In December 1966, the “Penguin’s Nest” arc was finally broadcast. But it was the first season two arc to be shot; why the delay? We also discuss the 1946 comic book version of this story; Lorenzo Semple’s gift for making humor from situations, rather than the goofy jokes added by some other Bat-writers; the majesty of Burgess Meredith as the Penguin; and a swaggering Batman who gets taken down a peg. This arc marks the show’s being bestowed a high honor in sixties TV: The Vito Scotti seal of approval!
Also, the Who’s version of the Batman theme, and updates on our collection of Bat-theme covers and… hey, look, it’s Jay Thompson’s first-draft script that eventually became “The Impractical Joker”!
One of my fav episodes. The humor was particularly good in this one. The Bat trap was very unique. Penguin's courtroom speech is a gem. Chickadee is the most badass moll ever - how many molls threatened to blow out Aunt Harriet's brains? The writing was sharp - Penguin recognizing Alfred straight away. Vito Scotti and Lane Bradford were great henchmen and brought real personality to Penguin's gang.
The second episode was the one that the writer for the Penguin-Marsha episodes forgot/chose to ignore. That's because Aunt Harriet is horrified by the home invasion of Wayne Manor, yet needs Batman's help in those later episodes to point out Penguin.
Our hosts once again devote a few minutes to discussion of music. Last week, in the Shame ep, we heard a sample of a Hawaiian sounding STAR TREK theme and this time, as they play the music accenting the Batmobile arriving for the first episode's climactic scene, Riddle's music seems, in part, to reflect the Green Hornet theme--"Flight of the Bumblebee".
We are also invited to comment on the original script for the ep that became "The Impractical Joker / The Joker's Provokers", which was a mess of a story as broadcast. I'll find the link when I have more time.
Good show guys. Thank you again.
Mr. Deathtrap
Tune in for their exciting conclusion. Same Bat-Time! Same Bat - Channel!
The podcast wondered about Vito Scotti, one of Penguin's henchmen, and what role he had in The Godfather. He played the father who asks Don Corleone to help keep his daughter's boyfriend, Enzo, in the country.
Dr. Shimel wrote:The second episode was the one that the writer for the Penguin-Marsha episodes forgot/chose to ignore. That's because Aunt Harriet is horrified by the home invasion of Wayne Manor, yet needs Batman's help in those later episodes to point out Penguin.
The show's continuity is frustrating -- it's there sometimes and not others. But I suppose that's sixties TV for you!
"I'm half-demented with whimsical outrage!"
-- The Joker, in a line cut from "The Joker's Epitaph"
