What did you last watch on TV?

I decided to broaden my anime horizons today with a little show called "Lee's Detective Agency". Basically, it's a furry anime about a (non?)detective agency with really smooth animation. Excellent use of smear frames and the fight scenes just leave me wanting more. There's only three episodes right now (the third one came out like yesterday lol), but I can't wait to see more! It's on both Crunchyroll and Youtube, so availability shouldn't be an issue.
 
The new Checkered Past block on Adult Swim. Really good shows they chose for it!
 
I think it was Psych.
 
Euphoria Season 2 Episode 1
I thought it was fine, Fez is interesting here. I wish it portrayed Rue as a bit more in the wrong for saying "a female drug dealer is so cool" considering the one of the show's themes is that Rue being a recovering addict is bad, but oh well I guess it just didn't want to be moralizing constantly. I still think the carnival episode and the special where Rue is talking with Ali about her situation are my two favorite episodes by a lot.
 
Just started watching Game of Thrones again, my second time seeing it (first time was last year). It is now one of my favorite TV series.
 
Swallow said:
Just started watching Game of Thrones again, my second time seeing it (first time was last year). It is now one of my favorite TV series.
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What did you think of the ending first time you saw it?
 
Batman: The Animated Series - Episode 54 "Zatanna" (1993)

I was incredibly overjoyed to see that Batman TAS has a Zatanna episode, and experiencing it for the very first time was a truly special experience.

Interestingly this episode was written by Paul Dini, who would later go on to write some comics about Zatanna - I've heard they're well received and despite never having really read superhero comics before, I've been wanting to get those but haven't managed to yet.

I frankly think it's incredibly and perhaps bemusingly fortunate that this episode even exists, given that Zatanna is for most intents and purposes not a "Batman character" - which is very much the focus of Batman TAS, to the point that not even Superman or Wonder Woman have even been mentioned, yet Zatanna, a far more obscure heroine, gets her own episode. I'm definitely not complaining though, it's a miracle!

This is the sixth adaptation of Zatanna I've seen, after Teen Titans Go (2013-), Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham (2013), DC Super Hero Girls G2 (2019-2021), Young Justice (2010-2019), and Justice League Dark (2017). Albeit her appearances in the first two were very minor, so Batman TAS is only her fourth major adaptation I've seen.

I do like this version of Zatanna a lot. Overall, I'd say that I like her a lot more than JLD 2017 Zatanna and LB3 Zatanna, and I guess TTG Zatanna since TTG Zatanna is only ever a cameo, as adorable as her TTG design is. While DCSHG Zatanna is still the best by far, with YJ Zatanna as a runner up, I wouldn't say that Batman TAS Zatanna is too far behind the latter, and that she might even have been in second place were it not for the fact that her appearance in Batman TAS is limited to just one episode.

One very interesting characteristic of Batman TAS Zatanna is that this is (as far as I know of) the only adaptation of her that is a magician solely in the sense of being a stage magician and does not possess superpowers. But honestly? That's a perfectly valid and entertaining way to adapt her character, and it certainly prevents the writers from having to use plot convenience to incapacitate her just to stop her from easily solving any problems. (Looking at you JLD 2017) It kinda makes her feel like a more relatable and real character too. She's got plenty of charisma as a stage magician in Batman TAS, and is pretty funny and adorable in the flashbacks too. Her not having powers does mean we miss out on hearing this Zatanna casting spells by talking backwards though.

This Zatanna is voiced by Julie Brown, who I think did a wonderful job. Whilst Kari Wahlgren (Zatanna's voice actress in DCSHG, TTG, and LB3) is still my favourite, I think I like Brown better than Camilla Luddington (her voice actress in JLD 2017), and maybe more than Lacey Chabert (her voice actress in YJ).

I love Zatanna's outfit in Batman TAS too, it's probably my favourite other than some of her DCSHG outfits. This Zatanna wears her classic magician outfit, including a white shirt, purple waistcoat, black bow tie, and black long sleeve tailcoat magician jacket over her dark blue leotard and tan nylon tights. She wears black high heels, and in some scenes she wears a black and purple top hat and white gloves. Overall, it's very much her iconic and stylish magician ensemble, and you can't go wrong with that!

Her personality, character development, and story arc are also all very nice. She started off as a carefree and cute teenage girl who was learning magic with her dad, and she had a crush on Bruce Wayne, then under the fake identity of John Smith. They separated and failed to keep in touch, but reunited as adults when Batman and Zatanna teamed up to stop a criminal who had framed Zatanna. Due to Batman's mask and all, Zatanna does not initially realise that he is her old friend.

However, she later realises that Batman is "John Smith" after Batman intentionally addresses her as "Zanna" which in the flashback she mentioned that only he calls her that and she didn't like that. I find this touching.

Interestingly, I think this does mean she knows Batman is John Smith, but she doesn't know Batman is Bruce Wayne as she never learned that John Smith was a fake identity too.

Zatanna's charm, charisma, confidence, independence, determination, and playful side all shine through in this episode. She's got so many brilliant and iconic lines in this one episode. (E.g: "Who's got time for a relationship when you're pulling rabbits out of a hat 52 weeks a year?")

The only single complaint I have about this episode is
Giovanni Zatara, or simply Zatara as he is referred to in this episode, the father of Zatanna and the renowned magician and escape artist who taught Bruce/John/Batman, is mentioned to have passed away at some point between the flashback where Zatanna and Bruce/John interact as teens, and the "present" time the episode is set in. I really don't like this at all, because I like Giovanni a lot and think his relationship with Zatanna is extremely wholesome, and she doesn't deserve to lose him especially after already losing her mother at a young age.

In conclusion, this episode was a near perfect experience - very easily my favourite Batman TAS episode, which is no low bar - and gives us a truly fabulous version of Zatanna who embodies almost all of the spellbinding characteristics that I love her for. She's got her great personality, excellent fashion sense, wonderful voice acting, and a compelling story arc. I couldn't ask for more!
 
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