Batgirl

Librarian Barbara Gordon (Yvonne Craig) is the daughter of Gotham Police Commissioner Gordon. More significantly, she is Batgirl. Bruce Wayne (Adam West) and Dick Grayson (Burt Ward) come in and attract the attention of four Killer Moths. The Killer Moths take Barbara hostage and she gets her Batgirl costume from her secret closet. Bruce and Dick return as Batman and Robin, but they get wrapped up by one of the Moths. Batgirl comes in to save the day. It's her first meeting with her Bat-mentors.

This is a proof of concept for a Batgirl show. It is pretty much the same thing although there are problems. Batgirl should not have a better gadget than Batman. The laser compact is insanely powerful. Another problem is that she has her gear and costume at her work. Unless she has doubles, she should have her stuff only at her apartment. This is an 8 minute short. It's fine if they actually wanted a Batgirl spinoff, but the Batman show got canceled after a season with Batgirl. I can see it working, but she does need the big Batman villains.

as campy as this pilot was, it still left me wanting more. basically the EXACT same thing as the batman series, only with comissioner gordon's daughter as the crime fighting villain. the funny thing is, you see her transform into her "costume" by taking off her librarian overcoat, neatly putting it on a hanger and hanging it up, and then takes her scarf off, turns it inside out and makes it into her cape. great for fans of the great "wham", "bam", "pow!" fight scenes.

ALTHOUGH THIS ESSENTIALLY "one reeler" is a heretofore unknown part of the saga of the singularly spectacular phenomenon of the BATMAN TV Series of 1966-68, it wasn't intended that way. It was rather a unique method of introducing a potential series to the network. It was then, if you will, a sort of promotional tool, "Promo" for short.

IT WAS FAVORED as an introductory method by BATMAN Producer, William Dozier; as he followed the same route with his acquisition of the film rights to WONDER WOMAN with the similarly structured short, WONDER WOMAN: WHO'S AFRAID OF DIANA PRINCE? The series failed.*

TODAY'S HONORED REVIWEE then, was intended to launch Dozier's 2nd BAT-SERIES in a separate, though elated title of BATGIRL. The plan called for relegating one of the two nights' half hour to be given over to the new series. The BATMAN Show wound up giving ground which it never regained; as the ratings-slumping series was cut to one night. The BATGIRL concept was, in turn, incorporated into the show for what proved to be its last season.

AS FOR THE question of this 8 minute oddity, it is surprisingly well done; with some of the high quality trappings that were present in the BATMAN shows first half year, beginning in January of 1966. For example: the on screen use visual, descriptive "POWS!", "WHAMS!" & "E-OWS!" and what ever other descriptive words, were overlaid on the individual frames of film. With the coming of the Fall 1966 episodes, the practice had given way to cutting away to a sort of pinkish, solid but plain background. It was obviously a co$t cutter; but this BATGIRL film reverted to the original, more expensive mode.

AS IS THE case with so many of the better BATMAN installments, this story, ever so abbreviated as it is, is indeed an adaptation of the first BATGIRL story from DETECTIVE COMICS # 350. As had been the practice already established, there is no credit given to the comics page work, nor to the original writer.**

ALTHOUGH WE HAD heard of this diminutive "Pilot", wee hadn't viewed it until today, being August 19, 2015. We had just heard of the death of the lovely and talented Yvonne Craig; who did such a fine job in bringing the Batgirl from the comics page to the screen. Much like Adam West's portrayal of Batman, hers was at once serious, believable and multi-layered with humor and parody; but never obviously or cheaply "funny." And the feminine pulchritude that was always present with her screen appearances was greatly appreciated by this then 21 year old.***

ON BEHALF OF all of buffs of the BATMAN TV show, may we say a most sincere, "Thank You, Miss Yvonne Craig!"

NOTE: * Of course, as we all know, WONDER WOMAN did make it to the screen about ten years later. First done as a TV movie with "revamped" character portrayed by Cathy Lee Crosby, it was followed with the original treatment starring (woo, woo, woo, woo!) Lynda Carter.

NOTE ** As was the case with the 1950's the ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, the best episodes of the series were adaptations of comics stories. These included the first episodes featuring Joker, Penguin, Riddler and others. Most, if not all of these original stories, were penned by Bill Finger,. the unsung "co-creator" of the BATMAN Feature.

NOTE: *** We had the honor to meet Yvonne Craig at a movie fans fair about 20 years back. She was most youthful, beautiful and couldn't have been more gracious.

This is a TV short that serves as a pilot of some sort to introduce Batgirl to the the Batman TV-series, where we see her help Batman and Robin by battling villain Killer Moth.

Her alter-ego librarian is Barbara Gordon, daughter of Commissioner Gordon, portrayed famously by Yvonne Craig. I think she did a good job in the role, if not a bit campy at times. But, that is OK as the role was portrayed by Craig in the 1960s.

It was neat seeing Gordon secretly change into her Batgirl costume that is hidden in a secret rotating closet in the library and it was neat seeing her team up with the Dynamic Duo. I think it is three heads better than two, as the addition of Batgirl to the series made the show more captivating and made each episode less cliché and less predictable.

I grew up watching the TV show with my cousin, who introduced me to the series. And, it wasn't years later until I finally saw this TV-short on YouTube. It was a great find!

Grade B

This is A Great Clip even for an unaired pilot that got swapped over for another intro of which would be entitleded Exit Penguin Enter Batgirl.Yes this Pilot is very Similar to Detective #359's Story of "The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl." Because it has a Supervillian called The Killer Moth too.But when all doesn't agree just call it a parallel earth story.

There are 2 different versions as to how this New Batgirl Debuted on TV in The Amazing "S" World of Comics it claimed that The TV show inspired her Debut in The Comics While in 'Tec #359 it ends with saying this new Batgirl will only come back if you write us to let us know.Then upon doing so as I read the letters column in 'Tec #363,of which featured her 2nd app.,People not only wanted her to come back but to be featured on the TV show too.Then they were told that they'd consult The writers and producers of The TV Show too.

In this Pilot it's even similar to The story in 'Tec #359 Killermoth is The Villain and Batgirl rescues Bruce Wayne from Killermoth of which upon doing so he comes back as Batman but without Batgirl knowing they're one and the same.While in This Batgirl saves Batman & Robin from Killermoth upon arrival and after they show Barbara Gordon transform into Batgirl like they did in a similar way as seen in 'Tec #359.

As I'd also read in a Magazine that adding Batgirl for the 3rd and final season did help to add higher excitement but not higher ratings.

Truthfully,Stephen "Steve" G. Baer a.k.a."Ste" of Framingham,Ma.USA