The return of the Joker in this episode was not originally conceived as a Joker episode, but instead an original villain called The One Armed Bandit, but for whatever reason it was decided to turn the episode into the second Joker story of the series this leads to a bizarre leap in logic early on, but other than that it all works out pretty well.
The story opens at Woodrow Roosevelt High School, where the students (including Dick Grayson) are spending their time in the gym when Susie, the school's head cheerleader goes for a glass of milk from the vending machine and instead given several silver dollars. Commissioner Gordon is made aware of this and knows instantly that this must be the work of the Joker (that leap in logic I was talking about). He and Chief O'Hara know they're outmatched and place the call to Batman.
At Stately Wayne Manor Bruce Wayne and Aunt Harriet are entertaining a guest who wants Bruce to run for Mayor of Gotham, Bruce declines however, citing his work with the Wayne Foundation as too important to be getting mixed up in politics. Alfred informs him that the bat-phone is ringing and Bruce makes his excuses before heading off to police headquarters. Once there Batman is made aware that more machines at the school are now giving out negotiable stocks and bonds. Batman heads out to the school.
Across town a tasteful bistro is held up by a jukebox with a gun in it (clearly the work of the Joker). Batman arrives at the school and proceeds to address the student council (which includes Dick Grayson and Susie the cheerleader) about the Joker, showing them slides of him when suddenly he pops out from behind the screen. Batman attempts to arrest him for loitering on school property but the Joker points out that he hasn't been around for long enough for it to count as loitering and Batman has to let him go, realising that he has just provided the Joker with an alibi. Batman tells Dick to fake a headache and meet him in the batcave later.
The story opens at Woodrow Roosevelt High School, where the students (including Dick Grayson) are spending their time in the gym when Susie, the school's head cheerleader goes for a glass of milk from the vending machine and instead given several silver dollars. Commissioner Gordon is made aware of this and knows instantly that this must be the work of the Joker (that leap in logic I was talking about). He and Chief O'Hara know they're outmatched and place the call to Batman.
At Stately Wayne Manor Bruce Wayne and Aunt Harriet are entertaining a guest who wants Bruce to run for Mayor of Gotham, Bruce declines however, citing his work with the Wayne Foundation as too important to be getting mixed up in politics. Alfred informs him that the bat-phone is ringing and Bruce makes his excuses before heading off to police headquarters. Once there Batman is made aware that more machines at the school are now giving out negotiable stocks and bonds. Batman heads out to the school.
Across town a tasteful bistro is held up by a jukebox with a gun in it (clearly the work of the Joker). Batman arrives at the school and proceeds to address the student council (which includes Dick Grayson and Susie the cheerleader) about the Joker, showing them slides of him when suddenly he pops out from behind the screen. Batman attempts to arrest him for loitering on school property but the Joker points out that he hasn't been around for long enough for it to count as loitering and Batman has to let him go, realising that he has just provided the Joker with an alibi. Batman tells Dick to fake a headache and meet him in the batcave later.
In the Joker's headquarters behind a local candy store we see him working on some new machines when Susie enters the headquarters. She has been a member of Joker's latest gang "The Bad Pennies" (mostly high school dropouts drawn to a life of crime). Susie has swiped some important exam papers for him in exchange for a bracelet, fur stole and perfrume (what girl could resist?) He sends her back to the school to tamper with more of the machines.
At the batcave we see Robin going over his algebra homework (with Alfred's help) and he laments that he won't be ready for the big exam coming up in a few days. Batman returns and the two make a plan to stake out the school. Once there they run into Susie who tells them she saw strange figures in the gym. The dynamic duo head in and inspect the vending machine which grabs their legs and sprays them with knock-out gas. They wake up in the back of a truck, hooked up to electric chairs. The Joker informs them through a voice altering microphone that the chairs are connected to a one armed bandit. If it comes up three liberty bells they go free with $50,000, three oranges and they just go free, three lemons (which seems most likely) and they are killed with a 50,000 volt charge. Batman is especially perturbed because he disapproves of gambling.
HORRORS!!
ONE LEMON!!
DOUBLE HORRORS!! DOUBLE HORRORS!!
TWO LEMONS!!
AND IF IT'S A THIRD...INSTANT AND INESCAPABLE 50,000 VOLTS!!
CLOSE YOUR EYES! WHO DARES TO SEE IT??
TRY US TOMORROW!
SAME BAT-TIME!! SAME BAT-CHANNEL!!
At the batcave we see Robin going over his algebra homework (with Alfred's help) and he laments that he won't be ready for the big exam coming up in a few days. Batman returns and the two make a plan to stake out the school. Once there they run into Susie who tells them she saw strange figures in the gym. The dynamic duo head in and inspect the vending machine which grabs their legs and sprays them with knock-out gas. They wake up in the back of a truck, hooked up to electric chairs. The Joker informs them through a voice altering microphone that the chairs are connected to a one armed bandit. If it comes up three liberty bells they go free with $50,000, three oranges and they just go free, three lemons (which seems most likely) and they are killed with a 50,000 volt charge. Batman is especially perturbed because he disapproves of gambling.
HORRORS!!
ONE LEMON!!
DOUBLE HORRORS!! DOUBLE HORRORS!!
TWO LEMONS!!
AND IF IT'S A THIRD...INSTANT AND INESCAPABLE 50,000 VOLTS!!
CLOSE YOUR EYES! WHO DARES TO SEE IT??
TRY US TOMORROW!
SAME BAT-TIME!! SAME BAT-CHANNEL!!
The second episode begins with Batman and Robin narrowly avoiding their fate thanks to a fortunately timed power cut. The Joker and gang flee and the dynamic duo are rescued by some police officers inspecting the abandoned truck. At police headquarters Batman reveals that he had been recording everything said to him through a microphone on his utility belt. He and Robin head to the cave to analyse the wave patterns to see if they can find out who the voices belong to. Some analysis reveals that Susie was part of the Joker's gang and Robin is heartbroken.
Batman comes up with a plan to send Dick Grayson undercover to the candy shop where the bad pennies are known to hang out to try and gain the location of the Joker. So clad in a leather jacket he goes in and tries to get the info, but is sent packing by one of the bad pennies, telling him to go to the same bistro from earlier. Batman and Robin head there where they are held up by the jukebox, but they stop the shots with the batshield and blow up the jukebox, scolding the bistro owner to be more careful with his selection of jukeboxes in future.
Batman realises that the bad pennies must have known that Dick was working undercover and that they now know Batman and Robin are aware of Susie's position in the gang, leading them to fear the worst. At Joker's headquarters he gifts Susie with a bottle of perfume (imported from Canada) telling her not to put it on until after she's tampered with the machine in the gym. She heads out and the Joker puts a bet on the basketball game between Woodrow Roosevelt High and Disko Tech (maybe the best pun ever) betting $50,000 on Disko Tech.
At the gym Susie tampers with the machine and puts on the perfume before Batman and Robin can stop her, she falls dead in Batman's arms, victim of the Joker's poison. Joker temporarily laments the loss of Susie before almost instantly cheering up and going off to carry out his plan. The basketball team go for a milk after practice and the exam answers Joker swiped earlier come out. Joker snaps a picture of them reading the answers so he can blackmail them into throwing the game so his bet will come in. Batman and Robin, up in the rafters the whole time, reveal that they saved Susie with an antidote pill and she informed them of Joker's plan so they swapped the answers with fakes, so the team isn't in trouble and can leave. The dynamic duo fight the Joker and his goons, capturing the clown prince of crime once again.
Batman comes up with a plan to send Dick Grayson undercover to the candy shop where the bad pennies are known to hang out to try and gain the location of the Joker. So clad in a leather jacket he goes in and tries to get the info, but is sent packing by one of the bad pennies, telling him to go to the same bistro from earlier. Batman and Robin head there where they are held up by the jukebox, but they stop the shots with the batshield and blow up the jukebox, scolding the bistro owner to be more careful with his selection of jukeboxes in future.
Batman realises that the bad pennies must have known that Dick was working undercover and that they now know Batman and Robin are aware of Susie's position in the gang, leading them to fear the worst. At Joker's headquarters he gifts Susie with a bottle of perfume (imported from Canada) telling her not to put it on until after she's tampered with the machine in the gym. She heads out and the Joker puts a bet on the basketball game between Woodrow Roosevelt High and Disko Tech (maybe the best pun ever) betting $50,000 on Disko Tech.
At the gym Susie tampers with the machine and puts on the perfume before Batman and Robin can stop her, she falls dead in Batman's arms, victim of the Joker's poison. Joker temporarily laments the loss of Susie before almost instantly cheering up and going off to carry out his plan. The basketball team go for a milk after practice and the exam answers Joker swiped earlier come out. Joker snaps a picture of them reading the answers so he can blackmail them into throwing the game so his bet will come in. Batman and Robin, up in the rafters the whole time, reveal that they saved Susie with an antidote pill and she informed them of Joker's plan so they swapped the answers with fakes, so the team isn't in trouble and can leave. The dynamic duo fight the Joker and his goons, capturing the clown prince of crime once again.
Later we see Susie is being taken to the Wayne Foundation Institute for Delinquent Girls, before she goes she thanks Dick with a kiss.
This was an incredibly fun pair of episodes. Cesar Romero is always fun as the Joker and much as the plot wasn't designed for him he makes it work. The highlight of the whole thing though has to be Dick Grayson going undercover, it's just downright hilarious and needs to be seen.
Next week we meet the peculiar False Face.
This was an incredibly fun pair of episodes. Cesar Romero is always fun as the Joker and much as the plot wasn't designed for him he makes it work. The highlight of the whole thing though has to be Dick Grayson going undercover, it's just downright hilarious and needs to be seen.
Next week we meet the peculiar False Face.