Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Viewer Log: Batman: Caped Crusader ep 3

 Selena's after two things, shiny objects and cats.

Last time on Batman: Caped Crusader, Detective Montoya and Batman investigated a disappearance. Horror movie starlet Yvonne Francis was kidnapped outside her home after a date with millionaire Bruce Wayne. Batman decided to let Montoya do most of the leg work on this one, following her from a distance and listening in on a microphone he planted on her. Montoya’s investigation led her to Basil Karlo, a talented actor that worked opposite Francis as the monster in several films. He claimed to have not seen her in months, but Montoya learned he was at the same party as her earlier that week. She goes to investigate him further but finds him murdered in his apartment. Batman meets the murderer outside, a man with a gnarly face dressed in black with a red scarf. Batman chases after him but the man escapes. Montoya continues her investigation, learning that Karlo had developed a fixation on Francis and was desperate to change his face, believing that was keeping him and Francis apart. He paid a makeup artist named Ellman to make a treatment to make him prettier but the two had a falling out some time ago. At the same time, the Man in Black works around Batman and Montoya, murdering Lew Valentine the studio owner. He makes an attempt on Hayes life, the director Basil Karlo used to work with. Batman saves Hayes, the two have a sword fight but Batman is buried under a collapsed set. He finds Valentine’s body and another victim, Daryl Manning another actor. Batman, knowing that Montoya just interviewed Manning checks on Basil Karlo’s corpse and finds that his face is yielding and malleable like clay.  Montoya goes to interview Ellman, who attacks her and captures her. When she wakes up, she learns that she’s dealing with Clayface, Basil Karlo. He had been getting revenge on his coworkers that he felt slighted him in the past, type casting him as the villain into oblivion because of his dour face. He got the treatment to get Francis, but she rejected him even after he made himself more handsome, this seemed to cause his face to melt, and he decided to get payback. Francis distracts him by critiquing his performance and saying his acting isn’t great, and Batman bursts in to stop him. While Batman and Clayface fight, Montoya is freed and frees Francis. Batman knocks Clayface out. Montoya pulls her gun on Batman, but the arrival of corrupt cops Flass and Bullock let Batman escape. She finds the mic on her jacket and uses it to tell Batman they aren’t done yet. Enough recap. Let’s get to it.

 

Ep 3: Kiss Of The Catwoman

 

We open with Bruce at Gotham Museum. They’re displaying the Wayne family jewels, including his mother’s iconic pearls. We see a photographer named Eel O’Brian (Tom Kenny) taking shots of the event. Bruce is looking at said pearls and feeling things when Selina Kyle (Christina Ricci) approaches him and starts hitting on him. Well, hitting on him and admiring his mother’s necklace, saying she wants pearls just like these.  Bruce ask if he should be worried, as Selina has a reputation for being a kleptomaniac. She says she likes nice things, but they accidentally come home with her. She shifts it to flirting, saying they’re both rich orphans. Bruce points out that technically she’s not an orphan as her father is alive, just in jail for tax fraud. She says that they probably have more in common that half the floozies she’s seen Bruce with. Bruce is distracted by two reporters talking about the pearls. One points out they’ve got to be worth 10-20K, the other saying who the hell would wear something like that in Crime Alley? The implication that his parents were asking to get mugged and murdered is enough to send Bruce into a blind rage and he decked the reporter, O’Brian getting a great shot of the punch and Selina saying, “oh my,” in an intrigued way.

 

We cut to Bruce explaining the event to a therapist. Lucius Fox apparently worked out a deal with Harvey Dent the DA that he just has to see this therapist for a few sessions to prove he’s not a danger to society. His therapist, Dr. Harleen Quinzel (Jamie Chung), seems genuinely interested in helping him. Bruce claims he’s not the bellyaching type, but Harleen points out that talking to a therapist aka bellyaching is part of his no jail time for assault deal, so he should probably start. She asks if he’s ever reacting violently before. He claims he’s not the sort to blow his top, but Harleen points out that he did blow his top. Bruce admits hearing someone talk about his mom negatively set him off. Harleen says that his parents are an obvious but natural sore spot for him and asks if he’d like to talk about it. Bruce refuses, saying it was a long time ago and was awful but he’s beyond it.  He also eyes his file on Harleen’s table. Harleen says that repressed trauma is something he might not even realize he’s doing. Bruce tunes her out as he flashes back to that night. An officer interviewed young Bruce (Santino Barnard) asking if he could identify the mugger/murderer but Bruce is too traumatized to remember anything.  Alfred pulls him aside and says he needs to be taken home.

 

Later, Alfred asks Bruce how therapy was and Bruce says it was a waste of an hour. He says that Harleen thinks she can get into his head, but he’s not going to let that happen. He opens her file on him that he must have swiped when leaving, only to find it just has blank sheets of paper inside and a note saying she’ll see him next week.

 

We cut to Selina Kyle’s apartment. She and her many cats are awoken by her maid, Greta who tells her it’s already midafternoon. Greta tells her there are more bills today and Selina says to put them with the others, aka the fireplace. Greta is very concerned about their finances, as the electricity is going to be cut in a few days and because she hasn’t been paid in quite some time. Selina deflects by saying it’s not her fault her dad left them with nothing. Greta asks if she could at least stop bringing cats home as the food bill for them is insane. There are at least a dozen cats in this shot so Greta does have a point. Selina says not to worry about it, Greta sarcastically saying her tone of voice fills her with confidence. Selina sees a front-page story about Batman and has an idea. She asks Greta if they still have a sewing machine. She fashions a Catwoman costume and asks Greta if she thinks it’s fabulous, Greta says that’s not the word she’d use.

 

We get a newspaper montage of Selina performing dozens of burglaries as Catwoman over the course of several days. Seems like the rich debutant has a natural talent for theft. She’s spotted at one of her heists, but she escapes the uniform cops before running into Flass and Bullock. She dodges around Flass and slashes Bullock across his face before running off, dodging them in an alley by rapidly climbing up a few feet. That’s when Batman drops in on her, asking who she is. Catwoman flirts with Batman a little, saying he’s sexier than the sketch made him out to be and that he ‘inspires’ her before trying to run. He catches her with one of his bolos. She’s shocked to learn he has toys. Bullock and Flass find her tied up and arrest her. Catwoman is unmasked as Selina Kyle, Bullock calling her the high society klepto. She’s put in the back of their car and she sees Batman driving off in the batmobile, saying it’s a nice car.

 

We get another flashback to Alfred driving young Bruce back to the mansion. Alfred asks if he’d like a cup of hot cocoa when they get back to the house, but Bruce doesn’t answer. Bruce comes out of his flashback in Dr. Quinzel’s office, Harleen asking him a question. Bruce tells her the not-a-total lie that he had a late night with a lady friend and asks her to repeat the question. Harleen points out that last week she learned that Bruce was clearly repressing things about his parent’s murder and tries again to get him to open up. Asking if he’s repressing himself in other ways. She points that he’s basically a rich playboy stereotype. Bruce says that maybe that is just the way he is. Harleen says she’s seen him in the society pages but asks how many times he’s been on a second date or if the women he hangs out with are anything more than accessories to him. Bruce says he’s just playing the field, and that life is different for someone like him. Harleen pointedly says “for the rich” and makes a note.

 

We jump over to Selina’s trial. She’s playing the victim, claiming to have been at the wrong place at the wrong time and it was Batman that stole those gems. The Judge is skeptical as he’s seen Selina several times before but asks the DA his thoughts. Harvey tells him that because the gems were returned and they can’t definitively prove Selina’s story about Batman doing it isn’t true, that the city is willing to drop the charges and give her another chance. Flass and Bullock are watching from the stands and looking unimpressed, as is Barbara. After the trial Barbara accuses Harvey of going soft on Selina because she’s rich and famous. She asks if Selina is a campaign donor. Harvey asks if she really thinks he’d sink that low, when she glares, he admits he might… if Selina wasn’t flat broke. Selina leaves the courthouse and is picked up by Greta. Greta asks if they’re headed home but Selina says they need to get some work done on the car.

 

Later, another Cop teases Bullock for losing such an easy case. Bullock almost takes a swing at him, but Flass stops him, saying that the cat is running out of lives, she just doesn’t know it yet. We cut to Bruce hitting a boxing bag in his home gym while listening to the news, learning that Selina got off. Bruce is angry to hear they let her go, Alfred sarcastically adding that she promised never to do it again.

 

That night, Selina starts burgling again. She steals a bunch of jewels from a rich couple as they sleep and their cat, adding insult to injury.  Batman finds her showing off the jewels to the cat. He chases after her across the rooftops, Selina showing an impressive level of fitness as she runs in heels.  That is until she slips because of them and falls. Batman catches her and lowers them down with his grapple gun, Selina calling him her hero and kissing him. You’ve never seen a man less into a kiss, other than maybe Dio kissing Jo Jo’s girlfriend if you’ve seen the series Jo Jo’s Bizarre Adventure. Once they touch down, he pushes her off and says she’s wasting his time. She pulls electrified brass knuckles on him, stunning him and allowing her to run to her cat mobile and drive off. Batman is clearly annoyed.

 

Bullock and Flass head to the Kyle penthouse to arrest Selina, only to find it empty save for a bag of kitty litter. Selina got them a year’s lease on a crummy apartment on the Eastside of Gotham to hide out in. Greta is annoyed by the downgrade in their living arrangements. Selina points out that she’s paid off most of her debts with last night’s take as well. She says that they have to make accommodations if they’re to live as outlaws, Greta angrily pointing out she never asked to live like an outlaw.

 

Batman reads about Selina’s exploits in the paper and angrily crumples it up. Alfred suggests that he try to get some sleep and maybe let the police handle her as she’s really just a burglar with a gimmick, not a true villain. He also points out that Bruce Wayne has appointments today, giving Batman an idea. He goes to get changed and tells Alfred to get the limo. He heads to Gotham Museum and tells the curator he’s pulling his collection from their display. After the string of burglaries, he doesn’t feel safe having them out like this, or so he claims. The curator begs him to let her keep the collection through the weekend and he relents. He gets in his limo, saying the plan is set and they can head home, but Alfred points out he’s got another therapy session. Meanwhile, Selina hears about the closing of the jewelry exhibit and seems intrigued.

 

Bruce points out that this is his last session with Harleen and adding that he thinks she’s helped him out a lot. Harleen says that she will sign his paperwork, but she’s doing it reluctantly. She says she doesn’t think Bruce is a danger to himself or others, but she also doesn’t think they’ve made progress together. She says she sees a lot of wealthy men that just gush to her about their guilty secrets and dark desires on her. She says that she knows Bruce has only shown her a façade but that she’s willing to keep going and work with him if he’ll just let his walls down. Bruce says no. Outside he gives Alfred the paperwork and says to make sure it gets to Lucius. Alfred asks if he’s sure he didn’t get anything out of therapy, Bruce says it was a waste of time and to drop it. But Alfred sees him looking… troubled in the rearview mirror. We get another flashback to young Bruce. On a dark and stormy night sometime after the murder, Bruce remembers the night. He sees the mugger Joe Chill (at least I assume that’s who done it, we don’t get a name) coming out of the dark and shooting Thomas and Martha, Bruce visibly flinching as he remembers the gun shots. He then goes to Alfred and tells him he’s going to make all the criminals pay for what they did and that Alfred is going to help him.

 

In the present, Alfred tells Batman that even if he catches Selina, the judge might just let her go again, but Batman tells him not this time. Batman finds O’Brian the photographer taking picks of a city councilman cheating on his wife. He scares the shit out of O’Brian and almost knocks him off the fire escape. But Batman catches him and tells O’Brian that he needs him.

 

We cut to Gotham Museum as Selina goes for the Wayne pearls. She set off the silent alarm as she came and Flass and Bullock are also on their way. Batman confronts Catwoman, O’Brian taking shots from the second floor. Selina sicks a panther she brought on Batman. Girl has too many cats! Batman throws smoke pellets at the panther but it just leaps at him. Bullock and Flass arrive and start chasing Selina. Batman holds the Panther off until the gas knocks it out, taking a deep breath once the gas clears and gets up. Flass takes a shot at Selena, winging her leg. Bullock gets the cuffs ready, but Flass tells him they won’t need those. He gets in close to finish Selena off, but Batman grabs him and beats the crap out of him, Bullock standing by since he can’t get a shot on Batman. Until he throws Flass at Bullock and then knocks him out. O’Brian takes several more pics. Batman binds Selena’s leg, she tries to flirt with him again but he’s not paying her attention, and he cuffs her leg to a table. She says he’s no fun at all and Batman agrees.

 

Outside, he finds O’Brian. O’Brian has the shots but it’s on the same reel of film of him fighting Flass. O’Brian is clearly terrified of Batman and offers to destroy all the photos to get rid of the police fighting evidence, but Batman tells him just to make sure the Catwoman photos run in the paper, he doesn’t care about the rest. He grapple-guns away.

 

The next morning, Selena calls Greta and tells her to bail Selena out. Greta tells her that’s not going to be possible as she’s got no money. Selena tells her to pawn a few things to get bail, but then Greta reveals that she already sold everything that Selena had in the apartment. She’s taking the money as 3 years backpay and is going to head out on a cruise. Selena looks utterly flabbergasted that Greta abandoned her. Which is why I say, pay your employees.

 

Back at the Cave, Alfred says that Catwoman has been taken care of. Batman knows she’ll be back, but he’s got a break from her nonsense for now. Alfred points out that the photos might be more of a problem for him than Catwoman was. Batman agrees but says that now they know he’s coming for them. Whether he means the corrupt cops or crooks in general is anyone’s guess.  Alfred tries to talk to Batman about seeing Dr. Quinzel again for more therapy, but Batman says that the coffee is cold, an obvious dismissal. Alfred goes to get him a fresh cup. We get one last flashback of Alfred cleaning the car window that night before hearing several gun shots and running to see what happened. Kind of a dark ending.

 

I think it’s an interesting choice to make Batman and Catwoman have zero chemistry in this first outing. Seems like for as long as I’ve been following DC media Bruce and Selena have always had a spark regardless of adaptation, be it animated or live action, and if I recall correctly she’s been Bruce’s primary romantic interest in comics for a while. But I suppose this is an early version of Bruce, some speculate that he’s been doing the Batman thing for weeks at the start of the series, so he’s maybe just too stiff for Selena. The fact that this version is a much more spoiled ditz doesn’t help the situation either. It is funny to be that it looks like she’s got a natural talent for burglary once she set her mind to it, like if she’d picked this up when Bruce was still out training she’d be one of the most notorious criminals in Gotham it seems. I also liked how each outing had her escalate a bit. First, she’s just a burglar in a dress and heels, then she’s also got a few gadgets and a car, and finally she’s using her unique gifts to bring animals to crime scenes. She’s like the most natural criminal to date in this series. Also, props to the show for showing how the criminal justice system tends to work, ie, if you have looks and fame (famous or infamous) you get more second chances than poor people. And finally on Selena, her face when she learned Greta is peacing out was priceless. It was interesting to see that Flass was the one who was going to finish off Selena. Thus far, he seems to prefer pushing off dirty work onto Bullock, but I guess something about Selena must have irked him. I liked that Bruce ultimately chose to make sure Selena was arrested even if it made his job harder since the pictures 1. Prove he exists, and 2. Imply he’s willing to beat up cops. While Gordon knows, or at least suspects, Flass and Bullock are crooked, no one else does so they’ll just see him punching a police detective. Not a great look if you don’t have proof of villainy. So, Selena’s in jail and the Bat’s out of the bag. We’ll see where the story goes from here. Have a good night.

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