Adam West reveals Batman's biggest flaws
Production on any show is typically wrought with scheduling conflicts, especially when big, recognizable stars are onboard. Deadlines must be met, with the threat of budgetary concerns looming above every decision. People have other projects lined up they need to move on to.
The network expects a certain amount of episodes on a certain date. Most times, they've already sold the advertising space for these new shows. But, lots of things get complicated on the way to the premiere.
In Adam West's 1994 autobiography, Back to the Batcave, he explained all the ways Batman could've been better if there was only more time.
"Only a short break separated the completion of our promotional efforts from the start of the second season," West wrote, presumably from beneath a years-old Batman cowl.
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"Frankly, we didn't leave ourselves enough time to hash out where we were going to go with the show in our sophomore year; as a result, it wasn't what it should have been. The villains were aimed at holding on to older demographics, the product-buying public that sponsors wanted to reach, and the plots became formulaic so we'd be able to give younger viewers familiar thrills. Both were wrongheaded moves, I think."
The trouble didn't stop there. West goes on to describe what he felt were very underwhelming villain characters. He praises Art Carney as a great performer but admits that the Archer character is weak. He also threw some shade at Ma Parker and Clock King.
"The third season was even worse," West continued, "a generally very unhappy time for me."
"To begin with, we were cut back to one night a week, with a cliffhanger usually coming about halfway into each half-hour episode, which always felt terribly contrived, or at the end of a show that would be continued the following week. Though that meant half as much work for cast and crew, the loss of one night took something important away from us, and it took some of the wind from my sails."
Specifically, West noted that the third season scripts "lacked the wit and sparkle" of the earlier episodes. Again, though, West felt that the villains were partially to blame, as characters like Louie the Lilac and Lord Phogg failed to register the same impact as A-tier baddies like The Joker and The Riddler.