After three seasons, 'Batman' bowed out with this caper guest-starring glamorous Zsa Zsa Gabor as 'Minerva', owner of a mineral spa which is a cover for a major criminal operation in Gotham City. Her 'Deepest Secret Extractor' ( which resembles a ladies' hairdryer ) is extracting information from the minds of millionaires, enabling her to rob them with ease. Even Bruce Wayne is not immune. As this was the last show, producer Howie Horwitz and executive producer William Dozier are among her victims.
This would have worked better as a two-parter. As it stands, no sooner are our heroes on the job than they are packed into a giant pressure cooker. It really does feel rushed. As Minerva, Gabor is hammy, but then that was par for the course in this show. Modern series tend to end on unresolved cliffhangers. Not here. The impression is that Batman, Robin, and Batgirl will be fighting crime again next week.
It was not to be. The ratings had fallen to the point where the network just could not afford to keep it on air - it was quite an expensive show to make what with the sets, costumes and gadgetry - and so it ended. It nearly landed a fourth season, though. A rival network expressed interest but only if "you still have the sets", referring specifically to the Batcave. They had not, alas, and so that was that.
The show remained popular as a repeat item, particularly in Britain where it seemed to crop up almost every week on I.T.V. In 1988, industrial action taken by staff working for the British breakfast television station T.V.A.M. resulted in a lock-out. It could have been disastrous had not some bright spark had the inspired idea of repeating 'Batman'. Though the episodes were badly edited - no opening crime and no final wrap-up scene - the ratings were impressive for that time of day. And what a nice change it made to Anne Diamond and Nick Owen!
Cartoons aside, it would not be until 1989 when Tim Burton decided to revive Batman, this time as a big screen superhero, played excellently by Michael Keaton. But no matter how many more Batmans appear in the years to come, this one is my favourite. The sight of Adam West and Burt Ward, fully attired, racing across the Batcave to the Batmobile is one of television's classic images.
This would have worked better as a two-parter. As it stands, no sooner are our heroes on the job than they are packed into a giant pressure cooker. It really does feel rushed. As Minerva, Gabor is hammy, but then that was par for the course in this show. Modern series tend to end on unresolved cliffhangers. Not here. The impression is that Batman, Robin, and Batgirl will be fighting crime again next week.
It was not to be. The ratings had fallen to the point where the network just could not afford to keep it on air - it was quite an expensive show to make what with the sets, costumes and gadgetry - and so it ended. It nearly landed a fourth season, though. A rival network expressed interest but only if "you still have the sets", referring specifically to the Batcave. They had not, alas, and so that was that.
The show remained popular as a repeat item, particularly in Britain where it seemed to crop up almost every week on I.T.V. In 1988, industrial action taken by staff working for the British breakfast television station T.V.A.M. resulted in a lock-out. It could have been disastrous had not some bright spark had the inspired idea of repeating 'Batman'. Though the episodes were badly edited - no opening crime and no final wrap-up scene - the ratings were impressive for that time of day. And what a nice change it made to Anne Diamond and Nick Owen!
Cartoons aside, it would not be until 1989 when Tim Burton decided to revive Batman, this time as a big screen superhero, played excellently by Michael Keaton. But no matter how many more Batmans appear in the years to come, this one is my favourite. The sight of Adam West and Burt Ward, fully attired, racing across the Batcave to the Batmobile is one of television's classic images.
