BTAS Retrospective – “I’ve Got Batman In My Basement”

INFO 
BTAS Episode #12
Originally aired on September 30, 1992

CREDITS 
Written by Sam Graham & Chris Hubbell
Directed by Frank Paur

CAST 
Kevin Conroy as Batman / Bruce Wayne
Matthew Brooks as Sherman Grant
Adam Carl as Nick
Lindsey Crouse as Mrs. Grant
Richard Gilliand as Frank
Denise Marco as Roberta
Rob Paulsen as Jay
Paul Williams as The Penguin

PREVIOUS: “Fear of Victory“

I remember watching “I’ve Got Batman In My Basement” back in the early 1990s when BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES was airing daily on the Fox television network.  I’m not sure if was the first airing or a rerun; regardless, I had not seen it in nearly a quarter of a century until I recently viewed it as it was I was assigned to review it as part of BOF’s BTAS retrospective.

I don’t know if it’s because it’s because I’m quite a bit older now, but I don’t remember this episode being this bad 25-ish years ago!  OK, it’s not that bad — as in unwatchable bad — but I didn’t find it all that good upon this 2018 viewing.  Maybe my age does have something to do with it because this episode is aimed at young kids.  If it wasn’t, it should’ve been.  It’s essentially HOME ALONE with Batman in it.  Here’s what Bruce Timm had to say about it…

“I can’t even watch that show. It’s the epitome of what we don’t want to do with Batman. Strangely enough kids like it. The script came in and it was terrible. Normally, I tell the director to do what he can to make it interesting, and nobody could figure out a way to make it interesting. The storyboard artists didn’t care, and it shows.”

Oy vey!  Anyway…

The basic plot of this episode is that Batman takes refuge in an apartment basement after having been exposed to a toxic gas while attempting foil The Penguin’s robbery of a rare Faberge egg  A group of kids find him and it’s up to them to stop The Penguin and his goons while Batman recovers.  As a result, hijinx ensue!

Batman is out of commission to the very end, but manages to overcome the affects of the gas right before The Penguin slits his throat.  In one of the silliest and bad fight involving Batman ever, he “sword fights” The Penguin with…wait for it…a screwdriver.

Oy vey indeed!

Overall, “I’ve Got Batman In My Basement” is basically “meh.”  While most BTAS episodes are for kids and adults, this one that children will enjoy; so show it to your kids.  Now, if you’re able to get into the mindset of your 10 year old self, you might think it’s kinda cool.  Wouldn’t you have loved to have Batman in your basement or your room when you were 10? – Bill “Jett” Ramey