Batman (1966) Season One, Episodes 1 & 2 Review
At a very young age even before I reached the double digits, I had a friend named Thomas and I recall thinking the world of him. He treated me the best out of all of my friends and didn’t mind my odd personality I so cherished as a child and even today… Whenever I got a haircut, I would ask to get my hair like Thomas’s hair. My memory of him is very faint today, but I remember that we would play all sorts of games and we especially enjoyed pretending to be Batman and Robin. We would run around with baby blankets tied around our necks, jumping on couches and having the very best times of our early childhoods. When we pretended to be Batman and Robin, we always imagined being the Adam West and Burt Ward versions. The series simply called Batman is an old 1966 series that many children enjoyed during my childhood in the late 80’s and early 90’s. But most notably, it has been a children's hit series ever since it was produced and children everywhere have always enjoyed this lighthearted comedic series! Even some of us adults love it just as much today...
The first two episodes, "Hi Diddle Riddle" & "Smack in the Middle", are favourites of most Batman fans because they were produced in a movie-like quality. The first scene opens at Gotham City World’s Fair exhibit where the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldavia has a “friendship luncheon”. He then cuts a cake and it explodes, shooting a riddled note into the air, parachuting down, “Why is an orange like a bell?” The police take the riddle to the police headquarters, where Commissioner Gordon, Chief O’Hara, and other policemen come to the conclusion that the Riddler is behind the prank, and none of them think that they can handle the supervillain… Commissioner Gordon then uses the red Batphone to call Batman.
At Wayne Manor, Bruce Wayne is having an anti-crime center fund gathering while Alfred answers the call from Commissioner Gordon. Bruce shows his gratitude by pointing out these centres didn’t exist when his parents were murdered. Alfred comes for his Master and the gathering comes to an end while shortly after he finds his ward, Dick Grayson, and they go to speak with the Commissioner. After finding out the Riddler is back, they rush to the Batmobile in the Batcave and drive to the Police Headquarters. I’ve always found it funny how they are fully costumed after sliding down the Batpoles to the Batcave…
The Boy Wonder, Robin solves the riddle stating that an orange is like a bell because they both must be peeled/pealed. Thus is a beginning of amusing situations wherein the police can only rely on Batman and the Boy Wonder to solve every riddle, or clue for the matter… Batman comes to the conclusion that Riddler is going to hit the Peale Art Gallery next and advises that the police sit this one out. After all they prove to be not much help for Batman and Robin through the series. HAHAHA! The Riddler tricks Batman by slapping a wrongful arrest court order onto him which would make him reveal his secret identity in court. What looked like a robbery, simply wasn’t.
The first episode is an excellent introduction! It shows us all major themes of the series such as Batman’s strong moral fibre, his protector Robin with his campy expressions and their many campy gadgets… Even the climbing up a wall to the hide out scene is included and the famous fight scenes with comically special effects which look from right out of a comic book! The Riddler’s comedic laugh is something that we will always remember from the series. Frank Gorshin plays among the best of supervillains, with his bizarre maniacal personality. All of his riddles are just awful which adds to the campiness. The character gets off by trying to outsmart Batman, which is likely the main reason why he is inspired to continue with his criminal activity…
By the end of the first episode, Robin is kidnapped by the Riddler and his goons after Batman does his hilarious signature Batusi dance and is drugged from a drink given to him by one of the goons… HOLY COMMON SENSE BATMAN!
It really does add to the campiness when Batman makes so many bad decisions. If Gotham were real, with Batman’s bad decisions and the police being even less as bright… the citizens would be doomed! HAHAHA! The farces in the series are what truly makes it hilarious for the adults as the children won't catch on but still enjoy their costumed duo and the big flashy words! POW!
The first two episodes, "Hi Diddle Riddle" & "Smack in the Middle", are favourites of most Batman fans because they were produced in a movie-like quality. The first scene opens at Gotham City World’s Fair exhibit where the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldavia has a “friendship luncheon”. He then cuts a cake and it explodes, shooting a riddled note into the air, parachuting down, “Why is an orange like a bell?” The police take the riddle to the police headquarters, where Commissioner Gordon, Chief O’Hara, and other policemen come to the conclusion that the Riddler is behind the prank, and none of them think that they can handle the supervillain… Commissioner Gordon then uses the red Batphone to call Batman.
At Wayne Manor, Bruce Wayne is having an anti-crime center fund gathering while Alfred answers the call from Commissioner Gordon. Bruce shows his gratitude by pointing out these centres didn’t exist when his parents were murdered. Alfred comes for his Master and the gathering comes to an end while shortly after he finds his ward, Dick Grayson, and they go to speak with the Commissioner. After finding out the Riddler is back, they rush to the Batmobile in the Batcave and drive to the Police Headquarters. I’ve always found it funny how they are fully costumed after sliding down the Batpoles to the Batcave…
The Boy Wonder, Robin solves the riddle stating that an orange is like a bell because they both must be peeled/pealed. Thus is a beginning of amusing situations wherein the police can only rely on Batman and the Boy Wonder to solve every riddle, or clue for the matter… Batman comes to the conclusion that Riddler is going to hit the Peale Art Gallery next and advises that the police sit this one out. After all they prove to be not much help for Batman and Robin through the series. HAHAHA! The Riddler tricks Batman by slapping a wrongful arrest court order onto him which would make him reveal his secret identity in court. What looked like a robbery, simply wasn’t.
The first episode is an excellent introduction! It shows us all major themes of the series such as Batman’s strong moral fibre, his protector Robin with his campy expressions and their many campy gadgets… Even the climbing up a wall to the hide out scene is included and the famous fight scenes with comically special effects which look from right out of a comic book! The Riddler’s comedic laugh is something that we will always remember from the series. Frank Gorshin plays among the best of supervillains, with his bizarre maniacal personality. All of his riddles are just awful which adds to the campiness. The character gets off by trying to outsmart Batman, which is likely the main reason why he is inspired to continue with his criminal activity…
By the end of the first episode, Robin is kidnapped by the Riddler and his goons after Batman does his hilarious signature Batusi dance and is drugged from a drink given to him by one of the goons… HOLY COMMON SENSE BATMAN!
On the 2nd episode, Batman has come to his senses, and tries to locate Robin. Whilst in the Riddler’s hideout they made a mold of Robin’s face to trick Batman into thinking that Molly is Robin. She is shown wearing a duplicate costume like Robin’s and Riddler gives her the Boy Wonder’s utility belt… I guess they didn’t want to just use Robin’s costume and find out his true identity… SMH…
The Riddler tricks Robin into contacting Batman by calling Gordon who uses the Batphone, by connecting the lines. The Riddler then gives Batman two more riddles “What kind of pins are used in soup?” Terrapins… and “What was Joan of Arc made of?” She was Maid of Orleans… Batman quickly solves the clue and rushes to the old Turtle Mill on Orleans Cove in the Batmobile.
Molly disguised as Robin and the Riddler head to Orleans Cove and activate a homing transmitter in Robin’s utility belt. Batman pursues them, wrecking the Riddler’s car with beams from the Batmobile’s headlights… However it’s part of Riddler’s plan as him and Molly wear helmets to prepare for the crash. Batman finds Molly lying on the ground and takes her to the Batmobile back to the Batcave where Molly reveals herself. However Batman reveals that he knew it was her from listening to her nostrils breathing through the holes of the mold. Batman used the hidden Bat-laser beam during the drive to the Batcave to burn off her revolver’s firing pin. Molly panics then runs to the atomic pile which is the Batmobile’s nuclear power source. Batman tries to rescue her, but she falls into the reactor and is killed.
Molly’s acting gets really pathetic hear as her dreadful fall seems unconvincingly clumsy… I don’t think this was to add to the campiness either, as the scene itself did not seem to be directed as a campy scene. However it’s a very small issue in the story’s entirety. Besides, in all of Batman’s wit he adds the most memorably campy line afterwards, “Poor deluded girl! If only she’d have let me save her! What a terrible way to go-go.” Hahaha! Too soon Batman, but that’s awesome.
During a first attempt to save the day, Batman saves Robin but the Riddler get away. Eventually the Riddler and his goons try to steal a mammoth made of old postage stamps. However Batman and Robin burst out of it and fight the criminals in all their comical glory!
These two episodes were very well done for an introduction, and although it has some flaws, I’m giving it a 4 out of 5 for such a fabulous beginning! Stay posted for more 1966 Batman episode reviews!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Source:
https://www.tor.com/2015/10/02/holy-rewatch-batman-hi-diddle-riddlesmack-in-the-middle/
Picture/GIF Sources:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/batman-season-1/id926345266
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