King Tut's Coup
"Friends, Romans, Eyptians, lend me your ears. I come to bury Batman, not to praise him."
This episode has the beat opening set-up scene ever. Our mild-mannered Egyptology professor is quizzing two new students on their enthusiasm for the subject, suspecting them of being American football players looking for an easy course, when they are both hit on the head and begin with "all halo Tut"... and then our prof is hit on the head and says "The gang's all here." Perfection.
The story that follows isn't quite up with the very best, but it's marvellous fun, with n Egyptian maked ball giving us a bit of a face early on as Tut kidnaps wealthy heiress Lisa Carson, dating Brude Wayne, as his bride, Cleopatra- and it's Lee Meriwether, in a different role. She's quite superb, much to the jealousy of that Janice Rand off of Star Trek. We even get an amusing window cameo from Suxy Knickerbocker, whoever she may be, calling Bruce Wayne "one of the hippies".
It's amusing how deliberately vague this programme is on Egyptian history, cheerfully making it up while never being less than accurate on Greek or Roman stuff, and we gloss over the fact that a pharaoh of the 13th century BC would see Cleo as a Greek interloper. But it's all hilarious, and even the cliffhanger is good.
Batman's Waterloo
"Man cannot live by crime fighting alone."
Yes, I know the cliffhanger is resolved in an absurd way- Batman holds his breath for an hour because he learned how to hold his breath from an Indian fakir. Just as eyebrow- raising is that it takes Tut the whole episode to heat the oil enough to boil Robin in it- and the boy wonder isn't in this much; behind the scenes stuff?
Interestingly, we get a random mention by the Commissioner of his young daughter Barbara. We get lots of plot over a ransom until our Caped Crusader arrives by Batbike to save the day. And Tut suddenly goes back to mild mannered prof again- I'd love it if it were to be revealed that the crafty professor was just putting it on.
We end with Bruce again dating Lisa until he invites her in for "milk and cookies" but he demurs because it's late, "almost 10.30". He explains he could never marry her but she continues plying him with cookies until he disappears behind the door for some, er, milk and cookies. Oo er.
Showing posts with label James B Clark. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James B Clark. Show all posts
Monday, 27 April 2020
Thursday, 16 April 2020
Batman: Batman’s Anniversary & A Riddling Controversy
Batman’s Anniversary
“That enigmatic egotist, back to plague our fair city?"
So, very late in the second season, with an ongoing impasse concerning the availability of Frank Gorshin, the Riddler- unquestionably the premier villain of the first season but not seen since the movie, and the Puzzler was rubbish- is back. But Gorshin, alas, is not- instead, as a substitute, we have the portly and moustachioed figure of John Astin, well known at the time as Gomez Addams. He does his best, and you can't fault the man. He actually is quite good. But you simply can't replace Frank Gorshin. It's a poisoned chalice, and he falls inevitable short.
Which is a pity. The Riddler is written absolutely no differently, and you can imagine Gorshin saying every line- with his signature hint of menace behind the playful wit. And, moreover, the script is magnificent, perhaps the finest to feature the character. There's something very Alanis Morissette ironic about that.
The anniversary stuff gives us a fun and silly beginning, the puzzles are solidly thought out, and the Riddler has a clear aim throughout- to steal $3 million so he can buy a MacGuffin with which he can ransom the entire city. The obligatory fight takes place, superbly, in a flooded bank vault with the Caped Crusaders wearing ventilators, and the slow-motion scrap gets suitably aquatic onomatopoeic words. And the trap at the end comes as a genuinely surprising twist.
A Riddling Controversy
"Let go of me, you blue footed baboon!"
Quicksand won't make you drown, whatever TV and cinema may say. You won't sink further than your waist, and it's possible to escape by slowly moving to a lying down position, although if you can't do that you're trapped and will eventually die of dehydration without help. But you're not really in much danger if your predicament occurs in the streets of a busy street and not, say, a deserted swamp.
Still, those bat rockets are cool. And so is this episode, complete with its Che Guevara lookalike in a puzzle cage and MacGuffin that can theoretically be defeated by, er, switching off the plug. The conclusion is epic and dramatic, so much so that the stock footage of the Bat-copter is wheeled out yet again.
I enjoyed this superbly crafted two parter, a lot. And John Astin is good, and unfortunate in following someone who couldn't possibly have been topped. Give it a chance, and you'll find it's something really rather special.
“That enigmatic egotist, back to plague our fair city?"
So, very late in the second season, with an ongoing impasse concerning the availability of Frank Gorshin, the Riddler- unquestionably the premier villain of the first season but not seen since the movie, and the Puzzler was rubbish- is back. But Gorshin, alas, is not- instead, as a substitute, we have the portly and moustachioed figure of John Astin, well known at the time as Gomez Addams. He does his best, and you can't fault the man. He actually is quite good. But you simply can't replace Frank Gorshin. It's a poisoned chalice, and he falls inevitable short.
Which is a pity. The Riddler is written absolutely no differently, and you can imagine Gorshin saying every line- with his signature hint of menace behind the playful wit. And, moreover, the script is magnificent, perhaps the finest to feature the character. There's something very Alanis Morissette ironic about that.
The anniversary stuff gives us a fun and silly beginning, the puzzles are solidly thought out, and the Riddler has a clear aim throughout- to steal $3 million so he can buy a MacGuffin with which he can ransom the entire city. The obligatory fight takes place, superbly, in a flooded bank vault with the Caped Crusaders wearing ventilators, and the slow-motion scrap gets suitably aquatic onomatopoeic words. And the trap at the end comes as a genuinely surprising twist.
A Riddling Controversy
"Let go of me, you blue footed baboon!"
Quicksand won't make you drown, whatever TV and cinema may say. You won't sink further than your waist, and it's possible to escape by slowly moving to a lying down position, although if you can't do that you're trapped and will eventually die of dehydration without help. But you're not really in much danger if your predicament occurs in the streets of a busy street and not, say, a deserted swamp.
Still, those bat rockets are cool. And so is this episode, complete with its Che Guevara lookalike in a puzzle cage and MacGuffin that can theoretically be defeated by, er, switching off the plug. The conclusion is epic and dramatic, so much so that the stock footage of the Bat-copter is wheeled out yet again.
I enjoyed this superbly crafted two parter, a lot. And John Astin is good, and unfortunate in following someone who couldn't possibly have been topped. Give it a chance, and you'll find it's something really rather special.
Wednesday, 15 April 2020
Batman: Penguin Is a Girl's Best Friend / Penguin Sets a Trend / Penguin’s Disastrous End
Penguin Is a Girl's Best Friend
“That's it! Skewer the scrofulous scullion!"
I wasn't enormously fond of the previous three parter a few episodes ago, so I was somewhat apprehensive about this one. I needn't have worried: a sparkling script and fantastic chemistry between Burgess Meredith and Carolyn Jones- not to discount some superb comic acting from Adam West itself- elevates this (or at least the two episodes I've seen as I blog the first two episodes on Tuesday evening) to one of the series' true highlights.
The cheeky opening gives us an unusual premise- the Dynamic Duo are contracted as actors for Penguin's film which is, of course, as his exposition to the wonderful Marsha shows, a front. It is, of course, gloriously silly that the Caped Crusaders should appear in their usual costumes in a Roman epic, but that's part of the fun. And yes, I know I criticised the last three parter for treating the Penguin as second fiddle to the Joker, and this time Marsha is playing no less of a supplementary string instrument to the now promoted Penguin. But this time it seems to matter less- Marsha may not be the criminal mastermind here, but she gets to be archly cool and steal scenes. Her wonderful witch of a mother is back too, and the to ladies are a real comic joy in their scenes together. I love Mortimer. He's now one of my favourite Muppets.
We end with a superbly classical cliffhanger wit Batman and Robin in a catapult, about to be splatted halfway across Gotham. This is exactly what Batman should be.
Penguin Sets a Trend
“Call the cavalry!"
"We haven't had any cavalry since 1910..."
This is one of the most fun cliffhanger resolutions ever- Batman calculated exactly where Robin and he are set to splat and sends the Batmobile there with a big net by remote control- stopping for some children crossing the road, naturally.
Even more fun is Batman playing up to the cameras about his love of the limelight so Penguin will re-hire him- I really can't emphasise enough what a splendid comic actor Batman is. He's so very multifaceted, and the part of Batman calls for superb talent as a straight man- and being a good straight man is hard.
And yes, I know Marsha and Old Hilda are only in one scene where they, er, look for some old toads. But they completely steal said scene, and the whole episode is such enormous fun that I can't really make myself resent this blatant neglect of the guest villain. Not where we have a comedy general played by Alan "voice of Fred Flintstone" Reed and a Keystone Kops US Army being manipulated like fools by the Penguin? These days it would be unthinkable for a mainstream American TV drama to be so irreverent about its armed forces. Perhaps, in this sense, it is a little less free.
And the cliffhanger- the Capred Crusaders, wearing clunky suits of armour, about to be crushed as scrap metal, promises to be no less enjoyable than the last one...
Penguin’s Disastrous End
“Do you know how much vitamin B there is in the average toad?"
This episode is completely and utterly bonkers. I love it.
Oh, the cliffhanger resolution is the usual type of silly- saved by the utility belts again- but we then find out that Marsha and Aunt Hilda are back, with their old toads(!), all poised to help Penguin get into a bank vault by means of love potion and the dance of the seven veils. Yes, really. And if that sn't enough we get Penguin whispering quietly to his "finks"- through a loudspeaker.
And then we get the long days with Penguin, Marsha and co seemingly holed up in the bank vault with no means of escape- until the use the plans from last episode to make a World War Two tank. Out of, er, solid gold. Yes, really. Fortunately it's Batzooka to the rescue, but this is the most delightfully random and absurd scheme ever concocted. I love everything about it.
This three parter has been an absolute joy. So have Marsha and Aunt Hilda whom we will, sadly, not be seeing again.
“That's it! Skewer the scrofulous scullion!"
I wasn't enormously fond of the previous three parter a few episodes ago, so I was somewhat apprehensive about this one. I needn't have worried: a sparkling script and fantastic chemistry between Burgess Meredith and Carolyn Jones- not to discount some superb comic acting from Adam West itself- elevates this (or at least the two episodes I've seen as I blog the first two episodes on Tuesday evening) to one of the series' true highlights.
The cheeky opening gives us an unusual premise- the Dynamic Duo are contracted as actors for Penguin's film which is, of course, as his exposition to the wonderful Marsha shows, a front. It is, of course, gloriously silly that the Caped Crusaders should appear in their usual costumes in a Roman epic, but that's part of the fun. And yes, I know I criticised the last three parter for treating the Penguin as second fiddle to the Joker, and this time Marsha is playing no less of a supplementary string instrument to the now promoted Penguin. But this time it seems to matter less- Marsha may not be the criminal mastermind here, but she gets to be archly cool and steal scenes. Her wonderful witch of a mother is back too, and the to ladies are a real comic joy in their scenes together. I love Mortimer. He's now one of my favourite Muppets.
We end with a superbly classical cliffhanger wit Batman and Robin in a catapult, about to be splatted halfway across Gotham. This is exactly what Batman should be.
Penguin Sets a Trend
“Call the cavalry!"
"We haven't had any cavalry since 1910..."
This is one of the most fun cliffhanger resolutions ever- Batman calculated exactly where Robin and he are set to splat and sends the Batmobile there with a big net by remote control- stopping for some children crossing the road, naturally.
Even more fun is Batman playing up to the cameras about his love of the limelight so Penguin will re-hire him- I really can't emphasise enough what a splendid comic actor Batman is. He's so very multifaceted, and the part of Batman calls for superb talent as a straight man- and being a good straight man is hard.
And yes, I know Marsha and Old Hilda are only in one scene where they, er, look for some old toads. But they completely steal said scene, and the whole episode is such enormous fun that I can't really make myself resent this blatant neglect of the guest villain. Not where we have a comedy general played by Alan "voice of Fred Flintstone" Reed and a Keystone Kops US Army being manipulated like fools by the Penguin? These days it would be unthinkable for a mainstream American TV drama to be so irreverent about its armed forces. Perhaps, in this sense, it is a little less free.
And the cliffhanger- the Capred Crusaders, wearing clunky suits of armour, about to be crushed as scrap metal, promises to be no less enjoyable than the last one...
Penguin’s Disastrous End
“Do you know how much vitamin B there is in the average toad?"
This episode is completely and utterly bonkers. I love it.
Oh, the cliffhanger resolution is the usual type of silly- saved by the utility belts again- but we then find out that Marsha and Aunt Hilda are back, with their old toads(!), all poised to help Penguin get into a bank vault by means of love potion and the dance of the seven veils. Yes, really. And if that sn't enough we get Penguin whispering quietly to his "finks"- through a loudspeaker.
And then we get the long days with Penguin, Marsha and co seemingly holed up in the bank vault with no means of escape- until the use the plans from last episode to make a World War Two tank. Out of, er, solid gold. Yes, really. Fortunately it's Batzooka to the rescue, but this is the most delightfully random and absurd scheme ever concocted. I love everything about it.
This three parter has been an absolute joy. So have Marsha and Aunt Hilda whom we will, sadly, not be seeing again.
Tuesday, 31 March 2020
Batman: The Cat's Meow & The Bat’s Kow Tow
The Cat’s Meow
“Oh, nonsense, Chief O’Hara. I know a reformed woman when I see one.”
Oh my. Catwoman is back, so let there be much rejoicing... and this two parter is utterly, spendidly bonkers, Let's just examine what it's about:
The Bat’s Kow Tow
“A bit on the groovy side, aren't they?"
The cliffhanger resolution- finding the right note to shatter the glass in the echo chamber- is hilarious. So is Catwoman's stealing Chad and Jeremy's voices to blackmail us in Blighty, on the grounds that they pay so much income tax our "Empire" would collapse, taking the world economy with it. Even funnier is Batman's lengthy explanation of the economic consequences if Catwoman stealing the voices of everybody in the whole world.
And then we have the British consulate, and the delightfully stereotypical Sir Sterling Habits, who answers a phone call from back home with "Oh, Harold, how are you?". I'm loving every minute of this episode- and then we get the final scrap, and the exquisite flirting and near-kiss as Batman nicks Catwoman. The chemistry between the two of them is electric- I love how pleased she is when he describes her scheme as "one of your best".
None of the above has anything to do with cats. I don't care. Much more Catwoman please.
“Oh, nonsense, Chief O’Hara. I know a reformed woman when I see one.”
Oh my. Catwoman is back, so let there be much rejoicing... and this two parter is utterly, spendidly bonkers, Let's just examine what it's about:
- Catwoman has some sort of MacGuffin thingy that can steal people's voices.
- Commissioner Gordon and Chief O'Hara foolishly believe Catwoman to have reformed because, essentially, they're hopelessly naive and she's flirty with them. Then again, she is rather delectable.
- Her plot involves a singing duo called Chad and Jeremy, who play themselves. I've never heard of them, but a little light Googling tells me that, while a one hit wonder here in their native UK, they had loads of hits in America. Blimey. I love their witty, Ringo-like press conference, and their confession to Aunt Harriet that they are only being pop stars so they can become brain surgeons and fancy lawyers.
- Once again Julie Newmar is superb- she's really perfected Catwoman's mannerisms, and once again gets to play her in another amusing disguise, this time a dance teacher.
- The cliffhanger is essentially a version of Chinese water torture intended to turn Batman and Robin into mindless sex slaves.
The Bat’s Kow Tow
“A bit on the groovy side, aren't they?"
The cliffhanger resolution- finding the right note to shatter the glass in the echo chamber- is hilarious. So is Catwoman's stealing Chad and Jeremy's voices to blackmail us in Blighty, on the grounds that they pay so much income tax our "Empire" would collapse, taking the world economy with it. Even funnier is Batman's lengthy explanation of the economic consequences if Catwoman stealing the voices of everybody in the whole world.
And then we have the British consulate, and the delightfully stereotypical Sir Sterling Habits, who answers a phone call from back home with "Oh, Harold, how are you?". I'm loving every minute of this episode- and then we get the final scrap, and the exquisite flirting and near-kiss as Batman nicks Catwoman. The chemistry between the two of them is electric- I love how pleased she is when he describes her scheme as "one of your best".
None of the above has anything to do with cats. I don't care. Much more Catwoman please.
Monday, 23 March 2020
Batman: Marsha, Queen of Diamonds & Marsha’s Scheme with Diamonds
Marsha, Queen of Diamonds
"Batman's never rude to a lady, Marsha. But you're no lady."
Phew. After yesterday's blog turning out to be a bit of a spanking, I'm relieved to say that this two-parter, with guest villainess Morticia from The Addams Family, is absolutely marvellous. A top notch baddie helps, of course, as do the legendary Estelle Winwood as the magnificent Aunt Hilda and even the chief henchman played by Woody Strode himself but, as ever with the best episode, the star is the script.
Yes, there's a somewhat dated and definitely pre-feminist take on the sexes here, but it's done with humour and tongue in cheek. And this script is creative- altering the formula to show the Dynamic Duo already in costume when we see them, for the first time ever, and showing us a baddie who gets what she wants via love potions concocted by her aunt, a witch and ex-chemistry professor, who has a bubbling cauldron. This is all such fun and, although it relies on gender stereotypes which are certainly sexist, its charm wins you over, a bit like one of Cupid's darts here.
It's fun to see both O'Hara and Commissioner Gordon fall under Marsha's spell, as well as the stereotypically Irish names of all the cops. Adam West shows superb acting in resisting the potion, while the cliffhanger is a genuinely refreshing change, with Batan about to publicly marry Marsha. Yes, this is probably a somewhat sexist metaphor for the trope of crafty women ensnaring innocent blokes in marriage, but I love it.
Marsha’s Scheme with Diamonds
"Take it from me- when you've seen one Batcave, you've seen them all."
The cliffhanger resolution is at once clever, funny, and makes good use both of Alfred and of Aunt Harriett- although it's amusing to note that it must be '60s America, where every Englishman is from Liverpool. What's not to love? And then there's the hilarious scene where Comminssioner Gordon and O'Hara wonder what to tell their wives.
Best of all is the clever bit of humorous misdirection with the toad Batman and toad Robin at the end. And yes, I know I excoriated last week's episode for its absurd reliance on fantastical elements, but note how restrained this is: none of Aunt Hilda's more outlandish potions actually work, and the misirection at the end is just a wink at the fourth wall. This is a perfect example of how far you can stretch the fantastic in Batman.
Wonderful. Yes, this is light on action but every minute is a joy.More Marsha please.
"Batman's never rude to a lady, Marsha. But you're no lady."
Phew. After yesterday's blog turning out to be a bit of a spanking, I'm relieved to say that this two-parter, with guest villainess Morticia from The Addams Family, is absolutely marvellous. A top notch baddie helps, of course, as do the legendary Estelle Winwood as the magnificent Aunt Hilda and even the chief henchman played by Woody Strode himself but, as ever with the best episode, the star is the script.
Yes, there's a somewhat dated and definitely pre-feminist take on the sexes here, but it's done with humour and tongue in cheek. And this script is creative- altering the formula to show the Dynamic Duo already in costume when we see them, for the first time ever, and showing us a baddie who gets what she wants via love potions concocted by her aunt, a witch and ex-chemistry professor, who has a bubbling cauldron. This is all such fun and, although it relies on gender stereotypes which are certainly sexist, its charm wins you over, a bit like one of Cupid's darts here.
It's fun to see both O'Hara and Commissioner Gordon fall under Marsha's spell, as well as the stereotypically Irish names of all the cops. Adam West shows superb acting in resisting the potion, while the cliffhanger is a genuinely refreshing change, with Batan about to publicly marry Marsha. Yes, this is probably a somewhat sexist metaphor for the trope of crafty women ensnaring innocent blokes in marriage, but I love it.
Marsha’s Scheme with Diamonds
"Take it from me- when you've seen one Batcave, you've seen them all."
The cliffhanger resolution is at once clever, funny, and makes good use both of Alfred and of Aunt Harriett- although it's amusing to note that it must be '60s America, where every Englishman is from Liverpool. What's not to love? And then there's the hilarious scene where Comminssioner Gordon and O'Hara wonder what to tell their wives.
Best of all is the clever bit of humorous misdirection with the toad Batman and toad Robin at the end. And yes, I know I excoriated last week's episode for its absurd reliance on fantastical elements, but note how restrained this is: none of Aunt Hilda's more outlandish potions actually work, and the misirection at the end is just a wink at the fourth wall. This is a perfect example of how far you can stretch the fantastic in Batman.
Wonderful. Yes, this is light on action but every minute is a joy.More Marsha please.
Sunday, 22 March 2020
Batman: The Impractical Joker & The Joker's Provokers
The Impractical Joker
"I can always think up a bit of a taradiddle."
Oh dear. I'm afraid this two-parter with the Joker's first appearance this season is completely bloody awful, the absolute nadir of the series so far. Still, most of the really egregious stuff happens in the second part: this first episode, while not particularly witty or standing out much, is at least a mildly diverting if unremarkable episode of Batman.
There are some warning signs, though- the comedy Scotsman with the kilt, sporran and outrageously bad accent is one thing, but the Dynamic Duo being foiled by a box and some hypnotism hardly makes them look very good, as the script pretty much admits. And the Joker is again giving out clues as though he were the Riddler- in fact, he comes across more as silly, capricious and childish than as a dangerous criminal here. And the whole episode is more of a series of vaguely key-related set pieces than a plot. If that had been done with any wit or cleverness it wouldn't matter, but I fear that it wasn't and it does.
I liked the cheeky shout-out to The Green Hornet, mind (same channel), but by the time we get to the over-complex cliffhanger we're hoping things will improve in the second episode. Will they?
(Interestingly, said silly deathtrap features vices. I knew that this word was often spelled "vise" in the USA but the Joker pronounced the word with the soft "s". Is this the norm for Americans? If so, I was entirely unaware.)
The Joker's Provokers
"There should be more fine, upstanding men like the Joker."
Er, no they won't. In fact, this episode dives right over a cliff as soon as we get that fantastical nonsense with the Joker manipulating time. This is bollocks for two reasons. Firstly, while Batman occasionally tips slightly into science fiction (see the character of Mr. Freeze), the emphasis should be on slightly. This type of outright magic (the Joker's description of what his magic box is made of is utterly ridiculous) just undermines what is essentially a programme rooted in the real world, albeit one that often does violence to the fourth wall.
Secondly, though, and mire importantly... the Joker has the power to control of time itself. The possibilities make the mind reel. Yet he uses it to.... extort $10 million from Gotham City. Really?
Just as bad is the cringe-worthy use of Alfred. Yes, it's always good to see him getting involved in crime fighting, but... the Alf-cycle? And his nightwatchman identical cousin (bet that's a TV Trope) Egbert, who speaks with an awful but vaguely proletarian accent is arse-clenching to watch, especially given that his dialogue is clearly written to evoke a blue collar American.
This a shockingly bad story, and all the more so for the rarity of this kind of misfire. Let's hope the Joker gets more respect from future scripts.
"I can always think up a bit of a taradiddle."
Oh dear. I'm afraid this two-parter with the Joker's first appearance this season is completely bloody awful, the absolute nadir of the series so far. Still, most of the really egregious stuff happens in the second part: this first episode, while not particularly witty or standing out much, is at least a mildly diverting if unremarkable episode of Batman.
There are some warning signs, though- the comedy Scotsman with the kilt, sporran and outrageously bad accent is one thing, but the Dynamic Duo being foiled by a box and some hypnotism hardly makes them look very good, as the script pretty much admits. And the Joker is again giving out clues as though he were the Riddler- in fact, he comes across more as silly, capricious and childish than as a dangerous criminal here. And the whole episode is more of a series of vaguely key-related set pieces than a plot. If that had been done with any wit or cleverness it wouldn't matter, but I fear that it wasn't and it does.
I liked the cheeky shout-out to The Green Hornet, mind (same channel), but by the time we get to the over-complex cliffhanger we're hoping things will improve in the second episode. Will they?
(Interestingly, said silly deathtrap features vices. I knew that this word was often spelled "vise" in the USA but the Joker pronounced the word with the soft "s". Is this the norm for Americans? If so, I was entirely unaware.)
The Joker's Provokers
"There should be more fine, upstanding men like the Joker."
Er, no they won't. In fact, this episode dives right over a cliff as soon as we get that fantastical nonsense with the Joker manipulating time. This is bollocks for two reasons. Firstly, while Batman occasionally tips slightly into science fiction (see the character of Mr. Freeze), the emphasis should be on slightly. This type of outright magic (the Joker's description of what his magic box is made of is utterly ridiculous) just undermines what is essentially a programme rooted in the real world, albeit one that often does violence to the fourth wall.
Secondly, though, and mire importantly... the Joker has the power to control of time itself. The possibilities make the mind reel. Yet he uses it to.... extort $10 million from Gotham City. Really?
Just as bad is the cringe-worthy use of Alfred. Yes, it's always good to see him getting involved in crime fighting, but... the Alf-cycle? And his nightwatchman identical cousin (bet that's a TV Trope) Egbert, who speaks with an awful but vaguely proletarian accent is arse-clenching to watch, especially given that his dialogue is clearly written to evoke a blue collar American.
This a shockingly bad story, and all the more so for the rarity of this kind of misfire. Let's hope the Joker gets more respect from future scripts.
Tuesday, 11 February 2020
Batman: The Ring of Wax & Give 'Em the Axe
The Ring of Wax
"What devilish sticky stuff!"
This two-parter is, really, pretty much Batman by numbers- the script is quite good but no more than that, and the collection of set pieces strung together to form a plot of sorts are entertaining enough but not enough to make this story stand out.
And yet all this is elevated into something more by the presence of Fran Gorshin as the Riddler, reminding us once more with his watchable, amusing, psychotic and genuinely menacing performance why, as Batman villains go, he's the best of a very good bunch. There are good reasons why he's the first villain to be back a third time. Even if these new writers do tend to have him say the word "dividend" every other sentence.
So forget the guff about wax and universal solvents. Focus instead on the Riddler quoting a soliloquy from Hamlet and saying that "I wrote it myself." And focus too on his fourth-wall breaking explanation for the elaborate predicament he devises for the cliffhanger as the Dynamic Duo are slowly lowered into boiling wax- "Why kill them fast when watching them die slowly is so much more entertaining?"
Give 'Em the Axe
"Crime is no fun without riddles!"
This is a deliciously convoluted cliffhanger resolution involving a shiny belt buckle and the convenient presence of both a vat of explosives and a shaft of sunlight. This resolution takes up ten minutes of screen time, leading to a fairly short succession of set pieces before the inevitable ending with a fight, the Riddler losing and this week's female baddie expressing regret too late.
We get some fun, though- the Riddler's tour of the torture implement in Gotham Museum has him wistfully longing for "the good old days". His overall plan to nick Incan gold from a sarcophagus that happens to be on loan to the museum makes, naturally, no sense whatsoever, but this is Batman. We don't care about boring old plot logic.
It's all over too soon and, although this by far the weakest of his three appearances, we're itching to see the Riddler again. And if this is perhaps the least impressive episode so far, it is nonetheless impressive that Batman, even at its relative worst, is pretty damned awesome.
"What devilish sticky stuff!"
This two-parter is, really, pretty much Batman by numbers- the script is quite good but no more than that, and the collection of set pieces strung together to form a plot of sorts are entertaining enough but not enough to make this story stand out.
And yet all this is elevated into something more by the presence of Fran Gorshin as the Riddler, reminding us once more with his watchable, amusing, psychotic and genuinely menacing performance why, as Batman villains go, he's the best of a very good bunch. There are good reasons why he's the first villain to be back a third time. Even if these new writers do tend to have him say the word "dividend" every other sentence.
So forget the guff about wax and universal solvents. Focus instead on the Riddler quoting a soliloquy from Hamlet and saying that "I wrote it myself." And focus too on his fourth-wall breaking explanation for the elaborate predicament he devises for the cliffhanger as the Dynamic Duo are slowly lowered into boiling wax- "Why kill them fast when watching them die slowly is so much more entertaining?"
Give 'Em the Axe
"Crime is no fun without riddles!"
This is a deliciously convoluted cliffhanger resolution involving a shiny belt buckle and the convenient presence of both a vat of explosives and a shaft of sunlight. This resolution takes up ten minutes of screen time, leading to a fairly short succession of set pieces before the inevitable ending with a fight, the Riddler losing and this week's female baddie expressing regret too late.
We get some fun, though- the Riddler's tour of the torture implement in Gotham Museum has him wistfully longing for "the good old days". His overall plan to nick Incan gold from a sarcophagus that happens to be on loan to the museum makes, naturally, no sense whatsoever, but this is Batman. We don't care about boring old plot logic.
It's all over too soon and, although this by far the weakest of his three appearances, we're itching to see the Riddler again. And if this is perhaps the least impressive episode so far, it is nonetheless impressive that Batman, even at its relative worst, is pretty damned awesome.
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