The Best "Batman '66" Episodes

Vocal Media is celebrating the late Adam West by paying homage to some of the best episodes from ABC Television Network’s Batman.

“Hizzoner The Penguin”/ “Dizzoner The Penguin” (Season Two)

Throughout Batman’s three-season run, Burgess Meredith’s The Penguin faced off against the Dynamic Duo 20 different times. One of our favorite appearances that Meredith’s Penguin made was when he challenged West’s Batman to be Gotham City’s mayor. One of the best scenes from the two-part story happened to be the debate between the Dark Knight and the Penguin. Meredith ate up the scenery with his wily monologue comparing Batman to a rogue and himself as a noble gentleman.

(Vocal Byte #1: The plot of Penguin’s campaign to become Gotham City’s Mayor was revisited in 1992’s Batman Returns.)

“The Cat’s Meow”/ “The Bat’s Kow Tow” (Season Two)

The small screen lit up when Julie Newmar’s Catwoman clawed her way to Gotham City. For her latest caper, the Princess of Plunder created a device that was able to steal the voices of city officials and special guest stars Chad & Jeremy. For the conclusion to the storyline, “The Bat’s Kow Tow,” fans got to see a steamy showdown between both Batman and Catwoman that showed that the Feline Felon always loved her arch-nemesis.

“The Zodiac Crimes”/”The Joker’s Hard Times”/”The Penguin Declines” (Season Two)

To commemorate the series’ first anniversary, the Dynamic Duo faced off against both Meredith’s Penguin and Cesar Romero’s Joker in a three-part story. The Clown Prince of Crime released the Penguin from Gotham City Jail to partake in a crime wave involving the astrological signs of the Zodiac. This story arc marks several big moments such as the first moll (Venus) to double-cross their boss and team-up with the Caped Crusaders. Also, fans got to see a major fight in the Batcave between Batman and Robin against the duo and their henchmen!

“Ring Around the Riddler” (Season Three)

During Barbara Gordon (Yvonne Craig)’s second outing as Batgirl, the Terrific Trio faced off against the Prince of Puzzles as the Riddler looked to control Gotham’s boxing world. Despite the Riddler unfairly beating up the Caped Crusader in the boxing ring, Batgirl put the odds back in Batman’s favor, and the Dark Knight got the last punch when he defeated the Riddler.

(Vocal Byte #2: TV Legend Joan Collins guest starred as the Siren, who became the main villain in the following episode.)

(Vocal Byte #3: This marked the final appearance of Frank Gorshin’s Riddler in the series. Gorshin returned to the role on the 1979 NBC special: Legends of the Superheroes.)

“The Ogg Couple”/ “How to Hatch a Dinosaur” (Season Three)

Vincent Price’s Egghead was one of the many original villains that series creator William Dozier and his team introduced throughout the show’s three-year run. While Egghead was featured only once in the second season, both of his Season Three appearances featured his love interest, Anne Baxter’s Olga, the Queen of the Cossacks. This story also marks the first time that Batgirl went over her head as she was forced by the deadly duo to dance a saber dance, which can be viewed multiple times on YouTube.

“Catwoman’s Dressed to Kill” (Season Three)

Batman’s final season introduced fans to the last incarnation of Catwoman, portrayed by the legendary singer-actress Eartha Kitt. While both Julie Newmar and Lee Meriwether always tried to flirt with the Dark Knight, Kitt’s version of Catwoman was calculating, diabolical, and had a no-nonsense attitude. “Catwoman’s Dressed to Kill” focused on an envious Princess of Plunders as she was not named one of Gotham City’s ten best-dressed women. Jealous, she crashed the ceremony and destroyed the attendees’ hair. She also targeted a beloved garment, the Golden Fleece, a solid gold dress that belonged to visiting Queen Bess of Belgravia.