Batman (1966)
The worst is yet to come.
Wealthy entrepreneur Bruce Wayne and his ward Dick Grayson lead a double life: they are actually crime fighting duo Batman and Robin. A secret Batpole in the Wayne mansion leads to the Batcave, where Police Commissioner Gordon often calls with the latest emergency threatening Gotham City. Racing to the scene of the crime in the Batmobile, Batman and Robin must (with the help of their trusty Bat-utility-belt) thwart the efforts of a variety of master criminals, including The Riddler, The Joker, Catwoman, and The Penguin.
| Type | TV series |
|---|---|
| First aired | 12 January 1966 |
| Status | Canceled |
| Genre | Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Comedy, Action & Adventure |
| Created by | William Dozier and Lorenzo Semple Jr. |
| Starring | Adam West, Burt Ward and Yvonne Craig |
| Seasons | 3 seasons, 120 episodes |
| Episode length | about 25 min |
| Time to watch it all | about 50 hours |
| Rated | TV-G |
| Scores | TMDB users 7.3/10 |
Where to watch Batman
We could not find Batman on any of the subscription services we track in the US right now. That changes often; open it in Binge Boss and we will show you where it lands.
What kind of watch this is
Batman is a 1966 series that treats crime fighting like a high-stakes game of show and tell. It runs 50 hours across 3 seasons and 120 episodes. Adam West and Burt Ward deliver their lines with a sincerity that makes the absurdity feel intentional. The tagline promises the worst is yet to come, which is a fair warning for anyone expecting subtlety.
What the critics said
The reviews are a study in inconsistency. Rotten Tomatoes gives the series a 72% approval rating, but the first season sits at 50% based on 22 reviews. By the third season, the score jumps to 94% from 16 reviews. The aggregator’s summary notes that fierce females shook up the dynamic duo with plenty of technicolor "POW!". Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz later ranked the show 82nd-greatest American television series in their 2016 book, praising Adam West’s performance as something that required decades to be properly recognized. They argued the anarchic gangs of supervillains stood in for the forces of chaos threatening civilized America in the sixties, only made colorfully grotesque and knowingly silly. TV Guide also ranked two episodes in its top 100 lists.
How it did with audiences
TMDB users give it a 7.3 out of 10. That is a solid score for a campy caper, but it is not a classic. The verdict is simple: it is a guilty pleasure that knows exactly what it is.
Where it left its mark
The campiness stuck. Adam West and Burt Ward spent decades typecast, with West specifically labeled a hammy actor who couldn't shake the image. That reputation faded, then resurfaced when Batman: The Animated Series paid tribute to him in "Beware the Gray Ghost." West voiced an aging star, giving him a second wind with younger fans. He later appeared in The Batman and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. West eventually embraced the persona, playing a fictionalized Mayor West on Family Guy. Seth MacFarlane insisted the role avoid any direct references to the original series. Burt Ward also returned, voicing an older Dick Grayson in Crisis on Infinite Earths.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Batman.
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Sources
- Batman on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q1247201 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Batman (TV series)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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