#207 The Bat-bible, and Buck Henry’s rejection of camp

To The Batpoles! Batman 1966

In television, a show’s “bible” is a collection of the rules for the world of a particular show, to keep writers on track with their scripts. The makeshift bible that Lorenzo Semple, Jr., wrote for Batman is lost to history, but what might have been in it? What are the rules that we can see the show following? Tim has compiled some and presents them here — and asks for your suggestions.

In a recent Bat Inbox, we discussed some comments writer Buck Henry made about Batman and camp shortly after the show premiered. The comments struck Paul as being off-target and showing a poor understanding of what camp is. Is camp not comedy? Was Henry’s co-creation Get Smart not a campy show? Paul’s given it some more thought and research, and furthers that discussion in this episode.

Plus, the Kydoniai Orchestra version of the theme, the conclusion of Adam West’s Cinefix interview from 2014, and your response to our second Batman/Star Trek act-off.

"Gilligan and Captain Kirk have more in common than you think: 1960s Camp TV as an alternative geneology for cult TV" by W.D. Phillips and Isabel Pinedo