BATMAN

CLASSIC TV

Sheer Kapow! factor…

‘Holy underpants!’ etc. Adam West as Batman with Burt Ward as Robin

1966-68 AVAILABLE ON DVD, BD, DIGITAL

It’s testament to the character’s versatility that there’s no truly definitive Dark Knight. From Michael Keaton’s soup-sipping oddball to glowering goth Robert Pattinson, no Batman is less valid than another – not even the Lego one. Standing close by at the lighter end of the spectrum is Adam West, star of the Batman TV series, which notched up three seasons and a spin-off movie between 1966 and 1968.

Darkness doesn’t dwell in this Wayne Manor. The show delivered primary-coloured action straight out of the comics of the time. From the animated titles onwards, it remains one of the most faithful page-to-screen adaptations ever made. Too faithful, almost. ‘I had just the simple idea of overdoing it, of making it so square and so serious that adults would find it amusing and kids would go for the adventure,’ said executive producer William Dozier of the show’s signature style (Dozier pulled double duty, narrating each episode’s cliffhanger ending).

Reportedly cast for his ability to deliver ludicrous lines with a straight face, West played the Caped Crusader as an obliviously uncool authority figure, deathly serious in all situations, whether it be cutting a rug (his distinctive dance moves became known as ‘The Batusi’) or using shark-repellent Bat-spray.

Joined by Burt Ward’s Robin (and later Yvonne Craig as Batgirl), West’s Bats was fully deputised and at the beck and call of a comically incompetent police department. A revolving door of Gotham’s most iconic foes kept the pair busy, including the Joker (Cesar Romero), the Penguin (Burgess Meredith) and Catwoman (by turns Lee Meriwether, Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt). The guest cast was rounded out with some of the 60s’ finest hams, including Vincent Price, Roddy McDowall and Zsa Zsa Gabor.

For all its tongue-in-cheekiness, the show remains wholly recognisable as Batman, boasting iconic versions of the Batmobile, Batcave and Batbutler (played by Alan Napier). The show’s influence extended long after Frank Miller and Tim Burton ushered Batman back into the dark, with West making a sweet appearance in a 1992 Batman: The Animated Series episode (playing ex-superhero actor Simon Trent) and later reprising his best-known role alongside Ward for two animated movies.

The show may have been cancelled after its third season – demolished sets ruling out a return – but thanks to recent cinematic developments, we know that the Dynamic Duo live on, some Bat-time, some Bat-place in the multiverse. In fans’ hearts, too.