Finally finished the entire series. - Batman (1966) Discussion

[–] jk90us (7138) 9 months ago

Me too. Watched the entire series three times over the years. Love it.

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[–] samoanjoes (56640) 9 months ago

I used to watch this as a kid in the late 80s and early 90s and I knew I didn't see every episode. I always felt like I was missing some classics but now I feel like my life is complete.

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[–] mechajutaro (2788) 9 months ago

"I'm kind of disappointed it's over especially since there was no proper ending"

Oh, but there WAS, SJ!!! Bruce Wayne retired the cape and cowl, and spent the remainder of his life serving as Mayor Of Quahog

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[–] jk90us (7138) 9 months ago

😄😄😄😄

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[–] samoanjoes (56640) 9 months ago

Get out!

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[–] DoctorThirteen (13920) 9 months ago

Someone bought me the box set a few years ago. It was good to see it again.

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[–] samoanjoes (56640) 9 months ago

I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. The comedy was more intentional than I remember.

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[–] PaladinNJ (21509) 9 months ago

Back then it was rare for a series to be given a closing. When the time came, they cancelled it. Wasn't uncommon for stars to find out in the news rather than the network.

For the record, Batman was almost revived. NBC bought the rights from CBS and was planning to continue it. However when the cancellation was announced, the studio took the sets apart. In most cases some pieces were actually just thrown out in the trash. The new bosses were unwilling to spend the money to rebuild them (heard upwards of a million dollars), so they just wrote off the loss.

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[–] samoanjoes (56640) 9 months ago

I read about that. Maybe it was for the better because it's rare for a show to be just as good after it changes networks.

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[–] hurricane (1959) 9 months ago

Sometimes it's better to end a show without a proper ending.

Shows that build to a specific ending often disappoint. Especially if the ending wasn't what you're expecting or wanting.

And a show like this doesn't really need an ending. What would they have done? Killing off Batman And Robin was out of the question. So, what else could you do? Have Batman retire and pass the baton over to Robin? Probably better to not have a specific end, and know that B&R are still out there defending the Gotham City.

Besides, the show felt like it was getting a bit stale towards the end. Getting rid of the cliffhanger endings didn't help, because they were the best bit of it. Introducing Batgirl, and having one-episode story felt like it made the story too cluttered. Especially when they had more than one villain per episode.

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[–] samoanjoes (56640) 9 months ago

I think they could have had a two-part ending where they arrest all of the main villains. The last shot is all of them in prison and comically gathered around a table playing cards talking about how they were going to get revenge on Batman.

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[–] millsey72 (10241) 9 months ago

I was hoping in the final episode where Gotham City found out that Batman was Bruce Wayne

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[–] MCguy (1135) 9 months ago

Everyone Gotham City knew Batman was Bruce Wayne. They just pretended otherwise to humor him.

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[–] samoanjoes (56640) 9 months ago

That could start a new series.

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[–] millsey72 (10241) 9 months ago

A better idea would have been for him to turn bad. Sort of like feeling ungrateful by the Gotham citizens. And make characters like Joker, Penguin, Catwoman, etc all the new good guys

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[–] samoanjoes (56640) 9 months ago

The had an opportunity to do something with Batgirl. They could have given her her own villains that would specifically seek her out.

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[–] DoctorThirteen (13920) 9 months ago

I'd definitely have been there for a Batgirl spin-off series.

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[–] samoanjoes (56640) 9 months ago

Me too. She was a great addition. And I love her theme song.

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[–] FarmerTed (186) 9 months ago

It was a formula show meaning the plot tendencies remained the same from week to week. Villains would get released from prison just weeks after their previous crime which seems unlikely. Batman and Robin would chase these villains then lose the initial battle placing their lives in jeopardy. Then in the second encounter with minimal back up these same villains would lose the fight then be hauled off to jail by Chief O'Hara. The formula was getting quite stale by the end of the second season.

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[–] millsey72 (10241) 9 months ago

I was waiting for one of the villains to remove the masks of Batman and Robin when they captured them, setting up their death traps. But no villain ever thought or cared to do it

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[–] FarmerTed (186) 9 months ago

The first Joker episode The Joker is Wild had unmasking the Dynamic Duo as the cliffhanger. Egghead had Bruce Wayne hooked up to a mind reading machine but also failed to get to the hidden identity.

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[–] millsey72 (10241) 9 months ago

So the Joker then knew he was Bruce Wayne?

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[–] hurricane (1959) 4 months ago

No.

He was interrupted before he unmasked Batman, and never found out he was Bruce Wayne.

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[–] bozo_500 (13104) 9 months ago

Isn't there some cartoon movies with West and Ward voicing ? pretty sure Shatner guest starred as Harvey Dent in one (and there's the Batman'66 comics continuing the series)

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[–] samoanjoes (56640) 9 months ago

There was a cartoon movie a few years back. I think around 2016.

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[–] skipper (315) 9 months ago

In 1977 there was a Saturday morning cartoon called The New Adventures of Batman in which Adam West and Burt Ward voiced Batman and Robin.

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[–] DoctorThirteen (13920) 9 months ago

Yes, there are two, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders (2016) and Batman vs. Two-Face (2017, released posthumously for West), with, as you say, William Shatner as Dent. Julie Newmar returned to voice Catwoman in both of them as well.

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[–] kenburke (2369) 9 months ago

It was fun.

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[–] GordonGartrelle (1267) 9 months ago

It's not my cup of tea but I do realize that it's a great show.

It is written very well.

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