If you’re a fan of the Batman Animated Series, you may be curious about how many episodes feature the Joker. The Joker is one of Batman’s most iconic and beloved villains, so it’s no surprise that he appears in quite a few episodes throughout the series. Let’s take a closer look at just how many times the Clown Prince of Crime makes an appearance.
Introduction to the Joker in Batman Animated Series
The Joker first appeared in the Batman Animated Series in its second episode, “Christmas with the Joker,” which aired on November 13th, 1992. In this episode, the Joker escapes from Arkham Asylum on Christmas Eve and takes over Gotham’s airwaves with his own twisted version of a holiday special.
From there, the Joker became a regular fixture in the series, appearing in a total of 22 episodes across its four-season run. Let’s break down those appearances by season.
Season One
The first season of Batman Animated Series only featured two appearances by the Joker:
- “Christmas with the Joker”
- “The Last Laugh”
While these two episodes were both well-received by fans and critics alike, they were just a taste of what was to come.
Season Two
Season two saw an increase in both quality and quantity when it came to Joker appearances. He showed up in five episodes:
- “Joker’s Favor”
- “Avatar”
- “Deep Freeze”
- “Beware the Gray Ghost”
- “Almost Got ‘Im”
This was also when Mark Hamill took over as the voice actor for the character, bringing his own unique spin to the role.
Season Three
The third season of Batman Animated Series was the shortest, with only 13 episodes. Of those 13, the Joker appeared in three:
- “Joker’s Millions”
- “Make ‘Em Laugh”
- “The Laughing Fish”
While this may seem like a small number, these three episodes are some of the most memorable and iconic of the entire series.
Season Four
Finally, we have season four. This was when Batman Animated Series was rebranded as The New Batman Adventures and underwent a major visual overhaul. Despite this, the Joker remained a constant presence, showing up in five episodes:
- “Holiday Knights”
- “Joker’s Millions”
- “Legends of the Dark Knight”
- “Mad Love”
- “Over the Edge”
It’s worth noting that “Joker’s Millions” is technically a reworked version of an episode from season three, so some fans may not count it as a separate appearance.
Conclusion
So there you have it – over the course of Batman Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures combined, the Joker appeared in a total of 22 episodes. While he may not have been present in every single episode, his impact on both the series and on pop culture as a whole cannot be denied. Whether he was causing chaos or simply providing some much-needed comic relief, Mark Hamill’s performance as the Joker will always be remembered as one of the highlights of this classic animated series.