Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the premier of Batman, the television show. It's difficult today, within our fractured popular culture, to appreciate what an overwhelming phenomenon this show was at the time, but I can give one example from personal experience.
In the middle of that spring (1966) our television set stopped working, and while it was in the repair shop we kids were deprived of all of our TV shows. This wasn't too much of a hardship, but panic set in when Batman rolled around. So following some negotiations, we all trooped over to our neighbor's house to watch the show! Actually, the most remarkable part of that story for some of you will be the fact that televisions used to break down frequently, requiring a trip to the TV repairman (a job that has gone the way of slide rule salesman). Can you say "vacuum tubes"?
5 comments:
I was a freshman when Batman debuted. Our dorms were given a pass on study time -- when we all had to be in our rooms studying -- and we were allowed to come down to the TV lounge and watch the show, en masse. Everyone chanted the opening song, whose words were not hard to learn.
I had a blue cape and ran around the house jumping over things when Batman came on. I think I still have a scar or two from falling when jumping on chairs. A perfect show for a 6 year old...
Around 2008 I bought a LED TV to replace my dying picture-tube TV. After a few months, it failed to provide an image or sound when turned on, but it did turn on. I took it to a manufacturer's service center, the warranty was still good, and they repaired it. I was told it shouldn't fail again. I said it shouldn't have failed in the first place.
Since then it hasn't failed again.
TVs can still be repaired. However, most times repairing them will cost more than replacing them, so few people bother unless their warranty will cover it.
great
Batman wasn't just another TV show. It was like James Bond on steroids: an absurd premise (criminals in wild disguises) played absolutely deadpan straight, particularly by Adam West, quoting Shakespeare in his cape as Bruce Wayne or Batman. If the word "camp" didn't exist, it would have to be invented for this show. Then, as now, most of the humour is lost on most people.
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