Batman The Animated Series: Mad as a Hatter

"You're mighty in Gotham, Batman, but in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter reigns supreme."

You can always tell when it's a Paul Dini episode. Mostly because the writing credits are right at the start of the episode, but if you miss them chances are you'll still be able to tell when you're watching a Paul Dini episode.

Dini's episodes were always more fascinated with Batman's villains than the hero himself. He also had a fondness for sad sacks who get tangled up in the villain's schemes, as we saw in 'Joker's Favor'. This episode allowed him to indulge both his passions by featuring a sad sack who eventually becomes a villain.

Say hello to Jervis Tetch, a meek scientist hired by Wayne Enterprises to develop mind control technology (whatever do you want with that, Bruce?). He's a classic life long loser who gets pushed around by his boss and is hopelessly besotted with a girl who is oblivious to his affections and in love with someone else. Even after he takes her out on what is so obviously a romantic date, she's still can't see that he's head over heels for her and thinks he's just being a good friend. Naturally, the girl in question is named Alice.

Of course, Tetch never once considers just being completely honest with Alice about his feelings for her. No doubt because he fears if he told her how he really felt she would ultimately reject him and just wish to remain friends. Better to turn her into a mindless puppet and whisk her away to his theme park fantasy world than face that humiliation. Wonderland may be make believe, but it's a better place to be than the dreaded Friendzone.

The Mad Hatter is unique amongst Batman's villains in that he's based on another fictional character, which DC somehow got away with (probably because Carroll never called the character the Mad Hatter, just Hatter). The comic Mad Hatter was, at least originally, obsessed with Lewis Carroll and collecting hates. This Mad Hatter is just obsessed with Lewis Carroll and shares his unsettling fascination with a girl called Alice.

He's meant to appear like some nerdy loser in love, but Tetch is really just a possessive creep. He might say otherwise, but he always saw Alice as a doll he wanted to possess. When he sees her upset about having a fight with her boyfriend he doesn't try to comfort her. He jumps for joy because now he finally has a chance to have her for himself. Her own feelings are irrelevant to him, all that matters is she's available. Like so many abusive, controlling jerks, Tetch blames others for the problems he has created. He didn't turn Alice in a doll because he couldn't accept that she just wasn't into him. No, it was all Batman's fault.

Sigh, it is always Batman's fault.

This isn't one of the best villain origin episodes, I would put it above 'The Cat and the Claw', but well below 'Heart of Ice' and 'Two-Face'. It does the basic job of giving us some insight into the villain and why they ended up the way they are, but Tetch isn't all that sympathetic and his story isn't really in any way tragic. Unlike Two-Face, Mr Freeze or Clayface, he's just a lonely cosplayer throwing a massive tantrum because a girl he liked didn't like him back.

Comic Book Connections

Jervis Tetch/The Mad Hatter was created by Bill Finger and Lew Sayre Schwartz and first appeared in Batman #49 (October, 1948). In Detective Comics #230 (April, 1956) a new Mad Hatter was introduced who claimed to be the original, but was later revealed as an imposter in Detective Comics #510 (January, 1982).

I Know that Voice

The Mad Hatter was voiced by Roddy McDowall (Lassie Come Home, Cleopatra, Planet of the Apes, Fright Night, etc). McDowall previously played The Bookworm in the Adam West series, making him the only person to play a villain on both shows. Alice was voiced by Kimmy Robertson, best known for playing Lucy on Twin Peaks. Tetch's boss, Marcia, was voiced by Loretta Swit, who played Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan on M*A*S*H.

Notes and Quotes

--Alice's full name is Alice Pleasance, which was also the name of the girl said to be the basis for Carroll's Alice.

--Carroll himself used to frequently visit my home town and wrote Jabberwocky and The Walrus and the Carpenter while here. I didn't learn any of this until later in life and always wonder why we randomly had a walrus statue in Mowbray Park.

--Bruce seem to be a first name basis with all his employees, which is impressive considering the size of his company.

--This episode is one of AKOM's better efforts.

--Why is the carpenter armed with a sledgehammer? Wouldn't an axe be more fitting?

--Tetch's boss calls Bruce the company's founder, but it was already established in 'Nothing to Fear' that he inherited it from his father. In the comics, Bruce was the founder of the company, but in the post-Crisis continuity it was founded by brothers Solomon and Joshua Wayne in the 19th century.

Alfred: "Dare we hope that Gotham treats you to an early evening, sir?"
Batman: "I should be so lucky. The police emergency band just switched on."
Alfred: "Then I'll prepare your usual breakfast: toast, coffee... bandages."
Batman: "Goodnight, Alfred."

The Mad Hatter: "Would not, could not... would not, could not... oh, could not join the dance."

The Mad Hatter: "Are you, the famous Batman, so intent upon destroying my happiness that you'll hurt these poor mind-warped innocents to get me?"

The Mad Hatter: "I'll cut that cowl off your neck before you take her! I've waited my whole lonely life for her!"
Batman: "Then all you've waited for is a puppet... a soulless little doll."

The Mad Hatter: "It didn't have to be this way! You made me do this to her!"

Two out of four obvious Paul Dini episodes.

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Mark Greig has been writing for Doux Reviews since 2011. More Mark Greig.

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