The 7 Best Joker Episodes of Batman: The Animated Series

Inspired by the dark reimagining of the Caped Crusader in Tim Burton’s Batman films, Batman: The Animated Series proved that superhero cartoons weren’t just gaudy colors and cheesy villains. Premiering in 1992, the show embraced a neo-noir aesthetic and tone that enshrouded Gotham City in shadows, imbued its characters with layers of complexity, and added thematic depth to its 85 episodes. While still largely aimed at younger audiences, Batman: The Animated Series was sophisticated enough to appeal to adults as well. The combination of profound storytelling, moody atmosphere, and brilliant character work made it one of the most definitive depictions of Batman ever made in the minds of countless fans.

Of course, we’d be remiss if we failed to include the Joker – voiced with maniacal glee by Mark Hamill – as yet another reason why Batman: The Animated Series is still regarded as a classic. This version of Batman’s longtime archnemesis struck the perfect balance of humor and menace, making him totally unpredictable as an agent of chaos. Is it any wonder that some of the best episodes of Batman: The Animated Series involve the Joker? Here, we take a look at the show’s seven best Joker episodes, each of which reveals a different side of the Clown Prince of Crime.

#7 – Season 1, Episode 7: “Joker’s Favor”

Most Joker-centric episodes of the series focused on his neverending battle against the Dark Knight. Not “Joker’s Favor,” however; in this episode, we see Charlie Collins, an ordinary citizen of Gotham City, who becomes an assistant of sorts to the Joker after a chance run-in. But after running a few errands for the Clown Prince of Crime, Charlie outsmarts his “employer” in a hilariously clever way.

Batman takes a backseat in this episode, which is to its benefit, as it allows the audience to really invest in the diabolical relationship between the Joker and Charlie. The Joker’s sadism and manipulation is on full display here, making it all the more cathartic when he’s outwitted by a mere accountant. Charlie is also a welcome addition to the pantheon of one-and-done characters; the citizens of Gotham City are generally there to serve as potential casualties, but Charlie is a reminder that the city, no matter how dark and grim it is, is filled with people who are capable of more than being innocent victims.

#6 – Season 3, Episode 7: “Make ‘Em Laugh”

In this episode, the Joker uses his signature laughing gas to manipulate a group of Gotham’s stand-up comedians into carrying out a series of unusual crimes around the city. On the surface, this may seem like yet another attempt by the Joker to bring Gotham to its knees, but his goal is far more petty. You see, back before he became the Clown Prince of Crime, he was a struggling comic and so now, years later, the Joker is on a mission to destroy the reputation of the comedian who beat him in a comedy competition, and he’s using the city’s comedians to do it.

The Joker usually has grand plans, so this episode was a nice change of pace by showing us how even someone as brilliant as him could be fueled by something as trivial as an old vendetta. In a weird way, “Make ‘Em Laugh” humanizes the Joker, revealing an oddly personal side to him rarely seen before. This episode’s touches of absurdity add to its overall enjoyment, such as the introduction of the Condiment King who uses – you guessed it – weaponized versions of everyday condiments when committing crimes.

[RELATED: DC Just Revealed a Perfect Plot for The Batman Part II (Including Fan-Favorite Villains)]

#5 – Season 1, Episode 46: “The Laughing Fish”

While we can all agree that the Joker is an inherently horrible person, we can’t deny that he can certainly be creative when it comes to carrying out his sinister schemes. “The Laughing Fish” sees him contaminate Gotham City’s fish supply with his trademark laughing toxin. His plan is to give the fish the same horrifying grin he has, and then force Gotham’s citizens to buy his fish so that he can make massive profits. But when the Joker discovers that he can’t copyright something that exists in nature, he sets his sights on the city employees standing in the way of his fortune.

“The Laughing Fish” features one of the Joker’s most outlandish plans in the series, and it works well within the show’s otherwise moody atmosphere. It usually takes a lot to take down the Joker, but it was quite hilarious to see that not even he could fight City Hall. Despite the zany humor of the villain’s plan, this episode actually boasts some nice cat-and-mouse dynamics between him and Batman, making it one of the show’s more tense episodes as well.

#4 – Season 1, Episode 46: “The Man Who Killed Batman”

Considering how long the two have been duking it out, Batman and the Joker seem destined to hunt each other down for an eternity. That is, of course, until small-time criminal Sidney Debris accidentally kills the Dark Knight during a scuffle on a warehouse. Sid instantly gains the respect of everyone in the criminal underworld – except the Joker. The Clown Prince of Crime had always hoped to be the one to take down his eternal rival, so it’s with a heavy heart that he learns to accept that Batman will no longer be around to thwart his plans.

While Sid is the main character of this episode, the Joker is the real star. You’d think that he’d rejoice at the prospect of plaguing Gotham City without having to deal with Batman, but he instead responds to news of the Dark Knight’s death with genuine sadness, an emotion he rarely displays. “The Man Who Killed Batman” gives us a look at the Joker’s complexity – while he may be Gotham’s own agent of chaos, there’s more to him than a mere urge to cause anarchy. Just like everyone else, he needs a reason to exist.

#3 – Season 1, Episode 15: “The Last Laugh”

In “The Last Laugh,” the Joker hatches a devious April Fool’s Day-themed scheme that involves exposing everyone in Gotham City to his signature toxin, sending them all into hysterical fits of laughter. While everyone is impaired by the toxin, the Joker and his flunkies go on a spree to loot the city of its valuables. Batman traces the source of the toxin and ends the Joker’s reign of (hilarious) terror.

This episode perfectly demonstrates how the Joker weaponizes laughter as part of his sadistic plans, turning an innocent behavior into a tool of madness and anarchy. Even Alfred is infected by the Joker’s laughing gas, revealing just how close the Clown Prince of Crime came to Bruce Wayne / Batman, dramatically ramping up the stakes. Hamill gives it his all voicing the Joker in this episode, and it shows; rarely has the Joker been so demonically crazed as he was in “The Last Laugh.”

#2, The New Batman Adventures, Season 2, Episode 24: “Mad Love”

Harley Quinn looks back on how her relationship with the Joker first developed when he was a patient of hers, only for him to manipulate her into giving up her career as a psychiatrist and become his partner in crime. She’s become increasingly frustrated with his countless failed attempts to take down Batman, and decides to do it herself in order to win his admiration. During their encounter, Batman reveals just how terrible of a partner the Joker is to Harley, but that does little to diminish her devotion to him.

This episode is considered a classic primarily because it introduced Harley Quinn to the world; she was so popular she became a massive part of the DC Comics universe and has been featured in numerous movies. However, it’s also a standout Joker episode, as it gives us a deeper understanding of how rotten he is personally. In “Mad Love,” he’s not just a maniacal supervillain threatening innocent civilians – he’s an incredibly cruel person even to those who care most about him, and has no problem exploiting that adoration for his own purposes.

#1 – Season 1, Episode 42: “Joker’s Wild”

Someone has just opened a massively popular casino in Gotham City themed around the Joker, and everyone’s loving it – except the Joker, that is. Angry that someone is trying to make money off of his image, the Clown Prince of Crime decides to crash the opening reception. However, this is exactly what the casino’s owner, Cameron Kaiser, wants, as it’s part of a larger insurance scam. Obviously, when the Joker discovers the true intent behind the casino, he gets even more angry.

This episode’s plot is one of the cleverest parts of the series, packed with humor and action in equal measure. But it’s the Joker’s response to someone trying to profit from his likeness that really makes it essential viewing for fans of the villain. Despite the Joker’s brilliance as a bad guy, no one can deny that he also has serious ego issues; when committing a crime, it’s very important to him that he gets credit for it. His arrogance is on full display in “Joker’s Wild,” and seeing his rage-fueled quest to outwit someone who outwitted him is an absolute blast.