I have been a fan of "Batman" in all his incarnations for many years. The 1966-1968 Batman series is FAR from the serious, gritty Dark Knight we know and love today. This series was made during a time when comic book superheroes were what I like to call "Ultimate Boy Scouts". Essentially, they were ALL like Superman in terms of their attitude toward criminals. This series is known for its comical plots, the ridiculous schemes of the villains, and the absurdly obvious traps that Batman and/or Robin and/or Batgirl fall for. THIS episode "Nora Clavicle and the Ladies' Crime Club" stretches the "Theater of the Absurd" genre beyond its comedic limits.
Its chief villainess, Nora Clavicle (whose name is an all too obvious verbal jab at Feminist Gloria Steinam) is portrayed as the stereotypical "Militant Feminist", but done in typical absurdist fashion. She manipulates her way into stealing Commissioner Gordon's job (running to the Batphone and calling Batman and Robin), then appoints the mayor's wife as chief of police. While the major's wife replaces all the Gotham Police with grossly incompetent women, Ms. Clavicle, in typical villain fashion, plots to take down Batman and Robin, and ONLY because Batgirl's involvement makes them a threat.
One of Nora Clavicle's stated goals is to prove that women can run Gotham City better than men, but her female cohorts do nothing of the sort. For example, the new all-female police do nothing but put on makeup, swap recipes, and worry more about their new shoes than enforcing the law.
As I said, this episode stretches "Theater of the Absurd" to its absolute worst ends. At the time this episode was filmed, it was common for a family-friendly television show to broadcast a "Girl Power" episode. This usually involved a female villain somehow subduing or overpowering the male cast members. Often, this left any female heroes to save the day. In this case, the villain's plan was so half-hearted and ill conceived that Batman, the supposed World's Greatest Detective, came up with a pan of action that is just as half-hearted and ill conceived. This episode has been considered the absolute worst of the show, and demonstrated just how far "Batman" fell during its third season.
I'm a pretty forgiving viewer. I'm willing to endure some pretty bad episodes of television, but this episode stretches even MY tolerance. I might be willing to accept this episode as a jab against militant feminism if it had been written better, However, the villain in this episode isn't even all that militant. She comes off as an angry housewife acting out of spite rather than a career criminal. This episode has been called "Sexist". I call it "stupid", it's filled with bad sexist and sexual stereotypes of both men and women. For example, the mayor complains about not having clean clothes or a good meal because his wife refused to cook or clean, and the feminist police dispatcher is too busy telling the rest of the feminist police force about sales and deals at stores to inform them of crimes in progress. Batman's process of figuring out what's happening and how to stop it stretches the limits of believability and credibility, even for Ultimate Boy Scout Batman and the Clean-Cut Boy Wonder. AND, this episode is one of the few in the series where there was NOT a bat fight...mainly because all the villains were women, and Batman and Robin refused to fight women. We didn't even get to see Batgirl's ballet moves and straight-leg cheerleader kicks.
I have certainly seen BETTER feminism stories in TV shows and movies. The only reason to watch THIS episode is for completeness....as in, you're watching the series from beginning to end, and you can't bring yourself to skip even THIS episode. I can enjoy a plot that involves a militant feminist, but only if she's written well. This episode did nothing but make bad gender jabs on both genders.
Then there is the "Trap" that our heroes found themselves in. The "Siamese Human Knot"? And it was just Batman, Robin, and Batgirl sitting on the floor with their arms and legs tangled together, and Batman's solution is to wiggle this and flex that to "loosen the knot". I mean, this is stretching the "Mortal Peril" bit too far, especially when you consider that Nora Clavicle captured our heroes by holding a poisoned knitting needle to Batgirl's throat, and Batman makes a passing remark about it being coated in some poison or other.
Overall, this is a bad episode that only proves how far an excellent series fell in their third season.
Its chief villainess, Nora Clavicle (whose name is an all too obvious verbal jab at Feminist Gloria Steinam) is portrayed as the stereotypical "Militant Feminist", but done in typical absurdist fashion. She manipulates her way into stealing Commissioner Gordon's job (running to the Batphone and calling Batman and Robin), then appoints the mayor's wife as chief of police. While the major's wife replaces all the Gotham Police with grossly incompetent women, Ms. Clavicle, in typical villain fashion, plots to take down Batman and Robin, and ONLY because Batgirl's involvement makes them a threat.
One of Nora Clavicle's stated goals is to prove that women can run Gotham City better than men, but her female cohorts do nothing of the sort. For example, the new all-female police do nothing but put on makeup, swap recipes, and worry more about their new shoes than enforcing the law.
As I said, this episode stretches "Theater of the Absurd" to its absolute worst ends. At the time this episode was filmed, it was common for a family-friendly television show to broadcast a "Girl Power" episode. This usually involved a female villain somehow subduing or overpowering the male cast members. Often, this left any female heroes to save the day. In this case, the villain's plan was so half-hearted and ill conceived that Batman, the supposed World's Greatest Detective, came up with a pan of action that is just as half-hearted and ill conceived. This episode has been considered the absolute worst of the show, and demonstrated just how far "Batman" fell during its third season.
I'm a pretty forgiving viewer. I'm willing to endure some pretty bad episodes of television, but this episode stretches even MY tolerance. I might be willing to accept this episode as a jab against militant feminism if it had been written better, However, the villain in this episode isn't even all that militant. She comes off as an angry housewife acting out of spite rather than a career criminal. This episode has been called "Sexist". I call it "stupid", it's filled with bad sexist and sexual stereotypes of both men and women. For example, the mayor complains about not having clean clothes or a good meal because his wife refused to cook or clean, and the feminist police dispatcher is too busy telling the rest of the feminist police force about sales and deals at stores to inform them of crimes in progress. Batman's process of figuring out what's happening and how to stop it stretches the limits of believability and credibility, even for Ultimate Boy Scout Batman and the Clean-Cut Boy Wonder. AND, this episode is one of the few in the series where there was NOT a bat fight...mainly because all the villains were women, and Batman and Robin refused to fight women. We didn't even get to see Batgirl's ballet moves and straight-leg cheerleader kicks.
I have certainly seen BETTER feminism stories in TV shows and movies. The only reason to watch THIS episode is for completeness....as in, you're watching the series from beginning to end, and you can't bring yourself to skip even THIS episode. I can enjoy a plot that involves a militant feminist, but only if she's written well. This episode did nothing but make bad gender jabs on both genders.
Then there is the "Trap" that our heroes found themselves in. The "Siamese Human Knot"? And it was just Batman, Robin, and Batgirl sitting on the floor with their arms and legs tangled together, and Batman's solution is to wiggle this and flex that to "loosen the knot". I mean, this is stretching the "Mortal Peril" bit too far, especially when you consider that Nora Clavicle captured our heroes by holding a poisoned knitting needle to Batgirl's throat, and Batman makes a passing remark about it being coated in some poison or other.
Overall, this is a bad episode that only proves how far an excellent series fell in their third season.