Batman

ABC (ended 1968)
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Show Summary

  • Ended
Batman is a thrilling 30-minute action series based upon the characters created by Bob Kane in 1939 from the Batman and Detective Comics Magazine published by National Periodical Publications, Inc. During his long career, he was featured in the Superman radio series and in two movie serials produced during World War II. In 1966, the ABC network decided to produce the first Batman television series which became an immediate hit. Starring Adam West, Burt Ward, Alan Napier, Stafford Repp, Neil Hamilton, Madge Blake and finally Yvonne Craig. It was one of few TV series to be seen on 2 different nights on Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 7:30. The episodes were generally two-parters: Wednesday's episode left a cliffhanger, which was usually resolved in Thursday's episode.''These cliffhangers closely followed the tradition created by Kane in the comic books.''The television series also followed the comic books' plot. Bruce Wayne was orphaned in his teens when criminals killed his parents. He inherited a huge fortune and was obsessed with fighting evil who plagued Gotham City. Under his mansion, Batman constructed the Batcave which was an elaborate laboratory used to fight crime. His young ward, Dick Grayson also orphaned became Robin: the Boy Wonder. Together they defended the city against the sick minded criminals that populated the underworld. The only person who knew their identity was Alfred Pennywirth, the Wayne's butler who raised Bruce after his parents were killed. In the Batlab and at the Batcave, Batman and Robin were helped by the most advanced technology to fight their enemies. The Police Commissioner James W. Gordon could ask Batman for help either through the use of the Batsignal or the Batphone. which was a direct line between the Police Station and Bruce Wayne's mansion. To defeat their enemies, Batman and Robin also used the Batmobile, their utility belts and other Batdevices.''The success of the series attracted several famous actors and actress to play the villains. Among the most famous enemies were The Riddler, The Penguin, The Joker, King Tut, Egghead and Catwoman.''The series spawned a feature film version released by 20th Century-Fox in July 1966. Batman incorporated the expressive art and fashion of the period in its sets and costumes. It also relied excessively on technological gadgetry transforming the show into a parody of contemporary life. It was this self-reflexive parody-camp of the comic character that boosted the ratings of the program to the top ten during its first season. The show was not to be taken seriously. The acting was intentionally overdone and the situations extremely contrived. Batman came to television under a massive advertising campaign followed by heavy merchandising placement. Originally scheduled to start in the fall of 1966, the show debuted earlier in the middle of the Spring season and it aired from January 1966 to March 1968. By fall 1966, ratings were already falling. To offset this trend, in the fall season of 1967, the show was cut to once a week and Batgirl was introduced. This time she came to save the show from falling ratings and not to protect Batman and Robin against accusations of a homoerotic relationship as was the case for her creation by the comic book writers in the mid-1950s. Batgirl was the daughter of Commissioner Gordon and a librarian who fought crime on her own and was at many times paired with The Dynamic Duo. Her debut, however, was not enough to save the series. The producers tried to spice the plots with the new sexy heroine, but it did not work and Batman went off the air in mid-season in the spring of 1968. It nonetheless has maintained a huge cult status in the TV re-run circuit ever since. Batman creator, Bob Kane, noted that this series saved the Batman comic series from cancellation when the show revived the character's popularity. Despite this, most comic fans despised this series for stereotyping superheroes and comics as campy nonsense. Furthermore, soon after the show was canceled, the character's comic series took on a dark and deadly serious tone that was reminiscent of the original comics in the late 1930's as a reaction to the TV show's light touch. The props used in the show and the movie such as the computers and guns were also used in Lost In Space (CBS, 1965-68), The Time Tunnel (ABC, 1966-68), Land Of The Giants (ABC, 1968-70) and Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea (ABC, 1964-68). Broadcast History (all times Eastern)''January 12, 1966 - August 31, 1967, ABC, Wednesday/Thursday 7:30-8:00pm September 14, 1967 - March 14, 1968, ABC, Thursday 7:30-8:00pm''120 Episodes In Color On Filmmoreless
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  • To The Batcave!

    8.5
    "Great"
    We all know how campy this show is. This version of Batman is nothing like today's Batman. It's fun to watch this old Batman show. Adam West, Burt Ward, Frank Gorshin, Cesar Romero, Burgess Meredith, and every actor involved with the show put on brilliant performances. Most of the episodes are just outright bizarre or unrealistic, but this makes for great humor and entertainment. I have to admit I did not like the third season of the show because of many reasons. Here are a few things that made me not like the third season: I hate Batgirl, the villains were not much of a threat, the writing was mainly terrible, and there was way too much emphasis on comedy and cheesiness for my taste. Overall though I love the show. The first two seasons were amazing. If you have not seen this show then check it out. It's good fun.moreless

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  • Great show

    9.5
    "Superb"
    When I was a kid, me and my sisters watched Batman. It was awesome to see the cliffhangers that Batman and Robin were put in, but Batman and Robin got out of every sticky situation in the concolusion, Batman and Robin always won the second bat fight with the criminals.

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  • Perhaps the world's most cheesy TV show.

    10
    "Perfect"
    This amazingly camp show was fantastic due to one reason, it never took itself seriously. To be honest I'd rather this then any of the animated Batman series. The cast was A+ stuff. (Burgess Meredith as The Penguin, Adam West as Batman, Cesar Romero as The Joker...) Due to it's cheesy sense of humour it is a massive cult classic alongside such TV shows as Get Smart and The Twilight Zone. Despite the fact that the movie based upon it, which is also classic and is my favourite Batman film after Tim Burton's first one, had a DVD release, the TV series itself hasn't. To my mind this probably makes it one of the most wanted TV series for DVD treatment that has yet to get it. Someday we will hopefully see some DVDs being made...moreless

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  • This has to be the dumbest show ever produced outside of a mental hospital!

    0.5
    "None"
    This has to be the worst Batman series ever made! It was poorly written and badly acted, this show was goofy, and completely pointless and just plain reeked of stupidity that would make a pre-school student look like a college professor!

    The fighting scenes were cheesy and the special effects stupid and embarrassing, the storylines were uninspired and ignorant or just plain sloppy! The only good thing about this show was the two women who played Catwoman, other than that this show is stupid and a complete waste of time and as entertaining as watching grass grow on a hotday.moreless

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  • Camp it up

    9.0
    "Superb"
    Even after all this years and the high campiness of the show it still has an appeal. It was a comical and light-heart adaptation on the dark knight which followed the same 2 episode fomula of each week: heroes get trapped in a cliffhanger, they beat the villian in the rematch the following episode. the familiar villains of Joker, Riddler and Penguin were there but it was a treat to see some of the more bizzare villains like Egghead, King Tut, Book worm and the Mad Hatter. This show was meant to be light hearted but it wont be considered as big a joke as the 1997 Batman and Robin filmmoreless

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Action & Adventure, Comedy

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60s