The Minstrel's Shakedown
"When it's still hotter, then you will melt/
Nothing left but your utility belt..."
A rather odd two parter, this- and perhaps a fairly unremarkable one which is neither one of the best nor one of the worst. Van Johnson has a superficial charm as the Minstrel- a villain, unusually, being encountered by Batman for the first time- but the villain isn't particularly charismatic or memorable, and his shtick of music and electronics is a little odd.
Still, his televised blackmailing of the stock exchange is fun, as is the reaction of the Dynamic Duo to a new villain interestingly heir summary of baddies they've beaten features the Clock King, who is yet to appear- had those episodes perhaps already been filmed, or is this a premonition? It's curious, too, that Batman is addressing Robin as "old chap"- did some Americans used to use this phrase? One rarely hears it from that side of the pond.
The episode rattls along well enough, despite an odd focus on electronics, but there's no spark here.
Barbecued Batman?
"Two voices on the telephone... whence did they come? Whither do they go?"
What, no rhyming episode titles? Tut, standards are slipping. So are cliffhanger resolutions, as a bomb Batman prepared earlier is a bit of a cheat. Also, Batman's flirting with this two-parter's moll, Olivia, in order to plant a bug on her is rather underhanded for the character.
Also odd is O'Hara's brief and expression of suspicion for Batman, although the Commissioner's staunch support is amusing as ever. But this episode is rather slight and, while not exactly bad, never quite catches fire. Despite his parting song before being dragged of to prison, I hope we won't see the Minstrel again.
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