Batman (TV Series) Batman Is Riled (1966) User Reviews

BATMAN TV gets its Joker: From Latin Lover Matinée Idol to Grim, Grinning and Ghoulish, Green-Haired Giggler!!

[redryan64 · 8/10 · 28 June 2007]

................We Have Seen............

Yeah, Batman and Robin are able to thwart their captors by using the arsenal that is the Utility Belt. Once again Joker and Company escape and return to their hide out in "an abandoned Coney Island-like Amusement Park. In a serious moment, Joker swears vengeance, "by all that is funny!" The Climax of this battle with the Joker comes when the Joker Gang attempts to steal a newly constructed, just launched, Ocean Liner. Batman & Robin successfully end he Joker's Crime Spree because of their taking notice of the cork of the bottle of bubbly being used to Christen the ship.

Once again, the whole story divided into the two evenings' tele-viewing, must be seen to fairly evaluate the caper. When all was said and done, we were treated to a most well written, well executed and most amusing episode. For, if it was not amusing to us on the multi-faceted 'Camp' humor and Comic Book Hero levels, than it would have been a failure. Obviously, it was not.

Launching the exploits of The Joker to the Family Hour Televiewers of that Winter In The Year of Our Lord, 1966, came out nearly flawlessly. They had established that he was an old 'Arch Enemy' by having him in 'The Big House' at the beginning of the story. The Chacteristics of chalk white skin and green hair,no doubt deeply etched the character in the public's collective mind.

And we cannot forget the performance of Ceasar Romero. In an interview some years later with Chicago's 'Old Time Radio' man, Chuck Schaeden, Mr. Romero said that he was not at all familiar with the Batman Comics Feature, and knew nothing of the Joker prior to his Guest Starring on the show. Well, Ceasar surely made up for lost time. His 'Joker' was very popular with the fans. Furthermore, the Joker was one of the most popular "Guest Villains" of the series' run. In total number of appearances, his Joker came in 2nd Place to Burgess Meredith's Penguin capers.

Batman and Robin are saved in the conclusion.

[blanbrn · 8/10 · 7 November 2019]

This episode which is the follow up to the "Joker Is Wild" is well done with action and drama as it involves the "Joker" trying to overtake the S.S Gotham and he's in good company since he has the utility belt of "Batman", plus he's in company with a sexy blond. Never fear despite the laughter and action scenes "Batman and Robin" come out on top and they live to fight another day! Good well done episode.

Jokers Utility Belt

[DKosty123 · 8/10 · 28 December 2016]

Batman rallies from Jokers Sneezing Powder with his utility belt and this gives the Joker an idea. Joker invents his own belt. Then in an unusual fight sequence, manages to plant one of his on Batman. What is not normal is during this sequence there are none of the POWS ZAMS or other headers that are on nearly every physical encounter during the rest of the series.

As usual in this series, he does not steal Batman's belt and then Batman uses his fake belt to figure out Joker's next move. The script has a brilliant clue from the Joker - "He who laughs last, laughs good." This entire series has plenty of good laughs.

I think everyone, even the reserved Adam West, get fun out of playing all these over the top characters throughout this series. When all is considered, it's Holy Batmania and it started here.

The hateful harlequin

[kevinolzak · 10/10 · 21 May 2016]

"Batman is Riled" opens with the Caped Crusader foiling The Joker's unmasking attempt with another smoke screen from his utility belt, only to be wound up in Joker's twisted confetti. His success in outwitting the Dynamic Duo has encouraged crooks to embark on a massive crime wave the likes of which Gotham City has never seen. Only a cork of uncertain vintage provides the vital clue that finally proves The Joker's undoing. With only gorgeous Nancy Kovack in support, this initial two parter was virtually all Cesar Romero, a superb introduction to Batman's most enduring nemesis, but as we shall see, his next pair were also top of the list.

HE WHO LAUGHS LAST LAUGHS GOOD??

[tcchelsey · 10/10 · 11 June 2023]

The Joker (Caesar Romero) is always laughing, because he's nuts, but he's also very clever. He officially begins the long running scheme to unmask Batman and Robin, which will definitely be the main agenda for many other villains in the series. The crafty catch here is he plans to expose them LIVE on Gotham City tv! He fails (of course), but watching the Joker wrangle and cackle out of another fight scene is campy fun, especially as his tossed hair becomes the ultimate fright wig! Beautiful Nancy Kovack returns as his devious assistant, Queenie. And there are some surprise guests stars. Famous Los Angeles tv news anchor Jerry Dunphy appears as a newscaster reporting on the Joker. Also look for a brief appearance by classic actor George Sanders as the nafarious Mr. Freeze. He would appear in three episodes, the role later played by equally famous director Otto Preminger, of all people! Sanders may have grabbed the role as he declared bankruptcy later that year, although he was working steadily in both films and tv. Popular bit actor Cosmo Gardo plays a bartender. Cosmo appeared in tons of tv shows in bit parts, and many times also playing a bartender on BONANZA. That's the guy. Something for everybody here. SEASON 1 EPISODE 6 restored dvd box set.

LOOSE DEBUT OF THE JOKER

[asalerno10 · 6/10 · 28 June 2022]

The Joker escapes by jumping over the prison walls using a giant spring. After the heist at the Gotham City Museum, the villain lures Batman and Robin into an ambush, intending to expose their true identities to the television cameras. His plan is frustrated and then he plots a new coup, to steal a luxury boat. Cesar Romero is brilliant in his interpretation of the Joker, too bad the argument is not solid enough, it also has very absurd scenes, the cliffhanger of the chapter is that Joker tries to unmask the dynamic duo to discover their true identities, but a few more moments later when he has them captive in his lair and has the opportunity to remove their mask he does not.

The Last Laugh

[injury-65447 · 6/10 · 26 June 2020]

This Is the first episode of the series that I found boring. They didn't do anything interesting with the Joker. The first part was much better.

I can usually get some fun out of the corny jokes but even they were wearing thin here. The script didn't provide much joy.

Batman Is Riled

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 7 March 2024]

Well Batman Is Riled as the Joker is about to unmask him and Robin live on television. They will be anonymous no more as the Joker is about too have the last laugh.

Only in the last moment Batman utilizes his utility belt and sets off the sprinklers in the studio. The Joker is foiled again.

However in another confrontation, the Joker swaps utility belts with Batman. The Joker cackles in celebration while he gives Batman and Robin a personalised ticker tape parade like it was the fourth of July.

There is a record crime spree in Gotham City where Batman and Robin are regarded as a joke.

The Joker's first Batman two parter had elements that would be used in the 1989 Batman movie. Such as taking over the television news studio.

I could not help that creatively it was just going round in circles. Even some of the dialogue and puns were being recycled.