Here's the Joker....

I think they played up the flirtation between Catwoman and Batman more with Newmar, but that's trusting stuff way back in my memory.

 

Some people call me the space cowboy ...

 

Yes, they still are, and no, we probably won't see the show on a legit DVD anytime soon. It's not just the $$$--from what I understand, Warner also feels the so-called 'campy' Batman of the 1960s takes away from its current franchise, so they'd rather it not be out there. I think that is quite stupid, but that's the way the suits feel.

Your memory is just fine, outofplace. In 1967-68, the producers, unfortunately, were too skittish to feature interracial flirting/attraction, so that angle was pretty much dropped when Kitt took over the role. On the positive side, it allowed her to be more evil, especially to Batgirl, who wasn't on the show when Newmar played Catwoman. Plus, this is just my opinion, but the Cat/Bat sexual tension became way overdone and took away from Catwoman's evildoing, making her a weaker character. I mean, not once did the show refer to her alter ego of Selina Kyle, which makes no sense.

 

I assumed the racial thing was the reason they backed off on the flirting with Kitt in the role. I liked Kitt's version better, too.

I can understand why they didn't bother with Selina Kyle. They never did much with the duality of the characters on that show. There was no real personality shift in Bruce Wayne when he put on the Batman costume, either.

 

You're right--they didn't do much with the duality of the characters, and that was a mistake. I just think the Bat/Cat attraction would've been more interesting, and meant more, had there been a connection between Bruce and Selina, but they chose not to go that way.

 

Well, it was a pretty simplistic version of the characters. You can't really get into the duality and motivational psychology of Batman and be light and campy. And as silly as that stuff was, it worked at the time.

 

Gny Sgt. Hartman: Who said that? Who the fuck said that? Who's the slimy little communist shit, twinkle-toed cocksucker down here who just signed his own death warrant? Nobody, huh? The fairy fucking godmother said it. Out-fucking-standing. I will PT you all until you fucking die. I'll PT you until your assholes are sucking buttermilk.

Private Joker: Sir, I said it, Sir!

Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: Well, no shit. What do we have here, a fucking comedian! Private, Joker! I admire your honesty. Hell, I like you, you can come over to my house and fuck my sister!

Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: You little scumbag! I got your name, I got your ass! You will not laugh, you will not cry, you will learn by the numbers, I will teach you! Now get up off your face! Pvt. Joker you better unfuck yourself before I unscrew your head and shit down your neck!

Private Joker: Sir, Yes sir!

Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: Private Joker, why did you join my beloved Corps!

Private Joker: Sir, to kill, sir!

Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: So you're a killer!

Private Joker: Sir, yes sir!

Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: Then let me see your war face!

Private Joker: Sir?

Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: You got a war face! ARRRRRRRRRGH! That's a war face, let me see your war face!

Private Joker: Ahhhh!

Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: Bullshit, you didn't convince me, let me see your REAL war face!

Private Joker: Ahhhhhh!

Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: You still don't scare me! Work on it!

Private Joker: Sir, yes sir!

 

No, you're right, but it would've been interesting just once to see Julie Newmar as Selina Kyle interacting with Adam West as Bruce Wayne, and it would have made the sexual tension more interesting. Really, it got boring after awhile, and it took away from Catwoman as a character. On the one hand, she was supposed to be this beautiful, evil ace criminal, and on the other hand, she was a lovestruck teenager mooning over Batman. The character, IMO, just didn't work as written.

 

Outstanding, TBF.

 

... Some call me the Gangster of Love ...

 

Some people call you Maurice, don't they?