Nearly three decades on from its debut, Batman: The Animated Series (BTAS) is more fondly remembered than most American cartoons could conceive of being. Though television is inherently a team effort, writer/producer Paul Dini deserves a lion's share of credit for the show's quality.

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Episodes penned by Dini stand a cut above the rest of the show's run, thanks to the more clever writing and mature, often tragic flourishes his stories contain. Let's single out the top ten of his scripted episodes.

10 "Baby Doll"

Baby-Doll Worst Batman TAS episodes

Despite Batman having the best rogues gallery of any comic superhero, BTAS wasn't averse to original villains. One of the most bizarre yet memorable instances was in "Baby Doll;" the episode's villain is actress Mary Dahl, afflicted with a disease that inhibits her from physically-aging past early childhood. After quitting sitcom "Baby Doll" and face-planting in a move into dramatic acting, Dahl begins kidnapping her co-stars to recreate her glory days.

All of Batman's best villains mirror him, and Baby Doll is no exception: while Batman had his childhood stolen from him, Dahl is trapped in hers. Even Batman seems to recognize her as a somewhat kindred spirit – the episode ends in a House of Mirrors, where Dahl sees an image of what she'd look like if she had aged properly – breaking down in tears at the sight and clasping Batman's leg, the Dark Knight places his hand atop her head in pity.

9 "Catwalk"

The title card for Catwalk and a shot of Catwoman holding Scarface

Catwoman/Selina Kyle is one of the most dynamic characters in Batman's orbit, and "Catwalk," a Dini-penned second season outer, is the series' best episode centered on her. After being paroled and reforming in her second appearance, "Cat Scratch Fever," "Catwalk" sees Selina slip back into her villainous ways when offered a burglary job by the Ventriloquist & Scarface. The episode's final shots, of a disheartened Batman followed immediately by Catwoman perched alone on a skyscraper, reflect that, no matter their feelings for each other, their opposite natures always pull them apart.

8 "Harley's Holiday"

Dini's greatest creation is Harley Quinn – as the series progressed and her popularity grew ever steeper, Harley took on a starring role in several episodes, all penned by her creator. The best is "Harley's Holiday," in which the erstwhile Dr. Quinzel is declared sane and released from Arkham Asylum. Unfortunately, a misunderstanding on her first day out puts her on the wrong side of the law yet again.

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The episode unfolds like a comedy of errors; trust-fund baby Veronica Vreeland doubles as Harley's hostage and comedic counterpoint while the two get roped into ever-escalating trouble. However, the story isn't without a twinge of tragedy as well, since viewers know Harley's attempts at reformation were genuine.

7 "Joker's Wild"

When Gotham City billionaire Cameron Kaiser opens the "Joker's Wild" casino, not just named but themed after the Joker, the Clown Prince of Crime sets out to destroy the casino– outraged at the theft of his image. Unbeknownst to him, that's exactly what Kaiser wants. Nearly bankrupt, his last chance is to cash in on the insurance policy for the Joker's Wild.

BTAS always had a noir sensibility, so the blood-soaked insurance fraud plot, calling to mind Double Indemnity, is a perfect fit. The episode also contains one of the best Batman & Joker interactions in the show – after the Joker infiltrates the Casino and tries to make some extra bucks working as a card dealer, Bruce Wayne, recognizing his arch-enemy, swindles the Joker out of his winnings while the infuriated clown remains oblivious to Wayne being Batman.

6 "House & Garden"

Poison Ivy was one most prominent members of the rogues gallery throughout BTAS – "House & Garden," her last non-cameo appearance, essentially functions as a farewell to her character. The episode picks up with Ivy having not just reformed, but also settled down, married to one Dr. Steven Carlyle and acting as the step-mother to his two children, Chris & Kelly. Of course, villains turning over a new leaf is never what it appears to be in Gotham City, and the truth leads to some imagery at home in Invasion Of The Body Snatchers. Even though Ivy's reform wasn't sincere, the episodes doesn't go so far as to demonize her, making clear she does want a family, but only on her own terms.

5 "Harley & Ivy"

Up next is another Poison Ivy outing, specifically the episode that began her long-running relationship with Harley Quinn. After Harley is kicked out by the Joker, she hooks up with Poison Ivy and together the two becomes Gotham's new queens of crimes. The Joker isn't about to be upstaged by his former henchwoman, however, and so he sets out to cut their fun short.

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The episode stands as one of the most influential of BTAS; aside from establishing Harley & Ivy's relationship, this was also the first time Harley's character was fleshed out beyond "kooky villainess," and when it became clear just how toxic her relationship with the Joker was.

4 "Trial"

"Trial" has one of BTAS' most memorable premises: after the inmates seize control of Arkham Asylum, they capture Batman and put him on trial for his "crimes" against them all. To top if off, they "draft" (read: kidnap) Gotham City DA Janet Van Dorn, an anti-Batman crusader, and force her to be the Dark Knight's defense, with the penalty for losing being death for them both. Van Dorn refutes a common allegation against Batman, that being he's responsible for the existence of the villains he fights, by arguing all of his rogues gallery were unstable and would've turned to crime anyway – they created him. The insights into the Caped Crusader's ethos don't stop there: the episode's final scene, when a rescued Van Dorn tells Batman she's still going to work to make sure Gotham doesn't need him, he only replies "Me too."

3 "Joker's Favor"

Many of Dini's episodes put Batman himself in a supporting role – "Joker's Favor" was the first and greatest case of this, not to mention the series' first great Joker episode after a string of mediocre outings early in the show's run. When average joe Charlie Collins is driving home after a bad day, he curses out a driver who cuts him off – said driver turns out to be the Joker. Fearing for his life, Charlie offers to "do anything," and so the Joker makes him promise to perform a favor of his choosing. The opening scene, where the Joker stalks Charlie, managing to find him no matter which way he turns, is easily the outright scariest that the clown ever was on the show, while the final scene has one of the greatest flips on the Joker's usual dynamic with Batman.

2 "Almost Got 'Im"

"Almost Got 'Im," wherein some of Batman's greatest foes sit around a Poker table swapping stories of times they almost killed the Dark Knight, is the closest BTAS ever got to an anthology episode. Highlights include Two-Face's story devising an origin for the giant penny in the Batcave and Killer Croc's... underwhelming account of his near-victory. There's also the episode's final scene, which has easily the best title drop in the show – when Batman & Catwoman stand on a rooftop, doing their usual song-and-dance, the Cat looks away for just a moment, and when she looks back, the Bat has vanished. Frustrated, she sighs "Almost got 'im."

1 "Heart Of Ice"

Heart of ice: Mr. Freeze holding a snow globe

A tragedy in 22-minutes, "Heart Of Ice" stands as not just the best Dini-scripted episode of BTAS, but the series' overall best episode and one of the finest half-hour achievements in American animation. The episode's brilliant reinvention of Mr. Freeze was the first indicator BTAS wouldn't settle for the standard of storytelling usually found in children's animation. Far from the gimmicky pun-spouter of the Silver Age, this Freeze was a monster with the beating heart of a man buried deep inside – "Think of it, Batman. To never again walk on a summer's day with a hot wind in your face, and a warm hand to hold? Oh yes, I'd kill for that."

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