10 Best Joker Episodes Of Batman: The Animated Series
You killed Captain Clown!
Batman: The Animated Series is regarded as one of the best animated television shows in history and is massively influential in the Batman mythos.
Not only is it responsible for creating Harley Quinn, one of the DC Universe’s most popular characters, but Mark Hamill’s portrayal of the Joker is just as iconic as those of Heath Ledger, Joaquin Phoenix or Cesar Romero. That Hamill voices the Joker in the Arkham Asylum and Arkham City video games is testament to his status as, for many, the definitive Joker.
Considering how good both Hamill and the series is as a whole, it’s a tough job to try and rank the top 10 Joker episodes. The Clown Prince of Crime appears in plenty of episodes over the course of the series, and all are pretty stellar.
It’s worth mentioning now that fan-favourite episode Almost Got ‘Im hasn’t made the cut. Yes, it’s a fantastic episode featuring a wonderful ensemble of rogues, but as a Joker showcase there are other episodes that better fit the brief.
These are the episodes that showcase the Joker’s defining moments throughout the series, from his most hilarious to his most psychopathic.
10. Be A Clown
One of Joker’s early pre-Harley Quinn episodes, Be a Clown sees the Joker infiltrate Mayor Hill’s son’s birthday party disguised as “Jekko”, a birthday party clown. Joker leaves a stick of dynamite on the birthday cake and makes his escape, unaware that Hill’s son Jordan has stowed away in the getaway van, so that he can escape his father and learn the tricks of the magician trade.
Joker’s “Jekko” shtick is great, with Mark Hamill’s “sufferin’ succotash” delivery a lovely touch. It’s also fun to see the Joker as an actual clown showing off some clown skills, with juggling, doves up the sleeve and joy buzzers going down a storm with the youngsters at the party.
There’s even a great gag when Jekko refers to his mentor - “The Great Prosciutto, what a ham!”
The final showdown with Batman takes place in the abandoned fairground, with Batman having to escape a Houdini drowning tank and embarking on a wild chase on a moving rollercoaster. It’s a finale that ticks all the boxes you’d want for a Joker episode.