"Holiday Knights" is the premiere episode of The New Batman Adventures. It originally aired on Kids' WB in the United States on September 13, 1997.
Synopsis[]
December 22[]
Harley Quinn bemoans her fate to her friend, Poison Ivy, as they stay holed up in a scuzzy hotel with nothing to celebrate the holidays. Harley is eager to get a Christmas tree, but Ivy refuses to support 'botanical genocide.' With a raised eyebrow of devious foreboding, Ivy assures her that she has a plan that will make it "the happiest holiday ever".
Later on, at the Vreeland estate, we catch up with Bruce having a pleasant conversation with fellow socialite Veronica about forthcoming vacation plans. Much to "Brucey's" chagrin, his quiet moment is interrupted by a gaggle of suitors, all intent on snagging a moment with Gotham's most eligible bachelor under the mistletoe. Backing away to make an escape, he finds himself in the arms of a shadowy female figure who – seizing him by his necktie – plants a big one right on his kisser. Finding himself completely discombobulated as to what exactly just transpired, he makes his way outside with the intent to head home.
On his way to his car, however, he's intercepted by Poison Ivy & Harley Quinn and finds he cannot resist their every command no matter how hard he tries. While in the car, Harley kindly reveals exactly what happened: Poison Ivy used a special lipstick laced with a chemical to infect Bruce, via the aforementioned kiss. They also boldly pronounce that they intend to have a night on the town at Mr. Wayne's expense. The girls shop endlessly buying clothes and jewels, all the while Bruce begrudgingly (yet uncontrollably) puts it all on his credit cards. Despite Harley's eagerness, Ivy still refuses to get a Christmas tree. Finally, Bruce begins building up a will as the chemical's potency begins to wane. Vocalizing his discontent, the girls decide it's time for another dose; backing away from Harley's approach, however, Bruce falls down a conveniently placed 'out of order' open elevator shaft. Believing the slip to be his last, Harley and Ivy leave Bruce for dead, yet as they turn their backs and walk away, a portentous hand reaches out of the abyss and grips the edge of the floor.
As the duo burns rubber away from Bergduff's Department Store, the silhouette of Batman can be seen swooping after them. When Harley spots him through the back window, Ivy wastes no time in making an escape: she grabs the wheel of the car and ram-raids the Wacko Toys shop. Probing through the pitch black with his flashlight, Batman soon needn't wonder where they've gone to as a huge toy soldier comes crashing down nearly upon him. Looking up, he can see them taunting him atop a citadel of toys. Not one to decline a challenge, Batman eagerly ascends the tower only to find a boxing glove by Poison Ivy and a wooden sledgehammer from Harley Quinn. Plummeting to the bottom, the girls cannot resist a gloat as they make – what they believe will be – their exit. But the quick-minded Batman has other plans: he uses his grappling hook to snag the base of a massive Christmas tree, which he then yanks hard, causing it to topple over directly on the would-be escapees. Though Ivy is furious, Harley feels satisfied to finally have a tree.
December 24[]
In Mayfield's Department Store, Barbara is just purchasing a new tie for her father when all of a sudden, an ear-piercing wail cuts through the air. The shop attendant comments on how they've been crying all day, at which point we see why: Harvey Bullock is playing Santa. With his partner, Montoya, he's on a stakeout to catch a mysterious 'invisible shoplifter.' Bullock does not enjoy playing Santa, but shows rare sensitivity when he unexpectedly meets a young girl whose father he put in prison. Though he can't bring her father home, he gives her some cash to soothe her Christmastime woes, encouraging her to buy a gift for her father - "as long as it ain't a hacksaw."
Barbara, walking through the store, happens to spot a child shoplifting, but when she tries to apprehend him, his clothes and hand seem to dissolve into nothing. Then, Montoya gets a call through her earpiece that detectives are in pursuit of four child bandits in the store. Just when the children seem to be trapped, they meld together into...Clayface. He begins tearing up the place and no one can stop him, that is until Barbara gets changed into her Batgirl outfit and delivers a blow to the head that sends him crashing out the window and into the skating rink below. Montoya and Bullock arrive on the scene and, with a little guidance from Batgirl, succeed in halting the giant shapeshifter by way of electrocution. Bullock is ready to close the case and celebrate, but Montoya reminds him they still need to recover the stolen goods - hidden in Clayface's clay body. Bullock starts rolling up his sleeves for the grim job ahead.
December 31[]
In Commissioner Gordon's office, Batman & Robin have just reviewed a taped broadcast by the Joker, who reveals some good news and bad news: the good news is that for the next year, he will not kill anyone; the bad news is that he intends to make up for the loss in the activity that very night. Gordon tells Batman the only murder that day was a GothCorp scientist who specialized in sonics. This Dr. Erikson had been working on a sonic-based weapon powerful enough to kill anyone in 'earshot'. Using some rudimentary deductive skills, Batman concludes that the New Year's Day countdown at Gotham Square is assuredly the place where the Joker will set off the bomb.
Indeed, the Joker is setting up, and Batman is close at hand, but – always with a trick up his sleeve – the Joker has prepared a mass of plastic joker masks to help him blend in with the crowd. Batman is not amused. Using his 'Batnoculars', he easily spies the real Joker (with a huge clown wearing earmuffs on either side of him) playing the piano on stage. So just before swooping in, he makes his presence known with a well-timed Batarang to the head, removing the Joker's earmuffs. Then, instead of going after the Joker directly, Batman & Robin take out the muscle on either side of him. This seemingly simple task, however, proves to be too much for the caped crusaders and they find themselves in the clutches of the Clown Prince of Crime.
As the bell is rising to ring in the New Year, the Joker is having one final gloat by standing next to Batman with a bottle of champagne. The ever-alert Dark Knight snatches the bottle and sprays it all over the controls, shorting the wires and eventually exploding the bell's pulley, resulting in a falling, massively heavy bell. As luck would have it, the giant object lands right on the Joker (who comically follows it up with a small "ouch").
January 1[]
At 1:55 a.m., Gordon enters Joe's Tavern and has a seat, while the barkeep ushers out the remnants of the punters. He speculates that "he" might not show after the hectic day "he's" had, but the Commissioner is sure he will not break their tradition. Naturally, it's Batman who they're talking about, and sure enough, he appears from the kitchen. He sits, and the two friends share coffee and drink a toast to surviving another year. As Gordon orders a cheesesteak to go, he finds Batman has slipped away like a shadow, paying the bill in the process. Gordon swears that one day he'll beat him to the check, then heads home with a swinging Bat close behind him.
Cast[]
- Kevin Conroy as Batman / Bruce Wayne
- Tara Charendoff as Batgirl / Barbara Gordon
- Mathew Valencia as Robin
- Mark Hamill as The Joker
- Ron Perlman as Clayface
- Arleen Sorkin as Harley Quinn
- Diane Pershing as Poison Ivy
- Bob Hastings as Commissioner Gordon
- Marilu Henner as Veronica Vreeland
- Robert Costanzo as Detective Bullock
- Liane Schirmer as Detective Renee Montoya
- Rachel Davy as Mary McSweeney
- Tress MacNeille as Little Boy
- Corey Burton as Uniformed Cop
External links[]
- "Holiday Knights" at DC Animated Universe Wiki
- "Holiday Knights" at IMDb