Catwoman (Julie Newmar) is back in this two-part episode that was written by Stanley Ralph Ross. The first installment, Catwoman Goes to College first debuted on 22 February, 1967.

Batman (Adam West) and Robin (Burt Ward) are troubled to learn that Catwoman has been released from prison, with Bruce Wayne serving as her parole officer. But she seems to have gone on the straight and narrow and wants to finish her education by going to the illustrious Gotham University.

In actuality, she just plans to use the location as her base of operations. She frames Batman for a crime, for which he gets arrested, but being the master of disguise that he is, swaps places with Alfred (Alan Napier) who poses as his lawyer.

She doesn’t seem to have a real plan, though there are hints of a planned theft of some cat’s eye opals. She seems very intent on making things as difficult for Batman, while attempting to romance him at the same time. The chemistry is fun, and there’s a goofy scene featuring the pair in a soda shoppe.

But it’s all for naught, as the pair attempt to disrupt a sit-on Catwoman is organizing, and the pair find themselves caught and about to be executed by a giant coffee pot pouring acid as the episode races towards its cliffhanger.

There’s a window cameo by Art Linkletter looking for guests on his show People are Funny, but seems to be coming up short of possibilities in Gotham.

The second episode, Batman Displays His Knowledge aired the following night on 23 February, 1967.

As Batman and Robin escape their death trap, Catwoman steals the cat’s eye opals that she was after, which is exactly what Batman knew she was going to do and count on it. But she still has some plans.

When she can’t find anyone willing to fence the opals, she plans to turn over the opals for the reward, but replaces the opals with fakes, which would allow her to keep the opals and the reward money!

She plans to use Freddy the Fence (Jacques Bergerac) but soon comes to realize that she’s fallen for a trap set by Batman, and vows to get her revenge, setting her own trap for him. The two prepare to fight, but Batman refuses to engage her, causing her to unleash her thugs, and attempt to make an escape during the fracas.

Of course, Batman and Robin are able to stop Catwoman, and send her back to prison, where she reveals to Bruce Wayne that she really does love Batman.

Julie Newmar steals every scene she’s in, and I love every time she shows up in this series. I know there are changes coming, and it will be sad to see her leave the series. I know if I had been watching this as it aired and had been of a certain age, she would have been my favourite part of the series. Heck, she is now as I’m watching it for the first time!