A possible fourth season of Batman.

[Gleeps, it's Batman]

- make Batgirl a recurring guest star if she's to stick around. If you want her to stay, fine. She can show up every once in a while during a big event arc. Sticking her in every episode regardless of context or purpose didn't work in Season Three, and I wouldn't want to repeat past mistakes.

I remember reading somewhere that the idea for a 4th season (on NBC) might have been for it to just be Batman and Batgirl, with Robin maybe going off to college, I assume. I don't even know where to begin to look on the internet for where I read that, though.

[elmrgraham]

Excellent points Mr. Comic Book.Progress Pigment,as for me writing a 1966 Batman TV Fan-Fic, I did that twice on this site.The Batman Villainess was The Sea Hag from the 1966 Batman Topps Cards Series.It was not very well received.However,if you or another Bat-Fan would like to write a 1966 Batman TV Fan-Fic with The Thorn as the Guest Villainess,that would be ok by me.I like these suggestions.Any more Guest Villains/Villainesses suggestions if ABC or NBC added a possible fourth season of Batman?

[Gleeps, it's Batman]

If there's a '66 fan-fiction site (is there?) you should write it up.

Elmrgraham's post reminded me that you asked this. I wondered the same thing about a '66 fan-fiction site when I first found this message board. The fics seem to only be scattered throughout the posts. I don't know of them being collected in any one place.

[elmrgraham]

I do not believe that they are in any one place.However,like I said before,if you or any other Bat-Fan would like to write a 1966 Batman TV Fan-Fic on this post or any other posts with The Thorn as the Guest Villainess,perhaps a two parter with a Bat-Trap cliffhanger,that would be fine by me.

[Progress Pigment]

If there's a '66 fan-fiction site (is there?) you should write it up.

Elmrgraham's post reminded me that you asked this. I wondered the same thing about a '66 fan-fiction site when I first found this message board. The fics seem to only be scattered throughout the posts. I don't know of them being collected in any one place.

Twof was doing the Batgirl Bat-Trap site which did some fan fiction, but I believe it is out of operation. It'd be great if someone created one, with the '66 comics & TV show release it seems insane that no one has done it. Another nice choice for THORN would be Anne Francis who played Honey West. More mature and physical, she would have made a great crime boss. And TV fans would have remembered her as Honey West in 1969.

http://tvoftheabsurd.com/wp-content/upl ... 20x315.jpg

[High C]

I think for a fourth season of the show, priority one would have to be undoing the derailment the show suffered in Season Three. It went so far into the trash bin that before I could even think of adding new villains and gadgets, I'd want to get the show back up on its feet proper:

- go back to two or three-part episodes, cliffhangers included

- make Batman the star again. He and Robin both got backseated to make way for Batgirl, and it just didn't work. The star of your series should be the guy whose name is in the title.

I agree on both counts. Batman seemed like a guest star on his own show at times, and the single eps had no time to breathe, so to speak, and seemed rushed.

- restore the Batman/Catwoman romance. I know Julie Newmar had other things going during Season Three, but come on. Batman and Catwoman's awkward love story is one of the biggest components of the mythos, it was a highlight of the previous seasons,and it was sorely missed in the third season. Even if Newmar couldn't be brought back, that's no reason to cast Bruce and Selina's romance aside. Another actress could have carried on in her stead.

Disagree for two reasons, 1. the fact that Selina never appeared in the show. Newmar was Catwoman 24/7/365 with no alter ego, so the duality of Bruce/Bats and Selina/CW already wasn't there. Plus, the way it was written, it came off more as a junior-high crush than a true 'romance.' I much preferred the evil Catwoman of season 1 to the declawed version of S2.

[Lord Death Man]

I would like to see more undercover work from Buzzy and Duke. And the Gorilla Boss of Gotham City. Perhaps Despero and Starro The Conquerer. Certainly the dastardly Ally Babble!!! If Robin goes to college, maybe Jimmy The Boy Wonder from Batman #50 can replace him.

[Mr. Comic Book]

Disagree for two reasons, 1. the fact that Selina never appeared in the show. Newmar was Catwoman 24/7/365 with no alter ego, so the duality of Bruce/Bats and Selina/CW already wasn't there. Plus, the way it was written, it came off more as a junior-high crush than a true 'romance.' I much preferred the evil Catwoman of season 1 to the declawed version of S2.

"Declawed," no. Truer to the source material, yes. Again, the Batman/Catwoman romance is a core piece of the mythology, and has been since the Golden Age (her first appearance in Batman VOL.1 #1 sets up the dynamic to come). And again, it humanizes both characters and makes them more than just stock archetypes. A Catwoman who's just 100% evil isn't really Catwoman; you could swap in any generic female villain and get the same result. The fact that there is that romantic push and pull between them is what makes Catwoman such a meaningful character in the mythos. She's not just a stock villain. She's much more than that.

Also, "Selina never appeared on the show"...so who was the character played by Newmar, Meriwether,and Kitt? Selina Kyle is Catwoman's given name. Just because it was never explicitly stated on-camera doesn't mean that not who she is, or that it's not a matter of public record in that universe. That's like saying Dick Grayson wasn't an orphaned acrobat because it was never explicitly stated, or like saying the Riddler and the Penguin's names aren't Edward Nigma and Oswald Cobblepot. There's no reason why the comic book source material shouldn't apply to a show based on it.

[High C]

Disagree for two reasons, 1. the fact that Selina never appeared in the show. Newmar was Catwoman 24/7/365 with no alter ego, so the duality of Bruce/Bats and Selina/CW already wasn't there. Plus, the way it was written, it came off more as a junior-high crush than a true 'romance.' I much preferred the evil Catwoman of season 1 to the declawed version of S2.

"Declawed," no. Truer to the source material, yes. Again, the Batman/Catwoman romance is a core piece of the mythology, and has been since the Golden Age (her first appearance in Batman VOL.1 #1 sets up the dynamic to come). And again, it humanizes both characters and makes them more than just stock archetypes. A Catwoman who's just 100% evil isn't really Catwoman; you could swap in any generic female villain and get the same result. The fact that there is that romantic push and pull between them is what makes Catwoman such a meaningful character in the mythos. She's not just a stock villain. She's much more than that.

Also, "Selina never appeared on the show"...so who was the character played by Newmar, Meriwether,and Kitt? Selina Kyle is Catwoman's given name. Just because it was never explicitly stated on-camera doesn't mean that not who she is, or that it's not a matter of public record in that universe. That's like saying Dick Grayson wasn't an orphaned acrobat because it was never explicitly stated, or like saying the Riddler and the Penguin's names aren't Edward Nigma and Oswald Cobblepot. There's no reason why the comic book source material shouldn't apply to a show based on it.

You could have mentioned I agreed with you on 2 major points, fwiw.

And if you are going to reference comics, well, Selina Kyle actually dressed in normal clothes sometimes in the comics, unless I'm mistaken. Newmar only dressed 'normally' if she was doing some exaggerated undercover thing--dance instructor, sleeping beauty, etc.

I repeat--Julie Newmar never played Selina Kyle. The show chose not to use most of the comic villains' alter egos. I'm not going to argue this, because it is a FACT--Selina Kyle NEVER appeared on the show.

And sorry, we'll agree to disagree, but a silly puppy-love/schoolgirl crush isn't my idea of a mature, adult romance. I agree the comic dynamic was great, but it wasn't matched by the show because the showrunners didn't really use the comics for inspiration very much after season 1.

[Progress Pigment]

Disagree for two reasons, 1. the fact that Selina never appeared in the show. Newmar was Catwoman 24/7/365 with no alter ego, so the duality of Bruce/Bats and Selina/CW already wasn't there. Plus, the way it was written, it came off more as a junior-high crush than a true 'romance.' I much preferred the evil Catwoman of season 1 to the declawed version of S2.

"Declawed," no. Truer to the source material, yes. Again, the Batman/Catwoman romance is a core piece of the mythology, and has been since the Golden Age (her first appearance in Batman VOL.1 #1 sets up the dynamic to come). And again, it humanizes both characters and makes them more than just stock archetypes. A Catwoman who's just 100% evil isn't really Catwoman; you could swap in any generic female villain and get the same result. The fact that there is that romantic push and pull between them is what makes Catwoman such a meaningful character in the mythos. She's not just a stock villain. She's much more than that.

VERY well said! There was a attract/repel dynamic between them from the beginning, and as you said the mythology (mythos) is often larger than the episodes or comics themselves. Catwoman is to a big extent Batman's 'Lois Lane'. But with a Sampson & Delilah dynamic. There were other females over Batman's career, but they were the two that really clicked. People tend to remember the Batman/Catwoman romance better than it was ever filmed on TV. A lot was implied, but how much did we really see? Not a lot. It comes down to, the Joker, Penguin & the Riddler never killed Batman because they needed him (especially the Riddler) and Catwoman couldn't kill him because she loved him.

And I think, if we ever got a peek at "Selina Kyle" during 'Batman', it was in the movie. Her Catwoman seemed to lift the mask occasionally.

[epaddon]

High C is correct. There was no "Selina Kyle" in the TV series except in the subjective minds of those who want to assume CW was Selina. In the absence of a script reference or an actual scene establishing that, then the TV series didn't do it. Citing the comics background isn't valid for that since Newmar's CW was not like the Selina Kyle CW of the comics from the 40s and early 50s and needs to be interpreted for purposes of the series on a separate level.

[elmrgraham]

All are excellent suggestions Bat-Fans.Keep them coming.I agree that Anne Francis would have also been an excellent choice to play The Thorn.

[clavierankh]

The problem I have with The Thorn is that Batman 66 traditionally ( except for deathtraps for the caped crusaders), use non lethalnon invasive, weapons. Smoke, gas, super instant mesmerizers etc. Even Mr. Freeze apparently never killed anyone with his Freeze Gun. Thorn's methods sound a little brutal.

[High C]

The problem I have with The Thorn is that Batman 66 traditionally ( except for deathtraps for the caped crusaders), use non lethalnon invasive, weapons. Smoke, gas, super instant mesmerizers etc. Even Mr. Freeze apparently never killed anyone with his Freeze Gun. Thorn's methods sound a little brutal.

Excellent point. And in reality, that costume would have been a tough one for Jan Kemp to have made.

[elmrgraham]

I think that the costume for The Thorn would have been excellent.The 1966 Batman Villains/Villainesses mostly wanted to eliminate the Dynamic Duo/Terrific Trio.(With the exception of The Catwoman toward Batman though she did want to eliminate Robin.)The methods of The Thorn would have been to eliminate The Dynamic Duo/Terrific Trio along the lines of the 1966 Batman TV Series.Of course,The Dynamic Duo/Terrific Trio would have escaped and gone on to capture and bring The Thorn to justice.Any more actresses who could have played her?