Question about the S2 Catwoman episodes

[RubberLotus]

I heard from the ToTheBatpoles site that Season 2's Catwoman episodes, uniquely, tried to have some continuity with one another (but ABC airing them out of order mucked all that up). Could some of our '66 Catwoman fans confirm this? I've heard that:

One story ended with Catwoman falling to her apparent death; the story after that had Batman receive a call from Gordon and act genuinely surprised, saying something to the effect of "Catwoman? She's alive?"

Another story ended with Batman promising to put in a good word for Catwoman (because she helped him defeat the other villain, or something). The Catwoman story after that had Catwoman on parole and trying to be a model citizen.

Are any of these true?

[Pengy]

I think it's the 1966 movie that threw that off. The first season 2 Catwoman episode has Gordon tell Batman "We have every reason to believe Catwoman is alive". After the movie that line doesn't make sense. Why wouldn't Catwoman be alive after she was just captured in the movie. If you ignore the movie and look at that as a follow up to the season 1 episode then it makes sense.

Also when Batman saves Catwoman's life in the first S2 episode, it's referenced later by Catwoman in another season 2 episode, she says something like "Batman did save my life once. I owe him that".

I like when they had some kind of continuity in the show. Like Penguin recognizing Alfred in season 2, after he had abducted and brain washed him in season 1.

But then that S2 Catwoman episode where she had Robin under her control, at the end she fell to her apparent death. Batman even sheds a tear for her. Then her next S2 episode, the college one, she's locked up in the Pen at the beginning of it and not a word about how she survived that fall.

[BATWINGED HORNET]

OP: there was direct continuity between Catwoman's season 1 episodes (with her suggested death), and Gordon's "alive" statement in her season 2 return. Continuity was a bit solid at that time.

I think it's the 1966 movie that threw that off. The first season 2 Catwoman episode has Gordon tell Batman "We have every reason to believe Catwoman is alive". After the movie that line doesn't make sense. Why wouldn't Catwoman be alive after she was just captured in the movie. If you ignore the movie and look at that as a follow up to the season 1 episode then it makes sense.

The easy fix is to place the movie sometime after CW's season two debut. After that, her appearances--and stints in jail are no different to continuity than any other villain.

But then that S2 Catwoman episode where she had Robin under her control, at the end she fell to her apparent death. Batman even sheds a tear for her. Then her next S2 episode, the college one, she's locked up in the Pen at the beginning of it and not a word about how she survived that fall.

Well in defense of that, she was already in jail, so her surviving the fall was just a matter of fact. There would be no need to spend any screen time on something so apparent.

[robinboyblunderer]

Continuity wise, is there some interaction with her and Bruce or Batman after the College episodes? Or is it just a wrap up in Wayne Manor or Commissioner Gordon's office? Is there any sense of closure there?

If not, then puuurrrhaps Scat Darn Catwoman should've been the end, since for a little while, even though he was acting, Catwoman had the feeling of what it would be like if Batman were on her side and in love with her and since she plummets to her death, a nice bookend to her first appearance on the show.

[BATWINGED HORNET]

If not, then puuurrrhaps Scat Darn Catwoman should've been the end, since for a little while, even though he was acting, Catwoman had the feeling of what it would be like if Batman were on her side and in love with her and since she plummets to her death, a nice bookend to her first appearance on the show.

...except she would go on to live & appear in season 3. She's the same character, so there's no bookend.

[robinboyblunderer]

I'm talking continuity for the character as portrayed by Julie Newmar.

[robinboyblunderer]

If she plummets to her death in Darn Catwoman, then maybe Eartha is a rebirth of the character; it would fit the surreality of invisibility, instant Bat costumes from tiny pills, human surfboards, and Bat-recorders that lure toy explosive mice...!

[Pengy]

The easy fix is to place the movie sometime after CW's season two debut. After that, her appearances--and stints in jail are no different to continuity than any other villain.

That's the point you shouldn't have to do that. You didn't need to for Penguin, Joker, and Riddler. Shouldn't have to pretend the movie came after season 2 when it actually didn't for Catwoman's episode to make sense.

Well in defense of that, she was already in jail, so her surviving the fall was just a matter of fact. There would be no need to spend any screen time on something so apparent.

How is that a defense? She fell, was assumed dead, Batman even takes a moment to mourn her, then in her next episode she is just alive and in jail with no word of explanation.

When a character believed to be dead and turns up alive, it's just good writing to give the viewer some reference or explanation to that.

[robinboyblunderer]

It doesn't seem like it was a concern at all for them. The only continuity, aside from Catwoman, would be the mention of Barbara Gordon in that King Tut episode in late season 2, the mention of the sphinx and the connected plot in the Spell of Tut and Dick getting his license so he could drive the Batmobile in Londinium.

Stanley Ralph Ross wrote the majority of Catwoman eps, which would seem why there's some continuity and progression.

For the most part, I'm fine without the continuity with this show; it's just a fun forty some minutes; I'm sure if it were made now there would be more continuity, character development, subplots and so on.

cheers

[Pengy]

It doesn't seem like it was a concern at all for them. The only continuity, aside from Catwoman, would be the mention of Barbara Gordon in that King Tut episode in late season 2, the mention of the sphinx and the connected plot in the Spell of Tut and Dick getting his license so he could drive the Batmobile in Londinium.

You're right, continuity never was a big part of this show, but there was some continuity to some of it. A bit more than what you listed there. Penguin recognizing Alfred in season 2, because he knew from season 1 when he abducted and brain washed him. Penguin trying to kill Barbara Gordon out of revenge in the horse race episode because of the failed trying to marry her plot in the beginning of season 3. Wasn't the Bat diamond seen in the Batcave in the S2 Shame episode which was right after the Marsha episode where it debuted? I also remember a trophy shelf of villain props from previous episodes in that John Astin Riddler episode - stuff like Penguin's megaphone from the Penguin/Marsha three parter, and the golden cat statue Catwoman stole in her S1 episode.

One I really liked is Aunt Harriet making the observation of how Bruce and Dick often go running out of the room, nearly knocking her down.

[RubberLotus]

It doesn't seem like it was a concern at all for them. The only continuity, aside from Catwoman, would be the mention of Barbara Gordon in that King Tut episode in late season 2, the mention of the sphinx and the connected plot in the Spell of Tut and Dick getting his license so he could drive the Batmobile in Londinium.

You're right, continuity never was a big part of this show, but there was some continuity to some of it. A bit more than what you listed there. Penguin recognizing Alfred in season 2, because he knew from season 1 when he abducted and brain washed him. Penguin trying to kill Barbara Gordon out of revenge in the horse race episode because of the failed trying to marry her plot in the beginning of season 3. Wasn't the Bat diamond seen in the Batcave in the S2 Shame episode which was right after the Marsha episode where it debuted? I also remember a trophy shelf of villain props from previous episodes in that John Astin Riddler episode - stuff like Penguin's megaphone from the Penguin/Marsha three parter, and the golden cat statue Catwoman stole in her S1 episode.

One I really liked is Aunt Harriet making the observation of how Bruce and Dick often go running out of the room, nearly knocking her down.

Wait, Batman's trophy room was featured on the '60s show?

I know the budget would've never allowed for the iconic dinosaur or giant penny, but that's still cool to know.

[robinboyblunderer]

----Good point about Penguin recognizing Alfred, I think it's in the Bird's Last Jest he even refers to how Alfred keeps getting mixed up in his affairs.

I didn't realize those items are in the Batcave, that's nice.

----I'm guessing not as trophy display per se, but just items from earlier episodes stored in the cave for attentive viewers to notice.

[epaddon]

The second Tut episode references events from the first one as well.

[robinboyblunderer]

I guess I could've worded it more precisely but that's what I was getting at with my mention of Tut and sphinx. That reference really stood out since it was so unusual.

[BATWINGED HORNET]

The easy fix is to place the movie sometime after CW's season two debut. After that, her appearances--and stints in jail are no different to continuity than any other villain.

That's the point you shouldn't have to do that. You didn't need to for Penguin, Joker, and Riddler. Shouldn't have to pretend the movie came after season 2 when it actually didn't for Catwoman's episode to make sense.

I did not say after season 2, but after the 1st CW episode of season two, which is close to the range of the production time frame.

How is that a defense? She fell, was assumed dead, Batman even takes a moment to mourn her, then in her next episode she is just alive and in jail with no word of explanation.

At the end of the episode, Batman counters Robin's statement with "at least one of her lives"--meaning he was not 100% sure she was dead, otherwise he would express any hope at all. If she could survive a fall into an alleged bottomless pit inside of a cave, falling into the ocean does not seem like the inescapable vehicle for death.

Batman's expressed hope eliminated the need to even explore the incident in CW's next appearance. honestly, how many questioned her return after the fall?