Hey guys,

45 years ago, we were introduced to Batman

There were the best villains and then, there were some that were worst

and so, I would like to know:

Who do you consider as The Worst Villains on Batman?

Please make your list right here

I always thought that Cassandra and Madame Zelda were weak. Same goes for the Zsa Zsa Gabor character , Minerva. Oh and the Puzzler was just a weak Riddler imitation, though I always liked Maurice Evans.

The Archer was a bomb, and so was the Minstrel. Adam West mentions in Back to the Batcave, that these two are weak villains and said he wished that Season Two had started off strong with the Joker or Penguin or other strong villains

I tended to enjoy the more outlandishly costumed ones as a kid; they were eye catching and over the top and funny.

Black Widow - The main problem was that Tallulah Bankhead was way past her prime by this point (I think that Batman was the last acting job she did before she died). She was just too old and infirm to be a credible menace/threat. You know you're in trouble when at one point, sweet old Aunt Harriet is confused for Black Widow at the bank. Plus, it was sometimes hard to understand what Miss Bankhead was saying because her delivery was awfully raspy and garbled (as if she had a bit too much to drink).

EGGHEAD weak name for a villian who was played by Vincent Price

THE MAD HATTER imho was stupid even though his top hat weapon was kinda cool

KING TUT who's name alone is weak as far as villians go

My 10 least favorites in no particular order

#1. Clock King - About as exciting as watching the hands of a clock

#2. Zelda the Great. Nothing great about her

#3. Louie the Lilac - I love the smell of lilacs but this villain stinks

#4. Riddler (John Astin) - Another appearance by The Puzzler would've been better

#5. Nora Clavicle - Only episode without a batfight although having one wouldn't have helped matters much

#6. Minerva - The last and one of the most boring villains of the series. It should've ended with The Entrancing Dr. Cassandra

#7. The Sandman - Guaranteed to put anyone to sleep

#8. Lord Marmaduke Pfogg - Rudy Valle was bad enough but a 3-part episode is overkill

#9. False Face - Malachi Throne said the character could've worked better if the producers had used different facial disguises instead of that cheap plastic mask. I have to agree with him.

#10. Bookworm - Boring and probably the most ridiculous costume worn by any villain

On the male villains, I'll have to think about it and get back to this topic.

But I will say this, Catwoman aside, the female villains were all pretty weak. And I don't say that because they were women, but rather, I blame the writers for coming up with weak stereotypical characters for the actresses who played them.

The chauvinistic and sexist attitude the writers employed towards women was most evident in an episode I watched last week, the one featuring Nora Clavicle (Barbara Rush).

When the women take over the govt and police force completely, crime runs rampant because the women are preoccupied with putting on their makeup, exchanging recipes and putting out all-points bulletin about clothing sales. Ouch!

And the series ended with the weakest of the female villains, Minerva. There was no air of menace about her at all. Even after her brainwashing plot was foiled and she was taken off to jail, Commissioner Gordon is still clearly smitten with her.

I like Frank Gorshin playing the Riddler tons better than the Riddler played by John Astin

Gorshin invented that character for TV and invested it with so much manic energy and drive that Astin's portrayal seemed like a flat tire by comparison. Astin has a more drier comedic style, which didn't suit The Riddler at all.

I was glad when Gorshin came back one last time in the final season for the "Ring Around The Riddler" episode.

You guys have already mentioned most of the lame ones. Here's a few more.

Colonel Gumm - Batman's nemesis during the Green Hornet crossover episode. This guy was a threat to Gotham?

Chandall - Liberace. That pretty much says it all.

I have to disagree with ComedyGuy about King Tut being a weak villain. Victor Buono was one of the funniest people ever to appear on the show. He had the perfect mix of camp and over the top hamminess that was perfect for the series.

You guys have already mentioned most of the lame ones. Here's a few more.

Colonel Gumm - Batman's nemesis during the Green Hornet crossover episode. This guy was a threat to Gotham?

Chandall - Liberace. That pretty much says it all.

I have to disagree with ComedyGuy about King Tut being a weak villain. Victor Buono was one of the funniest people ever to appear on the show. He had the perfect mix of camp and over the top hamminess that was perfect for the series.
The Mad Hatter should have looked like the one from Alice in Wonderland. He was suppose to look like that and based his crimes on the on that classic story. If there had been a fourth season, that would have been cool.

If there had been a fourth season, that would have been cool.

I never had a chance to see the Batman TV series, but a friend of mine did . I watched the 1966 Batman movie at his house, and he said "It's too bad Batman was cancelled after it's third season, because that's when Batgirl appeared and the Batboat, so they finally got all their elements together and then it was cancelled !" .

On the male villains, I'll have to think about it and get back to this topic.

But I will say this, Catwoman aside, the female villains were all pretty weak. And I don't say that because they were women, but rather, I blame the writers for coming up with weak stereotypical characters for the actresses who played them.

The chauvinistic and sexist attitude the writers employed towards women was most evident in an episode I watched last week, the one featuring Nora Clavicle (Barbara Rush).

When the women take over the govt and police force completely, crime runs rampant because the women are preoccupied with putting on their makeup, exchanging recipes and putting out all-points bulletin about clothing sales. Ouch!

And the series ended with the weakest of the female villains, Minerva. There was no air of menace about her at all. Even after her brainwashing plot was foiled and she was taken off to jail, Commissioner Gordon is still clearly smitten with her.
They should have had Poison Ivy from the comics. Her and Catwoman would have been the best 2 female villians. I thought Dr.Cassandra was good. She had a ray gun and was smart. I loved that episode where she released all 6 villians and the fight at the end is classic.

They should have had Poison Ivy from the comics. Her and Catwoman would have been the best 2 female villians. I thought Dr.Cassandra was good. She had a ray gun and was smart. I loved that episode where she released all 6 villians and the fight at the end is classic.

They could have had Poison Ivy flirt with Batman in the way that Catwoman did -- maybe even have an episode where they're both vying for his affections as they're plotting to kill him.

Or maybe one "saves" him from the other, only so that she can be the one who finishes him off.

Had there been a fourth season, it would have been interesting to see what would have happened. There was talk of demoting Batgirl to recurring status (not in every episode) or alternating between having Batgirl and Robin as the sidekick from week-to-week and possibly going back to the hour-long, 2 part format.

They could have had Poison Ivy flirt with Batman in the way that Catwoman did -- maybe even have an episode where they're both vying for his affections as they're plotting to kill him.

Or maybe one "saves" him from the other, only so that she can be the one who finishes him off.

Had there been a fourth season, it would have been interesting to see what would have happened. There was talk of demoting Batgirl to recurring status (not in every episode) or alternating between having Batgirl and Robin as the sidekick from week-to-week and possibly going back to the hour-long, 2 part format.That would have been great. Batgirl and Robin taking turns as the sidekick would have been refreshing.

One reason Poison Ivy didn't appear on the series may have been because the character didn't appear in the comics until June, 1966 and at that time Batman had finished it's first season. I'm not sure how far in advance the episodes were produced although a third season spot might have worked if the right actress was hired. I think she would've been much better than Nora Clavicle or Minerva.

They'd have had to tone the Poison Ivy costume WAY down for 1968, of course. :)

Having said that, how great would it have been to see someone like Raquel Welch as Ivy?

That would have been great. Batgirl and Robin taking turns as the sidekick would have been refreshing.

One of the problems with the half-hour format in the third season is that too many characters were crammed in to an episode. And everything that to be established, fought out and wrapped up in that half hour.

One reason Poison Ivy didn't appear on the series may have been because the character didn't appear in the comics until June, 1966 and at that time Batman had finished it's first season. I'm not sure how far in advance the episodes were produced although a third season spot might have worked if the right actress was hired. I think she would've been much better than Nora Clavicle or Minerva.

Those two were the absolute worst villainesses. Especially Minerva -- that was Zsa Zsa Gabor playing herself. And she wasn't particularly menacing.

If a sexy and flirtatious actress could have been found, Poison Ivy could have given Catwoman a run for her money. The Julie Newmar Catwoman, that is.

http://www.vulture.com/2014/09/11-worst-batman-villains.html

If there’s one thing that promotions for Gotham, Fox’s new Batman prequel series, want you to know, it’s this: Sure, we might not have Batman, but we have so many of his famous rogues gallery. The pilot alone — which coincided with Batman's 75th birthday this year (really, he doesn’t look a day over 35, but to be fair, that cowl covers up a lot of his face) — features versions of the Penguin, the Riddler, Catwoman, and mob boss Carmine Falcone; with three quarters of a century's worth of comics, movies, and TV shows at their disposal, producers have hundreds more bad guys (no, really) to choose from for future episodes.

But not every villain the Dark Knight has faced is worth translating to television. Any series that’s been around for 75 years is sure to have had its share of off moments, and with literally thousands of Batman comics published during that time, there are plenty of adventures he would like to forget. If any of the following guys show up in Gotham, you can rest assured that the bottom of the barrel is very, very close to being scraped.

http://www.vulture.com/2014/09/11-worst-batman-villains.html

Your link has nothing to do with the topic which is about the worst villains on the series and if vulture can only come up with Egghead from that show then they have no credibility. Killer Moth doesn't count because he was used in the unaired film to hopefully sell the Batgirl character to ABC.

Your link has nothing to do with the topic which is about the worst villains on the series and if vulture can only come up with Egghead from that show then they have no credibility. Killer Moth doesn't count because he was used in the unaired film to hopefully sell the Batgirl character to ABC.

I guess we at least know that Egghead was the worst villain on the TV series! :lol:

The only 2 I know on the list are Egghead and Killer Moth. The rest are new to me. I thought Lola Lasagna and Shame would have been on the list.

I thought Lola Lasagna and Shame would have been on the list.

Shame has no business on the list. He was definitely better than Clock King, Bookworm, False-Face, Chandell, Mr. Freeze (Otto Preminger), The Minstrel, Louie the Lilac, Lord Ffogg, and Riddler (John Astin)

One reason Poison Ivy didn't appear on the series may have been because the character didn't appear in the comics until June, 1966 and at that time Batman had finished it's first season. I'm not sure how far in advance the episodes were produced although a third season spot might have worked if the right actress was hired. I think she would've been much better than Nora Clavicle or Minerva.

Any thoughts on who you think might have worked well as Poison Ivy? It's a hard task, but one that came to find fairly quickly (and was just about at the top of her popularity at that time, maybe a bit early) was Carol Lynley. Or maybe Sharon Tate?

Shame has no business on the list. He was definitely better than Clock King, Bookworm, False-Face, Chandell, Mr. Freeze (Otto Preminger), The Minstrel, Louie the Lilac, Lord Ffogg, and Riddler (John Astin)

Agree on most of that, but I did like Preminger as Freeze. I think the fact that he was not well liked on the set makes him an even better villain, somehow. And Eli Wallach and George Sanders just never really clicked for me.

Any thoughts on who you think might have worked well as Poison Ivy? It's a hard task, but one that came to find fairly quickly (and was just about at the top of her popularity at that time, maybe a bit early) was Carol Lynley. Or maybe Sharon Tate?

Carol Lynley is a great actress but I can't see her playing Poison Ivy or any other Batman Villainess. I'm not saying she couldn't have done it just that it's hard for me to picture her doing so. Sharon Tate might have been able to pull it off but she wasn't on the same name level as the other stars that appeared on the show but that didn't stop them from hiring Malachi Throne to play False-Face. Since Batman was primarily focused on getting big name stars to play villains, I have to agree with your earlier idea of Raquel Welch. If she weren't available then I'd go with Anne Francis or Vera Miles.

They could have had Poison Ivy flirt with Batman in the way that Catwoman did -- maybe even have an episode where they're both vying for his affections as they're plotting to kill him.

Or maybe one "saves" him from the other, only so that she can be the one who finishes him off.

Had there been a fourth season, it would have been interesting to see what would have happened. There was talk of demoting Batgirl to recurring status (not in every episode) or alternating between having Batgirl and Robin as the sidekick from week-to-week and possibly going back to the hour-long, 2 part format.

http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/batman/268288/batman-vs-two-face-could-have-featured-poison-ivy

"We hadn't really reached out to people," Tucker admits. "We were considering Barbara Eden, maybe, or Ann Margaret. We wanted people who would've been cast in the '60s. Barbara Eden probably more so than Ann Margaret because Ann Margaret was a huge movie star. Raquel Welch, maybe? You know what I mean. That was where we were going. But again, we hadn't gotten that far because we were only in the script stage and it didn't go beyond that. But it would've been cool."

http://www.vulture.com/2014/09/11-worst-batman-villains.html
Those are so bad!!