Batman Episode Guide: An Adam West Tribute

With the passing of Adam West, I thought I would post some thoughts and comments on all the episodes of the Batman TV series, with a 5 star rating system (five stars being the best, no stars the worst). So, "put your gum under your seat, and get ready to cheer Batman!"

"Hi Diddle Riddle/Smack in the Middle" ***** The pilot, loosely based on the comic book story "The Remarkable Ruse of The Riddler" from BATMAN #171, May 1965, published just a couple months before the pilot began filming. The best episode. To the critics who understandably say "if you've seen one episode of Batman, you've seen 'em all", this is the "one" episode to watch. The whole first season seems more on the side of pop art than camp. Frank Gorshin excels as The Riddler and puts Jim Carrey and Corey Michael Smith to shame. Well paced story with some suspense. The pilot has wonderful punny dialog that subsequent episodes never matched. The one negative from a serious fan's perspective is undoubtedly the "Batusi" scene, even thought it achieved iconic status. A terrific episode, and a definitive '60s pop art experience. Jill St. John as Molly, is one of few characters to die in the series. Notice Robin's cloth gloves instead of the leather ones he would wear in the rest of the series. Batman's cowl design is slightly different, and in my opinion, better, than the rest of the series, and a slightly better utility belt. Batman is more of an outsider in this episode, as he would be forced to remove his mask in court.  Later episodes ignore this, and not only have Batman in court, but make him pure "establishment" by letting him sub for the district attorney. The original premise allegedly called for a grimmer Batman, who allowed Molly to fall to her death.  DC rejected the idea and it was shot with Batman desperately trying to save Molly. Although Dick's Aunt Harriet had been introduced into the comics by this time, writer Lorenzo Semple, Jr may not have been aware of this, as the first draft of the script includes Mrs. Cooper, the Wayne Manor maid. At some point, the comics' Aunt Harriet (who was not initially given a last name in the comics) and the script's Mrs. Cooper were merged together. The image of Jill St. John in a Robin costume undoubtedly was Frank Miller's inspiration for Carrie Kelley in "Dark Knight Returns".  While many TV loyalists make a big deal out of Adam West's comedic portrayal of Batman, Burt Ward playing Molly impersonating Robin is just as brilliant as any of West's bits.


"Fine Feathered Finks/The Penguin's a Jinx" **** Above average Pengy episode with excellent cliffhanger bridging the two parts. This episode is the only one where Batman is constantly referred to as "The Batman", thanks to Burgess Meredith, who is perfectly cast as the Penguin. Upon re-watching the series, I was surprised by how often the phrase "The Batman" was used throughout the run, although never more repeatedly than in this episode. Based on "Partners in Plunder" from BATMAN #169, February 1965.

"The Joker is Wild/Batman is Riled" ***** Great Joker episode, based upon "The Joker's Utility Belt" from BATMAN #73, October 1952. The Joker seems almost deadly in this one. Nancy Kovack as "Queenie" is the most luscious babe ever to appear in the series. Eat your heart out, Harley Quinn!  Incidentally, Queenie appeared in "The Riddle of the Missing Card", featuring the Joker, from BATMAN #5, Spring 1941.  Some scenes have Batman's emblem properly placed on his chest (instead of his belly) for the only time in the series' run. The Joker breaking into TV broadcasts is a faithful adaption of him breaking into radio broadcasts from BATMAN #1.  The gimmick was also used in Steve Englehart's celebrated pop art inspired Batman serial in DETECTIVE COMICS in 1978, in 1989's Batman movie, and 2008's The Dark Knight.  Joker's opera mask was also used in The Dark Knight.

"Instant Freeze/Rats Like Cheese" *****  George Sanders' grim portrayal of Mr Freeze elevates this episode to near-drama. Freeze racks up a sizable casualty count in this episode. Obviously inspired the Animated Series' Emmy winning episode "Heart of Ice".  Sanders leaves Schwarzenegger's performance of Freeze in the cold.  Freeze was originally called Mr. Zero in the comics until the TV series renamed him.

"Zelda the Great/A Death Worse Than Fate" ***** Kids usually hated this episode...no fights. Adults see it as one of the best episodes and least campy. The mafia hit men who accidentally shoot each other are the final two people to die in the series. Based upon "Batman's Inescapable Doom-Trap!" from DETECTIVE #346, December 1965, showing how quick Lorenzo Semple, Jr was able to turn it into a TV script for an episode that would air just a few months later.  In the comic book, Zelda was a male magician named Carnado.

"A Riddle a Day Keeps the Riddler Away/When the Rat's Away the Mice Will Play" **** Riddler episodes are always worth watching, even though I feel this one is the weakest of the four season one Riddler episodes. Around this time, Frank Gorshin released a 45 RPM single written and arranged by Mel Torme entitled "The Riddler". Gorshin performed the song with maniacal delight, with Torme's witty lyrics perfectly capturing the best essence of the series. Its a shame Gorshin never worked a performance of the tune into an episode, as it really would have kicked the Riddler's insanity to new heights. On the other hand, Adam West's single, "Miranda", a catchy tune by itself, would have been a disaster if it was performed on the show. However, West did perform it at live appearances as Batman in the '60s.

"The Thirteenth Hat/Batman Stands Pat" *** Slightly above average episode that introduces Jervis Tetch, The Mad Hatter. This episode combines elements from "The Mad Hatter of Gotham City" (DETECTIVE #230, April 1956) and "The New Crimes of The Mad Hatter" (BATMAN # 161, February 1964).

"The Joker Goes to School/He Meets His Match, the Grisly Ghoul" ***** Best Joker episode also gives Burt Ward a chance to shine as Dick Grayson. The action at school is great, and its a shame no other episode dealt with this part of Dick's life. Lorenzo Semple, Jr., the show's script consultant, gives Joker a backstory for those who look for it: when Batman shows Joker's mug shot to the kids, Joker is wearing a normal suit, and there is a reference that he is "a master of disguise" leading one to believe this version of the Joker wears clown makeup as a disguise (similar to the version in The Dark Knight) opposed to the comic book and Jack Nicholson versions who were discolored by chemicals.

"True or False Face/Holy Rat Race" **** Another above average episode.  This one features the eerie False Face. Contrary to popular belief, False Face was neither a made for TV villain, nor a replacement for Two-Face, as this episode is based on "The Menace of False Face" from BATMAN #113, February 1958.

"The Purrfect Crime/Better Luck Next Time" ***** The first season's only Catwoman episode is clearly the best. Classic episode that plays well. The closing walls with spikes was a repeat of the same deathtrap from a chapter of the 1943 Batman serial. In the script, for the scene where Robin is holding one of the cat statues, Batman was to say, "Watch it, Robin! Don't keep your face so close to that pussy!"  West and Ward kept cracking up and ruining takes, so the director cut the line. Needless to say, had they completed a usable take, it never would have went past the censors. This episode is memorialized for being used on the GAF View Master set.

"The Penguin Goes Straight/Not Yet He Ain't" *****  Superb episode. The scene where the police get into a gunfight with the Duo is a classic, as is Pengy stealing the Batmobile, and Meredith's hilarious ad libbed one liners as Batman controls it from the Batcycle (which is its first appearance and is different than the one used in the movie and subsequent episodes).

"Ring of Wax/Give 'em the Axe" ***** Another great Riddler episode. Robin's attempt to fight Riddler's goons solo is a good scene.

"Joker Trumps an Ace/Batman sets the Pace" ** Average Joker episode with some plot holes big enough to drive that disappearing van through. Based upon "A Hairpin, A Hoe, A Hacksaw, A Hole in the Ground" from BATMAN #53, June 1949.


"The Curse of Tut/The Pharaoh's in a Rut" **** Victor Buono's Tut is the funniest of all Bat-villains. First villain created specifically for the show. Great cliffhanger. Olan Soule, who plays a TV anchor in this episode, would go on to be the voice of Batman (with Casey Kasem as Robin) on Saturday morning cartoons for nearly twenty years.

 "The Bookworm Turns/While Gotham City Burns" *** Interesting villain, average episode. At this point, the show seems to be embracing camp over being a pop art adventure show, evident in Batman's mini-lecture about not hitting people with glasses just before a fight. Scene with Batman and Robin trapped in the giant book as the police department try to save them is well done and suspenseful. Roddy McDowall (Bookworm) went on to play Mad Hatter in the Animated Series with much better results.

"Death in Slow Motion/The Riddler's False Notion" **** Still another great Riddler episode, this time based on a comic book tale with the Joker ("Joker's Comedy Capers" from DETECTIVE # 341, July 1965) . The show really lost a lot of its steam when Frank Gorshin sat out the second season.

"Fine Finny Fiends/Batman Makes the Scene" ** The first season's finale is its weakest episode. It's the sign of things to come in season two as the show leaves behind good pop art in favor of bad, repetitive camp.

Batman (the movie, aka "Batman vs. The United Underworld" and "Batman vs The Fearsome Foursome") ***** Bigger and better than the average episode...less campy with more of a James Bond feel, especially in the excellent Bruce Wayne scenes. Great deathtraps and a wonderful teaming of Joker, Riddler, Penguin and Catwoman. Lee Meriwether may be a better Catwoman than Julie Newmar with her catlike moans that Newmar never did, and her more adult chemistry with West in contrast to Newmar. Pengy assumes leader role, and his sanity is questioned by the other three. Ironically, Joker seems the most sane of the four, although in all honesty, his role is little more than a glorified henchman. Good suspense and action. Unlike the series, the movie has a prominent death count. It's the series' final high point. All the sets were expanded and embellished for the movie, the Batcave seems bigger and more defined, as does Gordon's office. Clever concept of having a death trap approximately every 20 minutes throughout the film gives it the illusion of being a serial that was edited into a feature.

"Shoot a Crooked Arrow/Walk the Straight and Narrow" (no stars) Second season premiere is a waste. Terrible episode with Art Carney phoning in a mediocre portrayal as The Archer. The show has moved into pure camp/comedy. In the comic books, Archer was a Superman villain, and in fact, the first draft of the script includes a Superman cameo, most likely for Bob Holiday, who starred as the Man of Steel on Broadway during this time.

"Hot off the Griddle/The Cat and the Fiddle" *** Fun second season Catwoman episode, despite overly goofy death trap cliffhanger. Another second season blunder - they buttoned the capes to Batman and Robin's backs. The romance between Batman and Catwoman is the most original and unique love story in comic books, and the second season Catwoman episodes portray it very well in the pop art context.

"The Minstrel's Shakedown/Barbecued Batman" * Another awful episode, but with a better than average plot--too bad the villain isn't good enough to make the plot work.

"The Spell of Tut/Tut's Case is Shut" *** Funny Tut episode. Unique in that it is a direct sequel to the previous Tut episode and references events from it.

"The Greatest Mother of Them All/Ma Barker" *** First decent episode of the season not to use a returning villain. Great cliffhanger. The simple ones work the best. Tisha Sterling as Legs is a babe to watch.

"Clock King's Crazy Crimes/Clock King Gets Crowned" *  Despite being written by Bill Finger (Batman's co-creator), the episode is a dud. Best scene is Batman and Robin getting burgers at a drive-in.  In the comic books, Clock King was originally a Green Arrow villain, and has since been revamped into an interesting Bat-villain on the Animated Series.

"An Egg Grows in Gotham/The Yegg Foes in Gotham" ** Weak episode, interesting plot. Besides Tut, Vincent Price's Egghead is the only other made-for-TV villain to have some success, although Egghead was based on the comic book villain Barney "Brainy" Barrows from "The Mental Giant of Gotham City" (DETECTIVE #217, March 1955).  Surprisingly, the recent BATMAN '66 comic book series did not take the logical step of revealing Egghead's real name as Barney Barrows. Adam West is hilarious in both the laughing gas scene and giving the Indian greeting to Edward Everett Horton.

"The Devil's Fingers/The Dead Ringers" **** One of the better episodes of the season, and it has the debunked urban legend of it being Batman's highest rated episode ever. Liberace is great in a dual role, and Aunt Harriet actually has a decent part and is important to the plot! This brings up Aunt Harriet's back story. She can't possibly be either of Dick's parents' sister because there is no way she seems like she came from a performing circus family. The way she handled that gun, perhaps she was a trick sharp shooter? A former fat lady in the side show? No, my theory is she was once a young social butterfly who fell in love with a circus performer, Dick's mother's older brother (making Mary Grayson's maiden name Cooper). There was all kind of drama of an up and coming social darling being with a transient circus performer. Out of his love for Harriet, he leaves the circus, they wed, and he tries to adapt into a high class lifestyle, taking on a stressful executive position.  He develops ulcers, high blood pressure and passes away in early middle age. Later, after Dick is orphaned and taken in by Bruce, Harriet comes to live with them to help look after her nephew, and that's why she fits in so well at Wayne Manor among the wealthy and high class, and does not seem like a former circus performer at all. Yeah, I gave this way too much thought. Back to this episode. Harry and Chandell's molls are hot femme fatales. The tag at the end of the episode is a classic.

"Hizzonner the Penguin/Dizzonner the Penguin" ** Weak Pengy episode that was used in part to plot Batman Returns. This episode is over populated with cameos, including ex-Stooge Joe Besser (Adam West costarred with Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Curly-Joe DeRita in The Outlaws Is Coming). This episode is the epitome of everything that went wrong in season two.

"Green Ice/Deep Freeze" *** Otto Preminger made an unlikable Freeze, but actually, you're not supposed to like the villains. His visual look inspired both the Animated Series' Freeze and Schwarzenegger's character. Look closely -- Burt Ward has a bandaged arm during this episode. Miss Iceland is hot.

"Impractical Joker/The Joker's Provokers" * Awful episode with worst gimmick, a time controlling box, this side of Riddler's "TV box" from Batman Forever, and the dehydrator from the series' movie. Still, Alan Napier's dual role is fun, and this episode hints at The Joker having a previous career as a stage magician and hypnotist. This episode was a major rewrite of an unproduced script titled "Hickery Dickery Doc".

"Marsha Queen of Diamonds/Marsha's Scheme of Diamonds" * Dumb episode. Not only did the scripts go down in quality, but the writers couldn't even come up with clever titles anymore!

"Come Back Shame/It's How You Play the Game" *** Slightly better second season episode, but that's still not saying much.

"The Penguin's Nest/The Bird's Last Jest" ***** At Last! A great second season episode! Perhaps due to the fact it was the first episode filmed for season two while they still had their season one mojo, but was withheld for later in the season. One of Pengy's best. Great cliffhanger, and lots of fun. Grace Gaynor as Chickadee is yet another very hot babe in the series' femme fatales. Based on "The Penguin's Nest" (BATMAN #36, August 1946).


"The Cat's Meow/The Bat's Kow Tow" (no stars) Awful Catwoman episode featuring pop singers Chad and Jeremy. Stanley Ralph Ross, who replaced Lorenzo Semple as main writer, seems to strive for slapstick situation comedy more in tune with Lucille Ball than Batman, but Charles Hoffman and Stanford Sherman wrote the worst scripts.

"The Puzzles are Coming/The Duo is Slumming" (no stars) Yes, they are slumming indeed. Another worthless episode with a pathetic villain. Puzzler was actually a Superman villain in the comic books. This was originally supposed to be a Riddler episode titled "A Penny For Your Riddles/They're Worth A Lot More".  While Frank Gorshin and a better cast actress for Rocket would have made this episode more watchable, it is still a weak second season script.

"The Sandman Cometh/The Catwoman Goeth" * Reportedly, the producers knew the series had been sinking to sad lows, and Adam West supposedly complained that the show was getting off track. Evident is that during the upcoming Summer they would only rerun a handful of second season episodes, and instead choose to rerun most of the first season episodes. So the producers hired Ellis St. Joseph to write this "phenomenal" script that was to return the series to its first season glory by going back to pop art adventure and leaving behind the sit-com camp it had settled into. But a higher power decreed that they needed another Catwoman episode (never mind that Julie Newmar was already dominating the season episode count), so this Sandman script was rewritten, and according to St. Joseph, ruined, stating his "masterpiece" ended up being one of the worst shows of the series.

"The Contaminated Cowl/The Mad Hatter Runs Afoul" * They brought Mad Hatter back for this? The whole contaminated pink cowl bit pushes things too far. Like the  previous Mad Hatter episode, this one combines elements from "The Mad Hatter of Gotham City" (DETECTIVE #230, April 1956) and "The New Crimes of The Mad Hatter" (BATMAN # 161, February 1964).

"The Zodiac Crimes/The Joker's Hard Times/The Penguin Declines" ** Dopey three part episode. Originally, there were plans to do a second movie. A horror script was being written, but was dropped when, according to Adam West, it started to read too much like Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.  The producers began plotting a story that would team up King Tut, Egghead, and a new villain created for the movie (a character similar to the Animated Series' Roxy Rocket) , but the whole concept of a movie was scrapped when they started getting the bad press for the second season. It has become an urban legend that this three part episode was edited together and released it as a feature in foreign markets, but I have never come across any evidence, such as a foreign movie poster, to support this claim. The teaming of Joker and Penguin deserved something more special than this tripe, but the fight in the Bat Cave is a classic.

"That Darn Catwoman/Scat Darn Catwoman" **** A good and fun Catwoman episode. The "evil Robin" scenes are classic. The character of Pussycat may have inspired Frank Miller's Holly in Batman Year One. Incidentally, in the first draft of the script, Poison Ivy is used instead of Pussycat. Adds to the Bat-Cat relationship. Listen for "Ibn Kerab" which is Arabic for "son of a bitch". Continuity wise, this episode should have been the season two finale.

"Penguin is a Girl's Best Friend/Penguin Sets a Trend/Penguin's Disastrous End" * Weak three part episode.

"Batman's Anniversary/A Riddling Controversy" *** John Astin makes a low-key Riddler, and ironically, the Animated Series' Riddler likewise echos Astin's self-loving take on the character, and his question mark cane.  Based on The Riddler from DETECTIVE # 140, October 1948 and Batman's Deadly Birthday from BATMAN #130, March 1960. If Frank Gorshin played the Riddler in this episode, it would have been one of the second season's best.  Even with Astin in the role, it's a good second season episode.

"The Joker's Last Laugh/The Joker's Epitaph" *** One of the better second season Joker episodes, but Cesar Romero's portrayal of the character gets more childish with each episode. The Joker-mobile in this episode appeared in the Elvis Presley movie Easy Come Easy Go. This is the final episode to be written by Lorenzo Semple Jr. and appears to rework the counterfeit money scheme and robot henchmen from an undeveloped Two-Face proposal titled "About Face for Two Face".

"Catwoman Goes to College/Batman Displays His Knowledge" ** Yet another goofy but fun Catwoman episode, but the last few minutes are great in the Batman-Catwoman relationship.

"A Piece of the Action/Batman's Satisfaction" *** The inclusion of Green Hornet and Kato are the only reason to watch this episode, a last ditch effort to save The Green Hornet from being cancelled after one season. One can only wonder what it would have been like had Batman and Robin went on The Green Hornet, and had to be serious and dramatic.

"King Tut's Coup/Batman's Waterloo" *** Typical King Tut slapstick episode written by Stanley Ralph Ross who was really in his element with this character. Lee Meriwether returns, this time playing heiress Lisa Carson.

"Black Widow Strikes Again/Caught in the Spider's Den" * Yeah, another waste with a performance by Tallulah Bankhead who was nearly on her deathbed.  Black Widow was inspired by the Scarlet Widow, a villain on the Superman radio show, who also inspired the Spider Lady, the villain of the 1948 "Superman" movie serial.

"Pop Goes The Joker/Flop Goes The Joker" *** Another good second season Joker episode. This one spoofs the entire pop art craze that spawned the series. Partly inspired the Joker's Flugleheim rampage in 1989's Batman with much better effect. A classic scene with Joker going up and down the bat-poles.

"Ice Spy/The Duo Defy" * Second season finale. Eli Wallach is the third Freeze in as many episodes, and just a pale imitation of what has gone on before.

Batgirl screen test ** Based on "The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl" from DETECTIVE #359, January 1967.  The villain, Killer Moth, is a joke. Batgirl's mask is different than in the series. There is also sexual tension between Batman and Batgirl that never went into the series. Originally, Batman and Batgirl were to be two separate shows, a la Man From UNCLE and Girl From UNCLE. Bad ratings made ABC tell Fox to put Batgirl on Batman instead. The producers were instrumental in creating this new version of Batgirl, who was Commissioner Gordon's daughter. In the comics up to this point, Batgirl was Betty Kane, the niece of Kathy "Batwoman" Kane.

"Enter Batgirl, Exit Penguin" ** With only a half hour per week now, Batman takes on a bit of a soap opera feel, connecting the episodes, even though most of these "tags" more times than not, contradict the following episode's plot. Also, the sets are pathetic card-board cut-outs, like a high school play or a sketch comedy show like Carol Burnett, giving Batman a weird, surreal look. Batgirl tends to steal the spotlight away from Batman and Robin, who are now portrayed as buffoonish Keystone Kops, a far cry from the first season. Ultimately, the third season comes across like a low budget Saturday morning show. It can also be said the show moves from camp comedy to outright parody.

"Ring Around The Riddler" ** Not even the return of Frank Gorshin could save the show by this point! In case anyone didn't noticed, Aunt Harriet is gone.

"Wail of The Siren" ** Not even Joan Collins in a skimpy outfit could save the show by this point! Robin exhibits a vigilante attitude, threatening to let Siren fall to her death. The series could have used more of this kind of edge for both Batman and Robin. The Batgirl theme song has the most pathetic lyrics of any superhero theme.

"Sport of Penguins/Horse of Another Color" (no stars) Not even Burgess Meredith could save the show by this point! Pengy must be senile. In almost all of his episodes, he encounters Alfred, yet he never remembers the butler!

"The Unkindest Tut of All" *** Not even Victor Buono could save the... wait, actually, Buono might have been the one who could have saved the show, if he did more than two episodes in the third season. If nothing else, his episodes are outright funny.

"Louie the Lilac" * Not even Mr. Television, Uncle Miltie Berle could save the show by this point! A good example of how the third season became preoccupied with being topical, which further hurt it. Berle does get some points for going against type and the third season in general, and playing his role for drama rather than camp or parody, even though it makes his character stick out like a sore (green) thumb.

"The Ogg and I/How to Hatch a Dinosaur" (no stars) Why bother?

"Surf's up! Joker's Under!" * If seeing Batman and Joker wearing baggies over their costumes and shooting the curl is your bag, you'll love this bitchin' episode, dude! The rest of us will put our heads in a gas oven. Sivi Aberg as Undine is the only reason to watch this episode (she also played one of Chandell's molls in season two).

"Londinum Larcenies/The Foggiest Notion/The Bloody Tower" ** Worthless 3 part episode that could have been filmed on location in England had the budget not been non-existent, but it still would have been a bad episode, even though it looks like they were at least trying on this one.  Some of the Finishing School girls are hot, though.

"Catwoman's Dressed to Kill" * Dopey Catwoman episode with a new Catwoman. Perhaps due to Eartha Kitt's race or due to the fact the producers were trying to push Bruce and Barbara as a couple (most likely a little of both), the Batman-Catwoman relationship is absent, even though it's crucial to their characters.
 
"The Ogg Couple" (no stars) No difference between this and the previous Egghead-Olga episodes, which were actually supposed to be another three parter.
 
"Louie's Lethal Lilac Time" *  Another bad episode. This one fills time by showing stock footage from previous episodes.

"Funny Feline Felonies/The Joke's On Catwoman" *** One of the better 3rd season episodes. Dopey but fun.

"Nora Clavicle" ** A good premise that, if done properly, could have been a great episode. Of course, it wasn't.

"Penguin's Clean Sweep" (no stars) Another bad episode.

"The Great Escape/The Great Train Robbery" *** Finally, a very good episode. Shame's henchman Fred is one of the funniest characters ever to be in the series. If nothing else, a very funny episode.

"I'll Be A Mummy's Uncle" *** A great Tut episode. Some suspense and funny comedy. The whole "drilling to the Bat Cave" bit is great.

"The Joker's Flying Saucer" (no stars) Just when you thought we were on a roll.

"The Enticing Dr. Cassandra" ** A decent episode. Some laughs. The teaming up of all the principal villains, albeit played by the stunt people, give this episode a bigger feel, and probably would have been appropriate to be the series finale instead of the next episode. Notice "Catwoman" is based on Julie Newmar again.

"Minerva, Mayhem, and Millionaires" (no stars) The series finale...a pathetic end to the show. Reportedly, ABC was willing to renew the show for a fourth season, but demanded the budget be cut even more by eliminating Chief O'Hara and Robin, and have Batgirl as Batman's full time partner (a move the Animated Series would do in its later years). Regardless, both Dozier and West vetoed ABC's ideas, and the show was terminated. Ironically, weeks later, NBC, The Man From UNCLE's network and the motivation for ABC to pick up Batman in the first place three years earlier, offered to take the show for a fourth season and even restore it to the twice-a-week format, or possibly a once a week one hour format. However, the sets had been dismantled and NBC didn't want to spend the cash to rebuild. so the deal fell through.

Legends of the Superheroes: "The Challenge" *** Ten years later, in 1978, NBC got its chance to bring Batman back, with the Justice League in tow. Essentially a live action version of Hanna-Barbera's Challenge of the Super Friends (HB also produced these specials). Adam West, Burt Ward, and Frank Gorshin return to reprise their roles, and are joined by former Dead End Kid Gabe Dell as Mordru,  comedian Jeff Altman as Weather Wizard, among others bringing to life for the first time The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman and Black Canary.  Andy Griffith Show veteran Howard Morris (Ernest T. Bass) brings Dr Sivana to life for the first time. Played as a comedy, with a laugh track no less, and produced on video tape, it's still better than the average third season episode.  Plus it's one of the only times I get to see my all time favorite superheroes, Batman and Captain Marvel, together in one adventure, plus my favorite villain, Gorshin's Riddler. I wonder if Jackson Bostwick or John Davey, both of whom played Captain Marvel in the Filmation TV series of a few years earlier, were asked to return before casting Garrett Craig as the World's Mightiest Mortal. This very well may have inspired Keith Giffen's Justice League International comic books of the 1980s.

Legends of the Superheroes: "The Roast" ** Instead of an adventure for the second special, we get a celebrity roast hosted by Ed McMahon, complete with a musical number finale. Ruth Buzzi brings Captain Marvel villain Aunt Minerva to life for the first time in this episode's highlight. Unfortunately, Frank Gorshin doesn't appear in this one. The writers really did their comic book homework for all the references and histories. A step down from "The Challenge" but still fun.