Batman: The Animated Series -- SEASON 2

     With attempted manslaughter of the District Attorney, what I want to know is -- who let Isley out of jail?
     Ritmanis has her second chance to score alone, and again pulls out another winner.
     Poison Ivy doesn't seem to have a theme per se, but a two note motif played very eerily. I recall it also being in her first episode.

     Music Editor: Thomas Milano
     Orchestration: Lolita Ritmanis

Alfred, going through the mail, "Hum, says here you just won ten million dollars."
Bruce: "That's nice." (classic TV series)

"Perchance to Dream"

     Todd Hayen is back, scoring with Walker.
     A descending four-note theme for Bruce's seeming descent into madness, and of course the theme for the villain at the end (I won't spoil it).
     One of my favorite episodes.

     Music Editor: Thomas Milano
     Orchestration: Lolita Ritmanis
     Additional Orchestrations: Thomas Morse.

"The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy"

     Beth Ertz and Mark Koval together provide their first contribution to the series (Ertz's being the only); it's another strong score in the same vein of scoring as the rest of the series.
     Ertz, protege of Elmer Bernstein, doesn't mess up.
     One of my favorite episodes, Batman's cape & cowl are requested, and so Batman is put into traps until he gives them up.

     Music Editor: Thomas Milano
     Orchestration: Beth Ertz

"Robin's Reckoning -- Part 1"

     Rodriguez returns for a solo score, again providing some interesting scoring ideas, and staying within the B: TAS scoring mold.

     Music Editor: Thomas Milano
     Orchestration:
     Additional Orchestrations: Jeff Atmajian.

"Robin's Reckoning -- Part 2"

     Peter Tomashek scores the second part to the dramatic telling of Robin's past.
     Before he even shows us what he can do with the regular episode, he's already done an exceedingly good job on the "Previously On" recap.
     Tomashek does what Walker and previous composers did not: give Robin a theme, and a heroic memorable one to boot. Also, as show of the other side of the coin, he reworks the theme into a sad rendition for when young Grayson is searching.
     The episode ends with him using french horn and a bell, playing Robin's first theme, a sad note. It's a sad crime when certain composers just go over looked.

     Music Editor: Thomas Milano
     Orchestration:
     Additional Orchestrations: William T. Stromberg.

"The Laughing Fish"

     Walker approaches the episode differently than any of the others before, seemingly trying to make this otherwise average episode more than it is. Even the main theme and title card are dropped from this episode. Piano hits, cymbal swishes, and some dramatic orchestra make up part of the score; the obvious source being either a homage or temping with Herrmann's "Psycho".
     For those paying attention, Joker's alarm happens to be "Joker's Theme". Nice tough.
     It was almost like they were trying to make the Joker go too far, and try to knock him off.

     Music Editor:
     Orchestration: Lolita Ritmanis

"Night of the Ninja"

     Koval returns and provides his only solo score.
     He employs Japanese instruments to a degree and is successful in blending them in without overpowering.
Robin returns, and is handled properly. I'm not sure what was wrong with the writers and creators of the show, but they fixed the problems that plagued "Fear of Victory", even making Batman and Robin's friendship interesting, and Robin likable.
     Koval does great job, and even comes up with a catchy five note theme played again and again (and a building orchestra backing) during build-ups to battle with the ninja. It's quite memorable, and used about five times; not a re-performance, but the only instance in the series of the exact same cue re-used.

     Music Editor: Thomas Milano
     Orchestration:

"Cat Scratch Fever"

     The score is pretty standard fair is more much action oriented than it needed. Even then we do get a good theme for when Catwoman is being overwhlemed by the toxin, and during the middle of the episode "Catwoman's Theme" make a couple of appearances.
     Feeling too comfortable with Catwomen, I notice for the first time Batman slips and uses his regular Bruce Wayne voice briefly with her.
     At the end when Selena is reunited with her cat, they both get a particularly lovely theme, and even very briefly Batman get a new theme -- maybe more of a motif -- that could be used quite well as a secondary theme for heroics.

     Music Editor: J. J. George
     Orchestration:

Batman: "You're hot," feeling her temperature on her forehead.
Catwoman: "Now you notice."

"The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne"

     Ritmanis does another episode by herself and provides a good score.

     Music Editor: J. J. George
     Orchestration: Lolita Ritmanis

"Heart of Steel -- Part 1"

     Carl Johnson and Tamara Kline both do their first and only effort for the show. Kline, a talented composer, has retired from composing since.
     The score is very well done; perhaps the two, if she were to change her mind, would make a good film scoring duo.

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"Heart of Steel -- Part 2"

     During the beginning of the with a confrontation with Batman and, unknown to him, a duplicate Bullock, some rather excellent scoring takes place; this could have been clearly been made for a film. It starts up quietly, but you know it's going to go to something and when the action commences it has film quality scoring to it and even ends on a good note.

     The episode uses an eight-note theme, which later, while Barbara is searching, is playing in a quicker, tense way to demonstrate the seriousness of what is occurring on screen.

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H.A.R.D.A.C.: "Humans make errors in judgement; it is sometimes necessary to protect them from their own ... inadiquicies."

"If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?"

     Rodriguez scores yet another episode alone.

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"The Joker's Wild"

     Hayen scores alone, and notably missing is Walker's "Joker's Theme".
     Worth pointing out that the Joker is really insane, yet sane enough to handle and put together high explosives.

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"Tyger Tyger"

     Taiko drum -- or what sounds like it -- have been added to the mix this time.
     The score fits; that's not to say it wasn't enjoyable, I just didn't hear any themes or ideas that stand out to mention.

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"Moon of the Wolf"

     Bronskill's first episode.
     I'm not a fan of electric guitar, so I got nothing nice to say about the title card music; I will move along.
     When the score isn't following in the typical B: TAS vein, it's employing the electric guitar and some drumming.

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"Day of the Samurai"

     Wood blocks, clicking, clacking, wash board-like swishing, all combine to make an unusual kind of tension for an old foe of Bruce Wayne.
     Rodriguez uses dynamics in the sounds of the different orchestration approach, which is quite interesting to hear.
Also including ethnic instrumentation, cymbals, and even strings, the score is an eclectic mix that works very well.
     The score is definitely something you got to pay attention to, or you might miss something. A composer like this should be getting more work.

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     Shakuhachi: Masa Yoshizawa, R.I.P.

"Terror In the Sky"

     Throughout the episode Walker hints at the theme from the first time the Man-bat appeared, and during the ending battle a similar string ostinato she used in the transformation scene in the first episode, appears. Nice touch.

     Music Editor:
     Orchestration: Lolita Ritmanis

"Almost Got 'Im"

     Balcomb starts off with a score different from the rest of the series, with an almost jazzy night club type of thing. The rest is typical B: TAS, which as you should know by now is a good thing.

     Music Editor: J. J. George
     Orchestration: Stuart Balcomb
     Additional Orchestrations: Carlos Rodriguez

Poison Ivy: "It's just the darndest thing -- I have this natural immunity to poisons, toxins, the pain & suffering of others; go figure."

"Birds of A Feather"

     Walker opens the episode with exciting strings repeating, french horn, woodwinds, and a different take on the Penguin's Theme, but then the regular theme creeps in.
     His theme is used heavily in the ensuing action music, and it's welcomed.
     Walker beautifully disguises "Penguin's theme" in performance and orchestration, as Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot (AKA: Penguin) and a female acquaintance, are out on the town after the resturant, but before the mugging.

     Music Editor:
     Orchestration: Nerida Tyson-Chew

"What Is Reality?"

     Bronskill's second and last score for the series. He provides a different scores than normally accustomed to, and some odd orchestrations for the virtual reality world.

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"I Am the Night"

     This is, perhaps, McCuistion's greatest achievement on the first three seasons. The score accomplishes so much and helps the episode tremendously (though it's a great episode anyway).
     McCuistion creates a continuing melodic line that highlights Bruce's mental unrest at doing his chosen profession. The melodic line resolves when it appears again at the end of the episode, on a brighter note and using Walker's "Batman's Theme".
     A small-time turned big-time crook called "The Jazz Man" get a very catchy theme, or sorts. His music is atypical and doesn't really constitute a "theme" as some, like myself, would see it. Instead it's a up-and-down the key repeating line with a two-note motif; it fits the villain very well and is used more than once. It makes it's first appearence as fast chase music, then later as an andante.
     And if those nice things weren't enough, before the closing statement mentioned earlier, during the climactic scene near the end, a slow cymbal sliding of the repeating notes and trumpet for the two-note motif of The Jazz Man make for tense dramatics.

     Music Editor:
     Orchestration: Nerida Tyson-Chew

Thompkins: "You seem quieter than usual."
Batman: "Every year I come here, I wonder if it should be the last time; if I should put the past behind me; try to lead a normal life."
Thompkins: "Santayana says that 'Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it'."
Batman: "He also said a fanatic is someone who redoubles his efforts while loosing site of his goal."

"Off Balance"

     Scored with McCuistion, Koval returns.
     During a mid episode battle with a group of men working for the enemy, the action music is built with brief stop-and-go bursts or orchestra, vaguely reminiscent of the idea Goldsmith employed in his fantastic film score to "Capricorn One".

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"The Man Who Killed Batman"

     Sidney Dupree, a man who believes he accidently killed Batman, is the focus of this episode, and Walker gives him an unusually long theme -- ten notes; easily something that if orchestrated in Elfman's style, could have been used in the Batman films, and it's catchy too.

     Music Editor:
     Orchestration: Lolita Ritmanis

Joker: At the podium of his faux funeral for Batman, "Dear friends, today is the day that the clown cried. And he cries not for the passing of one man, but for the death of a dream; the dream that he would someday taste the ultimate victory over his hated enemy, for it was the Batman who made me the happy soul I am today. How I agonized over the perfect way to thank him for that. Perhaps with a cyanide pie in the face ..... or an exploding whoopee cushion, playfully planted in the Batmobile. But those dreams were dashed by the weasely little gunsel sitting there In our midst. The cowardly, insignificant garlet who probably got lucky when Batman slipped on the slim trail this loser left behind him. This MOUD, diseased hyena filth who's NOT FIT TO LICK THE DIRT FROM MY SPATS!...

But I digress."

"Mudslide"

     A variation of Clayface's sad theme, heard in "Feat of clay -- Part 2", opens the episode.
     Thankfully Walker treats us to more variations of "Clayface's Theme", which happens to be one of my personal favorites in the series.
     Feel free to correct me, but during the episode when the lady helping Hagen is watching an old movie of his before the car accident, the music playing is a happy, cheerful version of Clayface's theme. Admit it -- that puts a little smile on your face.
     Anyone who loved her first score, will find this one as easily likable, and it will just make you yearn for the day who ever owns the rights just lets it go.

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Batman: "Looks like a slow night Alfred; when I'm finished patrolling this area, I'm heading home," while driving the Batmobile.
Alfred: "Excellent timing Master Bruce; I've just taken dinner out of the oven."
Warning flashes on the screen, pushing Alfred off the video phone.
Batman: "Looks like trouble at Tarnower Financial, Alfred; looks like I won't be home early after all."
Alfred: Standing with the cordless phone in hand and cooking apron on; a cooked & stuffed turkey is pulled slightly out of the oven, "Uaaahhh ... please don't take this the wrong way, sir, but your goose is cooked."

"Paging the Crime Doctor"

     Walker employs a repeating two-note motif, and a five-note theme that has some dread in it, and her usual B: TAS scoring style.
     I'm not sure if the five-note theme is for the Rupert's brother, or just a standard theme for the episode, since it doesn't seem to always coincide with Matt Thorne's screen time.

     Music Editor:
     Orchestration: Lolita Ritmanis

"Zatanna"

     Tomashek's last scoring for the series provides some interesting efforts.
     Opening with melodic bells, what sounds like french horns, and high-toned woodwind instrument, but for Zatanna's show it transitions into a drumroll that leads into an unusual combination: small struck bells like in the opening, with a small little theme you'd expect from John Williams in an expensive theme park ride, with a back beat of drums. The beat doesn't stay entirely simple and cymbal smacks and the french horns creates a piece catchy piece that had some large bells at the end to bring the piece to a close. You won't hear originality like this in cartoons anymore.
     If you haven't realized yet (assuming you have the episode) that is a theme composed for Zatanna -- despite only being in one episode. And it's memorable; need I remind you Tomashek was the only composer in the series to give Robin a theme (not counting the later Nightwing theme).
     During a battle at the end Tomashek provides an interesting theme that is made of repeating keys for each "note" and a backing of percussion.

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"The Mechanic"

     Tatgenhorst's only episode (Tomashek provides additional).
     I don't know which composer did what, but the episode opens with some great action music that incorporates Penguin's theme.

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"Harley and Ivy"

     Yet another tri-composed episode and Peter Davison's first and only effort.
     I'm not sure if it's Harley or Harley & Ivy, but there is a playful six-note theme for one of the two; string, wooden block, and bouncy orchestra.

     Music Editor: J. J. George
     Orchestration: Peter Davison

Harley: To Poison Ivy "Hey, aren't you that plant lady, Poison Oakey?"