Throwback Tuesday takes us back to the 1966 Batman TV-series starring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin. The Riddler‘s (Frank Gorshin) motives for his latest crimes are even more obscure than usual as the villain focuses on a silent-film motif throughout the two episodes, capturing his various small victories over Batman on film. Along with variations on his costume, the character will also don a variety of roles for his time in front of the camera including both a cowboy an Charlie Chaplin. Sherry Jackson guest-stars as aspiring actress added to the Riddler’s crew who proves to be the weak link (thanks to another of Batman’s gadgets that is able to chemically determine the truth of the woman’s statements).
The episode was adapted from a Joker story in Detective Comics, but features plenty of riddles for the Dynamic Duo to solve (even some that are literally dropped on their heads). The reasons for the Riddler’s obsession with silent films is eventually revealed to be a motive for an even larger crime. The standard death trap that usually spans episodes is given an odd twist here as Robin’s apparent demise in a lumberyard is revealed to be nothing more than movie sleight-of-hand (as the Riddler replaces the Boy Wonder with a mannequin). The episode is also notable for a drunken fight between Commissioner Gordon (Neil Hamilton) and Chief O’Hara (Stafford Repp), Gordon’s first visit to the Batcave (under Bat-Gas of course), and the surprise gift Bruce and Dick give Aunt Harriet (Madge Blake) for her birthday.
