Second Thoughts: "The Penguin Goes Straight/Not Yet, He Ain't"
Check out the podacst review with DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classic Track co-moderator Gary Mitchel.
After Penguin's first outing, I wasn't feeling all that great that we were going to get anything of real value other than Burgess Meredith's performance. I was wrong. This episode has everything needed for a perfect Penguin ploy.
In watching this two-parter again, I noticed the following.
- Loving the "refreshing orange drink" that the movie goers will enjoy at the intermission.
- The people of Gotham are a very trusting and forgiving people. That woman treats Penguin as though he were an equal to her, despite his past reputation.
- Alfred seems a little off in this episode. He seems annoyed at being interupted by the Batphone. He then casually leaves his duster on the chair in the study.
- I love the scenes in the Batmobile where the two work out the situation and we get three in one episode. There's even one at night!
- We've discussed on the podcast how sometimes William Dozier had to narrate what was needed to be done as Batman didn't have Robin about to discuss it with. This is the first time it happens, but it happens with Alfred when he tries to bug the Penguin's cigarette holder.
- The Batclimb at night is one of the more convincing ones with the buildings in the background.
- I'll continue to say it, the cleanup for the DVD is fantastic. The establishing shots of the amusement park work nicely with the rest of the episode where as the older prints always made them seem out of place.
- I never noticed it before, but back at the Batcave at the start of the second episode, the Batcycle is very visible in the foreground with a nice look at the dashboard. I wonder what kids thought of it if they caught sight of it back in 1966. I also have to wonder if this was the prototype that was developed for the upcoming movie.
- I really liked the goons in this one. They complicated the Penguin well and really played an important role in the episode, considering the Penguin's bride could not act as his moll as she is duped.
- Did you notice where the Penguin's Protection Agency is located? As Batman tries to make his escape in the Batmobile and tears down the street. He is stopped by the police car and right in the background is police headquarters.
- I mentioned the Batmobile scenes earlier. This continues in this episode and makes up most of the conclusion of the caper as the duo on the Batcycle, chase Penguin in the Batmobile.
So, we come to the end of this one, and it's so much better than the Penguin's first outing. In fact, I'd rank it up there as one of the better Penguin stories overall. There is one better, but that's not until the second season. So, it gets a place in the top ten, but it also knocks Penguin's premiere off the list, but that was bound to happen as I wasn't impressed with it.
1: The Joker is Wild
2: True or False Face
3: The Joker Goes to School
4: Hey Diddle Riddle
5: The Penguin Goes Straight
6: Instant Freeze
7: The Purr-fect Crime
8: A Riddle a Day Keeps the Riddler Away
9: Zelda the Great
10: The Thirteenth Hat
Next week, the Riddler is back with a wax themed plot. I do like this one, but not as much as Gorshin's final first season outing. Let's see how it fares under a second look next time.
