The Penguin (Burgess Meredith) returns to Gotham City, but Batman (Adam West) and Robin’s (Burt Ward) alter-egos of Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson are shocked to discover that he seems to be going on the straight and narrow and is currently running a high-end restaurant that has the weird touch of having the customers write their own orders down to pass on to the wait staff.

This two-parter was written by Lorenzo Semple Jr. and part one, The Penguin’s Nest first aired on 7 December, 1966.

When Penguin is caught red-handed trying to lift something off of the dining Chief O’Hara (Stafford Repp) the Penguin seems eager to be taken away but after a quick consult with Batman and Robin, Gordon (Neil Hamilton) the Penguin is left free.

And that seems to be exactly what Penguin doesn’t want. He seems determined to be arrested, and end up in a specific prison.

As Batman and Robin keep an eye on the feathered criminal and try to figure out his plans, things escalate until, of course, our heroes find themselves possibly walking into this week’s cliffhanger death trap.

This time it involves an electrified swimming pool while Penguin and one of his thugs are set up in a machine gun nest ready to riddle the Dynamic Duo with bullets while they get electrocuted. The Caped Crusaders are aware it’s a trap, but that doesn’t mean they won’t spring it as an attempt to get to the truth of what Penguin is up to.

Oh, and after the appearance of Carolyn Jones in the previous tale, it seemed apropos for an Addams Family window cameo, featuring Lurch (Ted Cassidy) who has his harpsichord playing interrupted by our heroes.

Part two, The Bird’s Last Jest, aired the following night on 8 December, 1966. Thanks to the handy bat-shield Batman and Robin are able to avoid the rain of bullets and a little reversal of the polarity of the electrics in the pool prevents either hero from getting zapped.

But they still won’t lock up Penguin yet, not until they’ve figure out part of the villain’s plan. Connecting the dots of the handwritten dining orders, they clue into the fact that Penguin is hoping to pair up with a forger and, using the handwriting samples make a whole slew of cash.

Batman sends Alfred (Alan Napier) undercover as the forger, and it’s just enough to distract the Penguin momentarily until the Penguin takes him hostage and threatens to bake Bruce’s butler into a giant pie!

Fisticuffs ensue as well as some maintaining of secret identities, but finally, Penguin gets himself arrested (again – he’s released earlier in this episode because of legal gymnastics, much to his chagrin), and yes, he’s going to be sent to exactly the prison and the cell he wants.

Unfortunately for Penguin, the forger he was looking forward to pairing up with, has gone on the straight and narrow and has been released from prison to take up his new position teaching handwriting classes.

Foiled again huh Penguin?