# Batman The Television Series: Season 2 Part 2 - DVD Review



## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=50153[/img] 
*Title: Batman The Television Series: Season 2 Part 2* 

*Movie:* :4.5stars:
*Video:* :4stars:
*Audio:* :4stars: 
*Extras:* N/A 

*HTS Overall Score:*74




[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=50161[/img]*Summary*
Season 2 of this classic TV series is kind of an anomaly for the 3 seasons. It literally is THREE seasons on paper, but Season 1 was cut a bit short and season 3 wasn’t wildly long either, but season 2 was made in a time when there was a LOT more episodes and had to be split up into two parts being that there was 60 episodes. Yes, you read that right, 60 episodes. In today’s age of TV where 12-22 episodes is the norm/max, 60 is mind boggling. Even back in the day when “The Dick Van **** Show” was popular, 35 or so episodes was the norm, so 60 is quite the mouthful. However, you’re not going to see me complaining as more Batman is always a welcome thing.

50 years plus after the original air date we finally get to have this glorious show with a new restoration. I’ve already done season 2 part 1, so you have a general idea of what you’re in for. Season 2 part 2, is more of the same. More villains, more heroes, more villains returning and returning again (which is actually something I’m going to elaborate more on later in the review), and more “biff”, “pow” and “wam’s” than you can shake a stick at. This half of the season has some incredible cameos and introductions of famous villains. Lee Meriwether, who played Catwoman in the feature film version of the series makes an appearance as Cleopatra (minion to King Tut), as well as famed singer, Leslie Gore, showing up as Catwoman’s protégé “Pussycat”. Kato and The Green Hornet also get to team up with the dynamic duo and show their stuff, but unfortunately don’t have the greatest of villain to team up against. The best of the best is the introduction of Black Widow, who’s played by silent film legend Gloria Swanson. I could name at least a DOZEN other famous actors who grace the screen with the standard 2-3 episode villains, only to be defeated and come back later in the show.

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=50169[/img]
I mentioned it earlier, but one of the charms of the series is how easily villains can be defeated, and how often they come back. Today it seems we have a fetish with killing off villains in “realistic” manners in comic book shows and films, but Batman the series sticks to the old comic book tropes of having villains constantly re-appearing as the dynamic duo’s nemesis’. Both methods have their pros and cons, but those of us who grew up in the age of comic books loved the fact that villains had to be fought time and time again. It was cheesy, and it was unrealistic, but then again, so were comic books. It’s fun to see your favorite villain cackling manically yet again for another battle, instead of just introducing different characters and moving on. 

whichever way you cut it. the 1960s version of Batman was a unique entry into the Wayne family tradition. Usually a brooding hero and labeled "The Dark Knight", Burt Ward and Adam West made him something completely different, something that was totally a piece of the 1960's more than anything else. Even though it is VERY different than modern and even older renditions, it's a fun slice of cinematic history and a piece of our culture that hasn't been replicated since that time. 



*
Episode Rundown

1.	The Puzzles Are Coming
2.	The Duo Is Slumming
3.	The Sandman Cometh
4.	The Catwoman Goeth
5.	The Contaminated Cowl
6.	The Mad Hatter Runs Afoul
7.	The Zodiac Crimes
8.	The Joker’s Hard Times
9.	The Penguin Declines
10.	That Catwoman
11.	Scat! Catwoman
12.	Penguin Is A Girl’s Best Friend
13.	Penguin Sets A Trend
14.	Penguin’s Disastrous End
15.	Batman’s Anniversary
16.	A Riddling Controversy
17.	The Joker’s Last Laugh
18.	The Joker’s Epitaph
19.	Catwoman Goes To College
20.	Batman Displays His Knowledge
21.	A Piece Of The Action
22.	Batman’s Satisfaction
23.	King Tut’s Coup
24.	Batman’s Waterloo
25.	Black Widow Strikes Again
26.	Caught In The Spider Den
27.	Pop Goes The Joker
28.	Flop Goes The Joker
29.	Ice Spy
30.	The Duo Defy
*








*Rating:* 

Not Rated by the MPAA




*Video* :4stars:
[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=50177[/img]Since Season 2 parts 1 and parts 2 were both filmed at the same time and given the same amount of DVD discs in their respective packages, I have to say that it's pretty obvious that they will look pretty much identical. Bitrate is similar, episode spread is nearly identical and the same great transfer that was done on the first half of the season is replicated for this second half. The series has undergone a painstaking restoration process that nets us a very VERY pleasant looking image. The series has literally never looked this good (except on the Blu-rays) and looks like the negatives were in very good shape. Colors are bright and cheery, and tend to have a slight red/orange push to them. The facial tones tend to look a bit ruddy as a result, but that in no way looks off kilter or obstructs the fine detail. The detail level itself is excellent, and shows off more intricacies of the show than I have ever seen, even on the Television broadcast re-runs over the years. The crazy gadgets in the bat cave or the intricate detailing on the Batmobile have never looked so real and lifelike. The episodes sometimes open with stock footage of varying quality, but that is something that is kind of out of the studios control in terms of restoration. The show has a lot of episodes per disc, but no major compression anomalies jump out at you, besides some mild macroblocking here and there. 











*Audio* :4stars:
[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=50185[/img]Same as before. the audio track were mastered and struck at the same time, so what follows is exactly what was heard in the first half of the season review. Given the same Dolby Digital 1.0 track that the blu-ray got, the show sounds rather excellent given its source. The 1.0 track naturally doesn’t give a 5.1 experience, but being that the show was shot in 1.0 it is a very faithful representation of the Television show and certainly will please fans. The dialog is clean and crisp with no pops or hisses or other anomalies in the track that was quite common among the older TV shows of that era. Clarity of effects also is on par with the dialog, blending in seamlessly to create a well-crafted track for fans to enjoy. I have no complaints about the track itself, but rather can’t give it a higher score due to the inherent limitations coming from a 1.0 track in a 5.1 and greater world. Excellent restoration work and a great audio track. 







[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=50193[/img]*Extras* Nada

















*Overall:* :4stars:

I can't help but be overjoyed at seeing this series come to DVD and Blu-ray after all these years. The rights have literally been a nightmare as Fox and WB have fought over who could release the series for DECADES, amidst clamoring by the fans for its release. In typical Warner Brothers style, there are more than enough choices to choose the series in as well. There's a giant box of bling with the Blu-ray set for a bit higher price, then there is a DVD and Blu-ray barbones set that contains just the discs, and then there is this piece meal set for those who don't want to drop a lot of coin on the giant boxsets. It really is a matter of choice too. If you want the higher resolution ones, there are two Blu-ray boxsets to choose from, but if you don't mind a DVD release, and just want to pick up a favorite season or two of the series, then this DVD set is the way to go. Honestly, you can't go wrong as these restorations look and sound amazing and Batman fans everywhere can rejoice that the old "happy" Batman is in our grubby little mitts. Highly recommended


*Additional Information:*

Starring: Adam West, Burt Ward, Burgess Merideth, Alan Napier
Created by: William Dozier
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 MPEG2
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 1.0, Portuguese DD 1.0
Studio: Warner Brothers
Rated: Unrated
Runtime: 756 Minutes
Own it on DVD July 14th, 2015



*Buy Batman The Second Season Part 2 On DVD at Amazon*



*Recommendation: Highly Recommended​*







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