Though recent animated versions of the Batman, such as the usually - at least in my opinion -- overlooked The Batman, have drawn inspiration from the Dark Knight persona, Batman: The Brave and the Bold instead looks to the earlier, Silver Age Caped Crusader characterization. Gone are the dark city streets, fear-ridden shadows and "No Man's Land" mentality of Gotham being its own, walled-off universe. Instead, The Brave and the Bold sets Batman in jazzy, colored worlds and teams him up with some of the DC Universe's more noteworthy superheroes.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold Season One Part Two features what I consider some of the first season's best episodes. The most noteworthy episode in the bunch is the Emmy-nominated "Mayhem of the Music Meister!" a musical episode that will definitely give Buffy fans flashbacks to that show's all-singing episode. The episode guest stars Neil Patrick Harris as the Music Meister, who uses his mind-controlling vocals to get Gorilla Grodd, Black Manta and Clock King to steal a communications satellite. Aquaman, Green Arrow and Black Canary intervene, only to also fall under Music Meister's spell.
Meanwhile, the ever-prepared Batman figures out Music Meister's plan and, with the aid of earplugs, helps free the zombified heroes. Not to be beaten so easily, the Music Meister uses his powers on Arkham Asylum, starting a riot made up of most, if not all, of Batman's rogues gallery. The episode is outright amazing and great example of the type of antics the Silver Age setting allows the show.
Another great episode is the Paul Dini scribed "Legends of the Dark Mite!" which features Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee Herman) as Bat-Mite, Batman's biggest fan from the 5th Dimension. The plot is absolutely bonkers and has some fun with familiar Bat-conventions. Then there's "Trials of the Demon" where Batman is transported to the 19th Century by Etrigan the Demon and, alongside Sherlock Holmes, must put an end to Gentleman Jim Craddock's (who later becomes Gentleman Ghost) crime spree. Just watching Batman and Holmes try to one up each other in deductive reasoning is worth the watch.
Episodes are self-contained with no connective arcs or even callbacks to other episodes. Instead, each is more like the later Scooby-Doo cartoons where Mystery Inc. would meet a guest star (such as Batman & Robin) and work together to solve a mystery. It's a fun setup. Speaking of Robin, the Boy Wonder shows up once in an episode entitled "The Color of Revenge." The episode is one of the show's weakest from a story perspective, but points to the major rift between Batman and Dick Grayson (eventually leading to Dick becoming Nightwing).
One of the more noteworthy aspects of The Brave and the Bold is the lack of big-name characters. Neither Superman nor Wonder Woman shows up, leaving Aquaman as the show's lone "big name" character. Of course, the show also deserves loads of credit for presenting what is easily the best, and most likeable version of the character in years. Instead, The Brave and the Bold highlights characters like Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Dr. Fate and Green Arrow. Though by no means "lesser" characters, they're usually overlooked unless the Smallville writers want to bring in another DC character.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold Season One Part Two features some of the best episodes from the series so far (though the second season, which features Scooby-Doo and Superman may top it) and is a must buy. The style is different from the current version of Batman, but don't let the comedic antics fool you. This is Batman at his best.
