The comedy and drama continues in Batman Season 2. With recurring villains from the first season, and a bevy of new villains as well.
Shoot A Crooked Arrow / Walk The Straight And Narrow
Archer (Art Carney) and his gang have come to Gotham City, winning the public’s favor with their Robin Hood style deeds of stealing from the rich to give to the poor. In the second part, Batman and Robin escape their previous peril and are back in action seeking to foil the Archer and his gang.
Hot Off The Griddle / The Cat And The Fiddle
Catwoman makes her return known with a string of robberies. And she puts Batman and Robin in an unusual death trap. To be broiled to death! Of course, they escape, using an extremely oddball mathematical calculation. In part 2, Catwoman disguises herself as a wealthy recluse – Minerva Matthews – to exchange a quarter million dollars for two Stradivarius violins.
The Minstrel’s Shakedown / Barbecued Batman?
The Minstrel, a villain with both musical talent and electronic ingenuity, is wrecking havoc with the Gotham City Exchange in an attempt to blackmail the exchange members. Van Johnson‘s first, and only, appearance as the mischief-making musician. Despite a bevy of DC Comics villains with a musical theme, The Minstrel is a unique creation for the series. Failing to destroy Batman and Robin, the Minstrel enacts “Plan High C.”
The Spell Of Tut / Tut’s Case Is Shut
King Tut has relapsed into his kingly ways, this time showing a marked interest in scarab beetles and apothecary potions. Using resurrected scarab beetles, King Tut concocts an ancient mind control potion, abu raubu simbu tu. An absolutely hilarious pair of episodes! Victor Buono steals the show …
The Greatest Mother Of Them All / Ma Parker
Ma Parker and her delinquent children are pulling off a crime wave in Gotham City. And they want to be put into the Gotham City prison?
It’s actually part of a rather clever plan. They’ve been putting people into the penitentiary, and they’re now taking charge! They plan to use the fact that the criminals inside the prison have the perfect alibi — and they’ll let the various criminals out temporarily, and let them back in as the perfect hideout.
The Clock King’s Crazy Crimes / The Clock King Gets Crowned
After a robbery aided by a rigged timepiece, Batman and Robin deduce the Clock King must be in Gotham City. Then, in part 2, Aunt Harriet purchases a clock as a birthday present for Bruce Wayne, unaware that it is a plant by the Clock King. With Walter Slezak as the Clock King, and Herbert Anderson.
Oddly enough, decades later Batman: The Animated Series introduced a serious villain as the Clock King, named Tempus Fugit. Who became a serious adversary, and later part of the Suicide Squad.
An Egg Grows In Gotham / The Yegg Foes In Gotham
In An Egg Grows in Gotham, Egghead steals the Gotham City charter. So, the question is why? And frankly the city charter’s fairly odd – with the descendants of the founding fathers of Gotham City having to make a payment of animal pelts to the Native American tribe that the land is being leased from. Including the Wayne family, of course.
In the second part, when the lease payment for Gotham City fails to be made on time, possession of the city falls into the hands of Egghead (Vincent Price). With Edward Everett Horton as the Native American.
The Devil’s Fingers / The Dead Ringers
Chandell, the musical virtuoso, visits Gotham City for a piano concert. In Part 2, Batman and Robin escape Chandell’s trap.
Hizzonner The Penguin/ Dizonner The Penguin
In Hizzoner the Penguin, the Penguin runs for Mayor of Gotham City! And then Batman is persuaded to run against him. By Commissioner Gordon, Chief O’Hara, and the current mayor!
In Dizzoner the Penguin, The mayoral campaign seems to keep going the Penguin’s way, but Batman is still confident despite the polls.
Green Ice / Deep Freeze
In Green Ice, Mr. Freeze is in town, and has begun a new cold wave of terror. In Deep Freeze, the press continues to attack Batman and Robin, thanks to framing by Mr. Freeze. As public animosity mounts, the Dynamic Duo decide to hang up their capes for the time being. This seems to be a recurring theme in Batman season 2, where the citizens of Gotham are easily turned against the caped crusaders.
The Impractical Joker / The Joker’s Provokers
In The Impractical Joker, The Joker pulls off a string of key-related pranks throughout Gotham City. Then with his magic box, he proceeds to snatch a priceless jeweled key right under the noses of Batman and Robin. In The Joker’s Provokers, After a reworking, the Joker’s magic box holds the power to alter time forward and backward. Technically, the idea of The Joker have the technical knowledge to build a “magic box” to control time is silly — but Cesar Romero has a good time with it.
Marsha, Queen Of Diamonds / Marsha’s Scheme Of Diamonds
In Marsha, Queen Of Diamonds, Marsha, the Queen of Diamonds (Carolyn Jones) is after the giant diamond that powers the Batcomputer. But Batman’s sworn to never let a stranger into the Batcave. So Marsha plans to — marry Batman!Then in Marsha’s Scheme Of Diamonds, Alfred (with Aunt Harriet’s help) prevents the marriage. Marsha still hopes to obtain the Batcave’s bat-diamond. So, she searches for a new potion to use on the Caped Crusaders.
Come Back, Shame / It’s How You Play The Game
In Come Back, Shame the criminal cowboy Shame is back, and is using stolen vehicle parts to assemble a truck so fast even the Batmobile won’t be able to catch him. In It’s How You Play The Game, with his special truck finished, Shame goes to work on his final caper. The theft of four prize cattle worth over one million dollars.
The Penguin’s Nest / The Bird’s Last Jest
Penguin has opened a fancy restaurant called The Penguin’s Nest. There every order has to be written down by the customers on a piece of paper. What an odd system — as Bruce Wayne mentions to Commissioner Gordon. But there’s a criminal reason behind it, o course. In The Bird’s Last Jest, while attempting to save Chief O’Hara from drowning inside a metal trunk, Batman and Robin find themselves under fire from the Penguin’s henchmen.
The Cat’s Meow / The Bat’s Kow Tow
In The Cat’s Meow, The Catwoman “steals” the voice of a television talk-show host in the middle of an interview with Bruce Wayne. Then in The Bat’s Kow Tow, Batman and Robin escape Catwoman’s death trap by hitting the precise note needed to shatter the glass chamber in which they’re held prisoner. They quickly get on the trail of Catwoman.
The Puzzles Are Coming / The Duo Is Slumming
In The Puzzles are Coming, The Puzzler (Maurice Evans), a villain with a fondness for both Shakespeare and aviation, indicates he is after the fortunes of Artemus Knab. Next, in The Duo Is Slumming, The Puzzler continues with his plan to hijack Artemus Knab’s new airplane, the Retsoor, all the while leaving puzzles behind for Batman and Robin to ponder.
The Sandman Cometh / The Catwoman Goeth
In The Sandman Cometh, Catwoman (Julie Newmar) and the Sandman (Michael Rennie) have teamed up, and they’re after the fortunes of J. Pauline Spaghetti, a rich insomniac. In The Catwoman Goeth, although Batman escapes the Sandman’s trap, Robin is left to wander in a deadly maze. And rescue a pretty young lady while he’s there. Such a hard life …
The Contaminated Cowl / The Mad Hatter Runs Afoul
In The Contaminated Cowl, The Mad Hatter has escaped from prison, and is on a quest to add Batman’s cowl to his collection of hats. Then in The Mad Hatter Runs Afoul, What appear to be the skeletons of Batman and Robin are found at Gotham City’s Atomic Energy Laboratory, where the Mad Hatter left them to irradiate.. “Appear to be” is the pertinent phrase here.
The Zodiac Crimes / The Joker’s Hard Times / The Penguin Declines
In The Zodiac Crimes, The Joker and the Penguin team up on a crime wave based on signs of the zodiac. The pair, aided and abetted by a woman known as Venus, keep Batman and Robin on the run. It’s interesting how, in Batman season 2, various criminals team up to combine their efforts against the Dynamic Duo. Almost a foreshadowing of Batman the Movie. In the meanwhile, in The Joker’s Hard Times, Batman and Robin narrowly escape the Joker’s death trap and quickly get back on the villain’s trail. And in The Penguin Declines, Batman, summoning all the strength he can muster, breaks his chains and frees Robin from the giant clam. Then the chase is on!
That Darn Catwoman / Scat! Darn Catwoman
In That Darn Catwoman, The Catwoman (Julie Newmar) manages to drug Robin. The junior member of the Dynamic Duo is now the Catwoman’s mindless slave. But in Scat! Darn Catwoman, Batman agrees to let the Catwoman drug him. But he appears to have a headache and the Catwoman permits him to take an aspirin. She’s far too trusting. And, her newest henchwoman is just Robin’s age. Coincidentally.
Penguin Is A Girl’s Best Friend / Penguin Sets A Trend / Penguin’s Disastrous End
Penguin Is A Girl’s Best Friend is the start of another three-episode story — and another villainous team up. As a front for his next crime wave, the Penguin (Burgess Meredith) forms a motion picture company. He teams up with Marsha, Queen of Diamonds (Carolyn Jones), and gets Batman and Robin to take part in his movie.
In Penguin Sets a Trend, In order to keep a close eye on the Penguin (and hopefully locate the stolen chain mail armor), Batman and Robin rejoin Penguin’s movie efforts.
Finally in Penguin’s Disastrous End, Batman and Robin get back on the Penguin and Marsha, Queen of Diamonds’, trail. Several escaped lizards lead them to the villains’ hideout, where they find the stolen chain mail suits.
Batman’s Anniversary / A Riddling Controversy
In Batman’s Anniversary, During a party for Batman’s crime-fighting anniversary, the Riddler (John Astin this time out) appears and nabs a golden calf filled with money for charity. Then in A Riddling Controversy, after two more robberies, the Riddler has enough money to purchase Professor Charm’s Demolecularizer.
The Joker’s Last Laugh / The Joker’s Epitaph
In The Joker’s Last Laugh, Counterfeit money is being distributed by respectable citizens in Gotham City. Batman and Robin investigate, and find one of the Joker’s lifelike robots substituting for a bank teller. Then, in The Joker’s Epitaph, The Joker is now Vice Chairman of the Gotham National Bank, due to an unsuccessful plan of Batman’s! Not that he’d do anything dishonest, of course …
Catwoman Goes To College / Batman Displays His Knowledge
In Catwoman Goes To College, Catwoman (Julie Newmar) is released from prison, and claiming she wants to enrich her education, enrolls at Gotham City University.
Just as a leopard can’t change her spots, however, in Batman Displays His Knowledge Catwoman goes ahead with her scheme to steal several Batagonian Cat’s Eye opals, but she has trouble finding someone to fence them since such rare stones would be easily spotted.
A Piece Of The Action / Batman’s Satisfaction
In A Piece Of The Action, The Green Hornet and Kato (Van Williams and Bruce Lee) are in Gotham City to bust a counterfeiting stamp ring. The famous two-part crossover between the two live-action superheroes. Then in Batman’s Satisfaction, the villainous Colonel Gumm (Roger C. Carmel) moves out of the Pink Chip Stamps Factory, taking its owner Pinky Pinkston (Diane McBain) along as a hostage.
King Tut’s Coup / Batman’s Waterloo
In King Tut’s Coup, after a blow to the head, Yale’s Egyptology professor once again believes he is King Tut (Victor Buono). Then in Batman’s Waterloo, Though Batman escapes his watery trap, Robin is left in the hands of King Tut. And yes, “water” loo is definitely a pun.
Black Widow Strikes Again / Caught In The Spider’s Den
It should be noted that the “black widow” here is a unique character created for Batman season 2. She has absolutely nothing to do with the more-popular Marvel comics character. With that out of the way: in Black Widow Strikes Again, The Black Widow uses her cerebrum short-circuiting device to rob bank after bank in Gotham City. And in Caught In The Spider’s Den, The Black Widow adjusts her cerebrum short-circuiting device to successfully alter Batman’s brain! Oh, the horror. Will Robin rescue him? Do you need to ask?
Pop Goes The Joker / Flop Goes The Joker
In Pop Goes The Joker, The Joker (Cesar Romero) appears in an art gallery and defaces the paintings with paint-spraying guns. But he talks a rich young lady, with more money than experience, into not pressing charges. Then in Flop Goes The Joker, The Joker persuades wealthy heiress Baby Jane Towser to join him in his artistic capers.
Ice Spy / The Duo Defy
Ending out the season, Mr. Freeze (Eli Wallach this time) returns in Ice Spy. Mr. Freeze is back in town, and has plans to build an icy weapon that will have the world at his control. He has the secret assistance of ice skater Glacia Glaze (Leslie Parrish) as well. Then in The Duo Defy, back in his iceberg headquarters, Mr. Freeze persuades the kidnapped Professor Isaacson to build him a thermodynamic ice ray beam.