Perchance to Dream

This is where Volume 2 of Batman: The Animated Series really starts rolling, especially when it comes to the deep, introspective looks into Batman's mind. We have already seen a little psychoanalysis of Bruce and Batman in this show, but in my opinion, this episode takes the biggest leap forward in this regard. "Perchance to Dream" was the 30th-produced episode and 26th-aired on Oct. 19, 1992.

I just love the premise of this episode. After a brief car chase, Batman is quickly knocked out. He wakes up in his bed and everything is wrong. He, Alfred and the audience are all confused, and it's wonderful. Unlike "Eternal Youth," the producers didn't show the villain and then try to keep it a secret. We didn't know the Mad Hatter was behind this until the very end, which is exactly how a surprise is supposed to work. Anyway, I'm going to add a point for this great setup.

I'll bring the score up to a 7 for the subtle foreshadowing. If you pay attention, you'll notice that all of the signs are in gibberish well before Bruce realizes he can't read anything. Details like this really enhance the repeated viewing experience, and no one loves to re-watch these shows more than me.

Of course I have to add a point whenever I see Leslie Thompkins. She is just such a wonderful character, and this episode really demonstrates her importance. Bruce trusts her above everybody else. When he thinks he's going crazy, he doesn't talk to Alfred or Selina about it — he goes straight to Leslie. I also really enjoyed Leslie's analysis of Bruce. She said that he'd grown tired and dissatisfied with his life of leisure so that his mind created an alternate reality where he was somebody who really made a difference in the world — Batman. Of course, from her perspective, Bruce wasn't really Batman, but a lot of what she said can be easily applied to the real Bruce. Yes, he became Batman to avenge his parents, wage a war on crime and prevent future tragedies. But I also think he did it to put some meaning into his life. He probably often feels like the billionaire Bruce Wayne hasn't earned or accomplished anything, but when he puts on his cape and cowl, he can directly see the results of his labors and feel like he is making a positive impact on the world.

I'll raise the score to a 9 for probably one of the scariest moments in the whole show: Bruce deciding he isn't Batman and accepting his new dream world. Of course, it didn't last too long (little kids would be confused/upset and this episode was a little constrained for time), but it really was the closest we've come to the "death" of Batman so far. If he decides he likes living with his parents and being engaged to Selina, then there would essentially be no more Batman. I would have liked to see them extend this, perhaps over a two-parter, but that probably would've been too hard on little kids who wouldn't understand why Batman stopped being Batman but there's still another Batman out there.

This episode will earn a perfect 10 because it is a great thinker. At the end, it leaves you tons of wonderful questions to ponder over. First, there's the relationship between Bruce and Batman. Do they really resent each other? Does Batman see Bruce as a lazy, worthless billionaire? Does Bruce see Batman as an obsessed lunatic who has ruined his chance at a normal life? You can also ask a bunch of questions about reality and happiness. Will we be truly happy if we have everything we've ever wanted? Are we willing to live in a world of lies because it's more pleasant? And then there's the Mad Hatter, who orchestrated this whole event. Could he really be considered a bad guy in this episode? Even though it was just a dream, he really did give Batman everything he wanted. So many directions to go, so many philosophical debates to have from this wonderful episode!

Final score: 10