A Riddle a Day Keeps the Riddler Away
February 16, 1966
"When a visiting King is accosted by the Riddler, the Dynamic Duo pursues
his subsequent complex trail of riddles to try to stop him."
50 minutes
RD Is Less Excited than Robin. He's also not in his studio as he is on holiday. He still has his surfing Batman and Joker shirt on.
Somebody told Vince to watch a reality show with Cody and Brandi Rhodes. He hopes they exaggerated their negative qualities to gain heat. So like just about any other reality show then?
Speaking of shows more real life, Vince complains of the show's repetitiveness so early on. Batman, not Cody. (:05) RD believes Gotham City's infamy of crime and danger is drawing in intrigued visitors, much like then New York City, and in this case with yet another dignitary of one King Boris of [insert European country here]. Upon landing he is instantly subject to roses exploding into riddles and the Riddler's laughter while his theme plays. RD wishes he had such technology for trick or treaters. RD's attempt at answering the riddle earns Vince's applause.
Gordon has only O'Hara and one other unlucky cop to dress down as he is about to call Batman who he owes "a very great deal". (:10) Vince wonders why they even need police if the Dark Knight does all the work for them. RD has to explain to Vince what the word infernal means. Wait, wasn't he a writer?
Batman can't answer the Batphone as Alfred is polishing the Batpoles without any euphemisms, so he has to "beckon him". Appearing Aunt Harriet makes Vince attempt to sing. RD is thankful this time she's wearing a bra without his wife also watching. (:13) Bruce and Dick are playing chess to determine if he will do his homework or go fishing instead. Why not do the homework while fishing? No wonder he's always just the sidekick.
The Dynamic Duo visit the police just for Gordon to tell them in person about the impossible to solve riddle and Gordon determining the Riddler's involvement with his "fancy footwork" once more. The Co-Bros laugh at the police's further inefficiency and that they should pay Batman for his time, billionaire or no.
The police discount his targeting a $25,000 chess tournament to determine he will instead hit the Miss Galaxy beauty pageant for its tiara, as judged by King Boris. Batman will allow him to steal a bugged fake one. The Co-Bros wonder how many bugs they have on hand.
At the pageant RD disparages the attending last year's winner's appearance, who looks so average she doesn't even get a credit. Vince disparages this year's winner's appearance. "Manly," he handwrote. He later gives Joy Harmon as Julia Davis 1 Batpole. RD gives 1.5.
The Riddler appears from a trapdoor to steal the tiara and a kiss. Vince: "Are they going to cancel Frank Gorshin now, you think?" He then pops out of a manhole to taunt the Duo on their use of a bug and give a new riddle, which for some reason needs analyzing at the Batcave. Vince finds it amusing that they always keep running to the Batmobile no matter what. Batman also finds the time to explain the episode title to Robin, in that the Riddler always goes silent before he acts.
At the Batcave they determine he will next hit the Mushroom Club (:25). Batman gets enraged for some reason when Robin wants to look up the location on the Batcomputer; they have the Yellow Pages for that! (Boy do I feel so old remembering those.) Vince agrees with Batman that they should just check "normally".
Meanwhile the Riddler confers underground with the "River Rat Gang", of whom RD applauds their henchmen and rat-looking antics, and even their feeding habits (including the expected for cutting the cheese). Quote the Riddler: "I'm gonna deduct the cheese billed from the profits." RD's favorite, Whiskers, has actual whiskers stuck on his face. Vince wished they made their own appearance by themselves. The lady of the group, Mousey, has too much of a high pitched voice to their tastes.
The Gang acts undercover as King Boris is taken on a tour of a wine cellar while Whiskers takes the time to overact. The Duo find Boris who states he is fine just as the wine bottles start popping and he falls victim to a trapdoor. Even worse, they are distracted by more riddles to decipher at the Batcave, leading them to the Gotham City River and Power Plant. Vince wonders why the Riddler doesn't give them more misleading riddles to follow away from his actual acts. RD reminds him this is how villains act.
Anyway, the Riddler cuts a promo. (:35) He goes against Mousey and her weird eyes and actions by stating to his "cherub" his ranking as the "king of crime".
As he does so and the Duo climb up a wall, Robin worries about "diplomatic repercussions". Batman: "All visitors to these teeming shores are safe, be they peasant or king. It's the very essence of our democracy." Said king is subject to the Riddler's "genius stratagem" just because while a "lackey" offers cheese, before he lets him go.
Part of this stratagem has him catch the Duo in a net once again. (:40) Vince wonders why they are not used to such tactics by now. RD wonders if the villains ever discuss tactics when they are in prison together. The Duo are sprayed in "sticky stuff" while the Riddler cackles in delight. He then has the two's stunt doubles strapped to giant turbines, which is bad enough. They then zoom in to actual Robin fully erect, which is even worse. RD shows the screen capture to an incredulous Vince to see for himself, finding it "disturbing" that he can see what looks like the tip. Vince: "You can't replace yourself with Robin's wiener!" The non-erect Riddler further gloats they will spin to death before leaving with a riddle.
For a change the Bros will record for next week after this, so RD has to get through his shilling quicker this time. (:47)
- Special Guest Villain: The Riddler [2] (Frank Gorshin) [2]
- Vince Time Outs: 1
- Bugs: 1
- Fact or Fiction: 1
- I didn’t even know he was sick: 1. Frank Gorshin
- Screen Shares: 1. RD
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