Could Adam West Have Successfully Played a More 'Serious' Batman?

[TMC]

If I'm not mistaken, West mentioned in his autobiography that he is aware (especially after the The Dark Knight Returns 1989 Tim Burton movie came out) that there are fans who disapprove of the show's often campy approach. But at the same time according to West, it wasn't the right time to do a dark, straight-forward, and/or completely "serious" version of Batman.

Apparently, when he got the role (and this is briefly touched upon in the Misadventures of Adam and Burt TV movie from several years back about the making of the TV series) he told the producers that he studied the Batman comics' and was fully aware that Bruce Wayne's parents were murdered. However, he was told right off the bat (no pun intended) that it was going to be a silly, kiddie type of show.

In fairness, if I'm not mistaken, the comics up to that point, had already taken a decidedly more larger than life, kiddie approach. The early Batman comics from the late 1930s-early 1940s were considerably violent and gritty for their time (which Batman using firearms and regularly killing criminals). It was around the time that the whole Seduction of the Innocent controversy popped up, that the comics started to get get "lighter and softer".

Looking at Adam West's portrayal of Batman on Super Friends in the '80s, it really makes me wonder what could've been had he been allowed to take the role more seriously. Super Friends (during its final season under the Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians title) was the first TV series/film to truly depict Batman's origin (in an episode called "The Fear"), including Thomas and Martha Wayne's murders. That episode called for a more tormented, human and vulnerable Batman/Bruce Wayne.

William Dozier, the executive producer, apparently didn't like comic books. He personally felt that the only way that the show could succeed was if it were a campy, sometimes satirical (which unfortunately, makes Batman feel incredibly dated now), pop-art adventure show. ABC and 20th Century Fox at first, thought that they were getting a more straight-forward, but still hip show in the vein of The Man from UNCLE. Batman's sister show, The Green Hornet was a more basic, grounded in reality crime show, and yet, it only lasted one season.

[Brian Damage]

Honestly, I doubt it, I mean I say this now because Adam West has done nothing but campy roles, but if he was even considered for James Bond, which he was, I guess anything is possible.

[Marvo301]

I think Adam West could have played a more serious Batman. And I would have loved to see that. Brian, I think the reason Adam West has played mainly campy roles since Batman is that he was typecast due the extreme popularity of the campy Batman. (especially during it's first season)

[Elvis Fonzie Dean]

I think so. Even though Batman in that show was comical a lot, Bruce Wayne still came off as serious showing he could pull it off.

[Reverend Jim]

[MickeyMac]

A big fat YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Even in camp Adam West was better than all those other idiots they used for these recent Batman movies.

[jimpickens]

Hell yeah he could have played Batman straight and would've been just like the comics of the 30s and 40s and don't give me any of that jive about standards and practice not allowing it because there were plenty of dark gritty and violent shows on back then that wouldn't even make to TV by todays standards.

[Sterling Holobyte]

Yes, I think so. He had that "leading man" look to him, and his distinctive voice would've lent itself nicely to a more serious character.
His voice especially, I think, was one of the main reasons why the campy way he played Batman was so funny. It was the contrast; his dramatic voice paired with this silly script.