Marsha Queen Of Diamonds

[High C]

I apologize in advance for the length of this post. I know there are some of you, many of you, perhaps, who will say, 'it's just a TV show, you've over-analyzing it.' You might be right.

But as a professional writer myself (a sportswriter at a suburban daily newspaper of 100,000-plus circulation, FWIW) I also know that writing has to make sense, and it shouldn't contradict itself. I have no problem with a fantasy universe--but that fantasy universe has to have an internal logic. This rewritten script does not, and I'll demonstrate why.

I watched this episode a few weeks ago and I too found the whole teaser scene jarring and at odds with the rest of the episode. Marsha is established first as a thief with a reputation for stealing diamonds (hence the police guarding things) yet this point is never referred to again in the rest of the episode which makes no sense to me. Marsha doesn't act like a thief the rest of the way (more like a swindler who uses potions to get men to give things to her) so why do this? And why does the jeweler blindly obey O'Hara not to mention the rest of the police?

Epaddon makes a terrific point here. I understand Chief O’Hara is a superior to the uniformed officers, but he is aiding and abetting someone we are told is a known criminal. Why are they taking orders from him? Let me play this out further, and I admit it’s an extreme example---what if Chief O’Hara took out his service revolver and pointed it at the jeweler and demanded the diamond? Would that also be ‘OK’ because ‘he’s our superior.’ I tend to doubt it.

Checking the Bat archives site, there is a memo from the censors about the earlier draft of the script and it reveals a lot of different things about it that indicate that once Carolyn Jones was cast, they decided to rewrite it to make her character more like Morticia. The censor memo refers to concerns about the "high intensity sound waves" of the "Thought Control Device" Marsha uses. Reference is also made to use of a chandelier in a party scene to hypnotize guests. Clearly, the teaser scene with the theft that never gets referred to again is a last vestige of the original concept before Jones got the part. We know that earlier, Zsa Zsa Gabor and also Arlene Dahl had been offered it before it went to Jones.

I’ll cut Stanford Sherman some slack because of that. It’s a different business I’m in and I’ll admit I don’t have the specific talent it takes to be a TV writer, but I do know what it’s like to have to rewrite something very quickly. It’s not easy. As wild as it sounds, I suspect this original script had fewer internal inconsistencies.

But anyway, here’s my biggest problem with part 1, and it goes back to the opening (‘teaser’) scene with the cops trying to guard the Pretzel Diamond. We’ve already established that the Gotham City police are being more pro-active than usual, yet soon afterward, Gotham City’s two top cops are being held captive by a known criminal and the rest of the police do NOTHING about it. Huh????

I could live with that if it weren’t for the opening scene, but in this rewrite, Sherman is having the cops do something when it’s convenient for the script, and then having them do nothing when it’s convenient for the script. Sorry, but that’s sloppy, inconsistent writing and it simply doesn’t work.

[Mr. Deathtrap]

Citiizens,

Based on eppadon's earlier posts, it sounds like the primary problem with this episode was the rewrite, which, once again, places blame on Script Editor Charles Hoffman. I grant the speed with which rewriting must be done is a tremendous hinderance and that the decision to rework the character to resemble the actress' best known character could kindly be said to be unwise.

Nevertheless, this sounds like it might have been a much better story as originally conceived. The last thing I want to do is be critical of Carolyn Jones for being cast. She is working, after all, and doing her best witth the script they gave her. The marraige cliffhanger is perhaps the most unique in the series and might have made even more sense if Zsa Zsa Gabor or Elizabeth Taylor had won the part. I like the Queen of Diamonds' henchmen and her Aunt Hilda, too. Hilda embodies the show's move in a comic direction, but largely works.

Still, in the end, we got what we were given and it's too bad because the original story might have been an interesting one off story.

The Queen of Diamonds' return in the Penguin story makes sense and her inclusion was, I would guess, probably based on Carolyn Jones' contract with the studio. Having reworked the character, the Queen of Diamonds fits better into her second story IMHO.

That's my two cents.

Mr. Deathtrap

PS: I dount Elizabeth Tayor is a realistic choice for the Queen of Diamonds. <shrug>

[robinboyblunderer]

Holy Bat-Qualifiers!

It's been a while since I've seen these episodes but I'll venture forth nonetheless.

I quite enjoy this story, particularly the first part through to sometime after Batman gives his encouraging speech to Robin after rescuing the Boy Wonder from Marsha's cage. I suppose I even like the craziness of the Bat-frogs or toads; what a strange twist in the story.

To respond to some of the criticisms:

Marsha, is in fact, committing crimes; she's at the very minimum, putting men unwillingly under her spell and keeping them in cages.

I understand others' dislike for the episode and their perception of problems with the story but I don't think this episode is anymore ludicrous than any of the others. The very first episode, the Riddler is hoping to draw Batman into court so he can be unmasked!

My impression, and I could be completely wrong, is that the writers were working at a fast pace contingent upon a variety of circumstances, availability of guest stars, budget, etc. Years later and with hindsight, it's easy to pick apart something that was viewed as a campy, gimmick show. That Adam, Burt and others played their parts so perfectly, to entertain both children and adults, through good scripts and mediocre ones, is impressive in its way.

Batman calling the police for help would never happen; they only exist (with slight exception, and I don't even know if there is one off-hand) to either be befuddled by the villains or formally take the criminals to jail after the final batfight or in Nora Clavicle, final bat-flute performance.

If Batman had relied on the police in That Darn Catwoman, the episode would've ended there. Batman singlehandedly defeated three henchmen, with three policemen helping that would've been it for Catwoman. While he had qualms about fighting Robin, I'm sure the policemen would've had no trouble apprehending the brainwashed Boy Wonder.

The show traffics in illogic; sure, many episodes were internally consistent within this goofy framework but I think there are other episodes that seem even more illogical. Or plain dull. Nora Clavicle comes to mind though I can appreciate the complete zaniness of the flute scene, cute little explosive mice and the weird fake city backgrounds. I guess it's really down to personal taste.

The resolution of the cliffhanger is perfect, in my opinion. Alfred's message "THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY, SIR." is great and once again demonstrates the loyalty of not only Alfred but Aunt Harriet as well. For a show with maybe .05% continuity, I enjoy the moments when Alfred and Aunt Harriet have a chance to shine. The Penguin's restaurant episode is another example.

Moving on, Adam West's delivery, his inability to say anything when being accosted for not mentioning having a wife, is another example of great comedic timing. And the tossing of the rice and the crowd's muted cheer, again, more perfection.

Who were these people? Why, just the ordinary citizens of Gotham, there to give their support to the wedding. The whole thing is so ludicrous, it should fall apart but it just works.

However, after Robin is saved, the episode seems to flounder. You'd think, with Robin's name, he would've been put in birdcages more than once on the show.

I certainly prefer this episode to the seemingly endless Penguin-Marsha team-up, with its astonishingly dull Batmobile tank chase climax.

And it's good to one again see Batman overcome a mind-control drug, the same hearty fellow who was later able to break through his chains and open the jaws of the monstrous bi-valve, instead of the idiot of largely the third season.

Anyway, it's interesting to read others' opinions and again, I understand the criticisms the rest of you have outlined here, but this two-parter largely works for me and is filled with memorable moments.

[High C]

Holy Bat-Qualifiers!

It's been a while since I've seen these episodes but I'll venture forth nonetheless.

I quite enjoy this story, particularly the first part through to sometime after Batman gives his encouraging speech to Robin after rescuing the Boy Wonder from Marsha's cage. I suppose I even like the craziness of the Bat-frogs or toads; what a strange twist in the story.

To respond to some of the criticisms:

Marsha, is in fact, committing crimes; she's at the very minimum, putting men unwillingly under her spell and keeping them in cages.

I understand others' dislike for the episode and their perception of problems with the story but I don't think this episode is anymore ludicrous than any of the others. The very first episode, the Riddler is hoping to draw Batman into court so he can be unmasked!

Yeah, we'll agree to politely disagree. I think this ep and many of the second season ones are extremely ludicrous, and more ludicrous than those of the first season, when there was more of an internal logic to the stories.

And it becomes harder to enjoy them because they are so stupid. At least for me. This ep is one of my least favorites.

[High C]

The marraige cliffhanger is perhaps the most unique in the series and might have made even more sense if Zsa Zsa Gabor or Elizabeth Taylor had won the part.
<snip>
PS: I doubt Elizabeth Tayor is a realistic choice for the Queen of Diamonds. <shrug>

Good point that the marriage cliffhanger may have been a remnant from the original draft, written specifically for Zsa Zsa, who was married to Husband No. 5 at the time.

[chrisbcritter]

I agree with you all on the script problems. Seems like a case of "when you write yourself into a corner, cut corners." I didn't want to give up on the show until the "caged toads" bit - lucky that was near the end.

And to top off everything else going on, Burt was a "wounded warrior" for much of the episodes - I would imagine he was injured during the fight scene where he ends up drugged. He's hiding his arm with the cape at that point, although the bandages still manage to be visible a few times; in other scenes (before and after the fight) you can see two very mean-looking scars on his right arm just past the glove. Wonder if he still has those scars?

[Mr. Deathtrap]

Robinboyblunderer wrote:

[T]he writers were working at a fast pace contingent upon a variety of circumstances, availability of guest stars, budget, etc. Years later and with hindsight, it's easy to pick apart something that was viewed as a campy, gimmick show. That Adam, Burt and others played their parts so perfectly, to entertain both children and adults, through good scripts and mediocre ones, is impressive in its way.

These points are very well taken and the number of levels at which this show entertains is one of the things that is brilliant about it.

I am simply suggesting that many of the changes to this story did not serve it as well as some of the original ideas may have. I am, in short, speculating. I do this because I love the show as you do.

This is not to say that all of the rewriting was terrible. It wasn't. I'm only wondering what might have been and how much better the episode could have been with some less drastic changes.

Mr. Deathtrap