User Reviews

March 16, 1966 was launch day for Gemini 8, an important mission in the development of NASA's progress towards a moon landing. Featuring future moon walkers & Apollo commanders Neil Armstrong (Apollo 11) and Dave Scott (Apollos 9 & 15), it was an ambitious mission highlighted by the first docking between two spacecraft, and a planned, elaborate EVA (or spacewalk) by Scott, which never came off, because about 6 hours into the mission, the astronauts faced a life threatening emergency when the Gemini 8 capsule spun and tumbled out of control because of a malfunctioning thruster rocket, the astronauts nearly lost consciousness and the mission had to be aborted and brought back to earth almost immediately, landing in the wrong ocean, hundreds of miles away from the nearest rescue ship.

What does this have to do with Batman? Well, the emergency occurred during the broadcast of this episode of Batman, and ABC, like all the networks, cut away from its regularly scheduled programming to cover the Gemini 8 emergency, and ABC was buried under an avalanche of complaints from Batman fans for putting the lives of Armstrong & Scott ahead of those of Batman & Robin.

I was probably watching this when it happened, since I watched Batman from the beginning of its broadcast history, but I can't say for sure because I was only 4 years old at the time. I do remember this episode, having seen it probably a dozen times in reruns, but don't specifically remember it being interrupted that first time. As for the quality of the episode itself, it was a good one, like all the Julie Newmar Catwomans. We all love Julie Newmar for the obvious reasons, but she also had a great sense of humor and could really play comedy. But at the time, being only 4 years old, I didn't know this was supposed to be comedy. I took it serious.

One of the best of the Batman Season 1 episodes, it's the first time we get a look at Julie Newmar playing Catwoman, and you see why she was the perfect Catwoman, she is just great. A few surprises in this episode including the only time we actually see Bonnie and we get a view of the Batmobile leaving the Batcave from the drivers perspective.

A couple of lines cracked me up, Catwoman asking Felix to brush her pussy willow before he leaves, (now days it has a slightly different connotation), and Robin telling Batman that they could have been killed if they had just walked into the hide-out. Batman's response, "or worse". Shows once again why this was such an iconic series with classic lines like that.

I also liked the way Robin was separated from Batman in a transporter that could have been from the Star Trek set. I now look forward to seeing Batman face his doom, same Cat time, same Cat channel.

The story goes that one day the phone rang at Julie Newmar's apartment in New York and an agent in Hollywood asked if she wanted to play Catwoman -- ASAP?? Credit goes to her brother, who was attending Harvard at the time, telling her BATMAN was "the" show everyone watched on campus. His opinion is that the role would make her famous. It sure as heck did, and eventually had her fabulous costume put on display at the Smithsonian Institute. How about that?

Julie's perfect hourglass figure (after years of professional modeling) may have drawn producers to her, especially since they were in search for a sexy, slinky Catwoman, and with a sense of humor. In addition, Newmar had just finished playing a very attractive and funny "robot" on MY LIVING DOLL, starring Bob Cummings, which had recently been cancelled.

Hands down, she remains the decidedly favorite villainess connected to BATMAN, the slinking, diabolical first lady of crime. In a tv first, Newmar's Catwoman was also very much attracted to Batman, who ALMOST falls for her in various episodes. This was a very clever publicity gag that managed to attract even more viewers. Here, the Catwoman is behind a series of robberies, a precious cat statuette the object of her fancy. Now the real fun starts! Catwoman turns the tables on the Caped Crusaders, throwing them into a dungeon with secret panels and deadly surprises. Best scene has Batman and Robin being SQUEEZED into a wall of rubber knives --as a warmup exercise????

To note, due to complaints from schools and parents, this marks the first episode in which Batman and Robin fasten their seatbelts in the Batmobile. Good for them! Former TARZAN Jock Mahoney guest stars, also veteran character actor Ralph Manza (playing Felix) as one of the Catwoman's dedicated and dutiful assistants, dressed in what looks like a leopard t-shirt and pants?

Classic line department; "You can brush my pussywillows!"

Gotsta' see stuff from Season 1, Episode 19. Get the restored dvd box as the color is beautiful and so is Julie Newmar.

INTRODUCING YET ANOTHER of the long standing Batman enemies, this fine first season continues to hit all the right categories. The female foe owes her origin to BATMAN COMICS # 1, Spring 1940*. Originally using the name of 'The Cat', her specialty was burglary (as in 'Cat Burglar'). Although her identity was never used on the BATMAN TV Series, she was identified as Selina Kyle, socialite.

OUR TELEVISION COUNTERPART was, nonetheless, a most interesting antagonist for the Dynamic Duo. With the both obvious, yet underlying element of s-e-x being at the heart of any confrontation, criminal plot or ultimate resolution, we are kept interested far beyond any "camp humor."

THE CASTING OF the quite tall dancer and actress from the Broadway Stage, Julie Newmar, gave us a most interesting nemeses for our heroes. Miss Newemar's costuming managed to straddle the fence between the sensual and good (TV) taste. Her skillful and classic manipulation of the King's English put the proper interpretation on a character who is from the upper classes.

THE CRIME SPREE was naturally done in an all-feline motif, as should be expected. Her henchmen all sported cat-like nicknames. Even her hideout and front was the Gato & Chat Fur Company; the name being derived from foreign language words for C-A-T!

WERE YOU SURPRISED, Schultz?

NOTE * Although BATMAN premiered in Detective Comics no. 27,1939, BATMAN Comics came along a year later; the former being an anthology, the latter featuring all BATMAN stories. Interestingly enough, this no. 1 BATMAN Comics also brought the World the 1st appearance of the Joker.

First, it's hard to believe that it took so long for Catwoman to make her initial appearance. This was the tenth two-part episode. The Riddler, the Joker and the Penguin had all made at least two appearances, at this point. Another curiousity is that there is no reference to the "attraction" that would develop between Batman and Catwoman. For me, that attraction was more interesting than simply introducing another villain, with his or her particular approach to criminal behavior. Most of the series was cartoonish and gloriously silly. There was nothing wrong with that, but the attraction between Batman and Catwoman was something that you could take more seriously. Julie Newmar was great in this role. I loved the way she seemed to be "hotter" for Batman, than vice versa. This episode is good, but it's missing that chemistry that was so nice to watch.