Why the Batman Adam West show was canceled after three seasons

Let it be stated in front: “Batman” William Dosier “Batman” – this is not just the best iteration of Bob Kane and Superhero Bill Filch This may be one of the best TV shows of all time and peoples. Using other superhero attributes, “Batman” created no less than the wildest, the most fun parodies for conservative values ​​in the generation. Batman (Adam West) and Robin (Bert Ward) were heroic, but they were also unbearably square, drank milk, going by bird observations and supported the local police unhealthy. We admired them and at the same time laughed at them. Many villains of the show were free agents whose villain offered the world a refreshing element of chaos. They were sexy, exciting and having fun.

All this was wrapped in a stylized, oil, near the map universe. The reality was tilted. The show supposedly supports heroism, but somehow, without which cracks and submontinations to the camera, he noted the colorful eccentricity. It was restrained and anarchically, as at the same time. What a genius work. Information about the “tortured” versions of the Batman, which follow the doser series, is the footnotes.

Batman ran from 1966 to 1968, continuing only three seasons. The presentation was a novel, in that one 30-minute episode on Tuesday night, finishing the rocks, and the 30-minute conclusion will be held on Wednesdays. The show started strong, collecting Gangbusters ratings during the first season. It was successful enough to guarantee Happy Made (and equally brilliant) feature film in 1966. However, in the third season, popularity decreased dramatically and the show was subjected to ABC. NBC was going to dominate, but ABC had already demolished the kits. Instead of restoring them, NBC abandoned his desire to continue the show.

Guilty? Perhaps the answer is predictable, but it was just a bad rating.

It was Bert Ward who reminded that the sets were demolished. Its interviewed CNN in 2016At the event of the 50th anniversary of the show, and he reminded that he and West may have been able to continue his antics for another season, he was not so gentleman with their defeaty. There was every reason to believe that when the NBC had access to sets, the show may lasted in the fourth season.

And again, maybe not. Watching Batman, you can see how the writers ended quite quickly. By the end of the second season, the show became repetitive and formulated, sometimes tense to hide their low budgets; There was an episode in which Batman was chasing behind a woman -cat (Julie Newmar) on several roofs, and they were obviously only the roofs of ABC Studios buildings. In the third season there were several changes to the show to increase ratings. First of all, Batgirl (Yvonne Craig) was added to the series. In addition, the traditional two -part rock structure was abandoned, giving way to a more traditional weekly one -off.

“Batman”, while in the first season the blockbuster, is just stable in its second. Frank Horshin, the actor who played Riddler, switched the executives during the second season, which led to the partition of the contract. During the discussion, John Astin entered to play this role for two episodes. In the third season, Julie Newmar left the film, and Eartta Kitt entered. It happened after three actors (George Sanders, Otto Paminger, Eli Vaji) already played Mr. Frisa. All these actors are fun and capable, remember you, but constant processing is probably forced the show to feel ephemeral.

Despite all this, NBC still wanted to intervene and continue “Batman”. Unfortunately, without kits they did not want to make a commitment, so Batman was canceled. So it goes. But this show, if, will remain in our memoirs as the best Batman Media work that was produced. We will always have it.