MY TOP 12 FAVORITE BAT-EPISODES FROM SEASON 1 OF BATMAN (ADAM WEST)

Well, I'm nearly finished with my review on Season 2 of Batman starring Adam West. However, before I release the review, I'm going to give a countdown of my 12 Favorite Bat-Episodes from Season 1, and yes the movie is on the list as well. Why's that, because the Movie relates to the show and I just can't see it as a film because it has the same cast; it uses the same style; it was made while the show was still on the air; and it flows with the Season. Same goes for other films that were made while the show was on the air like "South Park", "The Simpsons" even the 90's Animated series of Batman. Do keep in mind, films that relate to a TV shows from being a film adaptation of the show with a different cast, different, look and made at a different time (Like "The Addams Family" movies for example) or a Movie that inspired a TV  show with a different cast and new look ("The Odd Couple" for example) will not be on any TV list. With that out of the way here are...

MY TOP 12 FAVORITE BAT-EPISODES FROM SEASON 1 OF BATMAN (ADAM WEST)

WARNING: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!

NUMBER 12

INSTANT FREEZE/RATS LIKE CHESSE

This is really rare for me to put a 2/5 episode or film on a list. This Bat-Episode is really stupid . Mr.Freeze's plan of going against Batman isn't really good or interesting enough. The Bat-Fights are mostly a let down.  And most of the dialogue is lame. So why did I even put this on the list when there are so many Bat-Episodes that can top this one. Well I'll tell you who saved it and made it my favorite, George Sanders as Mr.Freeze!

Yes his plan is stupid and the Freeze suit he wears looks really ridiculous on him, but it's his performance that saves the villain and The Bat-Episode. George Sanders has to be by far, the best live action version of Mr.Freeze. And while given a lame plan and suit; he still comes off as intimidating. He can make his lame plans sound threatening; he can somehow still look respectable in that god awful Spacesuit; and he can turn some of his campy dialogue (even his few Ice Puns) and make them sound classy and fun in that exaggerated German accent. That's also what his performance is, classy instead of just being over the top. Like I said in my review, he reminds me very much of a Bond villain due to his personality. His best scene is when he finally has Batman in his clutches. Instead of being over the top or just killing him, he treats him like a guest, while still toying with him as revenge; and how he talks about how he lives is actually pretty sympathetic. Unlike most villains, instead of setting up a Death-Trap or tries to find ways to toy with them longer, he just freezes the Dynamic Duo. His gun while having a very cheap effect is still cool and I like that it can fire lasers instead of just freezeing people. I even like his device that makes his hideout cold and warm for him and his servants.

George Sanders is why I enjoy this Bat-Episode so much and personally I think he should have been Nominated for an Emmy. Sometimes a great performance can save a poor Movie or in this case, a poor episode.

NUMBER 11

HI DIDDLE RIDDLE/SMACK IN THE MIDDLE

 

This is the Bat-Episode that started the series, and despite its flaws, it still is a good start to the show. Yeah, I do wish that this was the story of how Bruce and Dick became the Dynamic Duo, but at least the Bat-Episode mentions it not once, but twice on why Bruce took up life as a crime fighter, which of course is the death of his parents being murdered by criminals, which Adam West delivers the emotion really well, with his soft-spoken voice. What makes the Bat-Episode truly great is Frank Gorshin as The Riddler. He's so fun, villainous, over the top, insane, and twisted that he steals every single scene he's in. I did criticize his change of plans in my review by planing to sue Batman in court for a false arrest, to actually planing on stealing something priceless, while killing the duo in the process; but in all fairness, I realize that its just the twisted nature of the villain. I also criticized on why he didn't take Robin's mask off, since he has him captured. However, not only would the show be over, but after seeing more and more Bat-Episodes from the series, villains do it all the time when they capture the duo. Once they have them in their clutches, and set-up a painful Death-Trap for them, they're so convinced that they won't go anywhere and will be killed by the Death-Trap that it doesn't matter, if they know who they are or not, as long as they're dead. On the plus side, who the hell cares who Robin is under that mask, its really Batman that's the brains behind foiling their plan, Robin is just his sidekick. So the things that I thought were big errors in the Bat-Episode, actually make more sense, after seeing it countless times.

Another performance I really enjoy is Jill St. John as the moll Molly. Before moll's on the show were just pointless innocent girls that do nothing, but praise the villain, secretly loved the duo, and regret doing crime in the end, Jill St. John was not only the first moll, but also got to do more than what any of the moll did during this season (With the exception of "Zelda The Great"). While being hot and having a lovable personality (despite her doing crime), she plays a big part in the Riddler's plans. She lets Batman's guard down at the club, while Robin is being captured outside. She disguises herself as Robin to get into the Bat-Cave. And even tries to kill Batman. In fact, she's the first villain and person to find the secret entrance to the Bat-Cave.That's the complete opposite from most moll's on the show (Not counting Zelda The Great). By the way doesn't she look hot in Robin's tights? The only downer to the character is that they kill her off in a very unconvincing and poorly acted and directed scene when she falls into the Nuclear reactor to the Bat-Cave. As bad as the scene is done, I still feel bad and get a bit depressed that she's dead, but don't worry Jill St. John will appear with my other favorite Hero James Bond in "Diamonds Are Forever"! However, Batman knew it was her all along, and he didn't use his knock-out Bat-Spray to prevent her from seeing the entrance to the Bat-Cave? I wonder what he would of done to her if she lived?

 Now to the fun things about the Bat-Episode. This Bat-Episode has some good and funny quotes. My favorite Batman quote is "What A Terrible Way To Go Go" after Molly's death, which he also refers to the name of the club when he and Molly met called "What A Way To Go Go". Yeah, he does that freaky Bat-Dance in the scene that no Batman of any kind of genre should do, but I love that he drinks orange juice instead of, oh say a Martini, and I love that he tells the manager that he doesn't want to cause any attention. He's in a Batsuit in a club, how's anyone going to ignore that? My favorite Holy lines from Robin are Holy Barracuda (His first Holy line), Holy Ash Tray (When the Riddler reveals his gun is a lighter), and Holy Smokes(After an explosion). I also love his out of nowhere tooting noise when he figures out one of the Riddler's riddles. My Favorite Riddle has to be "What is it that no man wants to have, yet that no man wants to lose"? Answer, A Lawsuit. Batman carries a lot of cool Bat-Gadgets in this Bat-Episode, and my favorite has to be the Bat-laser and the Bat-Hook (That he just so happens to carry). His Bat-Mobile is of course cool, and what's great about it is when it's on fire, it can automatically extinguish the fire, which is indeed a cool future.

This Bat-Episode is a really good start to the series, and it defiantly deserves a place on my list!

NUMBER 10

THE RING OF WAX/GIVE 'EM THE AXE

Now as far as most Bat-Episodes go, this one is as predictable as most of the other Bat-Episodes on the show. However, the reason why the Bat-Episode is on my list is for two reasons, Frank Gorshin as The Riddler and the climax. Ironically these two things I just mention are its own plot in each part of the Bat-Episode. "The Ring Of Wax" is Gorshin having fun, while "Give 'Em The Axe" is the big climax that mostly takes place in the Gotham City Museum where The Riddler plans to steal the lost treasure of the Incas. I think I talked about Gorshin's performance and his characters scheme and actions very well in my review of the Bat-Episode so I won't go into to much detail why I love The Riddler in this Bat-Episode. All I'm going to say is Frank Gorshin is epic as The Riddler, and the Riddler's plans to outwit the Duo, kill them, and steal the lost treasure of the Incas is completely fun and twisted.

The Bat-Episode's climax is fantastic. Robin sneaks in the Gotham city museum since Batman can't fit through a small window, and he gets captured, while still putting up a good Bat-Fight. Robin is then placed on the rack, and Batman manages to get inside and casts his Bat-Shadow as it scares his enemies (Especially when thinking that he's dead), and the Bat-Fight begins. He traps the henchmen in various torture traps from the Middle Ages such as the Iron Mask, The Maidens Bath, and the Stocks. The Riddler takes out a sword and Batman has to fight the Riddler unarmed. And after Batman wins, we see a scared and begging Riddler that we haven't seen before, get a good spin on the death wheel. The thrilling part about this sequence is, while this Bat-Fight is breaking out, the treasure of the Incas is slowly being cut open by illegal Wax that's considered to be very dangerous, and if it opens the chest, the treasure will be exposed to air and turn it into dust. Yes, it's a great climax.

It's a very standard Bat-Episode, but these two things are what make it so good.

NUMBER 9

It's around 5:20 in the morning during my year as an 11th Grader. I wake up, go to my upstairs living room, flicker through the channels, and see a Bat-Episode of Batman appearing at 5:30 on the Hub. It was the first half of the Bat-Episode and the conclusion continues the next morning "Same Bat-Time,Same Bat-Channel" which I sadly missed. Up until that point, this next Bat-Episode on my list is indeed the first Bat-Episode (Well first half) that I ever watched from beginning to end, which was...

THE BOOKWORM TURNS/WHILE GOTHAM CITY BURNS

That's right, the Bat-Episode with the Bookworm is the first Bat-Episode that I ever watched from the show, with exception of the film. While being my first, it had a lot of things going for it, as well as adding a few new things to series. The new things we get to see are some new Bat-Gadgets such as The Bat-Magnet, The Bat-Lie Detector, and the Bat-Parachute pick up crew.  This is also the first time when the Dynamic Duo don't fall under the moll's tricks like they usually would; well, at least when they first meet her. Another interesting change to the series that I've never seen done before is when we get to the cliffhanger result, we go a few minutes before the events instead of picking up exactly where we last saw them. I also don't remember seeing Commissioner Gordon being such a hot head, until this Bat-Episode, where we see him in a fit of rage demanding Chief O'Hara to stop laughing or else he'll remove him from his position as Chief. I mean we've Gordon yell and sometimes get angry at the villains whenever they talk to them; but to have him snap at his closest and trusted partner in fighting crime, that's something that I don't think I've ever seen him do until now. But the most famous iconic thing that this Bat-Episode brought to the series was that it started the celebrity Window cameo during a Bat-Climb; and the first celebrity to make a cameo is one of my favorite comedic actors of all time Jerry Lewis.

Another thing that I really admire about this Bat-Episode is Roddy McDowell as the Bookworm. You know, for a stereotypical over the top nerdy looking villain who actually is a nerd, Roddy McDowell sure puts a lot of class into his character. This has got to be the classiest nerd I've ever seen, while also at the same time being very funny; especially when he gets knocked out by the Duo in the end. Roddy McDowell is tons of fun to watch, and the villain that he plays is great. He comes up with these crazy and deadly plans that connects to the books that he reads. He's one of the few villains in the series to steal The Batmobile (For his evil crime), and connect Batman to Bruce Wayne (Though he isn't 100 percent certain). And he's so smart that he's in fact a walking Library, which is not at all a bad or uninteresting concept for this; especially when considering how fast he is at reading. I enjoy this villain so much, that it makes me wonder why the writers didn't make him a recurring villain? If I ever do a favorite Batman villain list, expect to see him on it.

Aside from being funny, the Bat-Episode also carries a lot of suspense. First off, the teaser made my jaw drop, and made me feel sad because we see Commissioner Gordon assassinated on top of a Bridge and falling into the water. Which at first, I actually thought they were going to kill him off. There's also Batman and Robin being cooked inside a giant cookbook with no way out, which really held me on the edge of my seat. But out of the two intense and suspenseful moments that I've mentioned, the one that I found myself thrilled by the most (While still embracing the humor) is the cliffhanger where Robin is tied to a clapper of a Bell at the Wayne Memorial Clock Tower dedicated to Bruce Wayne's Father, and the idea of Robin being killed in a place dedicated to Bruce's deceased Father makes the situation a lot more grim. This also has the clock ticking for Batman to save Robin in 1 minute, and I'm not kidding, it's probably the longest minute that I have ever seen. However, the scenes do shift back and forth to Batman helping Robin, to a timing clock with Robin dangling on the clapper, so perhaps these two scenes are happening in the same minute just at a different point of views of that 1 minute. Even if that wasn't the case, if you time a scene in a movie or show where a person only has a small amount of time to achieve something, chances are, it's not going to add up since time differs in the world that a film or show is taking place in then what's shown on your clock or length timer on what ever device you're watching it on.  Anyway, I digress.

Now for the good stuff. Well, I can't pick a favorite Holy line from Robin because every Holy line he has is funny and spot on the situation. By the way, Jerry Lewis, literally steals Robins catch phrase when makes his cameo appearance. One of the funniest moments from Adam West as Batman that had me laughing hard is how over dramatic he acts in the beginning of the second part. Where he even goes as far to tell Chief O'Hara to shut-up, as he dramatically tries to put the pieces to the puzzle together. As for the Bat-Fights, I don't have a favorite one, but I do like that Batman and The Bookworm order the henchman to take their glasses off before they fight.

It's a very fun Bat-Episode, that still holds up as well as when I first saw it, but sadly the version of this Bat-Episode I just watched on YouTube took out two memorable scenes in part 1. One scene involving spending time in the Bookworms hideout; and the other scene not showing the Bat-Parachute pick up crew. I really hope the legal issues are solved soon, so that the show can be released on DVD in its original uncut form.

NUMBER 8

THE JOKER IS WILD/BATMAN IS RILED

I'm going to admit this, it wasn't really Batman and Robin who made this Bat-Episode fun, it's all The Joker's doing. Now I know some of you are thinking why I chose this Bat-Episode over "The Ring Wax/Give 'Em The Axe" since it's another Bat-Episode where a villain steals the show. Well, for starters, it was the first Bat-Episode that stars The Joker, while Gorshin's was in the middle of the series. This is also not only the debut Bat-Episode for The Joker, but it is also the first appearance of The Joker in the Batman media for film and TV. Cesar Romero is one of the best Jokers of all time along with Nicholson, Hamil and Ledger, but he's not only the first actor to play The Joker in the media, but is also the first well known Joker as well, who is menacing, funny and insane. In fact, he's so insane that he still keeps his mustache on, while his face is covered up with Make-Up. On top of it, remember earlier in the countdown when I talked about why villains don't want to unmask Batman when he's captured; well The Joker is the first one (At least on the show) to ever try to unmask the Dynamic Duo when they're in his clutches. He doesn't do it in his hideout, he does it on TV in front of millions of viewers. Speaking of TV, this is also the first time in the Batman media where The Joker broadcasts himself on TV, which the character himself would later be doing it again in all the other versions of The Joker that we know and love. Speaking of other versions of The Joker; the Mask that the Joker wears, while performing in the opera "Pagliacci" looks exactly similar to the mask Heath Ledger wore in the beginning of "The Dark Knight". Here, take a look.

Of course the best part about The Joker in this Bat-Episode is his Utility Belt. I love that he's wearing a cool Belt that's as powerful as Batman's. It makes the fight between him and The Joker more interesting. And speaking of fights, this Bat-Episode is full of Bat-Fights and trying picking one as a favorite is hard because they're all really good. There's nothing else for me to say about The Joker except that he completely steals the show from our heroes.

Now the fun stuff. My favorite Holy Lines from Robin are "Holy Jack-In-The-Box"(When Joker escaped from Prison),"Holy Ravioli"(Joker is at the Italian opera),"Holy Safari"(The owner of the warehouse where The Joker is at was previously in Africa), and "Holy 4th Of July"(Confetti, Fireworks and banners from a bomb that came from The Joker's Belt). I guess the only stupid stuff in this Bat-Episode is the unseen boy who prays for The Dynamic Duo to stop The Joker; and when Chief O'Hara and Commissioner Gordon just give Bruce a piece of evidence from the scene of a crime, instead of holding it for Batman. But aside from that (Which are just nitpicks), it's still a great Bat-Episode for the infamous "Clown Prince Of Crime".

What more can I say, it's an action packed Bat-Episode with The Joker as our main star and the Dynamic Duo being the Co-Stars.

NUMBER 7

FINE FEATHERED FINKS/THE PENGUIN'S A JINX

Being the second Bat-Episode of the show, it not only brought new things that we'd be seeing throughout the show like in the previous Bat-Episode, but it's also an improvement over the first one! Out of all Bat-Episodes I've seen in this Season, this Bat-Episode uses more Bat-Gadgets then any other Bat-Episode. We see Bat-Gadgets such as the Bat-Bug which is a hidden microphone disguised as a Spider. The Bat-Zooka, which can fire a Bat-A-Rang higher than Batman can throw. A newly installed safety lock to the Nuclear Reactor where Molly fell in as a reference to the first Bat-Episode. We also get to see the Close Circuit TV in Commissioner Gordon's Office, while also seeing the first appearance of Warden Crichton. This is also the first Bat-Episode where we see both Bruce and Batman try to foil The Penguin's plan, as well as being the first cliffhanger to have a Death-Trap set up for our title hero. But ironically the Death-Trap wasn’t even set up for Batman. It was actually set up for his alter ego Bruce Wayne. If this isn't enough, we also hear why Batman dresses up as Batman through Commissioner Gordon towards the end, which gives us more insight on the origins of Batman in this series. Another thing I noticed while watching this Bat-Episode is usually we see Batman climb walls with his Bat-A-Rang rope, but here he climbs the handle of a giant Umbrella for a change.

This Bat-Episode also gave us the first appearance of The Penguin played by Burgess Meredith, and I love how he's introduced in the series. We watch a recording of him in his new Jail cell on the day before he's released as he's trying to think of a crime he should commit, along with his cellmate. He eventually hatches an idea of getting Batman to help him with his next crime, but before he can sayt how, he and his cellmate see the hidden camera and The Penguin destroys it with his Umbrella. It's a great introduction to this new villain, and his overall scheme of tricking Batman to help him with his crime is "Devilishly clever". In actuality, he's not planing any crime, but instead left an Umbrella for Batman and Robin with a hidden Microphone inside it  for them to think it's a clue to a crime he's planing, as The Penguin listens in as he hears them talk about what crime he's going to commit and how he's going to do it, as well as knowing what the Dynamic Duo are going to do to stop him. That's a grand plan. The Penguin also carry's many Gadgets himself to outwit the Dynamic Duo such as his various trick Umbrellas (The ones he personally carry's are filled with sleeping gas),an anti Bug device for his security system, and a giant magnet to hold the Dynamic Duo by their utility belts. My favorite out of all them has to be the Penguin cuckoo cuckoo clock, with a Penguin popping out of an Igloo to announce the time. Burgess Meredith really knocks it out of the park with the great performance that he gives, especially when you hear him laugh and squawk. By the way, did you know Meredith quit smoking and that his squawks comes from the cigarette smoke that was affecting his lungs.  I give serious credit for Meredith to leave his comfort zone to give us one of the best performances in the whole entire series. Originally Mickey Rooney was going to play the Penguin, and while I think he would've been fine for the role, I don't think he could ever capture the fun, the elegant, and mischievous personality that Burgess Meredith has perfectly sold out.

Now the fun stuff. Favorite Holy lines from Robin "Holy Popcorn"(from when The Penguin decides to kidnap a film star for ransom) and "Holy Fly Paper"(from when the Magnet has Batman and Robin stuck on the wall). The Bat-Fight at the ending goes from an Umbrella fight to a fist fight, and I love how Batman knocks them all out (Especially the Penguin) as Robin laughs. A joke that I found myself really cracking up about is when the hot Hollywood star is posing for a porn magazine (In a kids show). The cheapest acted moment in the whole Bat-Episode that's actually really laughable is when the duo are being pulled by the hidden Magnet.

The Bat-Episode set-up and brought so many new things to the series that makes it just as important as its pilot Bat-Episode.

NUMBER 6

THE JOKER GOES TO SCHOOL/HE MEETS HIS MATCH THE GRISLY GHOUL

If you remember me saying that this is one of my favorite Bat-Episodes on my review of Season 1, well you already knew it was going to be on my list. So why is it so special? Well first off I love The Joker, and I have to say this is by far my favorite evil scheme ever committed by him. I love the overall concept that he's using ordinary machines and using them as weapons by tinkering with them so they can help him with his crimes such as robbing places, attempting to lure students away from their studies so that they can become criminals, set innocent students up, and of course designing some of them to kill Batman and Robin. In fact, the cliffhanger didn't involve Batman using his Utility Belt or his brains to get out of the situation; it was luck that saved them as their lives are being gambled by a slot machine that’s set to electrocute them if it lands on three lemons. Don't get me wrong, The Joker’s utility belt was a big threat to the Duo, but with that said, he really doesn't use it as much as he does with his gimmick machines, not to mention that they are was more creative compared to his own Utility Belt. Cesar Romero performance as The Joker is always fun to watch as usual, and this Bat-Episode has a lot of good scenes with him. My favorite is when we first see him. As Batman shows a slide show of crime photos of The Joker to the students, he tells the students to get a closer look at his trick flower in one of his pictures. Suddenly the photo of the flower shoots out powder; the projector screen pulls up, and it is revealed that The Joker was behind it. If that's not enough, he even pulls a prank on one of the students. Man, what a surprise entrance! This is also the first time when The Joker actually tries to kill one of his henchmen and seeing the climax and hearing what happened to the victim you are convinced that his victim is dead and that his plan has succeeded, at least until Batman and Robin show up resulting in a pretty good Bat-Fight.

One of the many things that also amazed me is the moll Susie played by singer Donna Loren. Instead of her just being nearly the average moll that does almost nothing, has very little personality, spends most of the time praising the villain, and gets arrested in the end while having a bit of a moment with Batman, she actually has a character. Instead of her being some hot woman, she's just a hot teenage delinquent. And instead of her just showing up in a few scenes, she actually appears more than our main villain. In the first half of the first part, we're just lead to believe that she's just an ordinary student and probably will have nothing to with the plot, until we see her with the Joker in his hideout. And instead of spending time praising him, she does a few jobs for him that plays an important key to his crime, acts tough on a few occasions, and even has the guts to sass the Joker. We even get to find out why she took a life of crime which is very rare even for a villain in this show to have a bit of a reason to become a criminal. Unlike most moll's, she doesn't realize that she did wrong in the end when Batman wins, she actually nearly gets killed by The Joker, which doesn't just show that she chose the wrong path, but also shows how dangerous it is to be working for a criminal which I think really sticks to younger audience who are watching this Bat-Episode. Donna Loren is not only good looking, but really plays her character really well, in fact, when she goes to jail in the ending, I actually got a bit teary eye for her, especially when she gives Dick a kiss goodbye which was a really sweet moment.

Now the fun stuff! My Favorite Holy lines from Robin are, “Holy Magician"(Joker's surprise appearance);"Holy Alphabet"(Having trouble with Homework);"Holy Las Vegas" and "Holy Fruit Salad"(The Cliffhanger involving a slot machine Death Trap); "Holy Benedict Arnold" (When they find out that Susie is a traitor);"Holy Murder"(When they figure out that The Joker is going to kill Susie); and "Holy New Years Eve" (Joker sets a confetti trap on Robin). The funniest part in the whole Bat-Episode is when Dick goes undercover acting all tough and badass, but failing at doing so. This is also the first Bat-Episode where Batman gets the call in the Bat-Episodes teaser without Robin. Oh and just for laughs, where does Batman keep his giant Bat-Shield? I don't know, nor do I care considering that the show isn't meant to be taken seriously or at least that seriously.

It's a very creative Bat-Episode along with a great performance by Romero and Loren, as well as carrying many fun and memorable scenes as they are all being tied together with a good moral for kids.

NUMBER 5

A RIDDLE A DAY, KEEPS THE RIDDLER AWAY/WHEN RATS AWAY THE MICE WILL PLAY

                                                                                     

If you read my review on this Bat-Episode, then you might remember me criticizing how poorly directed the cliffhanger result was. Oh, I bought into the idea; it just overall wasn't directed very well. But with that aside, it's still a great Bat-Episode! Much like "Zelda The Great"/"A Death Worse Than Fate" it doesn't have too much of the shows camp. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the campiness of the show, but with that said, I'm always interested in making it a little darker and boy did this Bat-Episode have it.

While keeping a nice colorful comic book looking atmosphere, this one (Mostly involving scenes with The Riddler) has a nice dark looking set design with really good shadowing and cinematography. Frank Gorshin as The Riddler in this Bat-Episode, personally I think this is his best Bat-Episode. While keeping that over the top personality, he comes across as more freaky than in any other of his Bat-Episodes combined. His performance and personality in this Bat-Episode is like Mark Hamil's Joker in the Animated series. Fun and over the top, but very creepy and very uncomfortable, the only thing missing is being intimidating, but for a campy show like this, that's more than enough. I really wish he stayed that way in his later Bat-Episodes then jumping back to his roots from the Pilot, but oh well, he's still always enjoyable no matter if his plan is good or not. And believe me, for those who didn't like his plan in the pilot, or didn't find it straight forward (Though he is as twisted as the Joker), this one makes up for it. Oh, and before I forget, I also like that Bruce and Dick are playing Chess at the beginning of the Bat-Episode, as we later on discover out that the Riddler’s plan of capturing Batman and Robin is playing it out like a game of Chess.

Another thing I also enjoyed is Reginald Denny in his final TV role as King Boris, who always keeps a very friendly and humble approach. Even when he’s being kidnapped, he still stays humble. This was a great end to his TV career and I think you'll be surprised what his last film is. In most Bat-Episodes the henchmen bore me, they're uninteresting, and the only time you're interested in them is when they get their butts kicked by Batman and Robin. The henchmen here are just as enjoyable as The Penguins Fine Feathered Finks and The Riddler's Mob gang in the pilot. I like that they're a rat themed gang that hide in the sewer, and the personality and energy that each actor give to their characters is so fun to watch that they don't come close to being boring at all. Even their moll Mousey played by Susan Silo is enjoyable with her personality and cute squeaky voice.

Now the fun stuff. Well, shockingly, I didn't like any of Robins Holy catch phrases, nor could I think of a favorite Riddle. However, a moment that I find to be really funny is the awkward moment when Bruce Wayne is standing face to face with a Batman impostor, which later on leads to a priceless reaction from Robin when Batman tells him that he met Batman. The only Bat-Fight happens in the climax and boy is it good. First off I love the Dynamic Duo's grand entrance as they jump through the portrait of themselves which causes the Riddler to coware before the Bat-Fight begins. The best moments in the Bat-Fight are seeing the henchman get knocked out by a bust as we hear a sound of a bowling ball crashing into pins, and witnessing another henchman get thrown across the room by Batman (Where you can see the strings attached to the actor, which of course adds to the campy fun of the show).

This Bat-Episode had a lot of cool to offer, and is in my opinion the best Bat-Episode with The Riddler as our main villain.

NUMBER 4

THE PURRR-FECT CRIME/BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME

This is not only the first Bat-Episode of the series to have Catwoman, but this is also the first time that Catwoman was ever appeared outside of the comics. That's right, Julie Newmar is indeed the first actress to ever play Catwoman, and boy is she purrr-fect for the role! I like that when we first meet her, we don't see her do the crime in the teaser. All we see is her whip whipping the guard, and her claws clawing a circle in the glass case where the treasure is kept in. When we see her again, she’s in the shadows in complete darkness, until she turns on the light to reveal herself. Next to The Penguin's first introduction in the Batman media, Catwoman's first introduction is the best. Julie Newmar is not only great as the character with her Cat like personality, along with her greedy side for treasure and playful side of toying with the duo, but MEOW is she gorgeous. In fact, I think she's sexier than Michelle Piffer, Anne Hathaway, Eartha Kit and even Lee Meriwether for crying out loud! This is also the first time Catwoman has no affection for Batman at all, nor is she neutral or complex; she's just straight out villainous. By the way, I had noticed that she never removes her Mask in front of Batman, but does so with Robin before giving him knock out gas. I wonder how Robin didn't recognize her in the film? My theories on that are the knock out gas might have caused him to forget about Catwoman's face since he saw her face for 30 seconds. Or maybe perhaps that the events that happen in the film might have possibly taken place before the events of this Bat-Episode since the show clearly states that they fought with these criminals before. Or the film isn't cannon to the series, which I personally think it is. Take your pick!

Unlike most Bat-Episode where the Duo have to constantly be seen solving clues, this one has a lot of action. We get two great Bat-Fights that involve things being recklessly destroyed in the background, as we get plenty of cool and fun moments that are a bit intense such as Batman dangling over a pit of hungry Tigers, while fighting a henchman, Robin fighting against a henchman with a flaming torch, Batman getting hit by a chair, Robin nearly getting the life strangled out of him, Batman slickly dodging a statue's head being thrown at him, and we get for no rhyme or reason a third henchmen who was never introduced before the Bat-Fight, or is even acknowledged by the duo (except when fighting) or even his employer, they act like he was never there and he doesn't get a name either, he's just credited as henchman. We also get to see some old devices and new upgrades for the Batmobile that play a big part in this Bat-Episode. But what I find more interesting in terms of gadgets is the radioactive spray Batman creates that can track down Catwoman after stealing a piece of treasure that he’s already sprayed, where the radioactivity from the spray surprisingly have no deadly side-effects when Catwoman’s in contact with it. It only takes a genius like Batman to think of something like that. For me, the highlight of the whole entire Bat-Episode is Cat-traps that Catwoman sets for our heroes when enter her hideout, where some of the traps are either deadly, puzzles that Batman must solve, or just simple gags. The best out of all the Cat-trap is when Batman has to fight against a Tiger. As for my favorite Holy lines from Robin they are "Holy Cats"(When Robin is attacked by a Cat) and "Holy Ice Picks"(When one of the rooms is suddenly filled with sharp spikes on the walls).

This Bat-Episode overall serves as a purr-fect introduction for Catwoman to both the show and the Batman media.

NUMBER 3

THE PENGUIN' GOES STRAIGHT/NOT YET HE AIN'T

Much like the last Bat-Episode that I put on list; this one is also action-packed, as well as being the best plan that The Penguin has ever came up with by far, where it makes me wonder how any other Bat-Episodes with The Penguin in this show is going to top this one. The Penguin's plan of pretending to go straight is perfect. He not only pretends to be a gentleman, but he also pretends to fight crime to convince the people of Gotham that he’s changed. He even forms his own organization of crime fighting, as well as getting a rich girlfriend to protect through his organization, which he plans to eventually steal away her fortune. If that's not enough, he also makes the Dynamic Duo look like criminals, which not only convinces the citizens of Gotham, but also forces the police to go after them. In fact, The Penguin tricks Commissioner Gordon and Chief O' Hara to have them killed. There's even a big shoot out and chase with Batman and Robin trying to escape the cops, which gets them killed in the end, leaving Penguin the Bat-Mobile who is indeed the first criminal to steal it. However, there's a cool plot twist where it was just a rouse and a way for Penguin to go on with his plan making him think the Duo are dead. The plan of the Penguin going straight and winning the hearts of the people in Gotham while making Batman look like a villain has influenced Tim Burton to make that the Penguin's main plan in "Batman Returns". Burgess Meredith as The Penguin is once again perfect as the role. and boy does he really show his class and animal side in this one.

Just like in "Fine Feathered Finks/The Penguin's A Jinx" there's plenty of gadgets from both the heroes and villain. The Penguin has lots of trick Umbrellas including one that fire bullets, and the Dynamic Duo have some upgrades to the Bat-Mobile as well as a new vehicle which is the BatCycle. Oh, and the Bat-Fights in this Bat-Episode are really incredible because now we see how the Duo fight against crooks with firearms. Alfred also plays a part in foiling the Penguin, which makes this the first time that he and the Penguin have ever come face to face. As for Robin's Holy lines, I loved them all.

This Bat-Episode almost makes you swear at points that this could be the end for the Duo, as well as making you believe that they might fail at outwitting The Penguin. And for keeping me on the edge of seat, it definitely deserves the number 3 spot on my list.

NUMBER 2

ZELDA THE GREAT/A DEATH WORSE THAN FATE

Unlike most Bat-Episodes, this one doesn't really follow the same traditional formula as almost every single Bat-Episode does. Instead of starting out with a small crime or a rouse, the villain is doing a traditional crime that she's done for years. Instead of our criminal being well known, she's new and mysterious. There's even not a single Bat-Fight in this Bat-Episode at all, which makes this the first Bat-Episode to not have one. Zelda does knock out a guard in the beginning but we see cartoon stars then a Pun word. The cliffhanger in the Bat-Episode doesn't even involve Batman, Robin, or even their alter egos being killed in a Death-Trap. It instead involves their Aunt Harriett being life threatening danger. In fact, the climax itself is just one big Death-Trap that this whole Bat-Episode has been building up to, and to be honest I think it beats them all. This also another rare Bat-Episode when somebody actually gets killed. I know I’ve talked about the previous Bat-Episodes on my list bringing something new to the series, but this one really changes things up by not giving audiences the same exact formula that all the others on my list has followed. They really do a solid job changing things up here.

What also really surprises me is that our main villain Zelda isn't really a villain, but is more of a moll working for our main villain who is really a supporting character. Seriously, can you name another Bat-Episode in this Season where the title villain is actually just some desperate soul working for somebody else? Anne Baxter gives a fun but at same time moving performance as this villain, and the character herself is interesting for how complex she is, and is even pretty cool since she commits crimes by using her parlor tricks. As for our main villain Eivol, I admire that he’s not some over the top villain like most villains are on the show; he actually keeps serious approach, but not serious to the point where you don’t find yourself finding him enjoyable to watch. Jack Kruschen plays his character so mean and unlikable that I really couldn't wait to see the Dynamic Duo get him, and the pay off was satisfying while being laughable at the same time.

Now the fun stuff; My favorite Holy Lines from Robin are Holy Backfire(When their plan backfires), Holy Hallelujah (When Aunt Harriett is saved), Holy Birthday Cake (When they figure out who the criminal is and that Dick saw Zelda perform on his Birthday) and Holy Graveyard (When you think it's the end for the Dynamic Duo). There’s a scene when Alfred says that he was busying watching a show that airs on Wednesday nights, and while modern day viewers would see this conversation as something normal, if you know the history of the show (And chances are you don’t) the first part of a Bat-Episode would actually air on Wednesday night. Another fun fact that someone of you might find interesting is the guy selling Newspapers is played by an American actor and stuntman Frankie Darro who many of you may know him best for his work as the trouble making kid Lampwick in Disney's "Pinocchio".

This Bat-Episode has made some huge changes and twists to the shows usual standard formula which is done so well that it feels refreshing to see the writers leave their comfort zone for a change, which is what makes this Bat-Episode so special.

AND MY NUMBER 1 FAVORITE BAT-EPISODE FROM SEASON 1 IS...

Well you knew that the film was going to appear sooner or later on the list. So out of all Bat-Episodes from Season 1, why is the Movie my number 1 favorite from Season 1? Well first off, like I said before, the show never had an official release on DVD or VHS due to legal issues and the only way that you can own or ever watch the show was to either catch it on TV, or buy the Movie. As you might have already guessed, I never watched the show when I was a kid because I was limited to channels like Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, PBS, or Disney Channel. So the Movie was not only my exposure to the 60's show, but it was also the first time I was exposed to Batman or in the very least the first time I watched Batman from beginning to end. And the fond memories I have of watching this film as a child it still remains. I admired watching our heroes at work. I loved watching the villains chew up every scene they’re in together. I remember having a crush on Lee Meriwether as Catwoman. And I found myself enjoying every piece of action that the film threw at me at such a young age. The funny part about my viewings of the film as a kid was that I took it all as serious as if I was watching the darker Batman films and I'm sure I wasn't the only kid who did. Now that I'm older and can see what the 60's show really is, I still find the film just as enjoyable as I saw it as a kid.

What really makes the film stand out from all Bat-Episodes this Season is Batman and Robin themselves. Let's be honest, in the show, it's really the villain who takes the spotlight away from the Dynamic Duo and even though the epic partnership of four of the best villains working together works the same here, we see more emotion and personality from Batman and more humor from Robin. Instead of seeing Batman just acting calm, over dramatic and melodramatic like in the show, we see a dark and an emotional side to him. When his alter ego Bruce Wayne is captured by the villains and finding out that his date has been taken away, he threatens to violently kill them which I have never heard Adam West as this character talk like this ever before. When he's with Kitka you feel his love for her and when he finds out that Kitka is Catwoman, you feel his heartbreaking with his silent reaction. This performance shows more to the character then the show does. As for Robin, well I'll admit there's really nothing different or new about his personality in the film, but out of all Bat-Episodes, this is his funniest. Every Holy line and every scene he's in is just flat out funny, and half of the time he steals the spotlight away from Batman with his humor. This film is Robin at his best and it completely shows. The villains, how can I top how I described the partnership in my review, it's just perfect, fun and epic to them band together as they’re played by four great actors.

Like the show itself, I love the over the top acting; I die of laughter at cheap special effects, and I admire the campy dialogue because they’re all what make the film so much fun to watch. I mean there are so many great and memorable scenes in this Movie that they are endless. Who can forget Batman fighting the incredibly fake exploding shark (Who doesn't get so much as a scratch on his bitten leg, which adds to the awesome camp factor of West's Batman), or Bruce Wayne trying to escape the villains hideout, or the Bat-Fight on the Penguin's submarine, or The Penguin getting into the BatCave, or the famous scene in the whole movie when Batman tries to get rid of a bomb. They’re all such great moments! What I also love about the movie are the references that it makes to previous Bat-Episodes such as casting Reginald Denny (In his last film role) as famous kidnapped victim like he did in the show (Only this time he doesn't know that he's kidnapped which makes his situation funnier than it already is), seeing some of the Penguins gadgets that were used in his first Bat-Episode for example. What I also really enjoy are the sets because they not only look more like a comic book than the Bat-Episodes on the show, but I also love looking around at the background and set-pieces in the villains hideout and Submarine and when you see the movie you'll know why. The film also carries more deaths than in any Bat-Episode on the show combined and most of the deaths happen in one scene and very quickly. I even love the many places where our heroes go to try and save the day. They go from fighting on land, to air, to sea, to the villain’s hideout, to the BatCave, to the United Nations, and more. Just have our heroes do something in Space and you're done!

Like I said in my review there are some flaws that don't add up but it's still incredibly fun to watch regardless. Speaking of flaws, I've only found one that kind of does add up, which is how Batman and Robin escaped from the Buoy. Even though it's briefly mentioned, Batman said he can get out of this with his Battransmitter, and even though he doesn't say exactly how, well you know what...he's Batman! And if you know the show, he's not only very smart enough to figure out a way to get himself of dangerous situations, but he also carries plenty of convenient gadgets in his utility belt for situations like these. It’s just part of the shows fun.

Getting to my final thoughts and reasons why this is my favorite out of all Bat-Episodes made this Season. The film has almost everything that fans of the show will enjoy, as well as preparing newcomers for what they should expect if they ever decide to watch the show itself. I actually strongly recommend that you see the film first. You don't have to know the show to see the movie because it not only fills you in and pulls you into the campy atmosphere, but it's basically is like a Bat-Episode from the show. Only difference is you don't have the over dramatic narrator; there's no cliffhanger; and the Batman theme song sounds different (On a personal note, I like the films theme song better than the actual shows theme song. It just sounds much cooler) that's it. I should also mention that the film was actually planned to be the Pilot for the show but the Producers decided to do it between Season 1 and 2 since they had a bigger budget, so seeing the Movie first is not a bad thing at all. The film brings a lot of nostalgia back, and every time I see it it keeps getting funnier and funnier. I'm honestly really glad and happy that this was both my first exposure to the show and to Batman himself.

Those are "My Top 12 Favorite BatEpisodes from Season 1 of Batman (Adam West)". Tune in tomorrow for my review on Season 2.