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"Christmas With The Joker" is the second episode of Batman: The Animated Series. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 13, 1992. It was written by Eddie Gorodetsky and directed by Kent Butterworth. Although this was the first produced episode of the series to feature the Joker, the series aired six previous Joker episodes.

Plot summary
On Christmas Eve, the Joker escapes from Arkham Asylum by secretly attaching rocket boosters to the bottom of Arkham's giant Christmas tree, using the tree to blast through the roof as he is attaching the tree topper.

Batman and Robin begin patrolling Gotham to search for the Joker. Robin is skeptical this patrol is worthwhile, stating, "Its Christmas Eve! Even scum spend the holidays with their families," to which Batman responds, "He has no family." After finding Gotham to be uncharacteristically quiet, the Dynamic Duo return to Wayne Manor to watch It's A Wonderful Life when they discover that Joker has hijacked all of the TV stations, broadcasting his assault on Gotham City as a Christmas special. Joker is speaking to a "live" studio audience comprised of cardboard cutouts of various Gotham citizens, including Batman and Robin. Joker tells the audience since he does not have a family of his own to spend the holidays with, he has decided to steal one. His "family" is comprised of a hogtied Commissioner Gordon, Summer Gleeson, and Detective Harvey Bullock. Joker warns tells the camera that if Batman isn't able to track him down by midnight, he will kill his three hostages.

Using the Batcomputer, Batman is able access Gotham's electrical mainframe and pinpoint the location of Joker's signal by zeroing in on the power surges. Joker's hired thugs, Donner and Blitzen, blow up one of Gotham's bridges, just as the 11:30 train is about to cross. Gleeson becomes visibly upset, revealing that her mother is on the train, prompting a taunt from Joker. Batman and Robin promptly hurry to intercept the train. Robin uncouples the passenger cars, while Batman rescues the engineer just in time for the train to careen off the blown-up tracks and into the valley below. Batman determines that Joker's signal is coming from the observatory located at the top of Mt. Gotham. The Caped Crusaders head to the top of the mountain, only to discover a radio transmitter left by the Joker. Joker reveals that he has replaced the observatory's massive telescope with a cannon, which begins firing upon Batman and Robin.

As Batman draws the cannon's fire, which begins to fire randomly at the city, Robin breaks into the observatory to disable the cannon. Upon entering, Robin discovers a number of Joker robots, who begin to fire upon them. After destroying the robots, Robin throws a detonator at the cannon, neutralizing it.

Joker gives the Dynamic Duo a clue to his hideout by broadcasting footage of Summer Gleeson opening a Christmas present: a "Betty Blooper" doll. Batman remembers that that type of doll is no longer in stock, as the toy factory that produced it, Laffco, went out of business fourteen years earlier. Batman deduces that this must be the Joker's hideout. They hightail it to the factory. The Joker, anticipating their arrival, plays the song Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies from The Nutcracker Suite. Batman and Robin are then attacked by a number of giant nutcracker soldier robots. Upon subduing the nutcrackers, the song switches to The Russian Dance and a number of toy-Joker planes fly after them. Batman and Robin destroy the planes using a baseball bat and an oil barrel, respectively. Donner and Blitzen appear with machine guns and begin firing upon the duo. Using his grappling hook, Batman gets to a higher level and hides behind a set of gigantic teddy bears. At first, Donner and Blitzen are confused, but the resume firing once they see Batman's cape. But the cape is actually concealing one of the giant teddy bears, which falls over the railing and lands of the two thugs, pinning them to the ground.

Batman leaps back down to the ground, telling Robin to keep an eye out of the Joker. All of a sudden, a pair of curtains are drawn back, revealing the Joker, who has Gordon, Gleeson, and Bullock dangling over a vat of hot molten plastic. Joker threatens to cut the rope hoisting the hostages unless Batman opens his "present", a package wrapped in Batman-symbol wrapping paper. Batman opens the package, only to discover a spring-loaded pie, which splatters all over his face, to the Joker's hysterics. Batman advances on his nemesis, causing Joker to cut the rope. Batman makes a tremendous leap, pushing the bundled hostages out of the way of the vat. Batman then chases a howling Joker up a catwalk. Joker slips on a loose roller skate and topples over the catwalk railing. Batman grabs him by the leg, narrowly saving him from plunging into the vat. Batman sneers, "Merry Christmas, Joker," to which Joker angrily retorts, "Bah Humbug".

Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson retire to Wayne Manor and watch a copy of It's A Wonderful Life that Gordon taped. The episode ends showing Joker spending Christmas alone in his cell, wearing a straitjacket. However, being the Joker, he remains upbeat, singing Deck the Halls and hysterically laughing.

Production Notes
This is the only written by Eddie Gorodetsky, as well as the only episode directed by Kent Butterworth.

Originally, Tim Curry was offered the role as the Joker, but after Curry dropped out the role was given to Mark Hamill, who agreed to play the part of Ferris Boyle in the episode Heart of Ice. Hamill attempted to create a laugh for the Joker that would reflect the Joker's current mood, likening it to a musical instrument.