I agree with the last reviewer, this episode should have been expanded because there's a lot of camp territory to be covered, and Cesar Romero's final appearance. First off, the Joker makes an UN-Glorious return to Gotham and starts a panic, all about a Martian invasion. He begins work on his own flying saucer, requiring Beryllium metal to operate it. So why not steal some?
And then there's the matter of Batgirl. The best running gag in the series had Batgirl playing the adult in the room -- always calm and composed -- even while being strapped to a rocket and ready for Blast Off.
With Meredith's Penguin now part of Bat history, Cesar Romero makes the most of what time he has left, now threatening the good folks of Gotham (and the world) to listen to him or the space aliens will launch a wave of death and destruction. In between the hysteria, it's also about the Joker's famous cackle. Unforgettable. At least it was to all us kids back in the day. Romero made the rounds of talk shows in later years, asked to perform his infamous laugh "one more time..." Obvious he enjoyed his role, the consummate entertainer at heart.
Only debit; the space ship props and lab are modest, sort of from the Ed Wood school of sci fi. Possibly to make up for it, at least from a wardrobe standpoint, the Joker teams with a cool "green" alien. Inspired by tv's Jolly Green Giant(?), only smaller. Cult film actor Richard Bakalyan makes the most of the role.
Check out some familiar faces; comedy legend Fritz Feld playing Professor Greenleaf and Ellen Corby (grandma Walton) as a lady who claims she saw a man from outer space? Special guest "partner in crime" is French actress Corinne Calvet as Emerald. Calvet was popular on tv and had recently appeared in several episodes of BURKES LAW. Then husband and wife Ida Lupino (as Dr. Cassandra) and Howard Duff (as Caballa) make a gag appearance, portraying a cozy pair of jewel thieves.
All in all a neat (condensed) episode, including a glimpse of the sleek Bat Copter and a surprise BIFFF BAMMM fight around the space ship.
Was all this inspired by the INVADERS? AAA direction by Sam Strangis, who served as co-producer throughout the series run. SEASON 3 EPISODE 24 restored color both for tv and dvd release, which is absolutely beautiful.
