Hi Diddle Riddle/Smack in the Middle

Episode Information
Episodes:	1 & 2
Cast:	Riddler - Frank Gorshin
	Molly - Jill St. John
	Inspector Basch-Michael Fox
	Gideon Peale-Damian O'Flynn
	Moldavian Prime Minister-Ben Astar
	Newscaster-Jack Barry
	Doorman-Dick Reeves
	Maitre d'-William Dozier
Air Dates:	1/12/66 & 1/13/66

At the Republic of Mouldavia pavilion in Gotham's World Fair, the prime minister of Mouldavia prepares to cut into a Friendship Cake. When he does, it explodes and a parachute flies out with a riddle on it. It is taken to police headquarters where they believe it can only mean one thing--the Riddler's back in town. Since none of the men want the job apprehending him, Batman and Robin are called in to help.

Gordon calls Batman

Batman and Robin figure out the clue the Riddler has given them and track him to Peale Art Gallery were they catch him in the act of stealing a cross. After a small chase, hand cuffs are placed on the criminal as Batman explains he's a fully deputized agent of the law. But what's this? The Riddler explained he owned the cross and had lent it to the museum. Since he was falsely arrested, he sued Batman and gave him legal papers.

Back at Wayne Manor, Batman is still shocked at what happened. Robin suggests they analyse the law papers for clues. They take it down to the Batlab and run it through the Detect-a-Scope and find two more riddles. They point to a discotheque called "What a Way to Go-Go." Robin is unable to enter because of his age, so he watches on a screen in the Batmobile (using the Antenna Activator for the reception). While inside, Batman finds Jill St. John (the Riddler's henchwoman un-beknownst to Batman) who is sitting at the bar. Batman moves through the crowds of people and begins talking to her while having his drink. They start dancing and Batman realizes he's been drugged.

While Robin exits the car, the Riddler shoots him with a tranquilizer dart (he had come out from a manhole in the parking lot). The Riddler then pushes Robin back into the car and tries to steal it, but the Batmobile Anti-theft device is in perfect working order and prevents him from doing so. The Riddler figures if he can't take the car, he might as well destroy it, so after carrying Robin out, he throws a grenade in it that shoots sparks into the car. Again he is foiled when the Batmobile's Antifire Activator kicks in. The police show up and the villain quickly vanishes into the manhole. Batman comes stumbling out of the bar and gets into the Batmobile, but is in no shape to pursue.

Meanwhile the Riddler is in his hideout where a false face of Robin is being made for Jill St. John who will trick Batman into taking her back to the Batcave. After she dresses into a costume that is an exact replica of Robin's, she and the Riddler go looking for the Batmobile. When they find it, they get into their car and have Batman chase them. They plan to flip the car when Batman uses the Batray Projector on it. After the car had flipped, the Riddler escapes while the fake-Robin lays still on the ground near the car. Batman takes Robin (who was really Jill St. John) back to the Batcave, where she let known her identity. Batman said he knew all along it was her, and as she tries firing her gun, he told her he had melted the shooting mechanism with his Bat-laser from his utility belt. As she tries to escape, she falls into the Batmobile's Atomic Pile (used to recharge the Batmobile) where she falls to her death.

Robin calls the commissioner's office to get in contact with Batman (the Riddler wanted to speak with Batman). The commissioner has his men trace the call. After talking with Robin, Batman goes to police headquarters to examine the recorded conversation. They here noises of the subway and figure the Riddler's hideout must be down there. They almost catch the Riddler, but he escapes behind a bulletproof glass wall.

Later, at the Modavian Pavilion, the Riddler prepares laughing gas that will be run into the pavilion through the air ducts. His scheme is to steal the Modavian Mammoth which has jewels on the outside and priceless stamps inside. He wears a gas-mask (with an elephant-trunk mask overtop to conceal the mask), and starts telling jokes to the crowd.

The Riddler's Plan is Foiled

They think he's part of the entertainment, and with the gas running into the room, they can't stop laughing. After all of the crowd has fallen over from the gas, he gives the signal to his men (below the floor) to blow a hole in the ground so the mammoth can be taken out of the room.

As he tells his men to hurry up, Batman and Robin jump out of the Modavian Mammoth and surprise the Riddler. They had known he would strike, so they wore gasmasks and waited for him to show. As the Riddler tries to shoot Batman, he hits a laughing gas canister. Suddenly, it exploded. Batman escaped, but the Riddler was too late. No signs of the Riddler's body could be found after, so they suspect he may still be alive.


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