User Reviews

"The Bat's Kow Tow" begins with Batman determining the right pitch to break the glass container amplifying the drops of water, though he'll never get any awards for his singing (Joe Flynn again appears unbilled as Benton Belgoody). Speaking of singing, Chad and Jeremy launch into what had only recently become their final US hit, "Distant Shores," an Eastern flavored ballad composed by future Chicago producer James William Guercio, when Catwoman arrives and abruptly ends the performance by stealing their voices in midsong, demanding millions in ransom from the British government. Sir Sterling Habits (Maurice Dallimore, previously seen in the 1966 feature film, later in the Lord Ffogg three parter from season three) takes a call from Prime Minister Harold Wilson, the verdict on Chad and Jeremy: "millions for their records, not a cent for their voices!" (his butler is named Rhett!). Another famous talk show host, Steve Allen, is well cast as Allan Stevens (unbilled), who also loses his voice to the nefarious Catwoman, while the Batclimb cameo comes from Hawaiian entertainer Don Ho. The final showdown takes place at the posh salon of hair stylist Mr. Oceanbring, played by real life hair stylist Jay Sebring, sadly murdered by Charles Manson's acolytes in the same house where Sharon Tate met her untimely fate. Only Catwoman tries to get away, but with Batman in her sights finds herself confessing her love for him rather than trying to kill him, asking him out on a date when she gets released from prison! It's a human touch and not what one would expect but most welcome to see such tension between the seductive temptress and the clearly smitten Caped Crusader, Robin capping the exchange: "holy mush!" Having earlier heard two songs from Chad and Jeremy, the final scene has them performing a single from February 1966, "Teenage Failure," like "Manners Maketh Man" a Jeremy Clyde original, unsuccessful at the time, but preferable to Paul Simon's "Homeward Bound," which did became a hit for Simon and Garfunkel upon its January 1966 release.

Despite claiming to have gone straight at the start of this adventure, The Catwoman is soon up to her old tricks again.

Already with a hot henchbabe in tow who abets her in an armed robbery, her breathless confession to the Caped Crusader that he's "the only man I've ever..." further suggests that usually she bats for the other side, but that Batman is her Achilles heel. Thus she devises a Bat-trap designed to reduce the Caped Crusader's brain to "Yeucch!!" while leaving his manly torso intact for her gratification. But once again in her desire to have it all she loses it all.

Through a diabolical device, Catwoman manages to take away the voice of whoever she wants, she does it with a TV presenter and then with Commissioner Gordon. Batman and Robin, wanting to stop her, are trapped inside an Echo Chamber where the sounds are enhanced millions of times which will destroy their brains, fortunately they manage to escape in a rather ridiculous way but they do not arrive in time to prevent Catwoman from stealing the voices of Chad and Jeremy, a British musical duo visiting Gotham City, the villain asks for a millionaire reward to give them an antidote that will return them to normal. Episode put together to promote Duo Chad and Jeremy where the first part is much more entertaining than the second.

Joe Flynn as Benton Belgoody! Flynn returns as one of the Catwoman's baddies, and with an attitude toward Batman and Robin. Chad and Jeremy are also back and in a bit of a predicament; this time the Catwoman SUCCEEDs in stealing their voices while they are singing their latest American hit, "Distant Shores." The song peaked at #30 on the charts in July 1966 for Columbia records.

Another campy episode with some memorable one liners, well written by Stanley Ralph Ross, who wrote 27 stories for the show, also a voice actor for years. The Catwoman wants millions in return for Chad and Jeremy's voices! British actor Maurice Dallimore is hilarious as flustered Sterling Habits from the British government, trying to help the singing duo.

Best of the best, Catwoman asks Batman out on a date --when she gets out of prison? She really has a thing for him, and there's a rather romantic scene between the two, Batman a bit, bit, embarrassed.

10 Stars.

Look for Steve Allen as Allen Steves. Famous men's hair stylist Jay Sebring makes a gag appearance as Mr. Oceanbring. At the time, Sebring was the hair stylist for Steve McQueen. Tragically, he was killed with Sharon Tate by the Manson gang.

One great episode, and with Commissioner Gordon a fan of Chad and Jeremy. SEASON 2 EPISODE 30 remastered color dvd box set.