The Zodiac Crimes

Infobox Television episode | Title = The Zodiac Crimes


Series = Batman
Season = 2
Episode = 71
Airdate = January 11, 1967 (ABC)
Production = 9733-Pt. 1
Writer = Teleplay by Stephen Kandel and Stanford Sherman, based on a story by Stephen Kandel
Director = Oscar Rudolph
Guests = Charles Picerni
Milton Stark
Terry Moore
Hal Baylor
Joe Di Reda
Eddie Saenz
Dick Crockett
Charles Fredericks
Howard Wendell
Louis Cordova
Vincent Barbi
Jonathan Kidd
Special Guest Villain: Cesar Romero as The Joker
Extra Special Guest Villain: Burgess Meredith as The Penguin
Prev = The Mad Hatter Runs Afoul
Next = The Joker's Hard Times

"The Zodiac Crimes" is the seventy-first episode of the "Batman" television series. It first aired on ABC January 11, 1967 in its second season and repeated June 14, 1967. The first of a three-part story, it was dubbed a "Batman" special", simultaneously celebrating the show's one-year anniversary and helping to open ABC's "second season." It featured both Cesar Romero as The Joker and Burgess Meredith as The Penguin (dubbed as an "Extra Special Guest Villain").

Plot Synopsis

The Joker pays a visit to Commissioner Gordon's office @ Police HQ and swipes a Rare Art Map. Alerted, Batman and Robin deduce that The Clown Prince Of Crime is plotting to commit 12 crimes based loosely on astrological signs of the zodiac and that he committed the first Zodiac Crime already by stealing the Rare Art Map, whose initials stand for the sign of The Ram (Aries!). Meanwhile, back at his hideout Joker clues the recently arrived (rather, packaged and shipped!) Penguin into his nefarious astrological plan. He then gives a false clue to The Dynamic Duo to the effect that "Taurus The Bull is next on my show", and "You'll be singing a song of woe!" Batman and Robin deduce that Joker was telling them a lot of bull, believing that The Homicidal Harlequin's true objective involves kidnapping a famous brother-and-sister singing duo named The Twins (Gemini!), who sing a song of woe, and they rush to their aid. Unknown to our Duo, the singing duet have already been replaced by Joker's aides, and that Blackbird Of Prey, The Penguin, is waiting in the wings to ensnare The Crusaders.

Arriving at the studio, The Caped Crusader and The Boy Wonder are led outside, where Penguin escapes on Joker's Boom Bug. The Dynamic Duo chase the bizarre truck, but lose The Penguin, who cleverly lifts himself off with the aid of his trusty bumbershoot and an overhead wire. While Batman and Robin are led astray, The Joker and his shapely aide, Venus, make off with the true twins: the famous Twin Diamonds! Returning to The Batcave, The Caped Crusader learns the location of The Joker's hideout by analyzing the long wig left behind by Venus at the studio when she masqueraded as one of The Twins. Arriving at the hideout, Batman and Robin find the place deserted save for Venus, who falls for Batman and agrees to help him and Robin snare The Joker. She leads The Dynamic Duo to the opera house, where The Dastardly Duo, Joker and Penguin, plans to commit 2 Zodiac Crimes: the kidnapping of Leo Crustash (Leo The Lion and Crustacean The Crab!!). A fight ensues, but Joker and his minions escape, abandoning Penguin to the fate of the authorities. Figuring that The Homicidal Harlequin is scheming to pilfer a masterpiece entitled Virgin Bereaved (Virgo The Virgin!), Batman and Robin dash to The Gotham City Museum and find Joker with only his henchman Uranus - or so they think. As the artwork around them reveals themselves to be the "other" henchmen, the duo finds the odds going from 2-on-2 to 7-on-2. After the fight is over, Joker orders the final statue, Venus to put them under with a sleeping powder. Venus watches in horror and regret as Joker then has the Duo tied down to an altar beneath a giant meteorite, which is rigged to fall on them (and turn them into tomato paste!) when its supporting cable is severed by a revolving piece of thermite attached to a planetary mobile surrounding the great rock!

Cliffhanger Text

:CAN IT BE? THE DYNAMIC DUO CRUSHED TO DEATH BY AN EIGHT TON METEORITE??:WILL THE JOKER'S PROPHECY COME TRUE?? "ARE" THEIR HOROSCOPES CANCELED??:"IS" THIS THEIR LAST STAR....?:TUNE IN TOMORROW!! SAME TIME!! SAME CHANNEL!! SAME "PERIL"!!!

Trivia

* Dick Crockett (Neptune) portrayed Morgan in the 1966 Batman feature film.
* Terry Moore (Venus) is best remembered for her role as Jill Young in "Mighty Joe Young" (RKO, 1949).
* The astrological name for The Crab is actually "Cancer"; it was changed to "Crustacean" for the TV show.