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Mayhem of the Music
Meister!
Original Airdate - October 23rd, 2009
Batman and Black Canary are pitted against Music
Meister, who is able to exert powerful mind
control through song. When he hijacks a
communications satellite, the entire world
becomes subject to his musical bidding.
Written by Michael Jelenic
Directed by Ben Jones
Animation by Lotto
Animation
Review by Andrew
Media by Warner Bros. Animation
Cast
Diedrich Bader as Batman
John DiMaggio as
Aquaman, Gorilla Grodd
James Arnold Taylor as
Green Arrow
Dee Bradley Baker as Clock King
Kevin Michael Richardson as Black Manta
Grey
DeLisle as Black Canary
Tom Kenny as Babyface
Neil Patrick Harris as Music Meister
Music
Theme Written and Performed by Andy Strumer
Music by Michael McCuisition, Lolita Ritmanis,
Kristopher Carter |
Songs
“I’m the Music Meister”
Music by: Michael
McCuistion
Lyrics by: James Tucker
Performed by: Neil Patrick Harris
“Death
Trap”
Music by: Kristopher Carter
Lyrics
by: James Tucker
Performed by: Neil Patrick
Harris & Grey Delisle
“Drives Us Bats”
Music by: Lolita Ritmanis
Lyrics by: Michael
Jelenic
Performed by: Neil Patrick Harris
“The World is Mine”
Music by: Kristopher
Carter
Lyrics by: Michael Jelenic
Performed by: Neil Patrick Harris, Grey Delisle
& Jeff Bennett
“If Only”
Music by:
Lolita Ritmanis
Lyrics by: Michael Jelenic
Performed by: Neil Patrick Harris & Grey Delisle
“If Only (Reprise)”
Music by: Lolita
Ritmanis
Lyrics by: Michael Jelenic
Performed by: Grey Delisle & James Arnold Taylor |
Media
Video
Clips
Review
This episode is difficult to review; things have
certainly gone askew. A song-filled romp for the Batman?
This was a strange plan, how dare you seduce this fan;
such rhythmic lark - one could say they have jumped the shaaaark!
I apologize. I simply couldn’t resist
getting in tune with the episode. Even if you knew to
expect a musical episode there was simply no way to be
prepared for the magnitude of lyrical bombshells this
episode would drop in your lap. I wholly expected the
songs to be cheesy and cringe-worthy, but every bit of
it is incredibly well-done. The tunes and the lyrics are
all catchy to a point in which a single viewing of this
episode may not suffice. All of that said, the rest of
the episode’s contents are well done as well. Lacking a
teaser, this episode starts off with Gorilla Grodd,
Black Manta and Clock King facing off against Black
Canary, Green Arrow and Aquaman. The music is introduced
nearly immediately in the most unexpected way, and Music
Meister takes the six under his verbal control, which
prompts Batman - who was watching - to slip in some
Batplugs to keep Meister from sending him into a musical
trance. Batman is unsuccessful in stopping him, and
Meister manages to launch a satellite into orbit which
hijacks the world’s communications so he can broadcast
his enchanted lyrics to the world.
From there on,
the story is pretty simple as Meister has taken control
fairly early in the episode. Batman managed to rescue
the 3 heroes from being Meister’s pawns, but only for a
short while as Aquaman and Green Arrow apparently don’t
use the Batplugs they’re given. Black Canary, however,
employs their use but insists on singing along as they
pursue Music Meister. Highly strange, but the songs are
very well done that it’s simple to keep along with them
- she could still take on thugs while singing, so more
power to her. The song I have to say I most liked had to
be during the montage as Meister sings about how Batman
drives people batty; heroes and villains alike. One
interesting thing to note about the sequence, their
portrayal of Arkham’s exterior seemed to match the
common exterior depiction in “Batman: The Animated
Series” as it cut to a close-up of a very similar Arkham
sign and immediately panned over to the building. The
episode ends on an unexpected note with the introduction
of a relationship between Black Canary and Green Arrow.
Despite the lack of proper buildup as this is the first
time they have been in the same episode, this didn’t
seem all that forced. Admittedly, though, that may be
due to the subtle romantic atmosphere brought by the
music which is drastically different than the atmosphere
would have been otherwise. Either way, it will be
interesting to see them touch on this later - surely not
in such a touching way, though.
There isn’t much
else to say about the episode except that it’s highly
recommended that you see it. The songs, the music, the
story all mesh together in a captivating display of
musical, and writing talent. As well, the animation
holds up to the quality of the rest of the show despite
having a faster pace and new elements such as shots that
involved panning out and into different angles. It’s an
odd experience, but it was handled beautifully. The
episode gets bonus points to the lyrics writers for
referencing not only the infamous Batusi, but also the
notorious Shark Repellant. I have to say this certainly
should qualify as jumping the shark, but they have
managed a perfect landing. I credit that to the Shark
Repellent - and of course the undeniable talent of Neil
Patrick Harris.
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