History Recap / BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE13IveGotBatmanInMyBasement

* MaliciousMisnaming: Nicholas and Frank, the two boys bullying Sherman throughout the first half the episode, finally call him by his real name after intentionally getting it wrong up until the end.

* TheFamilyForTheWholeFamily: The Penguin and his henchmen are continuously foiled by the local children who have Batman in their basement. This is one of the reasons that the production team does not think very highly of this episode, since they were hoping the series would avoid kid heroes and bumbling villains.

->''"I can't even watch that show. It's the epitome of what we don't want to do with Batman. Strangely enough kids like it. The script came in and it was terrible. Normally, I tell the director to do what he can to make it interesting, and nobody could figure out a way to make it interesting. The storyboard artists didn't care, and it shows."''
-->--'''Creator/BruceTimm''''s [[CreatorBacklash thoughts on the episode]], quoted from ''[[http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/btas/backstage/animato/ Animato Magazine]]''.

* TheManMakesTheWeapon: When the Penguin draws his [[WeaponOfChoice umbrella sword]], Batman ([[YouCanBarelyStand still injured]]) picks up a screwdriver.

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: A "lighter" episode in which Batman is actually out of commission for most of the adventure (after suffering a poison gas attack) and a group of suburban kids are forced to protect him.

* RememberTheNewGuy: Like the Joker (and, arguably, Catwoman), the Penguin gets no real introduction in the show's canon, with Sherman recognizing him on sight. This was directly stipulated by the show's bible; presumably, audiences were expected to already recognize Joker and Penguin from [[Series/Batman1966 the '66 show]] and the Creator/TimBurton movies.

* UpperClassTwit: Penguin comes across as one; Sherman's house is rather nice, but the villain claims that ransacking the place "could only improve it."

->"I can't even watch that show. It's the epitome of what we don't want to do with Batman. Strangely enough kids like it. The script came in and it was terrible. Normally, I tell the director to do what he can to make it interesting, and nobody could figure out a way to make it interesting. The storyboard artists didn't care, and it shows."
-->--Bruce Timm's [[CreatorBacklash thoughts on the episode]], quoted from [[http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/btas/backstage/animato/ "Animato Magazine".]]

!!Tropes:

* BatmanInMyBasement: {{Trope Namer|s}}.

* HomeAloneAntics: The final act has the kids trying to fight off the Penguin and his goons by improvising a defense with the equipment on the Bat-Belt. Interestingly, they ''almost'' get killed in retaliation by the Penguin (doubly so because they annoyed him into a murderous rage), but this still bought Batman enough time to recover and pull a BigDamnHeroes.

* IgnoredConfession: When Sherman's mother asks what they're doing in the basement, Roberta answers, "We just saved Batman's life, and now we're hiding him from some bad criminals". The mom's response? "That's good, just don't make a mess."

* StealthInsult: Penguin to his henchmen: "Gentlemen - and I use the term loosely - let the egg hunt begin!"
* TheUnmasking: The two teens almost unmasked an unconscious Batman, but Sherman stops them.

* UpperClassTwit: Penguin comes across as one; Sherman's house is rather nice, but the villain claims that ransacking the place "could only improve it".

* KidDetective

* NoodleIncident

While trying to thwart Penguin's robbery of a rare Faberge egg, Batman is weakened by exposure to a toxic gas. He takes shelter in a basement apartment belonging to a teen-aged amateur detective.

* IgnoredConfession: When Sherman's mother asks what they're doing in the basement, Roberta answers, "We just saved Batman's life, and now we're hiding him from some bad criminals". The mom's response? "That's good, just don't make a mess."

->"I think that if we hadn't gotten Alan Burnett to come over, we would have had a lot more shows like this one. I had to get rid of most of these (story)boards and start from scratch. It was very time-consuming. Our schedule was so tight, that small things got by."

-->--Bruce Timm's thoughts on the episode, quoted from [[http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batman/btas/backstage/animato/ "Animato Magazine".]]

It's a typical night for Batman in Gotham when he tries to stop a heist helmed by two thugs, who have stolen a Fabergé egg. Batman confronts them, but he is abruptly attacked by a giant South American Vulture. Batman fights it off, but the thugs get away, leaving behind only clue--a batch of birdseed.

Meanwhile, two kids, Sherman and Roberta, look through a Jr. Detective kit filled with novelty spy items. As they look through it, two older boys, Frank and Nick, show up and start hassling the couple by taking the stuff. Frank takes the binoculars and sees Penguin's vulture, which he believes to be a hawk. Sherman sees it and decides that its presence is a mystery and he and Roberta follow after it.

The vulture flies into an abandoned birdseed factory and spy on the thugs from the heist before. Soon the Penguin shows up and demands the egg. Sherman immediately recognizes it as the Vonalster Fabergé Egg as well as recognizing the Penguin, and decides that they have to alert the authorities. However, Penguin’s vulture, Scrap, notices them and tries to attack but Batman catches it in a net and buries Penguin and his men in birdseed. The two kids try to escape but accidentally activate a conveyor belt leading to a grinder. Batman manages to save the kids and advances on the Penguin, but is hit with a gas pellet from the umbrella that causes him to weaken. Staggering into the Batmobile, he collapses. Sherman and Roberta, who are nearby, shove him in and get into the vehicle themselves. Desperate to close the car, Sherman starts erratically pushing buttons and eventually manages to get the car shut just before the crooks get there. However, Penguin and his men climb onto the car and try to break in. Frightened, the kids start the car and take the criminals on a wild, hazardous ride. Eventually, the criminals are thrown from the car, and the kids manage to escape.

Back in Sherman's basement, Batman is laid upon a couch and manages to force out the word "cap...sule". The kids don't understand his meaning and Batman tries to further explain but only manages to say, "Visor". This doesn't help anything either. Roberta decides that it's time to call the police, but Sherman refuses, claiming they must protect the identity of their client.

Later, Frank and Nick show up and discover the Batmobile after knocking over the boxes that hide it. While playing around in it, they discover a package of capsules under the car's visor. Sherman suddenly realizes what Batman meant and takes the capsules, but Scrap arrives and sees the Batmobile. Sherman manages to run inside and is followed by the older boys. Upon discovering Batman, they try to unmask him, but Sherman stops them. Just then, the Penguin and his men arrive and disable the phones, thereby preventing the kids from calling the police. The trio breaks in and begins to search the place. As they do they run into traps set by the kids using equipment from Batman's utility belt. Unfortunately, the traps only prove to be minor delays.

After being ineffectually assaulted by the kids, Penguin and his men chase them into the basement where Penguin finds the egg and tries to kill Batman with a blade from his umbrella. However, Batman finally snaps out of his stupor and attacks. He easily manages to beat Penguin's thugs and after a brief sword fight with the Penguin (in which Batman uses a screwdriver), he manages to capture the criminal mastermind. Just then, Mrs. Grant arrives and is furious to find her house in such a state. However, she forgets about being angry when she sees Batman.

Later, Sherman hangs up two newspaper articles about the Penguin's humiliating capture and Scrap being taken to the Gotham Zoo. Sherman now has the respect of Nick and Frank, who are now working with him on his own Jr. Detective agency.

* BatmanInMyBasement: {{Trope Namer|s}} and one of the episodes [[CreatorBacklash the writers would deeply love to forget]].
* CreatorBacklash: Bruce Timm was not a fan of this one, seeing it as emblematic of the kinds of juvenile stories he was trying to avoid.