This episode is just such a strange departure from everything that had come before. I'm usually into the slightly different episodes, but having Batman unconscious for practically the whole run time and replacing him with a group of annoying kids isn't exactly my idea of fun. Also, Batman fights a giant vulture... it's more stupid then it sounds. Penguin is also entirely unthreatening. It's not unwatchable but it's not an episode I'm gonna be clamouring to come back to. Decent 5 to a light 6 if I'm being generous.
Batman: The Animated Series (TV Series)
I've Got Batman in My Basement (1992)
User Reviews
Review this title7 Reviews
This One Was For The Birds
ccthemovieman-17 July 2007
This is one of the best titles in the animated Batman series and the story was okay, just not up to that humorous title. The episode also had a startling opening scene as Batman catches thieves and is ready to bring them to justice when a giant vulture sweeps down and attacks him. It flies off, but in the hubbub, the thieves run off.
The story then shifts to some adolescents, one of whom, "Sherman," sees the big bird in the sky and knows it is a "South American vulture." The other kids ridicule him but this junior detective-wannabe seems to know his stuff. He and a female friend go follow the bird.
After accidentally coming upon a hideout for the thieves who stole the Faberge egg, we discover who is behind all of it: "The Penguin."
The kid winds up hiding Batman for awhile in his basement until he can regain consciousness. How that came to be, and how Batman returns to strength, you'll have to watch the episode as I don't care to use spoilers here.
Overall, it's an interesting episode. It didn't the humor some have, nor the ultra-nasty villain as Penguin seems pretty mild in here, at least compared to Danny DeVito's role in the feature film, "Batman Returns." He was totally repulsive in the movie; not bad here.
The story then shifts to some adolescents, one of whom, "Sherman," sees the big bird in the sky and knows it is a "South American vulture." The other kids ridicule him but this junior detective-wannabe seems to know his stuff. He and a female friend go follow the bird.
After accidentally coming upon a hideout for the thieves who stole the Faberge egg, we discover who is behind all of it: "The Penguin."
The kid winds up hiding Batman for awhile in his basement until he can regain consciousness. How that came to be, and how Batman returns to strength, you'll have to watch the episode as I don't care to use spoilers here.
Overall, it's an interesting episode. It didn't the humor some have, nor the ultra-nasty villain as Penguin seems pretty mild in here, at least compared to Danny DeVito's role in the feature film, "Batman Returns." He was totally repulsive in the movie; not bad here.
I've Got Batman in My Basement - As Stupid as it Sounds
jones-markjones-mark59217 November 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Story: Realistic way of getting kids involved in case. Why do the bullies randomly play catch with a brick? The whole scene with the bullies and the Batmobile is terrible. Too convenient that Batman wakes up just in time for Penguin's attack. The final fight is stupid. (4/10)
Characters: Very cliche bullies. Weird Penguin dialogue. Kids not annoying or interesting. Makes Penguin seem pathetic that he's stopped by kids. Cringeworthy Batman lines with Sherman's mother. (4/10)
Animation: Vulture moves very stiffly. Like city background. Good Penguin theme. Decent animation. (6/10)
Verdict: 4/10
Characters: Very cliche bullies. Weird Penguin dialogue. Kids not annoying or interesting. Makes Penguin seem pathetic that he's stopped by kids. Cringeworthy Batman lines with Sherman's mother. (4/10)
Animation: Vulture moves very stiffly. Like city background. Good Penguin theme. Decent animation. (6/10)
Verdict: 4/10
Best episode
rossettastonepinky1 November 2020
Not very good
axopnk17 September 2007
Warning: Spoilers
I loved batman the animated series when i was a kid, but i can see why this is one episode i definitely didn't want to remember.
What worked:
The beginning was pretty interesting, it started off with batman catching a couple of thieves and it seemed to be a classic episode. Now the rest is pretty much down hill..
What didn't work:
1. I don't know about you, but having a giant bird attack batman was lame because for 2 reasons:
a. It was a wild bird, and i found it hokey that because penguin is supposed to be a bird he can control brids. In other episodes he was able to have birds attack batman, but it made sense because he put some type of chemical on batman to make them attack. Here? Give me a break, throwing a bird a couple of seeds in return for the bird to fight? right...
b. Having a bird attack batman made it pretty obvious who was the main villain here. The writer really didn't want to at least leave some type of mystery behind the thefts.
2. This is the very first episode of the penguin, yet there is no explanation of his origin, or why he came to be. I don't know if the writer was assuming that the audience would already know batman and penguin had past history, but you know what they say about assumptions. Almost all the major batman villains had their origin explained or had at least more depth given to their character (ex. Joker, origin not explained but almost everyone knows his origin anyway, so just expanded on his character)
3. Batman was used very little in the entire episode. After the gas, he was pretty much out. I don't even know why Kevin Conroy talked in this episode, batman hardly said anything.
4. The fighting was ridiculous. It seemed so degrading for penguin and his men to jump on the batmobile. C'mon! i mean this is supposed to be one of batmans greatest villains who has a high intelligence. But i guess penguin thought, hmm maybe jumping on the batmobile may cause it to break open. Right...
Then we get to the infamous batman screwdriver vs. dagger fight scene. Reality check: Would batman really show his great "fencing skills" (assuming he even learned to fence) in a situation like that? highly doubtful. Would batman be dumb enough to think a screwdriver is a great weapon? Even more doubtful.
5. The kids was probably the worst thing ever. The bully kids seemed misplaced. They weren't really bullies because they never really fought with Sherman at all. The kids outsmarting penguin? give me a break. The whole house scene felt like "HOME ALONE". Reality check: Kids are smarter than you think, they WOULD NOT follow a bird into a abandoned warehouse and actually watch a bunch of criminals for a while before deciding it was time to go.
Overall the entire episode was garbage and is the start of many more (granted 1) poor penguin episodes.
What worked:
The beginning was pretty interesting, it started off with batman catching a couple of thieves and it seemed to be a classic episode. Now the rest is pretty much down hill..
What didn't work:
1. I don't know about you, but having a giant bird attack batman was lame because for 2 reasons:
a. It was a wild bird, and i found it hokey that because penguin is supposed to be a bird he can control brids. In other episodes he was able to have birds attack batman, but it made sense because he put some type of chemical on batman to make them attack. Here? Give me a break, throwing a bird a couple of seeds in return for the bird to fight? right...
b. Having a bird attack batman made it pretty obvious who was the main villain here. The writer really didn't want to at least leave some type of mystery behind the thefts.
2. This is the very first episode of the penguin, yet there is no explanation of his origin, or why he came to be. I don't know if the writer was assuming that the audience would already know batman and penguin had past history, but you know what they say about assumptions. Almost all the major batman villains had their origin explained or had at least more depth given to their character (ex. Joker, origin not explained but almost everyone knows his origin anyway, so just expanded on his character)
3. Batman was used very little in the entire episode. After the gas, he was pretty much out. I don't even know why Kevin Conroy talked in this episode, batman hardly said anything.
4. The fighting was ridiculous. It seemed so degrading for penguin and his men to jump on the batmobile. C'mon! i mean this is supposed to be one of batmans greatest villains who has a high intelligence. But i guess penguin thought, hmm maybe jumping on the batmobile may cause it to break open. Right...
Then we get to the infamous batman screwdriver vs. dagger fight scene. Reality check: Would batman really show his great "fencing skills" (assuming he even learned to fence) in a situation like that? highly doubtful. Would batman be dumb enough to think a screwdriver is a great weapon? Even more doubtful.
5. The kids was probably the worst thing ever. The bully kids seemed misplaced. They weren't really bullies because they never really fought with Sherman at all. The kids outsmarting penguin? give me a break. The whole house scene felt like "HOME ALONE". Reality check: Kids are smarter than you think, they WOULD NOT follow a bird into a abandoned warehouse and actually watch a bunch of criminals for a while before deciding it was time to go.
Overall the entire episode was garbage and is the start of many more (granted 1) poor penguin episodes.
Bland but not awful
Mr-Fusion18 October 2016
Much has been made over the years about the inferiority of 'I've Got Batman In My Basement' (word has it even co-creator Bruce Timm has denounced it). There's substance to this, and it's due to both script and execution.
"Batman: The Animated Series" was aimed at children, so telling this story from the kids' perspective isn't a crime. But the characters aren't very bright, especially when they serve as detectives. There's a silly tone to this that's uncharacteristic of the show's darker intent, and it even goes "Home Alone" when the main character, Sherman defends his apartment from The Penguin's thugs. Where's Batman in all of this? Out cold after being gassed by Cobblepot. It's a cheap stunt. Add in some low-quality animation (rife with errors) and it does seem like a half-hearted effort.
There's nothing here that really irked me, but I agree that it feels like something slapped together at a late hour. Worst ever? Can't tell; I don't remember many bad episodes on this show. Then again, they'd already set the bar so high that that's still better than most of its contemporaries.
5/10
"Batman: The Animated Series" was aimed at children, so telling this story from the kids' perspective isn't a crime. But the characters aren't very bright, especially when they serve as detectives. There's a silly tone to this that's uncharacteristic of the show's darker intent, and it even goes "Home Alone" when the main character, Sherman defends his apartment from The Penguin's thugs. Where's Batman in all of this? Out cold after being gassed by Cobblepot. It's a cheap stunt. Add in some low-quality animation (rife with errors) and it does seem like a half-hearted effort.
There's nothing here that really irked me, but I agree that it feels like something slapped together at a late hour. Worst ever? Can't tell; I don't remember many bad episodes on this show. Then again, they'd already set the bar so high that that's still better than most of its contemporaries.
5/10
U can Skip this one
noahfroude15 February 2021
What the hell I...what happened this was just such a boring slog it felt like I was watching a 3 hour movie literally nothing of interesting happens in here at all Batman's unconscious for most of the episode so we're stuck with annoying kids who can apparently take on the flipping penguin also Batman fences in this gawwh i hate this episode
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