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[Spektre]

I have talked a friend into viewing this and giving his feedback. He watched none of this save a few original BTAS back in the day.

So, for someone wanting to see the Diniverse in 100 hours, with a heavy emphasis on the JL series, what would you add of the previous series as tie-ins?

Spektre

[guitarsmashley]

The ones with Batman.

[Zero]

The BTAS seasons without Robin, and the movies for it. Then Batman Beyond and the Return of the Joker Movie. Then JL/JLU. I think that the Superman episodes with Darkseid might be worth watching too, but I forgot what they're called so meh.

[MikeinLA]

"Hereafter" Part 1 and (especially) Part 2. One of my favorite Superman stories ever.
"Double Dose" is a pretty straightforward villains team up to take out Supes, but its really well done.
For Batman, "Almost Got 'Im" is a classic. I like "Sideshow" (Batman vs Killer Croc) a lot.
The adaptations of "Mad Love" and "For the Man Who Has Everything" are great.

[BubbaKanoosh]

All of them.

[chap22]

if you really want it to tie into JL/JLU more heavily, definitely the opening 3 eps of Superman (his origin, establishes Lex and Brainiac, who are both huge in JLU), any Supes eps featuring Darkseid (as he's huge in JLU), and the the Supes eps that introduce Supergirl as she takes a pretty big role later in JLU.

as for Batman, you can't go wrong watching any of that really. some key eps are of course Mad Love, Almost Got Him, pretty much any Joker or Two-Face episode, and i'm a sucker for anything with Ra's/Talia.

Batman Beyond isn't really essential as that stuff only shows up in the epilogue ep at the end of the JLU Cadmus season, and I've only seen Return of the Joker and a few assorted episodes here and there) and I don't feel I missed anything.

also, i'd say pretty much anything with guest-stars except the Superman/GL team-up ep (although that's a good ep), as you never see Kyle again except in crowd scenes. so basically:
the Supes/Aquaman ep
Supes/Flash
Supes/Dr. Fate
I guess the Supes/Legion ep since they show up again in the final season of JLU
all the Superman/Batman team-up eps (the World's Finest movie/3-parter with Lex and Joker especially)
Bats/Zatanna
the Batman & Robin/Demon vs. Klarion ep
you could probably skip the Bats/Creeper ep, but either way

[MrBlack]

Mask of the Phantasm
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
"Father's Day," "World's Finest 1 & 2," Apokolips Now! 1 & 2," and "Legacy 1 & 2" from STAS
"Secret Origins," "Tabula Rasa," "A Better World," "Hereafter," and "Starcrossed 1, 2, & 3" from Justice League
"Initiation," "For the Man Who Has Everything," "Fearful Symmetry," "The Greatest Story Never Told," "The Return," "Ultimatum," "Dark Heart," and "The Once and Future Thing 1 & 2" from JLU season 1
The entirety of JLU season 2
"I Am Legion," "Dead Reckoning," "The Great Brain Robbery," "Alive," and "Destroyer" from JLU season 3

Mask of the Phantasm is a great movie, and a good start if your friend liked BTAS. The selections from STAS are some of the best from that series, and give you sufficient background for some of the Justice League viewing. The Justice League selections are a mix of essential episodes and background for JLU season 2. JLU season 2 is the highlight of the DCAU, in my opinion, and is worth watching in its entirety. I also picked the essential episodes of JLU season 3, which, while weaker than the preceding season, had a great ending.

The Batman Beyond movie is quite good in its own right, and ties up some loose ends from the BTAS universe. "Epilogue," the JLU season 2 finale, wraps up some final loose ends from Batman Beyond and closes the door on that series.

[chap22]

Mask of the Phantasm
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
"Father's Day," "World's Finest 1 & 2," Apokolips Now! 1 & 2," and "Legacy 1 & 2" from STAS
"Secret Origins," "Tabula Rasa," "Hereafter," and "Starcrossed 1, 2, & 3" from Justice League
"Initiation," "For the Man Who Has Everything," "Fearful Symmetry," "The Greatest Story Never Told," "The Return," "Ultimatum," "Dark Heart," and "The Once and Future Thing 1 & 2" from JLU season 1
The entirety of JLU season 2
"I Am Legion," "Dead Reckoning," "Alive," and "Destroyer" from JLU season 3

This gets you the essential Batman and Superman series, the best of Batman Beyond, and sufficient setup for the events of JLU season 2 (the best season of any of these series), as well as the best elements of JLU season 3.

a good list, but i'd add a few more single episodes:

I love Kid Stuff and This Little Piggy from JLU season 1. totes worth it just to see baby Etrigan and Batman singing
i'd also add Wake the Dead b/c I really liked the Hawkgirl/Grundy stuff
Flash & Substance, and Patriot Act from the last season
and you GOTTA have The Great Brain Robbery. it's a moral imperative

[MrBlack]

a good list, but i'd add a few more single episodes:

I love Kid Stuff and This Little Piggy from JLU season 1. totes worth it just to see baby Etrigan and Batman singing
i'd also add Wake the Dead b/c I really liked the Hawkgirl/Grundy stuff
Flash & Substance, and Patriot Act from the last season
and you GOTTA have The Great Brain Robbery. it's a moral imperative

"Kids' Stuff" and "This Little Piggy" are a bit too silly for me, but a lot of fans do really like them, so they're probably worth watching. I did add "The Great Brain Robbery" as you were posting, since that is a great episode.

The Hawkgirl/Grundy stuff was good, but I wanted to trim the list down a bit, and it didn't rise to the level of "essential" for me. Ditto for "Flash & Substance" (which is a fantastic Flash episode, admittedly). "Patriot Act" was good, but not great for me.

[Cat-Scratch]

Just watch it all. Even the weak ones are worth it.

[Zechs]

Chill of the Night from Batman: The Brave & The Bold has to be on here too. The darkest but one of the best episodes of the entire series that is so up there with even B:TAS episodes.

[MrBlack]

Chill of the Night from Batman: The Brave & The Bold has to be on here too. The darkest but one of the best episodes of the entire series that is so up there with even B:TAS episodes.

Not part of the Dini/Timm-verse though.

[misac]

The first World's Finest. Batman and Superman first meet and the way they learn each other's secret id is great! And Bruce almost steals Lois away.

[PDH]

The first World's Finest. Batman and Superman first meet and the way they learn each other's secret id is great! And Bruce almost steals Lois away.

Those episodes can be watched together like a mini movie without requiring you to watch anything else and they're really fun. They've got some great Joker and Luthor stuff, as well (not to mention Harley and Mercy).

[Spektre]

if you really want it to tie into JL/JLU more heavily, definitely the opening 3 eps of Superman (his origin, establishes Lex and Brainiac, who are both huge in JLU), any Supes eps featuring Darkseid (as he's huge in JLU), and the the Supes eps that introduce Supergirl as she takes a pretty big role later in JLU.

as for Batman, you can't go wrong watching any of that really. some key eps are of course Mad Love, Almost Got Him, pretty much any Joker or Two-Face episode, and i'm a sucker for anything with Ra's/Talia.

Batman Beyond isn't really essential as that stuff only shows up in the epilogue ep at the end of the JLU Cadmus season, and I've only seen Return of the Joker and a few assorted episodes here and there) and I don't feel I missed anything.

also, i'd say pretty much anything with guest-stars except the Superman/GL team-up ep (although that's a good ep), as you never see Kyle again except in crowd scenes. so basically:
the Supes/Aquaman ep
Supes/Flash
Supes/Dr. Fate
I guess the Supes/Legion ep since they show up again in the final season of JLU
all the Superman/Batman team-up eps (the World's Finest movie/3-parter with Lex and Joker especially)
Bats/Zatanna
the Batman & Robin/Demon vs. Klarion ep
you could probably skip the Bats/Creeper ep, but either way

Pretty close to what I had but you reminded me of a few others! Thanks!