I’ve written this before, but for those who may not be familiar with iconic Batman TV series from the 1960s (there must be at least one person), let me give a very brief synopsis: the show follows Batman (Adam West) and Robin (Burt Ward) as they race through the streets of Gotham City in the Batmobile thwarting various colorful villains and keeping the citizenry safe. There is a real emphasis on silly fun, complete with the POWS! and WOWS! found in the pages of DC Comics.
The first of this thirty episode set, “The Puzzles Are Coming,” features the debut of the Puzzler (Maurice Evans), a Shakespeare-quoting villain created for the series when a storyline had to be re-worked after Frank Gorshin, who played the Riddler, demanded more money. Later in the season, John Astin, took over the role of the role of the Riddler during “Batman’s Anniversary/A Riddling Controversy.” Unfortunately for Astin, who is a talented actor and had played Gomez on The Addams Family just before this, his performance is bland and forgettable. Happily, Gorshin returned to the role in third season.
Throughout its run, Batman attracted an impressive roster of big name guest stars, and this release is no exception. Naturally, villains were a favorite among notables: Michael Rennie as Sandman; a personal favorite, Tallulah Bankhead as Black Widow, and Van Williams and Bruce Lee as the Green Hornet and Kato.
Spot the celebrity cameo is a fun game to play throughout the run of Batman. In this batch of episodes, look for Art Linklatter, Edward G. Robinson, Cyril Lord, and Andy Devine among others.
For anyone who can’t afford the limited edition Blu-ray set of the entire series, or already owns the previous DVD releases, this one is a no-brainer. In this age where most television seasons are a maximum of 22 episodes, it seems crazy that thirty episodes represents just a half a season. However, Batman was an hour long show that was split into two thirty-minute episodes, and aired twice a week.
The video is 1.33:1 full frame. Even on DVD, the transfers have nice visual pop. The audio is Dolby Digital mono. The mix gets the Pows in the punch mix. English subtitles are available. The set contains no extras.
THE 30 EPISODES: The Puzzles Are Coming / The Duo Is Slumming / The Sandman Cometh / The Catwoman Goeth / The Contaminated Cowl / The Mad Hatter Runs Afoul / The Zodiac Crimes / The Joker’s Hard Times / The Penguin Declines / That Darn Catwoman / Scat! Darn Catwoman / Penguin Is A Girl’s Best Friend / Penguin Sets A Trend / Penguin’s Disastrous End / Batman’s Anniversary / A Riddling Controversy / The Joker’s Last Laugh / The Joker’s Epitaph / Batman Displays His Knowledge / A Piece Of The Action / Batman’s Satisfaction / King Tut’s Coup / Batman’s Waterloo / Black Widow Strikes Again / Caught In The Spider Den / Pop Goes The Joker / Flop Goes The Joker / Ice Spy / The Duo Defy
