Directed by Curt Geda
Written by Erin Maher & Kathryn Reindl
Watch it live on Cartoon Network USA, Saturdays @ 10:00
Beware of spoilers!
This week Beware the Batman brings us a story about love. There’s something Frankenstein-esque and at times almost King Kong about ‘Toxic’ with the tragedy dial turned up to an eleven.
Katanna/Tatsu doesn’t appear in this episode which shifts all of the focus back on to Bruce/Batman allowing him a little more screen time and some more character development than we have seen in recent weeks.
There are some great callbacks to early episodes with Simon Stagg reappearing for the first time since the pilot and taking a central role and a few fleeting appearances by Bethanie Ravencroft from episode two who may prove to be a love interest for Bruce.
To see both of these characters again sets up a nice continuity to the universe and in terms of Stagg it closes the loop on this story. Where other cartoons use characters and throw them away never to be seen again we’re seeing a nice group of primary and secondary characters being developed across Gotham which helps give a level of reality that can be sorely missed when absent.
My previous gripes about Gotham feeling empty are sidelined this week as we get to meet Sapphire Stagg, Rex Mason/Metamorpho and witness a whole heap of cops and security guards get involved in the story.
Gotham still isn’t quite feeling like a highly populated metropolis BUT there is a more inhabited feel to this episode that I’ve felt has been lacking in others. I’m not sure where I get this feeling to Gotham being empty from as it’s not like BtAS or The Batman ever showed Gotham as being overly packed, there’s just something missing from the atmosphere that makes the scenery feel hollow.
On the up-side however it is great to spend some more time with the Beware the Batman version of Bruce Wayne. He’s had small character moments peppered throughout the series so far but most of those have tied in to either the main story of Batman or the story of Tatsu. In ‘Toxic’ he gets have both the Batman plot and the sub-plot to himself following his chance meeting – a little too chance I might add! – in the street with Dr. Ravencroft leading to a date stand up and eventual dinner as the episode comes to a close.
For those who have seen it: yes you can argue that the sub-plot does feed in to the building arc of the series but for the moment it’s nice to see a version of Bruce outside Batman getting to carry the show.
Also, for those on cast-watch: Alfred is now back to driving the car. The leg is fine!
In the grand scheme of this season I think that ‘Toxic’ will be a break from the heavy mythology of later episodes and for the adult viewer this will be a familiar format which is so often used in episodic dramas. It works well as a stand alone episode and also as a part of the series which is something that modern audiences crave.
I’m currently totally in the dark as to next weeks episodes… here’s hoping it’s another step towards greatness for this show!
7/10
