One of the weirdest parts of the legacy of Batman is the 1966 TV series. A crazy, colorful, camp classic, this show created a vision of the Caped Crusader that the general public accepted as fact until Tim Burton's Batman film in 1989 showed the non-comic reading audiences a different side of the Dark Knight.
Starring Adam West and Burt Ward as the Dynamic Duo, every one of the 120 episodes of Batman is well worth watching if you want to have a good time. Watching the classic Batmobile race across the streets of Gotham and reading all the signs in the background is endless fun. The fights and puns are always a blast as well. But if 120 episodes sounds like too much to you, here are the 10 best, according to IMDb...
10 Batman's Satisfaction - 8.3
The second part of a crossover with The Green Hornet, "Batman's Satisfaction" gave viewers the chance to see the great Bruce Lee, as Green Hornet's sidekick Kato, kick Robin square in the face. This episode wasn't just the first time superheroes fought each other in live-action, but the first and only time characters owned by different companies crossed over in live-action. This is the kind of thing that makes fans believe in the chance of one day seeing Chris Evans in his Captain America outfit standing next to Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman.
9 Flop Goes The Joker - 8.3
Part two of a two-episode arc - most Batman stories were two episodes - "Flop Goes the Joker" sees the Clown Prince of Crime become the hot new artist in Gotham City and he opens his own art school. Batman isn't so sure Joker has gone straight, and for good reason.
Cesar Romero played the Joker on Batman, and his take on the character continues to inspire actors who play the character today. The classic "Joker laugh" was created by Romero, and his version still stands out among the crowd as one of the best, along with Mark Hamill's version.
8 The Joker's Last Laugh - 8.3
When Batman and Robin discover that one of Joker's robots has taken the place of a bank teller at the Gotham National Bank, the Dynamic Duo hatch a scheme to catch the laughing criminal in the act. Leaving the cape and cowl at Wayne Manor, Batman meets with Joker in his civilian identity hoping to trick the villain into disclosing his operation. Instead, Bruce Wayne is the one who gets tricked, and before he knows what is happening, Bruce has appointed the Joker as the new Vice-Chairman of the Gotham National Bank.
7 The Purr-fect Crime 8.3
The first episode of the series to feature Julie Newmar as Catwoman, the feline femme fatale's appearance on Batman was part of the character's resurgence. Catwoman vanished from the comics in 1954, a victim of the Comics Code Authority, but finally returned in 1966, appearing in Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane before heading over to Detective Comics and Batman.
In the comics, Catwoman was wearing a green skintight outfit. It was the TV series that first introduced the world to a Catwoman in black leather, a look that continued with Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns and Anne Hathaway in Dark Knight Rises.
6 Batman Displays His Knowledge - 8.4
The final appearance of Julie Newmar as Catwoman saw the catsuit wearing cat burglar stealing the Batagonian cat's-eye opals, only to find that they are too hot to sell. Trying to get any money off of the opals, Catwoman looks to turn them in for the reward money but is instead taken in by Batman. The flirting between Batman and Catwoman is especially steamy in this episode.
This episode contains one of the best death traps in the whole series, with Batman almost showered in sulfuric acid. While this is the final appearance of Julie Newmar in Batman, Catwoman would show up again, played by the equally iconic Eartha Kitt.
5 The Cat's Meow - 8.4
Catwoman's latest scheme involves stealing people's voices, but to make sure Batman and Robin don't get on her tail too quickly, she leaves behind clues that would make the Dynamic Duo think that either the Joker, Riddler, or Penguin are behind the crime. Her plan doesn't last long when the Dynamic Duo figures out Catwoman's plot and track her down to a concert. While Batman and Ronin battle it out with her goons, Catwoman drugs the heroes and traps them in a chamber where the magnified sound of dripping water will drive them mad.
4 The Bat's Kow Tow - 8.4
Picking up from the cliffhanger ending of "The Cat's Meow," "The Bat's Kow Tow" finds Batman and Robin escaping from one of Catwoman's traps before getting back to tracking her down. Meanwhile, Catwoman is going around Gotham stealing people's voices.
While one of the things Batman is known for is the "window cameos," this episode went above and beyond in that department. Along with singer Don Ho showing up for the window cameo, this episode saw the famous hairstylist Jay Seabring appear as Mr. Oceanbring, talk show host Steve Allen as Allan Stevens, and singing duo Chad and Jeremy as themselves.
3 A Piece of the Action - 8.5
The first part of the Batman/Green Hornet crossover finds the Green Hornet and Kato arriving in Gotham City investigating a stamp counterfeiting scheme. Thinking that Green Hornet and Kato are criminals, the Dynamic Duo sets out to catch them.
The villain for these two episodes, Colonel Gumm, was created for this crossover and did not appear again. Unlike other criminals on the show, Colonel Gumm never bothered to try and hide his plans from Batman. The actor who played Colonel Gumm, Roger C. Carmel, is best remembered for his role as Harry Mudd on Star Trek.
2 That Darn Catwoman - 8.7
Catwoman puts Batman is a horrible position when she drugs Robin and makes him her slave! Suddenly, Batman finds his closest crimefighting ally working with one of his greatest enemies. Captured and placed in a giant mousetrap, Catwoman gives Batman a choice - die by Robin's hand or take the same drug as the Boy Wonder and become a criminal!
Along with the usual goons, Catwoman has her own sidekick in this episode, Pussycat, who is played by singer Lesley Gore, best known for the hit songs "It's My Party" and "You Don't Own Me." The episode even comes to a halt at one point so that Gore can sing for Catwoman's goons.
1 Scat! Darn Catwoman - 8.7
Clearly IMDb raters really like the Catwoman episodes. The follow up to "That Darn Catwoman" sees Batman make his choice to be drugged by Catwoman and become her criminal slave. But before he takes the drug, Catwoman allows Batman to take some aspirin for a headache.
As the drugged Batman and Robin help Catwoman and Pussycat rob Gotham blind, the Gotham police somehow seem to know where the gang will be before they get there. Shortly after Robin is captured by the police, Batman reveals that he was never actually drugged and was instead tipping off the police! The aspirin was actually an anti-drug pill! As Batman tries to apprehend Catwoman, the feline criminal falls into the Gotham River and is swept away. But don't worry, she returned just eight episodes later!