The ME-TV BATMAN Episode Discussion Thread

[Bob]

It may have been the worst episode, but there were still parts I liked...just not very many

[clavierankh]

Jule looked great as sleeping beauty in the night gown. I thought she played the interview well,just slightly over the top.

She always played Catwoman tat way too. Very menacing, but she never forot the comedic element of the show.

[AndyFish]

This Week: August 3, 2013 7pm
Eps 69- THE CONTAMINATED COWL Original Airdate Jan 4, 1967
Eps 70- THE MAD HATTER RUNS AFOUL Original Airdate Jan 4, 1967

Directed by Oscar Rudolph
Written by Charles Hoffman

TRIVIA: Based on "The Mad Hatter of Gotham City" from Detective Comics 230 (1956). The last appearance of The Mad Hatter on the series, played by David Wayne.

The Mad Hatter has escaped from prison, and is on a quest to add Batman's cowl to his collection of hats. He attends Gotham City's annual headdress ball disguised as the Three-tailed Pasha Of Panchagorum, and snatches a large ruby off of columnist Hattie Hatfield's headdress. The villain makes a getaway, but not before turning Batman's cowl pink with a radioactive spray. He trails Batman to the Atomic Energy Laboratory, knowing he will have a chance to snatch his cowl when it is removed for decontamination.

[redbird]

Didn't really care for this episode...what's the purpose of the fur coat by Sandman? Also, the repeated use of the same giant pot where Sandman was tossed into with noodles, same pot used in the Marsha episode that Aunt Hilda stirred her brew, the Penquin used it with for cliff hanger episode when running for mayor, and King Tut was going to toss Robin into the burning oil before the Batcycle with batram broke into the scene. Must have been a money crunch for props!

[BATWINGED HORNET]

Didn't really care for this episode...what's the purpose of the fur coat by Sandman? Also, the repeated use of the same giant pot where Sandman was tossed into with noodles, same pot used in the Marsha episode that Aunt Hilda stirred her brew, the Penquin used it with for cliff hanger episode when running for mayor, and King Tut was going to toss Robin into the burning oil before the Batcycle with batram broke into the scene. Must have been a money crunch for props!

That appeared to a problem on many Fox shows of the period; from the cauldron you mention to Brit Reid's home used a couple times on Batman, part of the Batcave used on The Green Hornet, to Irwin Allen's series using the same computer consoles, hand props and costumes endlessly on all 4 of his sci-fi series, Fox productions loved to recycle.

Why Allen, Dozier, et al, did not think anyone would notice--especially since many of the series were on air in the same period--is a mystery.

[Gleeps, it's Batman]

I love the idea of a thread for discussing the episodes! I'm seeing them for the first time in 35 years on ME-TV, so it's like they're new to me again. Plus there was no internet back in the 70s, so I had no access to things like IMDB to tell me about uncredited guest stars, etc. I personally love the trivia put into any discussions, whether it be how Derwin Alley was named, to where a certain episode title came from (as mentioned with The Sandman Cometh being based on The Iceman Cometh.) For me, the more trivia, the better!

My only thing to add to the thread at this time would be to mention James Brolin playing the cop who wants to write up tickets for all of Batman's infractions. LOL

Oh, thought of one more thing I'd be interested in ... if anyone knows which scenes have been cut from the episodes. At the moment, I only know of two I've come across, but they aren't from the episodes currently being discussed, so I won't mention them here.

Thanks for starting this thread

[clavierankh]

I liked the Mad Hatter episode. It bothered me (according to Eisner's book) that David Wayne thought it was beneath him and didn't want to come back. If great actors like Burgess Meredith, Cesar Romero, Vincent Price, and Cliff Robertson enjoyed doing the show I don't know Wayne would feel it was beneath him.

[High C]

I liked this episode somewhat, but I thought it was a mixed bag.

Pros

Another good performance by David Wayne as Mad Hatter
Stealing Batman's cowl is quite ambitious
The water tower Bat-fight is of season 1 quality
I love Robin's line when henchmoll Polly (the gorgeous Jean Hale) claims not to recognize Batman. 'Holy hoodwink, or holy naivete, take your choice!'

Cons

Stealing Hattie Hatfield's ruby, despite her silly name, doesn't really fit in with Mad Hatter's modus operandi
Nor does the lack of use of his Super-Instant Mesmerizer
Batman shouldn't be wearing a radioactive cowl!!

[AndyFish]

David Wayne's Mad Hatter is one of my favorite villains, I love the Pink Cowl Look and I remember being really strangely disturbed by the cowl less dummy in the witness box. I overlook its flaws and give this pair of episodes a thumbs up.

[Gleeps, it's Batman]

Aha. I'm seeing the show again for the first time in over 35 years, and seeing this episode finally answers the question for me as to where a couple of the clips used in a video to Wally's 'Adam West' song came from; the water tower stuff and the crowds below.

I liked the different shot of them driving the Batmobile to Gotham City. It was good to see a different shot for a change. Maybe it's used in other episodes too that I haven't gotten to see yet.

Laughed at Batman's lines during the wall climb: "People who stay in glass hotels shouldn't throw parties" and "We're not social climbers."

[bat lugosi]

I enjoyed these Mad Hatter episodes and I would have liked it if Mad Hatter had of showed up more often as I got a kick out of David Wayne playing the part, he cracks me up.

A few highlights are the realistic fight on the Water tower, the moll Polly (love the costume), and a scene in Wayne Manor with Bruce and Dick assuring Aunt Harriet that Batman and Robin are alive

A good episode, not great...not excellent but a good moment for season 2 IMO

[svl]

A couple of my fave episodes, just watched them a couple weeks back on DVD. David Wayne was fantastic, shame we lost him so long ago.

And of course Batman can wear a radioactive cowl- he took his anti-radiation pills!

[Mr. Deathtrap]

Hey Clavierankh,

I wanted to respond to your recollection of Eisner reporting David Wayne's misgivings about playing Mad Hatter. You're right, he, according to Eisner, had to be persuaded to appear a second time. He also reportedly received fan mail and was fondly remembered for the role.

The fan response is natural because his performances were fantastic. In addition to the actor's performance, the material writer Charles Hoffman gave him to work with was pretty good and, for me, praising Hoffman is important because I've been critical of his script editing frequently.

"The Contaminated Cowl" is a very enjoyable story. It's lighter than "The Thirteenth Hat" but features an excellent concluding fight and the iconic image of the pink cowl.

High C's point about wearing it being nonsensical is right, at least in the Batcave. Outside the cave Batman would still perhaps need to wear it to preserve his secret identity. On the other hand, a guy who carries shark repellent Batspray to the Gobi Desert just in case would likely have prepared for this contingency somehow.

Mr. Deathtrap

[chrisbcritter]

On the topic of ME-TV, has anyone else noticed how much more the episodes have been sped up lately? It was annoying enough before when you could hear the music speeding up and slowing down over and over, but now even some of the dialogue is even getting difficult to understand. I REALLY wish there was a channel like TCM for old TV shows...

[Gleeps, it's Batman]

Wow, I had no idea that they were speeding up the episodes since it's been decades since I've seen the show originally. However, I did notice them speeding up the theme song of Hawaii Five-O, so I can believe that they're doing it with Batman also. This might explain why I've seen scenes of Batman on ME-TV that seem to be missing from the various uploads on youtube that were taken from cable.

I was considering starting a thread about missing scenes since I always wonder what's been cut from the episodes as I'm watching them.