This was the first time I watched the whole show (BluRay looks amazing). I was literally smiling for all of the 120 episodes. Yes, I remembered a somewhat borderline silly show (part of that might be because up to now I only knew the German dubbed version) but re-discovered a true TV gem of old .
It is understandable that people who only know the modern day superhero shows are laughing this off. Batman is not without flaws, it has highs and lows. And you can feel, even today, over the course of the three seasons they made, the quality dripping away. But if you take the analytical approach here, you probably won't understand this show.
This show was a street sweeper in 1966. A must see for kids and adults alike. It had something for everyone. The dialogue was great and you got a lot of puns and double meanings (which didn't work all that well today). It was part comedy, part satire, but always presented in a serious manner.
You can see the standing this show had if you look at the array of guest villains. Which in itself was genious not calling them guest stars like every other show did. They were special, household Hollywood names, who lined up for a chance to do an episode. Granted, some villains were better than others but most of them were fun.
I love how everything was labeled, even things like a secret chamber had a sign saying "secret chamber". There was a bat-thingy for everything. Positively hilarious.
Give it a go, but don't take it to serious. It's entertainment. To quote the late Adam West: "Always grotesque but never bizarre"
To the Bat-poles !
This show was the perfect after-school show!
Season Scores:
1 -6.1 / 2 -5 / 3 -3.7
Average Total: 4.93
Holy time capsule, Batman! It's the show that saved Batman from the island of irrelevancy. For that alone, this show deserves its place in history and should be preserved and experienced by everyone who cares about their precious pop culture and superhero geekdom. While I will stand by that conclusion, that does not mean I recommend a complete watch of the entire show. I would say stick to season one for optimal enjoyment. Any episode with Gorshin's Riddler, Newmar's Catwoman, Meredith's Penguin, or Romero's Joker you really can't go wrong with. What I would add is don't sleep on a King Tut episode either. Victor Buono portrays maybe the only TV original villain that consistently entertains. Could you get what you need from the '66 Batman with the movie? Perhaps. But the only way to truly experience the legend of Adam West's Bright Knight is in a glorious two-part cliffhanger format. Final note, Batman is like Brylcreem, 'A Little Dab Will Do Ya!', don't waste your time on season 3 and you will likely find yourself tuning back in for more wacky fun. Same bat-time, same bat-channel.
Shout by NeverVIP 12BlockedParent2012-08-25T14:33:03Z
an all-time classic! :)