"The Zodiac Crimes" kicks off the series' first of 3 three part episodes, and the only one to justify the third chapter. Cesar Romero's Joker enjoys his most elaborate outing, easily the best from this second season, outlining a crime wave based upon the 12 signs of the Zodiac, beginning in Commissioner Gordon's office, where a Rare Art Map signifies Aries the Ram, intentionally putting Batman on his trail. The unexpected arrival of a jack in the box reveals a certain feathered fiend, Burgess Meredith's Penguin, his amusing banter with The Joker all too brief, their only teaming since the feature film. Gemini the Twins lead the Caped Crusaders to the singing duo The Twins, meeting The Joker's attractive moll Venus (Terry Moore), while the Clown Prince of Crime is in the process of pilfering a pair of diamonds also known as the Twins. The Penguin is present for the kidnapping of opera star Leo Crustash (Charles Fredericks), which covers both Leo the Lion and Cancer the Crustacean, but in being pinned to the wall is unable to escape with The Joker, already off to the museum to find Virgo, the Virgin Bereaved, a priceless statue worth 'a cool million.' Unbeknownst to the Dynamic Duo, Virgo turns out to be Venus, a reluctant pawn in The Joker's game, rendering them helpless for the cliffhanger, lying below an 8 ton meteorite which will crush their skulls after Saturn rotates around the universe. The henchmen have colorful names: only two are credited, Joe Di Reda as Mars and Hal Baylor as Mercury, unbilled are Eddie Saenz as Saturn, Charles Picerni as Uranus, and Guy Way as Jupiter.
5 Reviews
Holy Jumping Juptier
DKosty1233 November 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This first 3 parter (it will be followed by another one) pits the Joker & Penguin versus Batman though the Joker is carrying the main scheme enlisted Penguin by breaking him out of jail. There is some electricity added when Joker's right hand woman -Venus - tries to decide between being good or bad.
As the 12 crimes of the Zodiac start to unfold, it appears Batman & Robin are always a step behind the Joker in this part. There's lots of good things about this 3 part set including the most female tension for Batman outside of the Cat Woman episodes. The peril here is a possible crushing blow for the caped crusaders. The series is winding along quite well during season 2.
Does it get better, you bet.?
As the 12 crimes of the Zodiac start to unfold, it appears Batman & Robin are always a step behind the Joker in this part. There's lots of good things about this 3 part set including the most female tension for Batman outside of the Cat Woman episodes. The peril here is a possible crushing blow for the caped crusaders. The series is winding along quite well during season 2.
Does it get better, you bet.?
The Joker Looks To The Stars In This Outstanding Three-Parter
StuOz19 March 2010
Warning: Spoilers
This is a great three-part adventure, mainly because, by the end of it, we see TWO well staged fights between The Joker and Batman/Robin. This might be year two when the series was being rushed into production but there is nothing rushed about the photography, lighting and direction of these two fight scenes.
One fight takes place in the Batcave and there is something thrilling about seeing bodies jump and fall all over that flashy Batcave hardware (hardware that was constantly used in Irwin Allen television as well) with Nelson Riddle music playing over it all.
Other highlights include the girl "Venus" and her relationship with the Batman, Robin and The Joker.
And yes, this is the semi-famous show with the giant clam attack! I was trying to guess if this clam did double time on Lost In Space or Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea as well? If Batman ever comes to DVD, watch all three parts in one 75 minute screening and you will get a "movie" that leaves those dark modern Bat-movies for dead.
Outstanding!
One fight takes place in the Batcave and there is something thrilling about seeing bodies jump and fall all over that flashy Batcave hardware (hardware that was constantly used in Irwin Allen television as well) with Nelson Riddle music playing over it all.
Other highlights include the girl "Venus" and her relationship with the Batman, Robin and The Joker.
And yes, this is the semi-famous show with the giant clam attack! I was trying to guess if this clam did double time on Lost In Space or Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea as well? If Batman ever comes to DVD, watch all three parts in one 75 minute screening and you will get a "movie" that leaves those dark modern Bat-movies for dead.
Outstanding!
THE JOKER AND THE PENGUIN TEAM SUPREME.
tcchelsey24 February 2024
This has to be one of the most imaginative episodes (and villainous teamings) of 'em all. The Joker, in his eccentric glee and glory, teams with the qwacking Penguin to begin a master crime wave across Gotham City based upon the twelve signs of the Zodiac.
A very clever take on the stars, their trajectory and association with art objects and money, money, money! Master writer Stephen Kandel (who passed at the age of 96 in 2023), wrote five episodes for the series, also writing for STAR TREK at the time, and for so many other top tv shows. He burned the midnight oil for this one.
In play are such stars as Aries the Ram, Leo the Lion, Cancer the Crustacean and Virgo the Virgin, which yields a million dollar statue. The Joker and Penguin's meeting is brief, but memorable as is the appearance of the Joker's gal pal, Venus, played by beautiful screen star Terry Moore. Terry would appear in three episodes and at the time was "reportedly" married to billionaire Howard Hughes.
Lots of outrageous gags set into motion here, foremost a gigantic museum meteorite designed to CRUSH Batman. It's also fun to watch how many times Batman and Robin are subjected to being crushed or crunched by villains. You have to give Kandel credit for coming up with some campy ways of eliminating the Caped Crusaders, and I agree with the last reviewer, nothing beats a good, old fashioned fight in the Batcave.
Note the names of the Joker's goofy henchmen, such as Mercury, Saturn and Jupiter, and played by some familiar character actors. By the way, Terry Moore, now in her 90s, is still working as an actress, having appeared in the 2023 movie, THE STORY OF THE LADY IN BLACK, playing the title role. She also has done some film projects slated to be released in 2024.
Episodic, off offbeat fun all the way, and no question producer William Dozier was trying to capitalize --and very quickly -- on the eneormous success of the series, throwing everything into this story and subsequent episodes and stirring it up.
10 STAR episode, extremely well directed and photographed in remastered color. SEASON 2 EPISODE 37 dvd box set.
A very clever take on the stars, their trajectory and association with art objects and money, money, money! Master writer Stephen Kandel (who passed at the age of 96 in 2023), wrote five episodes for the series, also writing for STAR TREK at the time, and for so many other top tv shows. He burned the midnight oil for this one.
In play are such stars as Aries the Ram, Leo the Lion, Cancer the Crustacean and Virgo the Virgin, which yields a million dollar statue. The Joker and Penguin's meeting is brief, but memorable as is the appearance of the Joker's gal pal, Venus, played by beautiful screen star Terry Moore. Terry would appear in three episodes and at the time was "reportedly" married to billionaire Howard Hughes.
Lots of outrageous gags set into motion here, foremost a gigantic museum meteorite designed to CRUSH Batman. It's also fun to watch how many times Batman and Robin are subjected to being crushed or crunched by villains. You have to give Kandel credit for coming up with some campy ways of eliminating the Caped Crusaders, and I agree with the last reviewer, nothing beats a good, old fashioned fight in the Batcave.
Note the names of the Joker's goofy henchmen, such as Mercury, Saturn and Jupiter, and played by some familiar character actors. By the way, Terry Moore, now in her 90s, is still working as an actress, having appeared in the 2023 movie, THE STORY OF THE LADY IN BLACK, playing the title role. She also has done some film projects slated to be released in 2024.
Episodic, off offbeat fun all the way, and no question producer William Dozier was trying to capitalize --and very quickly -- on the eneormous success of the series, throwing everything into this story and subsequent episodes and stirring it up.
10 STAR episode, extremely well directed and photographed in remastered color. SEASON 2 EPISODE 37 dvd box set.
FIRST TRIPLE EPISODE WITH A VERY MEDIOCRE SCRIPT
asalerno1025 June 2022
To celebrate the first anniversary of the series, the production makes the first triple episode and with two of the best villains: The Joker and the Penguin. The Joker announces to Commissioner Gordon that he is preparing to carry out a series of robberies related to the twelve signs of the zodiac. With the desire that his plans do not fail, he obtains the collaboration of the Penguin. At the moment that they are preparing to kidnap a lyrical singer in full function, Batman manages to learn the Penguin, but when he prepares to do the same with the Joker, he catches them in the Gotham City Museum and leaves them tied to a platform where a A huge meteorite will crush them when the cable that holds it above them burns. It's a shame that the plot and development of this episode is so silly, absurd and childish. The entire cast behaves as if they were 10-year-olds, the fight on the Opera stage is horrible, the best thing about this episode is the cliffhanger trap.
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