The Joker is one of the most popular villains of all time. This is not only due to his relationship with Batman, but also to his portrayal by various actors in movies and series. A mime often doesn’t fare too well, as shown by a dedicated DC series that mocks this.
Which series is it about? Teen Titans Go! started in 2013 and has had 8 seasons to date. The cartoon series is based on the superhero group Teen Titans, led by Robin, who is known from the Batman universe.
However, the series is not a classic superhero series, but a comedy series mainly for children that parodies various aspects of the genre. It was produced by DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, which is why the series regularly pokes fun at DC.
In one episode, various interpretations of the Joker are shown and given respect. Except for one: the one by Jared Leto from the 2016 film Suicide Squad.
You can’t just slap on some tattoos and fake teeth
What happens in the episode? To get into a secret hideout of the Joker, the Teen Titans must outsmart the guards at the gate. They then try to mimic various Joker interpretations. They also dress up.
It starts with Cyborg impersonating Jack Nicholson. Beast Boy tries to copy Heath Ledger, even imitating his iconic smacking and speaking in pseudo-philosophical questions. Then comes Robin, covered in tattoos, as a Jared Leto interpretation.
You can watch the clip here:
The Joker’s henchman reacts only angrily with: Wait a minute, that’s not the Joker
. The other members of the Teen Titans also react angrily and ask Robin what he is actually doing. Cyborg harshly criticizes Jared Leto’s portrayal:
Jared Leto? You can’t just slap on some tattoos and fake teeth and make me think you are any kind of crazy person.
Starfire adds that no one buys that from him.
To save the situation, Beast Boy dresses up once more as the Mark Hamill Joker and convinces the henchmen.
Why is Jared Leto unpopular as the Joker? There are indeed viewers who liked the Joker, but some fans criticized the portrayal especially in comparison to greats like Jack Nicholson, Mark Hamill, and Heath Ledger.
He did have a certain menacing quality, but the specific charm that the others embodied was lacking. Additionally, he plays a tiny role in Suicide Squad, even though he was heavily promoted beforehand. Another project had the Joker almost, but was not allowed to name him: Warner Bros. forbade him from using the name, but he was one of the best Jokers in the Batman universe
