Polite Dissent

The Batman episode this weekend was “The Big Chill.” It seems that one of Batman’s friends from his hippy days has committed suicide, so he and all his other college hippy friends gather for a wake and funeral. Oops, wait. That was the movie The Big Chill.
That was a good movie; this Batman episode was not. It was like the last Shumacher Batman film staged as a cartoon. There was Mr. Freeze, way too many bad puns involving “ice” and “snow,” and way too many gadgets (the Batman had a special white snow outfit with pop-out skies). They even sucked all the pathos out of Mr. Freeze and made him a bank robber who had an accident in a cryogenic vault, not someone trying to revive his beloved wife. This episode is not recommended at all.
The medicine was suspect too. Hypothermia is more deadly than suggested, but can’t do half the things attributed to it by the story. And in answer to Mr. Freeze’s query, when you combine a strong electric current with low temperatures, you get a fatal heart rhythm — hypothermia is a set up for heart arrhythmias.

The Teen Titans was a repeat of the show “Wavelength.” I said it before and I’ll say it again: I like this new version of the Bumblebee and would like to see her more often.

“Dark Heart “was this week’s Justice League Unlimited episode. This one was penned by Warren Ellis and definitely showed his penchant for the alien and the technological. It was a good episode with many funny line (most courtesy of the Atom and Batman). Almost every hero was there. I saw (in no particular order): Gypsy, Black Canary, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Ice, the Crimson Avenger, Vixen, Elongated Man, Booster Gold, Steel, Green Lantern, Red Tornado, Rocket Red, Martian Manhunter, Ray, Vibe, Crimson Fox, Hawk (but no Dove), Shining Knight, Captain Atom, Green Arrow, Aquaman, Supergirl, Dr. Light, Vigilante, Atom Smasher, Huntress, Stargirl, S.T.R.I.P.E., Aztek, Atom, Blue Devil, Wildcat, Dr. Fate, Starman, Dr. Mid-Nite, Obsidian, Bloodwynd and several assorted Justice League flunkies. There were two I couldn’t identify: one was in blue and red (Commander Steel, I think), and the other was blond with a dark outfit and holster, firing a pistol. A fun episode, in terms of the plot, humor and “Who’s Who.” I also like the fact that they mentioned Nellis Air Force Base, where I used to be stationed. The need to learn to pronounce Nevada correctly (or at least the same as the locals). It’s not Ne-vaw-daw, but Ne-va-da (with an “a” like in attack). Trust me; it’s how they prounonce it (just ask the Polite-Wife, who grew up there).

Make sure to check out what Mike Sterling and Johnny B. said about this JLU episode.