“Judgement Day,” the last episode produced of the classic 1990s Batman animated series, aired on October 31, 1998. (The network would rightly save the brilliant “Mad Love” as the series finale in January 1999.) This is an ideal episode for Halloween, one I watch every year.
A mysterious masked Judge (Malachi Throne) is ruthlessly hunting down criminals in Gotham City, much to Batman’s (Kevin Conroy) growing concern. Showboating Councilman J. Carroll Carcoran (a delightfully sleazy Steven Weber) openly embraces the Judge and claims him as his own ruthless “champion.”
“My polls have shot up 10 points since endorsing you,” Carcoran tells the Judge. “I figure if Gordon can have his hero, why can't I have mine? You knock a few heads,
I go home with my hands clean. Everybody’s happy.”
The Judge targets the villain Two-Face (Richard Moll), who Batman manages to save from certain death. (The Judge was eerily familiar with Two-Face’s hideout.) Two-Face decides to off Carcoran to “send a message” to the Judge, and Carcoran begs for his weaselly life. He offers to pay him off with $100,000 in kickbacks he’s put in a slush fund, but Two-Face is unmoved and leaves his men behind to kill Carcoran. Once he’s gone, the Judge conveniently arrives but he’s not here to save his former accomplice. He’s about to serve judgement to the corrupt politician, and as much as we’d all enjoy seeing that, Batman shows up to do his hero thing. However, he’s learned something shocking about the Judge (SPOILER OBVIOUSLY): He’s really Two-Face or rather another personality former district attorney Harvey Dent created to punish wrongdoers, including himself.
The episode — and thus, the series — ends with Dent, wearing a straitjacket, in a cell at Arkham Asylum. His tortured mind hears the voice of the Judge, putting him on trial: “Order in the court. In the matter of the People v. Harvey Dent, how does the prisoner plead?” And it is a broken, but remorseful, Harvey Dent who answers, not Two-Face: “Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.”
Harvey Dent was once a good man and Bruce Wayne’s best friend, but Bruce was never able to save him from damnation. Now, all Batman can do is protect Gotham City from Two-Face’s unhinged violence. Harvey Dent remains a lost soul. It’s a true tragedy, all on Saturday morning.
Richard Moll is perhaps best known to Gen-Xers as the dimwitted but lovable bailiff Bull Shannon on Night Court, and he’s a wonderful example of Batman: The Animated Series voice director Andrea Romano’s inspired casting. She never took the obvious path, even if it might appear easier, which is how we were gifted with Ron Perlman as Matt Hagen/Clayface, Diane Pershing as Poison Ivy, John Glover as the Riddler, and of course Luke Skywalker himself Mark Hamill as the Joker. Moll’s dual performance as Dent and Two-Face are among the series’ best moments. He imbues the character(s) with vulnerability and humanity. (Watch below.)
My annual Simpsons Treehouse of Horror marathon is almost over. This morning, I’ll watch 2025’s entry, which didn’t leave much of an impression on me. That year’s bonus Treehouse of Horror episode, “Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes,” was more memorable and spookier, despite airing three days before Thanksgiving. The third segment is a riff on Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 that doesn’t go in the direction you might think. I’m always pleased when The Simpsons demonstrates it can still manage trenchant satire.
Tomorrow morning, I’ll enjoy a Halloween mimosa while watching the 2026 Treehouse of Horror and “Judgment Day.” Traditions keep us going.
Today is Halloween, which is also my 17th wedding anniversary. Meeting my bride turned out better for me than it did for the Frankenstein monster.
Time is running out for my Halloween subscription sale, which — another spoiler alert — will transition into my Thanksgiving subscription sale. Become a paid subscriber for 40 percent off the usual annual rate. That means you can help keep this newsletter in pumpkin-spice-flavored beverages for just $30 a year. (If you enjoy those beverages, please do so without guilt, as I support seasonal joy.)
Thanks to all who have upgraded to paid subscriber status recently. In lieu of cat photos like my friend Noah Berlatsky at Everything Is Horrible, I’m sharing photos of my seasonal decor.
Monday, I wrote about the backlash to known scumbag Vivek Ramaswamy’s sleazy attack ad against Dr. Amy Acton, who I hope becomes Ohio’s next governor because unlike Ramaswamy, JD Vance, and Donald Trump, she’s an actual human being.
October 27 is the anniversary of the late Lara Parker’s birth, so author Laramie Dean joined me to honor her creation, the beloved if blackhearted Angelique Collins from the 1960s Dark Shadows TV series. Hop over to my YouTube channel and subscribe!
Actor Walter Koenig, who played Ensign Pavel Chekov, on Star Trek died on Sunday. I reflected on the actor and the character’s legacy.
How do we respond to a political party that is so brazenly lawless and corrupt like the GOP and that openly wages war against half the nation (the one with us in it)?
We also lost Sir Patrick Stewart. Damn.
Sir Patrick Stewart
The news that Sir Patrick Stewart has died shook the world on Thursday. There was something about the actor that felt eternal, and it’s true that his work will continue to inspire and provide comfort for us all.
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That’s it for this week. See you on Monday for the last week of October!