This week's episodes star a villain that did originate in the comics, but I know nothing about as his one note premise has left him to fall by the wayside. The felonious master of disguise. False-Face!
The story begins on another glorious sun drenched day in Gotham City where at the exhibition hall Chief O'Hara is inspecting a note by False-Face threatening to steal a valuable crown on display. Suddenly a man in the background reveals that he is False Face and escapes with the help of his sidekick, Blaze. O'Hara gives chase but False-Face loses him by disguising himself as a plummer. Later at police headquarters they discover that False-Face swapped the crown for a replica. There is only one option now, to call for Batman!
At Stately Wayne Manor Dick Grayson is struggling with his botany lessons when Alfred reports that the Batphone has rung. Bruce tells Aunt Harriet that they're going for a stroll in the woods and the two rush into action. Arriving at Police Headquarters they look over a note by False-Face saying that he intends to five money to an innocent little girl, but False-Face always means the opposite of what he says so he's actually going to rob an armoured car. They realise that the old man who brought them the note is in fact Blaze, she says that False-Face challenges them to prove he's committed a crime, and if they do to catch them. Then she jumps out of the window and escapes.
Talking to the head of the armoured car company our heroes discover that one of the cars is missing. They realise that False-Face has stolen it and is going to use it to rob the bank. They spot the armoured car and figure out that False-Face is disguised as one of the guards because he parked in front of a fire hydrant. False-Face once again makes a daring getaway. The Dynamic Duo give pursuit and get into a fight with his goons. In the confusion False-Face escapes leaving his goons to be captured. However before they can be arrested False Face takes the place of Chief O'Hara and frees his henchmen.
The story begins on another glorious sun drenched day in Gotham City where at the exhibition hall Chief O'Hara is inspecting a note by False-Face threatening to steal a valuable crown on display. Suddenly a man in the background reveals that he is False Face and escapes with the help of his sidekick, Blaze. O'Hara gives chase but False-Face loses him by disguising himself as a plummer. Later at police headquarters they discover that False-Face swapped the crown for a replica. There is only one option now, to call for Batman!
At Stately Wayne Manor Dick Grayson is struggling with his botany lessons when Alfred reports that the Batphone has rung. Bruce tells Aunt Harriet that they're going for a stroll in the woods and the two rush into action. Arriving at Police Headquarters they look over a note by False-Face saying that he intends to five money to an innocent little girl, but False-Face always means the opposite of what he says so he's actually going to rob an armoured car. They realise that the old man who brought them the note is in fact Blaze, she says that False-Face challenges them to prove he's committed a crime, and if they do to catch them. Then she jumps out of the window and escapes.
Talking to the head of the armoured car company our heroes discover that one of the cars is missing. They realise that False-Face has stolen it and is going to use it to rob the bank. They spot the armoured car and figure out that False-Face is disguised as one of the guards because he parked in front of a fire hydrant. False-Face once again makes a daring getaway. The Dynamic Duo give pursuit and get into a fight with his goons. In the confusion False-Face escapes leaving his goons to be captured. However before they can be arrested False Face takes the place of Chief O'Hara and frees his henchmen.
In the Batcave our heroes analyse a clue found at the crime scene leading them to conclude that False-Face plans to counterfeit money and is probably going to steal more bank-note paper soon. So they head to the storage facility where such paper is kept and wait to spring out on Blaze and the henchmen, fighting with them and taking Blaze to Police Headquarters.
Blaze agrees to help the Dynamic Duo find False-Face and leads them to an abandoned underground train station. Once here Batman and Robin are both gassed and when they wake up they're fastened to the train tracks by False-Face. Blaze doesn't want to kill them but can't stop him.
DISASTER THREATENS
BASHED BY THE BMT?
WILL THE DYNAMIC DUO DICE WITH DEATH - AND DESCEND TO DEFEAT?
CAN BATMAN AND ROBIN BREAK THE UNBREAKABLE, SLIP OUT OF THE CHEMICAL CLUTCHES, ESCAPE THE EPOXY?
KEEP YOUR BAT-WINGS CROSSED UNTIL TOMORROW - SAME TIME - SAME CHANNEL - SAME PERILOUS PREDICAMENT!
Blaze agrees to help the Dynamic Duo find False-Face and leads them to an abandoned underground train station. Once here Batman and Robin are both gassed and when they wake up they're fastened to the train tracks by False-Face. Blaze doesn't want to kill them but can't stop him.
DISASTER THREATENS
BASHED BY THE BMT?
WILL THE DYNAMIC DUO DICE WITH DEATH - AND DESCEND TO DEFEAT?
CAN BATMAN AND ROBIN BREAK THE UNBREAKABLE, SLIP OUT OF THE CHEMICAL CLUTCHES, ESCAPE THE EPOXY?
KEEP YOUR BAT-WINGS CROSSED UNTIL TOMORROW - SAME TIME - SAME CHANNEL - SAME PERILOUS PREDICAMENT!
Part 2 opens with Alfred in the Batcave hearing a message on the radio to the friends of Batman which prompts him to call them on the Bat-Radio. Batman instructs Alfred to activate the short circuit device on the Radio which frees him from his bonds so he can save them both.
Chief O'Hara returns, revealing to all that False-Face captured him, while Batman and Robin ponder over who could have sent the message and decide to track it back to the source. At the radio station they hear the a young girl with green hair sent the message and they determine that it must be Blaze. Based on the cheque she gave in they determine that False-Face will rob the bank. Batman plans a falsehood of his own.
False-Face and his goons rob the bank but are surprised when Batman and Robin leap from the vault. This was a fake Vault they set up to trick False-Face. Our heroes (along with Chief O'Hara and his men) get into a brief fight with the henchmen and False-Face makes a break for it with Blaze held captive in his van. The Dynamic Duo give chase in the Batmobile and manage to stop the van, but False-Face then escapes on a motorbike and Batman, Robin and Blaze take a shortcut to try and find him on the abandoned film set they find themselves at. Gordon and O'Hara also join in the chase. They catch False-Face disguised as the commissioner when he uses the wrong hand to hold his handkerchief. False-Face is arrested and the day is saved.
Later we see that Aunt Harriet has asked Bruce and Dick to meet a reformed criminal from the Wayne Foundation's rehabilitation program. None other than Blaze who looks to have a bright future ahead of her.
Chief O'Hara returns, revealing to all that False-Face captured him, while Batman and Robin ponder over who could have sent the message and decide to track it back to the source. At the radio station they hear the a young girl with green hair sent the message and they determine that it must be Blaze. Based on the cheque she gave in they determine that False-Face will rob the bank. Batman plans a falsehood of his own.
False-Face and his goons rob the bank but are surprised when Batman and Robin leap from the vault. This was a fake Vault they set up to trick False-Face. Our heroes (along with Chief O'Hara and his men) get into a brief fight with the henchmen and False-Face makes a break for it with Blaze held captive in his van. The Dynamic Duo give chase in the Batmobile and manage to stop the van, but False-Face then escapes on a motorbike and Batman, Robin and Blaze take a shortcut to try and find him on the abandoned film set they find themselves at. Gordon and O'Hara also join in the chase. They catch False-Face disguised as the commissioner when he uses the wrong hand to hold his handkerchief. False-Face is arrested and the day is saved.
Later we see that Aunt Harriet has asked Bruce and Dick to meet a reformed criminal from the Wayne Foundation's rehabilitation program. None other than Blaze who looks to have a bright future ahead of her.
These episodes are okay, but nothing special. Malachi Throne does okay as False-Face but he's so trapped behind that weird mask that it's hard to have any fun with his performance. The one thing I did like was that it didn't end with the usual fist fight, but instead an elongated chase sequence and even Commissioner Gordon and Chief O'Hara got involved which is something of a rarity.
Next week we meet one of the series favourite villains, as Catwoman appears for the first time.
Next week we meet one of the series favourite villains, as Catwoman appears for the first time.