Julie Newmar - Catwoman

Normally I'm not usually too happy when a science based channel like the Discovery Kids gets dumbed down and turned into just another channel of cartoons and 1990's Nickelodeon reruns such as the Hub network, but since Hub is also rerunning episodes of the original 1966 Batman television series, all is forgiven.

Never let it be said that I am not easily bribed.

Be that as it may, but last night I caught, The Purr-fect crime / Better Luck Next Time, the first season two-parter that introduced the wonderful Julie Newmar in her signature role of the Catwoman.

Julie Newmar - Catwoman

I really much prefer the first season of Batman over either the second season or even the Batgirlcentric third season. During the first year, while certainly everything was done with tongue firmly in cheek and with a definite attempt at "camp", the show hadn't been overwhelmed by its own success yet and the parody hadn't turned into self-parody.

Which made for some really enjoyable episodes, such as this two parter.

The story is simple enough, Catwoman steals two ancient cat statues that have a map to a lost treasure hidden on them, and Batman and Robin do their best to stop her.


Like clockwork the Caped Crusaders end up in a series of traps set by the Catwomen, with the likable twist that they all turn out to be harmless pranks, designed more for a game of "Cat & Mouse" then a serious deathtrap.


In the end Catwoman gets her treasure but is trapped on a cliff by Batman and being unwilling to let go of any of her hard stolen loot chooses to fall to her apparent death then give any of it up.



Newmar is fantastic. Sure she's amazing to look at, but she also does a great job of embracing the character of Catwoman herself. Exotic, smart, tough as nails and having a ball being bad.


Finally for the episode itself, director James Sheldon does a really nice job pulling an almost, and note I said almost, restrained performance from his characters, plus some really decent, and slightly spooky background music make for what is easily one of the better episodes of the series.

Here's a nice little slice from the story, enjoy....