Written by Stan Berkowitz
Directed by Butch Lukiz
Animation by Koko Enterprise Co., Ltd. and Dong Yang Animation Co., Ltd.
Original air date: October 2, 1999
My rating: **** (out of five stars)

Description: The Jokerz gang are at the right place at the right time to take a "Joyride" on an experimental government craft. The vehicle is nuclear powered, which in this future is illegal, and still worse, the reactor is malfunctioning.
The Jokerz drive the stolen craft into the BeeFee Burger for free take out and mayhem. Terry witnesses the antics. He activates a signal on his belt buckle (nice touch), makes a fast change into the Bat suit, and the Batmobile arrives via autopilot. The chase is on!

Good points:
As the producers promised for this season's stories, Terry looks less of a sidekick and more of a Batman. Terry leaves behind his wisecracks and is more intimidating, even when he says, "Please". Loved that line!
The writers keep giving BTAS and TBSA fans little hints about past characters. This episode showed a skeleton wearing a tattered jacket with a pink flower in the lapel in the abandoned mine scene. A former Jokerz member, or Mr. J. himself? The use of a flashlight in the mine scene was effective and well rendered, too.
The ejection seat idea was great! What's a Batman series without one!
This episode reminded me of the early BTAS stories which featured mob bosses, not deranged arch-criminals. The Jokerz and the T's are in costumes because they are in gangs, not because of genetic mutations, chemical accidents, or various forms of insanity. Sometimes Batman should deal with the more mundane criminals (even those stupid enough to use a rubber chicken as a weapon).
I liked the ending. The subplot about the unininitiated gang member, Lee, ran a subtle thread about gangs throughout the episode.

Bad points:
Bruce was an observer in this episode -- he only had three words, "So stop them!" I miss hearing Bruce's voice. (It's a girl thing!) While I like the little hints about the past, it's a bit like Chinese water torture. But, a note to the writers, DON'T STOP!

Zanna
Zanna_Z@Yahoo.com