman encounters a one-off villain hiding in the sewers that forces children to do his criminal bidding. In one chilling line with great gravitas, Batman disarms the pint-sized minions of some firearms, delivering a heartening statement on how children and guns don"t mix, no matter the circumstances. Sadly, it"s become evident that Batman"s words are somehow controversial in the modern day. Since Batman: The Animated Series came out, a tragic epidemic of gun violence has gripped the country, particularly in schools, retroactively making Batman"s indictment of children and guns a shockingly touchy line. In a lot of ways, Batman: The Animated Series has aged quite well, but in the case of this particular line, it stands out as a product of its time.
3 “I've Seen How You Treat Your Prisoners. Forgotten And Scared, Without Hope Or Compassion.” Batman, Lock-Up
Batman: The Animated Series did a great job of showing off Batman"s more sensitive side, taking the time to congratulate and help rehabilitate villains where he can rather than just locking them up and forgetting about them. Examples of this behavior include Harley Quinn, Two-Face, and Catwoman. However, in one episode, Batman comes across a copycat vigilante calling himself Lock-Up, a former Arkham Asylum head of security with a nasty penchant for abusing the inmates. With Lock-Up as a foil, Batman is able to make some prescient statements about compassion for prisoners, stressing redemption over pure punitive action wherever possible. Once again, the 90s series produces a quote that runs counter to the problems plaguing society in the modern day, with the cruel prison-industrial pipeline only having gotten worse since the series" aired. If only Batman"s words had just as much of an effect on real life as they do in the DCAU.
2 “What Are You Doing Tonight?” Batman, Torch Song
Torch Song is the episode to introduce Firefly into the rogue"s gallery of The New Batman Adventures. The former pyrotechnics technician and ex-boyfriend of a popular musician, Firefly is a relatively C-list villain in the grand scheme of the show. His signature episode is mired in some questionable treatment of female characters, culminating in an ominous portent of series producer Bruce Timm"s odd obsession with a certain Batman romance. At one point, Batman asks Batgirl what she"s "doing tonight", only for her to reply with a classic line from Pinky and the Brain. Even if it is a light, offhanded remark, Batman jokingly propositioning Batgirl on a date night is a chilling preview of Bruce Timm"s later romantic pairing of the two in the controversial animated movie, Batman: The Killing Joke. This unfortunate premonition was an ominous portent of awkward DCAU storylines to come.
1 “Oh, Baby, You're The Best! The Ultimate Thrill. The Final Stunt. Me And You. Yeah... Yeah! YEAH!” Roxy Rocket, The Ultimate Thrill
By far the most risqué line in both The New Batman Adventures or Batman: The Animated Series occurs in the episode of the former, The Ultimate Thrill. The story follows Batman chasing down an impulsive adrenaline-junkie criminal, Roxy Rocket, a former stuntwoman whose taste for danger drove her to seek greater and greater thrills, culminating in a chase with Batman. Strapping herself to a rocket, Roxy forces Batman into a dangerous ride for her own pleasure.The voice acting for Roxy Rocket"s final stunt borders on R-rated, screaming with perverse delight as the rocket takes off. It"s hard to believe the showrunners got away with the blatant sexual imagery of this scene, made rather tasteless on a re-watch by the wild line read. Looking back at the show"s legacy, Roxy Rocket"s infamous line is one of the poorer-aged bits of dialogue in Batman: The Animated Series.
Upcoming DC Movie Releases
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