[Batman] Episode 25 & 26: The Joker Trumps an Ace/Batman Sets The Pace

[Ubiquitous]

: The gold golf club-carrying Maharajah of Nimpah is in Gotham, which
: brings the Joker back to town for a little kidnapping and ransom action.

JS: Another boring day in stately Wayne Manor, where our not-so-dynamic duo
have resigned themselves to assembling a puzzle upside-down. And poor Aunt
Harriet missed her cue, as the boys were already out of the room to answer
the batphone by the time she showed up!

PE: Is the air conditioning on max at the Manor? Bruce Wayne seems to be
dressing for the Ice Capades.

JS: I sure miss the non-PC golden age of television, when you could show
crooks resorting to using a fork lift to move a big fat Maharajah.

PE: I do like the fact that Batman shows golfer etiquette by not driving on
the fairway...even if it means the Maharajah will be kidnapped. I'm sure this
is Bruce Wayne's favorite course.

JS: Cesar Romero makes his singing debut with this third appearance as the
Clown Prince of Crime, in an unfortunately lackluster adventure.

PE: Got's to agree with, John. Not only is there a paucity of action but the
hook of the Joker's jokes is a little too close to that of the Riddler. Tell
me the difference between some of these "riddles" and "jokes". I do love the
little song The Joker sings (and he sings just for us):

Circle now and intertwine,

neatly wrap these guests of mine.

No more will they jeer and scoff,

I'll cut their circulation off.

If they do not see the joke,

pull the ropes and let them choke.

It's got a ring to it.

JS: I have to give the writers credit for setting up Jill (Wald), the latest
moll to fall for the Caped Crusader, as the would-be savior from the
episode's cliffhanger, making the actual escape all the more interesting.
Thank goodness someone installed the zipline on the chimney top.

PE: Ever the gentleman, Batman scolds Robin for doubting The Joker's word
when the clown prince trots the Dynamic Duo off to their doom. This leads to
one of the most forgettable cliffhangers of the series. Batman and Robin are
literally just standing and talking to themselves as our voice comes on and
tells us about the predicament the boys are in. Coulda fooled me.

JS: I had all but given up on this episode when it was saved from oblivion by
a trip to the novelty shoppe. From Dick shoving the chattering teeth in
Bruce's face to Bruce's structural examination of the googly-eye glasses—this
was the high point of the episode to me.

PE: But hey, at least The Joker didn't steal the Batmobile!

JS: Sure, Robin had to wait outside the bar in the premiere due to his age,
but this is the first time Batman played the 'dynamic senority' card...

PE: My favorite scene of the episode! I love the Larry David smirk on
Batman's face as he steps on the Boy Wonder's pride and squishes him under
his toes.

JS: How did no one notice the bank manager pocketing $10,000? And right under
the noses of the dynamic duo, the police chief and commissioner! He places
equal stacks of bills into the briefcase as he counts out $450K, $460K,
$470K, $480K, $500K.

JS: Do you think Batman was giving a clue that he knew what was going on when
he made the joke about there being only one 'T' in Batman? Or do you think
it's one more instance of prejudice against that fat Maharajah?

PE: Shhhh, John. We don't use the word "fat" around here.

JS: Looks like The Joker hooked up with False Face before. Now that's a
team-up I would have liked to have seen.

PE: Bruce Wayne and Alfred seem puzzled that the Batphone should ring so
quickly after the case had been wrapped up. Do you think there's a grace
period that the three or four other super-villains in Gotham adhere to out of
respect for Batman? I was half expecting Commisioner Gordon to say "It's our
old friend, The Joker, Batman. He's been paroled and he's stolen $100,000 in
monopoly money from FAO Schwartz."

JS: As if to make up for her late arrival in the prologue, we get another
Aunt Harriet appearance in an otherwise inexplicable second Batphone call in
the epilogue. Hopefully Gary can explain what was going on at the time that
necessitated a gag about Batman running for governor in California.

PE Rating: 1.0 batsignals
JS Rating: 2.5 batsignals

--
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