User Reviews

As a child, Batman episodes were such a part of my life that I quite literally wore out some VHS tapes watching and re-watching them. It didn't matter how many times I had seen them...they still captivated me every single viewing. The great (magically, really) thing about the 1960's Batman episodes is that they are just as entertaining when viewed as an adult as when I was a child. As a kid, I took everything as seriously as possibly. Batman was my hero, I wanted to BE Robin, and I allowed myself to get swept away in their colorful, brash, over-the-top adventures. As an adult, nothing is taken seriously whatsoever (save for the usually-great acting). I now roar in laughter at the camp humor, the ridiculous traps, and the cringe-worthy dialogue made to be exactly that. It truly is a show that can cross the generation gap.

In this first season, the main villains of the show are introduced, including...

-Riddler (Frank Gorshin) -Joker (Cesar Romero) -Penguin (Burgess Meredith) -Catwoman (Julie Newmar) -King Tut (Victor Buono); if to a lesser extent

Another part of "Batman's" appeal is its liberal use of celebrity guest stars as villains. These include...

-Zelda the Great (Anne Baxter); one of the most underrated episodes of the entire show. -Mr. Freeze (George Sanders); easily the best Freeze actor of the show's run. -Mad Hatter (David Wayne) -False Face (Malachi Throne); a case can be made for this episode being the best in show history. -Bookworm (Roddy McDowell)

Pound for pound, this season contains the best complement of episodes overall. "Batmania" was running high and the show could seemingly do no wrong. The series would ultimately burn hard and burn fast, producing a sort of fatigue that showed in the second--and especially third--seasons. But in S1, everything is still fresh and new.

By and large, there are few items of media that I care to own for the long haul. Usually it's one watch and back on the market. "Batman" episodes, however, have become a permanent part of my collection. Every few years, they are an easy trip down my childhood nostalgic lane.

When he is buying caviar in a fish market, Alfred is kidnapped by the Penguin and is taken to his hiding place in a port area. Alli is brainwashed into an informant for the villain. He wants to know the exact place where a banquet of millionaires will take place so that he can carry out his maximum blow there. Episode neither good nor bad, neither entertaining nor boring, neither outstanding nor mediocre. It is seen.

TV and movie veteran Burgess Merideth makes his return as the Penguin and he doesn't disappoint in this one. A 2 part fun episode full of dim witted bad guys, bungling police, hokey lines and beauty pageant contestants. The star of this one in my opinion is the would be beauty queen Finella (Julie Gregg). She is gorgeous and the scene where the villains are puffing away in the vacuum death chamber and she is bent over makes this episode a 10 by itself.

"Batman Makes the Scenes" sees the Dynamic Duo escape their vacuum death trap all too easily, via oxygen tanks in their utility belts, poor Octopus (Victor Lundin) and Shark (Dal Jenkins) madly puffing away with no result! The Penguin (Burgess Meredith) has promised the lovely Finella (Julie Gregg) that she'll become a beauty queen, calling upon a brainwashed Alfred to divulge the secret location of the Multimillionaires Annual Award Dinner, where the chosen female pops out of a cake, representing their charity of choice. Miss Natural Resources (Lisa Mitchell) is the not so lucky winner, as she is swiftly replaced by Finella, accompanied to the banquet by Batman himself. Knockout gas renders everyone unconscious, enabling the crooks to make off with 12 million dollars in stolen cash, but a surprise awaits their return to the South Pier. Adam West and Victor Lundin had previously co-starred in the 1964 "Robinson Crusoe on Mars," and Lundin would return to play Chief Standing Pat in "The Great Escape"/"The Great Train Robbery." With the first season over by May 5, preparations began for the shooting of the feature film, gathering together Burgess Meredith's Penguin, Cesar Romero's Joker, and Frank Gorshin's Riddler, joined by one shot Catwoman Lee Meriwether, after which only a short break prior to the lengthy second season kicking off Sept 7.

An OUT outrageous continuation from the last episode as the qwacking Penguin plots to steal charity money from the Gotham City millionaire's dinner (aboard a sleek yacht) -- gassing all the filthy rich guests. These guys are loaded with mazuma! Best of the best has fink Finella (Julie Gregg), the Penguin's lovely sidekick, popping out of a gigantic cake and surprising one and all to the max. By the way, you can hear the cardboard cracking as Finella springs from the cake!

A super cool episode, well directed by Tom Gries, who was no stranger to action shows, such as COMBAT, ROUTE 66, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE AND I SPY, to name just a select few. Classic BIFF, POW, BAM fight scene as Batman and Robin take on the Penguin's goons -- dancing around fish tanks stocked with man-eating fish!!!

Best gag scene has Alfred entering a party at Wayne manor, escorted by two girls in bikinis?

Look for 6 foot 3 Victor Lundin as Octopus(!), well remembered as Friday in the cult film ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS and the camp drama MA BARKERS KILLER BROOD as Machine Gun Kelly.

Sheldon Stark wrote this story (his second episode), who also did stories for the GREEN HORNET and THE MAN FROM UNCLE. I totally agree with the last reviewer that watching these campy BATMAN episodes never gets old, and back in the day was a MUST SEE for all of us teen tv addicts.

FROM SEASON 1 beautifully restored color dvd box set.