What is your favorite episode?

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vintagematt
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What is your favorite episode?

Post by vintagematt »

Now I have been reading through some old posts on the board lately and have not been seeing many members stating favorite episodes, so I thought I would start a topic here, so we can share our favorite episodes and debate or agree with other members! Personally my favorite has to be "fine feathered finks!" Maybe for nostalgia as it was the first batman episode I saw back when I was about four or five! :D
"Batman told him a super funny joke. When the creature didn't laugh, that was proof!"
elmrgraham
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Re: What is your favorite episode?

Post by elmrgraham »

Episodes with The Catwoman and The Siren.
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Keith Mayo
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Re: What is your favorite episode?

Post by Keith Mayo »

What he said.
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AndyFish
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Re: What is your favorite episode?

Post by AndyFish »

If I had to pick one it would be PURRFECT CRIME/BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME but if I could add to it (and I mean the pair of episodes)

JOKER IS WILD
First KING TUT
TRUE OR FALSE FACE
ZELDA
First MR FREEZE
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gothosmansion
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Re: What is your favorite episode?

Post by gothosmansion »

Purr-Fect Crime / Better Luck Next Time

I agree with a lot of Andy's choices, although, strangely enough, my favorite Tut episode is his final one from the third season

Penguin- Penguin Goes Straight/Not Yet, He Ain't

Joker- Joker Trumps an Ace /Batman Sets the Pace

Riddler- Hi Diddle Riddle / Smack in the Middle

Favorite episode not featuring the big 4 - True or False Face / Holy Rat Race

A few honorable mentions. I first became a Batman fan watching reruns of the show when I was four or five. That led to my lifelong love of comics. However, after that station quit rerunning the show, no other station in my area reran the series until I was 11....and they aired it at noon when I was in school, so I didn't get to see it until Thanksgiving holidays. The first Egghead episodes aired over that Thanksgiving, so I always have a soft spot for those two. I still remember what episodes aired over Christmas break, too...The Puzzler episodes through Scat Darn Catwoman. I was so thrilled to see the show again that I'll always look back fondly on those episodes.
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vintagematt
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Re: What is your favorite episode?

Post by vintagematt »

wow I'm surprised at how similar each of your favorites are, some more of mine are purrfect crime, jokers last laugh, death in slow motion (as I have always loved silent films) and Zelda the great. I guess jokers last laugh is on her for nostalgia, as that was the only joker arc recorded on my DVR!
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BatMite
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Re: What is your favorite episode?

Post by BatMite »

Not only is Purr-Fect Crime / Better Luck Next Time my favorite episode(s) but in my opinion it is also the best written episode.
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SprangFan
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Re: What is your favorite episode?

Post by SprangFan »

Didn't expect all this love for "Purrfect Crime," but that's my fave, as well, and Catwoman isn't even my favorite villain. The mood and atmosphere, though, are pitch perfect, from the glass-cutting opening heist to the stakeout in the darkened museum to the creepy "death" in the bottomless pit. The lighting and sets are gorgeous, there's some real detective work at play, the Batmobile gets at least two moments in the spotlight (with the bat-ray and the self-inflating tires), there are death traps galore and all in the style of an old-time serial, and we get two of my favorite bits of dialog in the whole series. First: "Gosh, Batman, we could have been killed!" "Or worse." And then the classic, " I've heard that song before, Catwoman, and the last few bars are always the same. The criminal is always behind them. " :D

This is as close to perfect as we ever got. For a while I thought maybe I was prejudiced by the Viewmaster reels, which in the dry years were my only way to "see" Batman. But no, on viewing again it really is the best. (And by the Viewmaster theory, "The Omega Glory" should be my favorite "Trek" episode, which it most certainly is NOT).
"You were right again, Batman. We might have been killed."
"Or worse. Let's go..."
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BATWINGED HORNET
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Re: What is your favorite episode?

Post by BATWINGED HORNET »

If I had to list a top ten...

1. "True or False Face" / "Holy Rat Race"
2. "Instant Freeze" / "Rats Like Cheese" (the greatest Mr. Freeze; the others were silly caricatures)
3. "The Purr-fect Crime" / "Better Luck Next Time" (calculating, whip-cracking, cold blooded Catwoman--never better)
4. "The Joker is Wild" / "Batman is Riled" (sinister, Batman-choking and acting like an adult)
5. "The Bookworm Turns" / "While Gotham City Burns"
6. "The Thirteenth Hat" / "Batman Stands Pat"
7. "Zelda the Great" / "A Death Worst Than Fate"
8. "The Joker Goes to School" / "He Meets His Match, the Grisly Ghoul"
9. "A Riddle A Day Keeps the Riddler Away" / "When the Rat's Away, the Mice will Play"
10. "The Penguin Goes Straight" / "Not Yet, He Ain't"

Honorable mention:
"A Piece of the Action" / "Batman's Satisfaction" (ignoring Gumm and the dual identity / clash of egos & abilities is one of the series best conflicts for the Dynamic Duo)

"The Wail of the Siren" (ignoring Batgirl, and it's a solid episode, especially with Robin pretty much taking charge, and threatening to let The Siren fall from the rooftop)

"Hot Off the Griddle" / "The Cat and the Fiddle" (Catwoman still bearing some of her season one fangs, even as her romance angle made its debut here)

The Londinium 3-parter only for Lyn Peters as the duplicitous Lady Prudence and her attraction to Robin. The rest is fit for flushing, especially that ridiculous Indian rope trick.
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Commodore Schmidlapp
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Re: What is your favorite episode?

Post by Commodore Schmidlapp »

Off the top of my head:

The Sport of Penguins/A Horse of Another Color - Penguin buying a horse destined to be turned into glue to enter him in a race, Batman and Robin getting pasted to the Batmobile, lots of good stuff.

Penguin is a Girl's Best Friend/Penguin Sets a Trend/Penguin's Disastrous End - Meredith was strong in these, and his constant insults toward Robin were great. Also loved him catapulting the duo across town with a camera strapped to them.
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Therin of Andor
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Re: What is your favorite episode?

Post by Therin of Andor »

The first Riddler adventure is indelible, of course, but interestingly elusive in reruns, so much so that I wondered if I'd dreamed parts of it. When I finally got my copy of "Fantastic Television", the episode guide reminded me of its existence.

Similarly, my friends and I were always waiting for the TV episode in which four villains united, as depicted in our gum cards. I think it was 1981 before I finally caught the movie on TV and taped it in Betamax, although I do remember seeing a poster for the movie on my local railway station, for a school holiday revival screening, in about 1972.

Also strangely elusive in repeat was "The Entrancing Dr Cassandra". Over the years, I'd often imagine that the six arch villains were played by their originating actors. I really enjoy replaying this episode and have probably seen it more than most other eps.

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Dr Cassandra and Cabala by Ian McLean, on Flickr

I remember being intrigued by the Mad Hatter episodes. From the ludicrousness of the Hatter's kidnap victims being located on the Gotham City map in the shape of a top hat, to his scary hypnotic-eyes gadget, to the strangely almost-erotic bondage scenes of Robin tied astride a white horse statue and Batman getting covered in wet plaster...

Egghead was a favourite villain. Loved his bad puns and, later, his scenes with Yvonne Craig and Anne Baxter.

It was with great anticipation that brothers and I awaited "Enter Batgirl, Exit Penguin" and I remember the day my grandmother brought me her issue of "TV Week" in which Batgirl's debut was announced! Coinciding with the aired ep., the Sunday newspaper started running a b/w comic strip featuring Batgirl's introduction (a similar story to that used in the regular comic).

A few episodes later, the Penguin & Lola two-parter, with the horse race, was hilarious and so memorable! Even as kids, we noticed that Yvonne's stunt person was a male jockey!

Ah, Yvonne Craig. My first TV crush, I'm sure.

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Ian with Yvonne Craig in 2002 by Ian McLean, on Flickr
SprangFan wrote: Mon Aug 06, 2018 7:29 pm And by the Viewmaster theory, "The Omega Glory" should be my favorite "Trek" episode, which it most certainly is NOT.
Some trivia for you. Pics for View-master reels were usually taken during rehearsal. Note that Nichelle Nichols has her script on her lap!

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Uhura View-Master blooper by Ian McLean, on Flickr

Gene Roddenberry got paid an additional, lucrative royalty for having his "Omega Glory" script adapted for the booklet inside the View-Master packet! Of course, this was the year (Season Three) that Roddenberry had essentially stepped away from the production - and despite that old script having hung around since before the first season started filming!

I read somewhere that the arrangement for the View-Master stereo photographer's visit was delayed by a week. When I checked the list in production order, the script that almost made it was "The Ultimate Computer" by DC Fontana. Makes one wonder if Roddenberry deliberately encouraged the delay?
"Holy nostalgia, Batman!"
Therin of Andor

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rickkrefft
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Re: What is your favorite episode?

Post by rickkrefft »

I loved all Riddler episodes (except the ones with John)
I loved all Joker, Penguin and Catwoman episodes.
Also enjoyed any episodes with Egghead and Olga, King Tut, Siren and Mad Hatter.
George and Otto Mr. Freeze episodes were fun.
One shot villains I highly enjoyed were False Face, Bookworm and Clock King.
I liked both Shame episodes and the first Louie The Lilac.
London episodes were pretty cool.
Green Hornet and Kato guest episodes were great.

Honorable mentions: Black Widow Ep, Ma Parker Ep,
Dr. Cassandra Spellcraft Ep, and I kind of thought Minstrel, Archer and Marsha EPs were ok, I don’t like them a lot, but I can watch them and be slightly entertained.
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SprangFan
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Re: What is your favorite episode?

Post by SprangFan »

I read somewhere that the arrangement for the View-Master stereo photographer's visit was delayed by a week. When I checked the list in production order, the script that almost made it was "The Ultimate Computer" by DC Fontana. Makes one wonder if Roddenberry deliberately encouraged the delay?
I certainly wouldn't doubt it. Gene never missed a chance to grab a quick buck. One reason we don't have more outtakes and "bonus footage" is because he chopped up everything and sold it one frame at a time at conventions. Then there was that ridiculous "IDIC" medallion he hung on Spock in hopes of selling them through Lincoln Enterprises. And the godawful "lyrics" he wrote for Alexander Courage's theme music so he could claim 50% of the royalties.

"Omega Glory," as you note, was a script he tried forever to get filmed, but cooler heads prevailed until the dire third season, when it finally showed up. Of course it makes perfect sense that it would be the one featured in the Viewmaster reels, since it meant more coin for his coffers.

Gene was a great idea man and a fine script doctor on other people's drafts, but his original scripts could be pretty terrible. I remember a few years ago watching "Alias Smith and Jones" on DVD -- usually a fun experience -- and there was this one episode that was so steeped in maudlin sentiment and ham-handed melodrama that I could barely make it to the end. Just dismal stuff. So I waited for the credits to see who to blame and, wouldn't you know it, it's our old pal Gene Roddenberry.

Then of course there was his great plan for a Star Trek movie which basically ripped off "City on the Edge of Forever" except this time Spock has to assassinate JFK to restore the timeline. As if anyone would want a moment like that committed to film.

But thanks for the pic of Nichele with the script: I never noticed that. That makes the set worth it, along with the novel shots of starship models created just for this product, and not at all like what we saw on the tube.
"You were right again, Batman. We might have been killed."
"Or worse. Let's go..."
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Therin of Andor
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Re: What is your favorite episode?

Post by Therin of Andor »

SprangFan wrote: Tue Aug 07, 2018 5:34 am But thanks for the pic of Nichele with the script: I never noticed that. That makes the set worth it, along with the novel shots of starship models created just for this product, and not at all like what we saw on the tube.
Scroll down here for the whole cast of "Bonanza" telling kids exactly what they thought about having a View-Master stereo photographer hanging around on rehearsal day:
https://www.therobotsvoice.com/2008/05/ ... slides.php
"Holy nostalgia, Batman!"
Therin of Andor

(aka Ian McLean, from Sydney, Australia)
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SprangFan
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Re: What is your favorite episode?

Post by SprangFan »

HA! That's awesome!

To "coolest," I'd add the Flintstones set, which like the Bugs Bunny one featured 3-D clay models of the characters in amazing photos. I wish they'd done the actual show in that format.

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"You were right again, Batman. We might have been killed."
"Or worse. Let's go..."
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