Thursday, June 15, 2023

MY TEN FAVORITE BATMAN '66 EPISODES

 Going in each case by the first episode-title of each multi-parter...

DEATH IN SLOW MOTION-- the best Riddler episode, adapted from a comics-story in which the villain was the Joker. All the tropes referencing silent cinema-- damsels in distress, pie-fights-- are perfect for the camp nature of the series, and for Riddler's more frenetic style. The "slow motion" reference is odd because undercranking often made re-screenings of silent flicks look like they were moving too fast, not too slow.

HIZZONER THE PENGUIN-- Penguin runs for mayor. Lots of good jabs at the political process.

THE JOKER IS WILD-- the first Joker is the best Joker, and even improves on the comic-book original, "The Joker's Utility Belt."

THE ZODIAC CRIMES-- the best villain-teamup, as Joker and Penguin devastate Gotham with a series of astrological crimes. The first three-parter.

A PIECE OF THE ACTION-- the best (and only) hero crossover, with some good interplay between B&R and GH&K. Roger C. Carmel chews the scenery mightily as one of the few Bat-villains who doesn't leave clues for the Dynamic Duo.

THAT DARN CATWOMAN-- the best Catwoman episode, in which she turns Robin evil and tries to force Batman to become her partner in crime. And also-- "one night in the Batcave makes a hard crime-fighter humble." 

THE DEVIL'S FINGERS-- Lorenzo Semple took a so-so John Broome comic script and made it into the dismal "Zelda the Great" in the first season. But he redeemed himself by reworking the script into this camp masterpiece, with dueling Liberaces, a trio of Scottish-themed beauties with killer bagpipes, Aunt Harriet packing heat, and both the most magnificently absurd death-trap and equally absurd heroes' escape from same.

THE SPELL OF TUT-- Tut tries to enslave Gotham with the hypnotic drug "Abu Rabu Simbu Two." I think this is the one where Tut whines, "everyone's being mean to me!"

TRUE OR FALSE FACE-- a vast improvement on a very forgettable Batman comics-story featuring one-shot villain False Face, who gets a humiliating unmasking at the end. The show's False Face is also a one-shot but he comes off as a wily, masterful opponent, even though actor Malachi Throne had to wear a thick face-mask and only communicated his menace through his voice and actions. And even though he's captured at the conclusion, the heroes DON'T unmask him, which would have spoiled the illusion of his mastery of the deceptive arts.

THE LONDINIUM LARCENIES-- the only Batgirl episode that I found outstanding (though the "Shame" episode's a good runner-up). "England Swings Batman," with mod British fashions, bad British accents, a cool pub-brawl and smoking English hotties.

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