The Bat Thread

[Rob McCow]

Batman!

Amongst many, many, too many other things, we're watching a few episodes of the old 1960's Batman TV show. We've had three of the major villains so far, all of whom have turned the dial up to 11. Last night we watched "The Joker is Wild / Batman is Riled" which opened at the Gotham State Penitentirary where the Joker (Caesar Romero) was laughing his a*se off being the thrower at a prison baseball game.

It's possibly the least subtle performance ever committed to screen. There's no faffing about with grittiness, reality or shades of grey. He is the Clown Prince of Crime! The Hateful Harlequin! Etc! Other performers have played the Joker, but you can't top what he does because he is so very far over the top.

The show is utterly hilarious and merciless in it's lampooning of comic book heroes. That makes it just as relevant today, with new versions of Batman popping up all over the place like the Riddler's conundrums. I would love it if the Adam West Batman had taken on a similar version of Superman...

[duncan]

I loved this show as a child growing up in the 70's. I'm a suck for a cliffhanger.

I took it all seriously though back then and only as I got older, I realised it's comedy value.

[Rob McCow]

When I was 5 or 6, the fights were the best bits. I find them a bit dull now, even with ZWONK and BAFF!

Watching it as a child, it never occurred to me that anything funny was happening either.

[SiHart]

It's so much fun. I think nearly every superhero show/ film has been a reaction against this approach ever since!

[Antony Cox]

I first watched this back in the 70s and thought it was fun.

I then watched it again in the 80s (there was a strike at TV am for quite a while and they showed Batman instead to fill the gap) and only realised at this point how much of a send-up it was!

It's utterly brilliant in it's campness and larger-than-life realisation!

[Stuart Wallis]

I would love it if the Adam West Batman had taken on a similar version of Superman...

Please consider this post part of the next one - technichap problems...

[Stuart Wallis]

It's so much fun. I think nearly every superhero show/ film has been a reaction against this approach ever since!

The number of people who must have grown up with the idea that Adam West was their perfect Batman, and Christopher Reeve their perfect Superman, simply because they were nice and polite and everything heroes should be.

[Dino]

I just love how destroyed Batman was when his hood got sprayed pink!
Not sure if that's a spoiler and you haven't got to that episode yet. But "Hmm, should we soak the inside of it with concentrated acid? No. Too vulgar! Should we put superglue on the inside? No, too messy! AHA! Let's paint it pink! He'll never be able to show his face in public ever again!"
I think David Cameron is really missing a trick by not adding pink paint to the weaponry used against ISIS!

[Stuart Wallis]

You should be advising Jeremy Corbyn - let's fill Trident warheads with pink paint! Trident Pink - the safe but embarrassing alternative!

That'll work...