Batman: The Complete Television Series

Like many Batfans who grew up watching the Adam West-Burt Ward version of the Dynamic Duo, which originally ran on ABC-TV from January 1966 until March 1968, and is still in reruns on the Memorable Entertainment Television (MeTV) digital classic television network, I am delighted that this great series is finally out on DVD (and Blu-ray). Although I have not watched all of the episodes - that will take some time - I am very impressed with what I have seen so far; the quality is far superior to the MeTV repeats. All 120 episodes are here, divided up as follows: Season 1 is on 5 DVDs, Season 2, which had the most episodes, is spread over 8 DVDs, and Season 3 (the Batgirl era) has four discs of episodes, plus a bonus disc of special features including mini-documentaries on Adam West's life and career; the explosion of Batman memorabilia since 1966; reminisces from the show's stars, including West, Ward, and Catwoman Julie Newmar; current Hollywood stars discussing their favorite Batman moments; a segment where West reads from his annotated script of the two-part pilot, while watching the actual episodes (this is as close as we get to a commentary track on the episodes; sadly, there are none on the regular DVDs); outtakes from the vault, and much more. Warner Home Video and Twentieth Century-Fox have teamed up to do a great job on this series, which includes a softcover guide to all 120 episodes in chronological order, and descriptions of the bonus material that follows. If you don't want to shell out for the whole series in one fell swoop, a separate volume for Batman: Season 1 is available now; Batman: Season 2 Part One will be available on February 17, with the second part of Season 2 and Season 3 to follow soon after that. I would also recommend Batman - The Movie (Holy Special Edition Batman!) ; that is also very entertaining. Five stars for this whole package. DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA - BATMAN!! UPDATE: There are a couple of minor errors with this package - one with the missing narration at the beginning of the first episode, "Hi Diddle Riddle," and the second on the episode "Marsha's Scheme of Diamonds." Though it only represents about 5 minutes of footage, Warner Brothers Customer Service is offering replacement discs. Go to their Web site for additional details and how to register to obtain the replacements. I received the replacement discs (Discs 1 and 8) several weeks ago. R.I.P., Batgirl (Yvonne Craig), who passed away on August 17, 2015. You were loved by everyone, and will be missed. And now, R.I.P. Adam West, who joined Yvonne in Heaven on June 9, 2017, age 88. Hope you two are getting reacquainted! Adam West, was, and will always be, the definitive Caped Crusader, as far as I am concerned. The more recent incarnations (Micheal Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney Tunes, Christian Bale, etc.) are just too dark and violent for my taste.

Being just eight when this show debuted, it was my first exposure to the character of Batman, and I was quite surprised, years later, when I found out Batman had been penned in the comics as "The Dark Knight". There is absolutely nothing dark about Adam West's rendition of the character. In this age of infomercials and reality TV, reruns have become a thing of the past, but I've really been enjoying revisiting the show via the newly released DVDs of this short-lived sensation. Looking back on this show nearly 50 years later, I just don't know how the players kept a straight face with their intentionally cheesy lines. Neil Hamilton, a film actor of some prominence from the silent era through the 1930's, is just great as the stone-faced Commissioner Gordon. I didn't even know his place in film history until years later when I got into classic films. And as for Adam West, I've always admired his great positive attitude about his short lived fame. Through the years he's often parodied his role in commercials and you could tell he was really enjoying himself and poking fun at the character he once played. The DVDs have a long interview with Adam West and he really is a great guy. Now in his 80's, West just said he felt very fortunate to have had work as an actor throughout his career, to have good friends and a great family, and to have been part of such a big part of 60's TV culture, even if for a short time - what a class act who did not let fame go to his head. Now for the show itself. Everybody wanted to be a guest star villain, and many did. As well as the original villains from the Batman comics such as the Riddler, The Penguin, and The Joker, there were some added that were unique to the series such as Victor Buono as King Tut. The odd thing about Tut was that the show actually showed the origin of Tut as a criminal - a respected Egyptologist who was hit on the head and became an arch criminal when not in his right mind. He was also one of the rare villains for which Batman seemed to have compassion. Nobody ever wondered why The Joker wandered around in loud suits and makeup or why The Penguin never got tired of smoking cigarettes ala FDR and wearing a tux. Then there is Robin, who is actually Batman's young ward Dick Grayson. Dick is actually in high school, and at Wayne mansion Bruce Wayne is always lecturing Dick about the importance of good diet, exercise, education and seat belts. Yet, that doesn't prevent Bruce Wayne as Batman from putting someone not of legal age repeatedly in harm's way. And harm never seemed to mean mere gun play. Instead it was the danger of being eaten by giant clams or being sawed in half by a buzz saw. You couldn't say Gotham's criminals lacked imagination. Finally an observation about Batman in relation to "Wild Wild West", both of which aired at about the same time in the 1960's. Wild Wild West had good ratings, but the show's producers decided to cancel because CBS said the show was too violent, when the fight scenes were no worse than Batman's fight scenes. Maybe they should have added some cartoon KAPOW!, OUCH! and POW!. Seriously, add those captions into the Wild Wild West fight scenes and you would have had the same thing. So if you have some time and spare cash, get the Batman DVDs and watch one of the great fads of television that people still remember fondly 50 years later. And see if you notice the little jokey touches like Ma Barker's buxom daughter's prison number being "35-23-34" and the fact that Robin's bat pole was smaller than Batman's pole. Phallic humor for the ages. Highly recommended.

The Batman series featuring Adam West is a delightful blend of campy fun and superhero action that has captured the hearts of fans for generations. West’s portrayal as the Caped Crusader brings a unique charm and a sense of humor that distinguishes this series from other Batman adaptations. His performance is lauded for being both earnest and tongue-in-cheek, providing a balance that suits the colorful and sometimes absurd world of Gotham as depicted in the 1960s. The series is famous for its catchphrases, inventive fight scenes filled with onomatopoeic words, and its vibrant, comic book-inspired aesthetic. Many appreciate the show for its nostalgic value and its ability to entertain audiences of all ages. Adam West's Batman is iconic, embodying a lighter, more playful side of the Dark Knight, making the series a timeless gem in the superhero genre.

With it's guest villains and multiple cameos, this hilarious "Batman" series is perfect for trivia. Here's some questions for you, test yourself! If you don't want to wait to watch the series, I give the answers in the first comment to this review: 1. Who was the guest villain in the very first episode? 2. Who was the very first oh-so-comely moll? 3. What is the significance of 2F-3567? 4. Riddle me twice, Batman. What kind of pins are used in soup? And what was Joan of Arc made of? 5. What is the first gadget used from Batman's famous utility belt? 6. A bust of what famous person sits on Bruce Wayne's desk, and hides the switch for "Access to Batcave via Batpole"? 7. When was the first episode where someone opened a window to address the Dynamic Duo while they're climbing a building wall? 8. Who was the first person to open a window? 9. Who was the last villain to bedevil our heroes in the TV series? 10. How many miles is it from the Bat Cave's street entrance to Gotham City? 11. Of Batman's top 4 villains, which one appeared in the most episodes of the TV show? 12. Who was the guest villain in the 2-episode show with the highest ratings? 13. To whom was Commissioner Gordon referring when he said, "Who knows what devious tricks this evil balladeer could be up to." 14. Of the three actresses who played Catwoman on the series and "Batman: The Movie", who was Adam West's favorite? 15. Adam West asks this question himself, in Special Feature No. 5, "Inventing Batman": "This would be fun at parties. Trivial stuff. What was the first "Batman" comic balloon?" (He refers to the cartoon-y ZAP! BAM! that appears during fights.) I like this show because I cannot watch it and not be happy! Chief O'Hara and Commissioner Gordon say the most atrocious lines with a straight face ("Our only hope is that towering power for right and justice, the Caped Crusader"). Everything is tongue in cheek (a beauty contest called "Queen of Beauty", an exclusive perfume called "Canadian Perfume"). Double entendres galore (as Julie Newmar says in Bonus feature No 3, "C'mon! You can't miss it!"). Thirty-three guest villains in all. Innumerable minions, with appropriate names (such as Leo and Felix for Catwoman, Finella for the Penguin). TV shows in this era were known for encasing their female guest stars in wigs, but the costumiers went wild in "Batman" (including an odd toupee for Van Johnson). Impossible weapons and torture devices. GREAT guest stars, and that's not even including the cameos and window-openers. Great one-liners (Robin says, "That puncuated pipsqeak!"). And now I can geek out by using pause button to see if I can tell from just where Batman pulled the Bat Shield. This Complete Series looks fantastic. The colors are sharp and everything is crisp. Almost too crisp, you see the sheen of sweat on Batman's lip and the veins sticking out on Gorshin's forehead. You get a 32-page Episode Guide with a Greeting From Adam West. The show is presented as "standard version presented in a format preserving the aspect ratio of the original exhibition" - a long way of saying 4:3 TV viewing. (Though my player's Widescreen setting works pretty well, also.) Sound is Dolby digital mono. Season 1 has 17 two-part shows, or 34 episodes of 25 minutes each without commercials. Season 2 has 30 two-part shows, with 25 minutes per episode. And Season 3 has 26 one-part shows, of 25 minutes each. That's a total of 3,000 minutes or 50 hours of excellent viewing. You can listen to the show in English or Portuguese. Or you can watch it with subtitles in English, French, Spanish or Portuguese. The seven Bonus Features are all on the last disc in the Season 3 set. The Bonus Features are the same whether you're buying DVD or BluRay. The viewing options are fewer for the Special Features. There is no dubbed option, and subtitles are available in only Spanish and Portuguese. The Complete Series has 225 minutes, or 3 3/4 hours, of Special Features. ...1. "Hanging With Batman" (2014, 29 minutes) This featurette is narrated by Adam West, and includes clips from interviews with him over the years. West had played serious roles before "Batman", but he wanted to get into comedy. That's just one reason he loved the 1st script when he got it, "Batman - some of you don't realize this - was a comedy." ...2. "Holy Memorabilia Batman!" (2014, 20 minutes) I really enjoyed this bonus. "Batman" was the first TV series to have "a firestorm of collectibles". Commentators include Adam West, Ralph Garman (Batman collector), Jordan Hembrough (host of "Toy Hunter"), Kevin Silva (Batman Collector) and Mark Racop (owner "Fiberglass Freaks"). There is a great analysis of collecting - it gives you permission to dream. Garman shows Adam West his full-room collection, from originals when the show was airing to recent new stuff. It is very touching. West even tries on one of the prizes in the collection, an original cowl that Adam wore in the show. It still fits perfectly. Racop made his first '66 Batmobile in 1974 when he was 17. Now you can buy a fully functional replica from him, complete with a retractable bat beam antenna. And flame thrower, if you insist! ...3. "Batmania Born! Building the World of Batman" (2014, 30 minutes) This short has 22 commentators, historians, publishers, producers, writers. It's a little analysis of why "Batman" was successful in 1966 - 1968. ...4. "Bats of the Round Table" (2014, 45 minutes) Adam West is joined at a restaurant by Ralph Garman, Phil Morris (actor, "Smallville"), Jim Lee (Co-publisher DC Comics) and Kevin Smith (Executive producer "Comic Book Men"). All are big fans of the '66 Batman and they talk about what the show meant and means to them. ...5. "Inventing Batman: In the Words of Adam West" (2014, 65 minutes) Adam West is at Warner Studios and is loaned his original script for the Season 1, episodes 1 & 2 in the series, "Hi Diddle Riddle" and "Smack in the Middle". The script has West's hand-written notations. We re-watch the two episodes with West periodically showing us his notes and what he was thinking as he created this new character. Of the script, West says, "It was written by the great Lorenzo Semple Jr., who said, 'It's the best thing I ever wrote.' And he won a number of awards for screenplays." West: "You can be as absurd as anyone imagines, but if you do it with a certain, almost invisible, ineffable dignity... Dignity, and the sense to the audience that you're doing everything you can to preserve that dignity. That becomes very funny." ...6. "Na Na Batman!" (2014, 15 minutes) Twenty-four commentators bring up different points about "Batman". ...7. "Bat Rarities! Straight From the Vault" (21 minutes total) .......A. "Batgirl Pilot" (1967, 7 minutes) This was a short to see if they would develop a new series, "Batgirl". Instead, Yvonne Craig joined "Batman" for the 1st episode in Season 3, as Commissioner Gordon's daughter. She became crime-fighter Batgirl, and only the butler Alfred knew she was Batgirl. .......B. "Burt Ward Screen Test With Adam West" (6 minutes) .......C. "Actors Screen Tests: Lyle Waggoner and Peter Deyall" (5 minutes) .......D. "James Blakeley Tribute" (3 minutes) Blakeley was post-production supervisor for "Batman". As noted, almost all of the bonus extras above are new and not carried forward from the bonus extras on "Batman: The Movie" or the TV Special "Batman - Holy Batmania". While I'm at it, I'll put in a plug for these, too. Batman: The Movie (Special Edition) The Movie came out in July, 1966, a month after the last episode aired of the smash hit Season 1. This link is for the 2008 DVD Special Edition, presented in widescreen 1.85:1. It includes an OK commentary track, by Adam West and Burt Ward, and 7 other bonus features. In my review (buried amongst the other enthusiastic reviews), I detail a ridiculous conversation in Commissioner Gordon's office - proof that the writing for the movie was every bit as zany as for the TV show. Batman - Holy Batmania Hard to get now, I bought my DVD copy some time ago. This 2-disc set has the 109 minute made-for-TV documentary, plus a 90 minute biography of Adam West, 85 minute biography of Julie Newmar and a 45 minute biography of Cesar Romero. I like the documentary, but the biographies are the cream. Disc 2 does have screen tests as bonus extras. The photo added shows Batman dancing the Batusi in Episode 1. Happy Reader

How is it possible that this outrageously entertaining TV show came to exist?, one may ask who has been raised on the ham and cheese of the TV universe that has been blowing smoke for the last 35 years or so. Batman was a product of a short window in the late 60s during which free-wheeling imagination was king. Along with other classics like the Munsters and the Beverly Hillbillies, Batman is purely subversive fun driven by way over-the-top writing full of insanely comic situations and characters. When I was first initiated to Batman during its reruns in the mid-70s, although I was vaguely amused by the show, more than that I took it seriously. For good reasons too - for a 10-year old kid, the show was pretty dark. In every 2-episode plot, at some point, Batman and Robin are stuck in some kind of torture device that suggests horrid suffering and death. But the combination of comedy, darkness, and just plain 60s-hip scenarios (the Batmobile roaring out of the Batcave with fire blasting out never gets old as far as I'm concerned) makes the show really unique. It was odd that it was lumped in on the roster of kids' shows not only because of the aforementioned darkness, but also because so much of the dialogue and various interludes reek of adult satire, but me and a whole generation of kids were fine with it. Watching it now, I can't stop laughing - Adam West's Batman deadpanning absurdly square lines, Frank Gorshin's insanely giggling Riddler, the sexy Julie Newmar preening in her cat's den, Victor Buono's King Tut carrying on with his crew of hipster criminals (including Sid Haig at one point!) And a who's who of the hip late 60s scene populating the landscape in every show. One can easily dismiss it all as a bunch of silliness, but that would be missing the point. The show was in tune with the fun-loving and hip attitude of the times in the late 60s and as a result delivers the silliness in an inspired way. And on top of all this, there are 120 brilliant episodes, so the fun keeps coming for a long time.

The outside packaging could be better but the inside disc packaging is decent and all of the disks play perfectly.

The picture quality is outstanding. What a great find.

Campy and crazy as I ever remembered it to be, the extraordinary energy and compatibility of the incomparable Adam West and Burt Ward were what made this television series work -- along with a memorable cast of A-list actors who brought to life the characters of Commissioner Gordon, Alfred the butler, and the star-studded group of "villains" that we will never forget. The costumes were impeccably designed for color and eye-appeal, the stories were ridiculously cheeky and fun, and the show established its own memorable style and presentation for television in a much different, much more innocent world. No language here, no steamy themes, no PC, and no commentary other than raising up the best standards of the American way of life with an eye toward decency. The only thing noticeable in its content -- keeping in mind the innocence of the period and the culture of the time -- was a considerable amount of tobacco and smoking, more often than not because of the Penguin and his long cigarette holder. It was the Sixties, and reflects that culture in every respect, at a time when some of the other big shows were Bonanza, Star Trek and The Monkees. All in all, this is a great presentation of the entire series, well organized and accessible, with a few extras thrown in. This is strictly for fans, who appreciate the work in its context, love Batman and Robin, and can enjoy the campy environment of the stories and characterizations. For anyone who loves Sixties television, this boxed set is a MUST HAVE -- unless you want or need Blu-Ray quality (which early TV was not) or what the extra stuff that comes with the larger Blu-Ray set (toy Batmobile, cards, books.) I am still pouring through it since Christmas, and memories of a cherished childhood are still coming back to me through the BAM! POW! and ZOWEE! of this golden era of TV.

L'intégrale pour un bon prix. Arrivé dans les temps et bien emballé.

Muy buena calidad en imagen y sonido. Me regresó a mi niñez. Solamente trae audio en ingles y portugués. Sí cuenta con subtítulos en español. Muy recomendable para cualquier fan de Batman.

Buen producto y nueva edición. Nada malo que reseñar

DVD 輸入盤を購入しました。 ソニーの国内仕様のBDプレイヤーで再生できました。 パナソニックの国内仕様のBDプレイヤーでは再生できません。 不思議です。 シーズン1 から 3 まで 全話 セットになっています。 音声はオリジナルの英語と ポルトガル語の吹替が入っています。 字幕は英語、ポルトガル語、フランス語、スペイン語が入っています。 日本語は ありません。 高校卒業程度の英語力があれば、英語の字幕を出せば ストーリーは わかります。 画質 音質 共に良好です。 ジュリー ニューマーが演じているキャット ウーマンが すごくセクシーです。 買って よかったと思います。

Super kul att se barndomsminnen