TO THE BATPOLES #198: Women in Season 2, pt 3: You’ve Come a Long Way, Bat-Moll

General goings on in the 1966 Batman World

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TO THE BATPOLES #198: Women in Season 2, pt 3: You’ve Come a Long Way, Bat-Moll

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As the show hit its first anniversary and the second season neared its end, we see Batman’s characterization of women subtly changing, particularly Lee Meriwether’s strong Lisa Carson character, and some examples of actual (gasp) interaction between women! Why did the “poor, deluded girls” fade away? Was it changing social mores, or just the show trying not to repeat itself? Nancy Northcott joins us once again to discuss women on the show, this time in the final third of Season Two, which includes the preface to the introduction of the most prominent woman of Season Three — Batgirl!

PLUS, Colie Brice’s version of the Batman theme, a bat-interview from the movie premiere in Austin, TX, and your mail on episode 195’s discussion of the script for A Piece of the Action!


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Re: TO THE BATPOLES #198: Women in Season 2, pt 3: You’ve Come a Long Way, Bat-Moll

Post by BATWINGED HORNET »

Nancy and the Guys: another interesting analysis of the portrayal of women on the '66 series.

Nancy wondered how Meriwether ended up in the King Tut arc, considering her status as a former Miss America, etc., while Paul mentioned she had been in the Batman movie. She was likely a contract player at Fox, since she was one of the stars of Irwin Allen’s The Time Tunnel, which premiered in the fall of ’66 (with the pilot shot earlier that year).

About Lloyd Haynes: Yes, he would go on to star on Room 222, but in 1965, he was in Star Trek’s second pilot (“Where No Man Has Gone Before”) as Lt. Alden. It has been said that the Lt. Alden character was supposed to be a regular cast member, but in becoming a regular series, Star Trek was modified again—including some of the cast—so he did not make the cut, but Nichelle Nichols became the prominent black Enterprise bridge character in his place.

About Grace Lee Whitney: rarely did she glance longingly at Kirk; a romance was intended, but it did not develop. That, and her personal problems (alcoholism) played a significant role in her being fired from Star Trek, and had a negative impact on her post-1960s career. She did record singles (such as Star Trekkin'--pictured below)...

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...and and attend numerous Trek and general sci-fi conventions in the 70s (that's where I met her back in the mid 70s).

Nancy was disappointed Black Widow did not have a female protégé, but it must be remembered that the cultural idea of a Black Widow spider is one of a deadly female who dominates (i.e., captures and consumes) the male of the species with no other female presence accepted. Batman’s Black Widow obviously did not eat her henchmen, but she controlled them, probably in a manner that was more master-to-servile stooge than any other main villain-to-henchman relationship in the series.

Regarding the “poor, deluded girl” trope disappearing in season two: I’m guessing as the series moved away from the action/adventure tone of season one, replacing it with adventure/satire in season two, the “poor, deluded girl” trope (with THAT wonderful Nelson Riddle cue so often used in season 1) could work if Greenway’s intent was to write female villains as being more sassy and insulting, as seen with Catowoman’s associates Eenie and Pussycat, or other molls such as Anna-Gram (The Riddler) or Neila (King Tut).

One, off-topic note about the “Ice Spy” / “The Duo Defy” arc: Elisha Cook, jr. He must hold the record for being cast in the most non-series vampire TV and movies, appearing in:

The Night Stalker 1972)

Blacula (1972)

Dead of Night (the segment “No Such Thing as a Vampire” - 1977)

Salem’s Lot (1979)

Something tells me Cook probably loved the vampire subject and agreed to those projects, and his (or his agent’s) sense of a strong production did not fail him, as most—with the exception of “No Such Thing as a Vampire” were among the best/most memorable horror films of the 1970s.
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