Extra Baggage

[Barb Gordon]

Has there ever been an episode, whether in Batman, Superman, or Batman Beyond, where it seemed like there was just one character too many? Like the story would have been find minus one bad guy, one good guy, or one random stranger?

~Barb

[Patrick Bateman]

Yeah, plenty of times. The only one I can think of at the moment is Max on Batman: Beyond. Really annoying character. I'll post more when I think of them.

[Bleu Unicorn]

Even though they weren't fighting Batman, I always thought Harley, Mad Hatter and the Ventriloquist were rather unnecessary in "Over The Edge" -- that scene on the talk show was just dumb and totally uncalled for. And it really didn't accomplish anything.

Max... well granted she was annoying... I still think if she'd been developed more she could have been more valuable. The way she was used, though she really could have been tossed away and no one really would care.

[TimTwoFace]

Hmmm...no offense Babs, but I found a lot of Batgirl's appearances on TNBA kinda pointless. *WINCES IN FEAR OF ONCOMING ONSLAUGHT OF KICKS AND PUNCHES* Seriously, I like the character when written well, but when she was used on TNBA, she didn't really have much of a purpose episodes like LOVE IS A CROC, TORCH SONG, and CRITTERS, most notably.

I mean, if the writers treated her more as her own character (as they did throughout BTAS and a few of the TNBA episodes) instead of just a "quota female sidekick", it would've been much better.

(Still, please don't kill me!)

As for other characters that REALLY had no place...uhhh, too many lame Harley appearances in the later eps...the whole "supervillain talkshow" in OVER THE EDGE...oohh, this is a toughie. I can really nitpick if I had the time, but these are the most notable right off the top of my head.

-Tim
(Please don't kill me...*GULP*)

[Barb Gordon]

nah, I actually agree Tim. There were a good amount of episodes where, if Batgirl wasn't the main, or one of the main, focal points, her part in it seemed rather pointless. It's like she was just there to look pretty and gasp in the right moments. And yeah Bleu, I think Over the Edge could have done without the "jerry springer" moment...that kind of made it seem, cheesy. OTE was really great, dark, and surprising. But the talk show scene kinda sunk it a little.

~Barb

[Jedigreedo]

Some episodes would've seemed better without the cop that flat-out hated Batman. Keep forgetting his name for some reason, he always had the tooth pick in his mouth. He just seemed to be thrown-in to just kill time in some episodes...

[TimTwoFace]

Originally posted by Jedigreedo
Some episodes would've seemed better without the cop that flat-out hated Batman. Keep forgetting his name for some reason, he always had the tooth pick in his mouth. He just seemed to be thrown-in to just kill time in some episodes...

Really? I always thought that Harvey Bullock brought a great element of Bat-antagonism in the series! But that's just me.

-Tim

[Jedigreedo]

Originally posted by TimTwoFace


Really? I always thought that Harvey Bullock brought a great element of Bat-antagonism in the series! But that's just me.

-Tim

Yeah, he added some good comedy in some episodes, but maybe it was the fact that I saw most of the episodes when I real little and I was just wanting them to get back to the story. *shrugs*

[Zoddman]

Summer Gleeson was a very uninteresting character they kept sticking in the early episodes. She was uninteresting, and PLEASE, Bruce doesen't need a girlfriend. (Which is what they seemed to want to do with her.)

[Borg4of3]

Well, to start off, in defense of Over the Edge, I thought the talk-show part did indeed play a role. Of course, it is the only use of comedy relief in the ep, but still plays a pivotal if not subtle role of destroying Batman by destroying Bruce Wayne - via somewhat of a ridiculous outlook of the Batman: Murderer saga. This, and dream-Gordon's final line, "I want him alive - alive to rot away in Arkham, surrounded by the monsters he's created", are pretty much throwbacks to the episode 'The Trial' - ironic because it was the law that saved Batman in that episode and cleared him of such charges. And, in any case, that episode kinda needed a bit of a comedy relief breather

Speaking of 'The Trial', there were plenty of rogues gallery characters there that played no necessary role, but could and really should have. I also agree with Zoddman about Summer Gleeson - the only appearance of hers that really stands out is, not with Bruce, but insulting Bullock in 'A Bullet for Bullock'. Also, add Jimmy Olsen, and sometimes Lois, to the list of coulda-shoulda-didn't do anything characters.

[Mattashell]

BB: Max and Howard.

TNBA: Too many sidekicks across the board. I'va said before, Batman thought he was running a day-care.

Almost Got 'im and The Trial, I can't stand these stupid episodes with a bunch of rougues gathered together. No point at all.