While Gotham City Burns

While Gotham City Burns
Writer(s)	Rik Vollaerts
Director(s)	Larry Peerce
Season	1
Episode No	30
Series Episode No	30
Air Date	April 21, 1966

Plot

Recalling one of Lydia's cryptic remarks ("He strikes at midnight," she said) Batman divines the meaning, and, with Chief O'Hara (whom he met on the way), races to Big Benjamin to attempt to stop the clock and save Robin before it's too late. O'Hara fails to shoot out the clockworks, and, with but a minute to spare until 12 midnight, The Caped Crusader uses The Batzooka to shoot a line to the lightning rod on top of the clock tower and the second to the clock's hands; he then connects the ends of both lines to The Batmobile's nuclear power source into the positive terminal, in hopes of positively charging the clapper and the bell and thus repel each other! Just as Benjamin's clapper is about to strike, Batman's plan is successful, and Robin is saved. After the rescue, The Peerless Pair repair to The Batcave, where they research their foe's methods. Simultaneously, Bookworm is upstairs in Wayne Manor pilfering a rare alchemical text from Bruce's library; he then arranges for a giant-sized cookbook (the name of it is called The Delight Of Cooking by Suzan Barrie) to appear in the middle of 5th and Cedar streets in downtown Gotham. The Dynamic Duo race to the scene, open the book with a super-powered magnet from The Batmobile (actually, Bookworm and Lydia opened it, with a remote control), enter the book, find a small kitchen inside, and soon find themselves trapped inside the armor-plated book as scalding hot steam is pumped in!!Bookworm and Lydia see this as a chance to swipe The Batmobile, and they drive it to the rear of The Morganbilt Library, where he plans to use its Batbeam, to break into The Library and snatch all of the rare and priceless books stored within. As Chief O'Hara, Commissioner Gordon, and a group of Gotham's Finest attempt to open the giant cookbook, The Caped Crusader contacts Alfred at The Batcave and, with his help, locates the manhole under the book which Bookworm introduced his murderous steampipe! It is here that The Dynamic Duo make their escape, just as the police finally blast open the book to find it empty, and deduce The Duo had been consumed by the steam. Meanwhile, a very much un-steamed Batman and Robin pick up The Bookworm's conversation in The Batmobile by way of a concealed microphone; it's then relayed to them via an automatic feedback circuit in their Batcave, and they head for The Morganbilt Library, where they eventually subdue The Pernicious Plagiarist and his bookish crew at the library, saving Gotham City yet again. Bookworm and Lydia are taken to Police HQ for Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson to see in person before being hauled off to the pokey.

NEXT WEEK

The Return of The Riddler!

Appearances

Individuals

• Batman
• Robin
• Alfred
• Commissioner Gordon
• Chief O'Hara
• Mrs. Cooper
• The Bookworm
• Lydia Lympet
• Riddler (Mentioned Only)

Miscellanea

During the time Batman and Robin are trapped in the giant cookbook, Commissioner Gordon tries to get the The Riddler to open the door-as he is the best safecracker their ever was.

Batman Episodes

Season 1: Hi Diddle Riddle • Smack In The Middle • Fine Feathered Finks • The Penguin's a Jinx • The Joker Is Wild • Batman Is Riled • Instant Freeze • Rats Like Cheese • Zelda the Great • A Death Worse Than Fate • A Riddle a Day Keeps the Riddler Away • When the Rat's Away the Mice Will Play • The Thirteenth Hat • Batman Stands Pat • The Joker Goes to School • He Meets His Match, The Grisly Ghoul • True or False Face • Holy Rat Race • The Purr-Fect Crime • Better Luck Next Time • The Penguin Goes Straight • Not Yet, He Ain't • The Ring of Wax • Give 'Em the Axe • The Joker Trumps An Ace • Batman Sets the Pace • The Curse of Tut • The Pharaoh's in a Rut • The Bookworm Turns • While Gotham City Burns • Death In Slow Motion • The Riddler's False Notion • Fine Finny Fiends • Batman Makes the Scenes Season 2: Shoot A Crooked Arrow • Walk the Straight and Narrow • Hot Off the Griddle • The Cat and the Fiddle • The Minstrel's Shakedown • Barbecued Batman? • The Spell of Tut • Tut's Case is Shut • The Greatest Mother of Them All • Ma Parker • The Clock King's Crazy Crimes • The Clock King Gets Crowned • An Egg Grows In Gotham • The Yegg Foes In Gotham • The Devil's Fingers • The Dead Ringers • Hizzonner the Penguin • Dizzoner the Penguin • Green Ice • Deep Freeze • The Impractical Joker • The Joker's Provokers • Marsha, Queen Of Diamonds • Marsha's Scheme of Diamonds • Come Back, Shame • It's How You Play the Game • The Penguin's Nest • The Bird's Last Jest • The Cat's Meow • The Bat's Kow Tow • The Puzzles Are Coming • The Duo is Slumming • The Sandman Cometh • The Catwoman Goeth (A Stitch in Time) • The Contaminated Cowl • The Mad Hatter Runs Afoul • The Zodiac Crimes • The Joker's Hard Times • The Penguin Declines • That Darn Catwoman • Scat! Darn Catwoman • Penguin is a Girl's Best Friend • Penguin Sets A Trend • Penguin's Disastrous End • Batman's Anniversary • A Riddling Controversy • The Joker's Last Laugh • The Joker's Epitaph • Catwoman Goes to College • Batman Displays His Knowledge • A Piece of the Action • Batman's Satisfaction • King Tut's Coup • Batman's Waterloo • Black Widow Strikes Again • Caught In The Spider's Den • Pop Goes the Joker • Flop Goes the Joker • Ice Spy • The Duo Defy Season 3: Enter Batgirl, Exit Penguin • Ring Around the Riddler • The Wail of the Siren • The Sport of Penguins • A Horse of Another Color • The Unkindest Tut Of All • Louie, the Lilac • The Ogg and I • How To Hatch A Dinosaur • Surf's Up! Joker's Under! • The Londinium Larcenies • The Foggiest Notion • The Bloody Tower • Catwoman's Dressed to Kill • The Ogg Couple • The Funny Feline Felonies • The Joke's on Catwoman • Louie's Lethal Lilac Time • Nora Clavicle And The Ladies' Crime Club • Penguin's Clean Sweep • The Great Escape • The Great Train Robbery • I'll Be a Mummy's Uncle • The Joker's Flying Saucer • The Entrancing Dr. Cassandra • Minerva, Mayhem And Millionaires Other/Tie-In Media: Batman: The Movie • Batman '66 • Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders • Batman vs. Two-Face