TITLE: “The Night of the Hunters”
EPISODE DETAILS: Season 1/Episode 4
PREVIOUS: “Kiss of the Catwoman” (S1/E3)
AIR DATE: Thursday, August 1, 2024
WRITERS: Ed Brubaker
DIRECTOR: Christina Sotta
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Bruce Timm, James Tucker, J.J. Abrams, Matt Reeves, Bruce Timm, Ed Brubaker, Sam Register, Jase Ricci
OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: When Mayor Jessop assembles a task force to catch Batman, Detective Montoya is put in charge. Detectives Flass and Bullock take matters into their own hands in an attempt to trap Batman, putting Gotham in a fiery jeopardy.
CAST: Hamish Linklater as Batman/Bruce Wayne, Diedrich Bader as Harvey Dent. Krystal Joy Brown as Barbara Gordon, John DiMaggio as Harvey Bullock, Eric Morgan Stuart as James Gordon, Jason Watkins as Alfred Pennyworth, Gary Anthony Williams as Arnold Flass, Tom Kenny as Eel O’Bryan and Firebug, Jamie Chung as Dr. Harleen Quinzel, William Salyers as Mayor Jessop, Roger Craig Smith as Corrigan
REVIEW
If there’s a sleeper episode amongst the 10 that make up Season 1 of BATMAN, CAPED CRUSADER, it just may be Ep. 4, “The Night of the Hunters.”
This is a damn powerful episode.
In short, Mayor Jessop is coming down hard on Commissioner Gordon’s neck to find and bring in The Batman. So “The Bat-Man Task Force” — headed by Gordon and Det. Montoya — begin a sting operation with cops posing as criminals to bait The Batman.
But The Bat is too damn smart for them.
Montoya recommends they bring in Dr. Harleen Quinzel to assist and provide recommendations on what makes The Batman tick and how they can catch him. Her suggestion is to use different bait — a “weirdo” criminal in a costume. As a result, Flass and Bullock take things into their own hands and let the arsonist known as “Firebug” free.
As a result, Firebug puts on his old suit, refuels his flamethrowers, and proceeds to set a part of Gotham ablaze…a section of Gotham that just happens to be Jim Gordon’s old beat.
This entire episode is great, but the finale is especially awesome. The Batman and Gordon both enter the engulfed building to help save the people — including children — trapped inside. This sets up a great Batman/Gordon scene where the Commissioner has to make a choice when their paths ultimately cross inside: Take down The Batman or help him save the building’s residents. I’ll let you see for yourselves, but I will say it’s a great moment that foreshadows where their relationship is destined to go. – Bill “Jett” Ramey
