B:TAS "Catwalk" Talkback (Spoilers)

[James Harvey]

In an effort to get talkbacks for every Batman: The Animated Series episode, The Penguin and I will be putting up B:TAS talkbacks throughout the summer. This will help fill the gaps and present a complete collection and archive of all animated Batman episode discussions. Talkbacks for scheduled episodes will stay remain intact. And now...

Episode #074 - Catwalk
Original Airdate - September 13th, 1995.

Anxious to take up her old ways as Catwoman, Selina Kyle joins forces with the Ventriloquist and Scarface to humiliate socialite Veronica Vreeland. But the real victim is Catwoman herself, who has been secretly set up by Scarface to take the fall for another robbery. Batman has to intercede before the furious feline makes things worse by killing the double-talking Ventriloquist.

Comments?

 

[DisneyBoy]

Catwoman, thanks in no small part to Batman Returns is arguably my favorite character of the entire Batman Universe. Notice: I said "character", as she can never quite fit into the role of a "hero" or a "villian", exclusively. Call me a hopeless romantic, but I feel her affection for Batman is part of what keeps her on the fence. Catwalk somehow manages to illustrate all this splendidly, as well as fit in the Ventriloquist and Scarface.

It wasn't until now that I fully realized just how well all the pieces of this puzzle fit together. Selina can't stand Veronica's upper-class, and seizes the opportunity to turn against them, while Bruce does what he can to help prevent her from going down a dangerous path. Allowing her darker side to overpower her better sense of judgement, Catwoman betrays him, only to find herself betrayed by Scarface, who used her to sell something to the Penguin. Batman then comes to the rescue, and she takes advantage of him again in order to make her escape, but only escapes back into the solitude that could someday swallow her. If all this sounds like a recap, forgive me, as I'm trying to highlight how it is the character's personalities and relationships that drive the events in the plot, and not the other way around.

But who can overlook the animation? It's stunning in its precision; perfectly capturing the original intentions behind Bruce Timm's designs. Beauty inside and out, Catwalk easily rises to the top of the list of Batman: The Animated Series episodes, and will remain one of my personal favorites for a long time to come.

 

[EJill34]

Well, I decided to pull out my old tape of this episode and watch it. You know, just to compare it to "The Cat And The Claw" which I had viewed on the recently released box set. I've got to say, this episode is light years better, mostly due to the better animation (some of Dong Yang's best B:TAS work) and Paul Dini's terrific script. The music is also quite good and we get what I believe is our first complete score by Kristopher Carter, best known for his wonderful Batman Beyond scores.

We also get some great development for Catwoman and her relationship with Batman in what is the first good Catwoman episode. In fact, I'd say this is the best Catwoman episode, though I am particularly fond of "You Scratch My Back." You can't help but feel a little sorry for The Ventriloquist when Catwoman is threatening him at the end...

Anyway, this is just another testament to the greatness of B:TAS and I proudly give it *****.

 

[Krypton_Knight]

Catwoman was the one character that the DCAU never got right for me. I'm not sure why - perhaps because in the comics (and heck, even in the Adam west series), when she was written right, she was the one person who could threaten Batman's sense of control. Of all the Rogue's Gallery, she was the only one who really got under his skin and hit a weak spot.

"Catwalk" and the end of "Almost Got Em" are the episode where the show came closest to this, but even here, I don't quite get the level of intensity that I'd hoped for in the relationship. The passion between Batman and Catwoman has to run *deep*; Selena should haunt Bruce, in the same way that Harvey's fall does in "Two-Face Part II", or in any of the few moments where Batman allows himself to lower his guard. She should hit him as hard as his failed romance with Andrea Beaumont, and she never did.

"Catwalk" is a fine episode, and it does strip Selena of a lot of the animal rights baggage she'd been carrying, but I don't think it quite does what the writers would have liked it to have done, and established her as the premier villainess in the Bats' animated Rogue's Gallery.

KK

 

[Harper]

I just finished watching this one on my BTAS volume 3 set, and I must say it was an excellent episode. Definitely one of my favorite Catwoman appearances. The only thing that bothered me about it was the way Scarface was animated. Sometimes he was expressive to the point that he looked alive. Other times he had the more appropriate "wooden" look. It just kinda bugged me, ya know?

And did anyone else wonder how Scarface talking with the Penguin on the phone worked?

 

[Joker1238]

re saw it today on Vol 3.

IT was pretty good, not the GREATNESS by any means, but it has a good 2nd tire of the shows,

What else, Catwoman useds Bats in that show, I mean if some one like the Joker thown the thing in the fire, We all know Bats would have gone after the Joker.

But Catwoman, he seems to well, LEt her go.

 

[Batman Fan]

This is a great episode that's more like a B:TAS episode than TAOB&R episode because of the darker mood and the lack of Robin.

The thing I liked is that we saw Catwoman as a villan, instead of fighting alongside Batman which was a nice change. Seeing Selina struggle to not let Catwoman come out was an interesting plot, but ultimately she realizes that's who she is and she is a criminal. I always felt sorry for her in this episode, because she really likes Batman, but Batman can't go over to her side and she can never give up who she is, Catwoman, so like she says, "I'm the cat who walks alone" which was a great ending scene with her against the moon because she realizes who she is and she can't hide that.

The animation was brilliant in this episode, in the Catwomen/Batman fight scenes, and the fight scene at the end in the log factory, and seeing Catwoman do all her acrobatics was great, the animation really stood out to me in this episode.

It was nice to see Ventriliquist/Scarface again in their few appearences in the series, and Selina's reaction to meeting him was priceless. Anyways, a great episode and one of my favorites on Vol.3

****1/2

 

[The Penguin]

"Catwalk" airs tonight

Tonight at 12 midnight ET, Boomerang airs the Batman: The Animated Series episode, Catwalk. If you do not have Boomerang, you are encouraged to follow along on disc 3 of your Batman: The Animated Series, Vol. 3 DVD set.

Episode #074 - Catwalk
Original Airdate - September 13th, 1995.

Anxious to take up her old ways as Catwoman, Selina Kyle joins forces with the Ventriloquist and Scarface to humiliate socialite Veronica Vreeland. But the real victim is Catwoman herself, who has been secretly set up by Scarface to take the fall for another robbery. Batman has to intercede before the furious feline makes things worse by killing the double-talking Ventriloquist.

Comments?

 

[JSmith]

This is probably the best Catwoman episode. Not great but not terrible either. Lots of silly little moments. Liked it when Scarface headbutts Arnold. Did anyone notice that Scarface moves when Wesker doesn't have his hand inside him during this one? Overall this is typical of an Adventures of B&R show. Nothing to rave about but not too much to complain about either. These shows are pretty middle of the road. 3 stars.

 

[Warrior Kitana]

This was a pretty decent episode. I loved seeing Catwoman, so I think she's great in this episode. I've always liked the relationship between Bruce and Selina. They like each other a lot, but know that they can't go to the opposite side and give up who they are.

 

[Nygma]

I found this to be a several shades below Scarface's brilliant debut. But its a shade above the average Catwoman outing, but thats not really saying much.

This is pretty much a mediocre story thats bumped up by some damn good animation. The blue on black (or black on blue) in this episode just looks really beautiful, but the story still isn't that great, the problem is for the most part is that for me Catwoman just never clicked with me, thats goes double for her relationship with Batman. To me Chase Me (the 7 min. special on the MOTB dvd) was the best Catwoman outing followed by You Scratch my Back.

***-***1/2

 

[ShadowStar]

This is my favourite Catwoman story. Excellent stuff with exciting animation, visuals and music. Never a dull moment, it's one of the best noir studies to come from the series. As with "House and Garden", Dini has redeemed a femme fatale feared doomed to sub-par episodes and crafted one of the best episodes of the series. Both episodes are just outside my top 10.

*****

 

[DisneyBoy]

Catwalk is in my top ten. It's really the first episode where I can sigh and say "Now THAT's Catwoman!"

The DCAU had a hard time with her, but this episode just got it right all-round. Thank goodness for the stellar animation, voice acting and soundtrack.

 

[JerryvonKramer]

Just watched this one on volume 3.

I have to say that they really never got Catwoman right in B:TAS. The characterization itself is fine, it's the relationship with Batman that is the real problem.

And this is where this episode falls down too. The trouble is that we never once FOR A SECOND feel that Bats is actually attracted to Catwoman, all her advances come to nothing and they pair totally lack any real sort of chemistry. To anyone who claims this is because B:TAS is a kids show, I refer you to Batman's relationship with Talia Al-Ghul - those two have chemistry! They kiss, she tugs on his heart strings, he professes to love her. So much so in fact that whenever I see Bats with Catwoman, I've always got his relationship with Talia in the back of my mind.

In short, the 'love angle' between Catwoman and Bats is much much too one sided - the sigh in 'Almost Got 'Im' tells you everything. EVEN the totally straight-laced Adam West Batman falls for Catwoman's charms (see the 66 movie), but there it is as it should be - a ruthless vixen using her wiles to get her own way. The Michelle Pfeiffer version is the same, she has a modicum of attraction for Batman but not to the detrimient of her villainy. But here, Catwoman is played as being in love with the Bat and, to me at least, it falls flat on its face.

To make matters worse, Batman is particularly stoical, law-abiding and dour here. I thought it was pretty out of character for him to save that 'priceless' tiger at the end. Especially when he's shown a blatant disregard for such things in previous episodes.

The rest of the plot (involving Scarface) is a bit more successful, but not a patch on his first appearence.

**1/2 from me - and I'd still rank it as the best Catwoman ep, which doesn't say a lot for her episodes.
​

 

[DerekPowers]

"Catwalk" is a fine episode, and it does strip Selena of a lot of the animal rights baggage she'd been carrying, but I don't think it quite does what the writers would have liked it to have done, and established her as the premier villainess in the Bats' animated Rogue's Gallery.

Agreed...although, despite all the Catwoman flaws, I still always liked her in BTAS. She may not have been the high priestess of the rogue's gallery, but she still was one of the biggest females in the show and she was still appealing.

This is a good episode, and probably one of the best, if not the best Catwoman episode of the series. The animation is also quite nice. But it still leaves alittle to be desired.

I love the stuff between Selina and Bruce at the begining, and the stuff between Batman and Catwoman throughout the episode. But what I never liked was The Ventriliquist just poping up. I thought he wasnt necessary at all for the story, and could have been left out. It took a lot of the focus off Catwoman and Batman, and it also made her appear alittle foolish. I mean, why would Catwoman trust him? And since when does she need a partner to pull off a heist?

The ending was cool seeing her face off against the Ventriliquist and Scarface, but again, there is a slight damsel in distress angle when Batman comes to help her at the end, and for me, Catwoman should never be a damsel in distress unless she's trapping someone (and she played that role WAY too much in BTAS).

So thats where this episode looses a lot of points for me. Instead of being a straight up Catwoman episode, it kind of becomes a team-up ep, and isn't focused enough on Catwoman and Batman.

 

[OverMaster]

And did anyone else wonder how Scarface talking with the Penguin on the phone worked?

Wesker is just that good at throwing his voice. He has done it in the comics, too.

 

[Silly McGooses]

Just watched this for the first time in years--aside from the plot, characters, acting (all good mind you), I think this episode is a real stand-out in the entire series in terms of animation. There's not a lot of discussion on the matter, but the animation is BEAUTIFUL. The popular thing is to praise the anime-ish, slick animation of the TMS episodes, which is, I agree, really cool. However, this episode is one of the few that really looked and felt like the ideal version of what the original designs should be. It was the designs, perfectly translated, in fluid motion. It's almost as if there was an in-house animation crew working on it.

Sorry for the bump, but I thought it was worth mentioning, I was really taken aback by how good it looked.

 

[Aizen]

To anyone who claims this is because B:TAS is a kids show, I refer you to Batman's relationship with Talia Al-Ghul - those two have chemistry! They kiss, she tugs on his heart strings, he professes to love her. So much so in fact that whenever I see Bats with Catwoman, I've always got his relationship with Talia in the back of my mind.​

When does Batman ever say he loves or professes to?

To make matters worse, Batman is particularly stoical, law-abiding and dour here. I thought it was pretty out of character for him to save that 'priceless' tiger at the end. Especially when he's shown a blatant disregard for such things in previous episodes.

When has he shown a blatant disregard?


​

 

[Mattashell]

Once again volume three provides a brand-new-to-me episode. This time it's "Catwalk".

This is not one of the best, but a very good solid episode.

I feel bad for the museum guard. He shows kindness to Isis, and when he finds Selina his first and only concern is for her well being. And for that he gets beat up.

It's funny how Wesker has to help Scarface make hand gestures. It's so awkward.

I don't get how Scarface is talking on the phone. I suppose Wesker can throw his voice into the receiver, but with the earpiece in Scarface's ear, how can either of them hear what the person on the other end is saying.

I liked seeing Rhino as a Scarface henchman. It's nice to have some consistency with the same thug working for the same boss.

Very cool visual reference to New York City's Museum of natural history, with the big whale suspended above. Makes me homesick.

Very nice action/fight seen at the climax. I laughed out loud at Scarface's final fate.