The first chronological Bat Trap to actually place our beloved heroine Batgirl in true peril was the rather lengthy stay she had in Lord Ffogg’s sinister dungeon during a trip to Londinium. This particular affair is a new twist on the classic melodrama of the heroine tied to the railroad track. Batgirl knows she is in trouble, does not know where the danger will come from and is totally helpless in escaping from the trap. Being as this is the first attempt to end the life of the bold beauty and the first time she is rescued by the Caped Crusader, I believe it to be the best of all the perilous predicaments filmed in the third season of the show. In order to back up the claim of being the best and possibly the longest Bat Trap ever produced, it is necessary to carefully review the chain of events in the two episodes in which it occurs: The Foggiest Notion and The Bloody Tower.
The action begins midway through The Foggiest Notion as our seductress in the shimmering purple suit searches Lord Ffogg’s cricket pavilion. In the pavilion, she discovers the loot stolen by Lord Ffogg and Lady Peasoup. Unfortunately, Batgirl is observed by Lord Ffogg’s vile daughter Lady Prudence, who energizes a system that dispenses paralyzing gas. The gas quickly incapacitates the dazzling damsel.
My only problem with the trap is what I call, “the deer in the headlight syndrome,” where Batgirl sees the gas enveloping her, but takes no action whatsoever. The syndrome also occurs in two later episodes where Batman, Batgirl and Robin allow themselves to be sprayed with Fear Gas and then zapped with the Alvino Ray Gun. One would think our dynamic crime fighters would be more proactive and not permit villains to take them unawares. At the first sign of the paralyzing gas, Batgirl should have reached into her utility belt for her Bat Gas Mask to nullify the gas. That is assuming, of course, she has one.
Speaking of Batgirl’s utility belt, has anyone ever noticed in the Bat Traps that every time Batgirl is captured the villains always fail to remove her belt? This oversight rarely occurs in the excellent Bat Trap fiction featured in the Batgirl Bat Trap Homepage. (Thank you, on behalf of all the Homepage writers! - the editor) Additionally, she only uses items from her utility belt twice (to escape from a Bat Trap, that is – ed.): once to extinguish a rocket fuse and once to cut her way out of a glass vat. In each case neither item was visible to the viewer.
In the next scene we see a totally paralyzed Batgirl led off to Lord Ffogg’s dungeon by two of Lady Peasoup’s henchwomen. This scene highlights the only major issue of believability in the entire episode. The paralyzing gas used on Batgirl, one would think, would almost certainly paralyze the circulatory and respiration systems of the booted beauty, bringing on instant death. (Unless the gas only worked upon the voluntary muscles! - ed.) Additionally, how is it possible for Batgirl to walk to the dungeon to be chained up while being led by two vile criminals if she is paralyzed? It would seem the Caped Cutie would have to be carried there. What a sensuous possibility! These two faults place a challenge on the accuracy of the episode, but, hey, this is television, so we have to ignore such obvious discrepancies. The episode ends with our luscious heroine in the dungeon chained between two pillars.
The dungeon affair continues at the start of the next episode The Bloody Tower. In the opening we see the Caped Crusadress overcoming the effects of the gas. Appearing somewhat confused, she finds herself chained between two pillars and unsuccessfully attempts to break free. It is a sheer visual delight to see the lovely Yvonne Craig wearing the almost sprayed-on Batsuit, struggling desperately to free herself. Ah, but I digress from the story. Batgirl is now joined by Lord Ffogg and Lady Peasoup, who cruelly taunt the helpless heroine by revealing their plans to steal the crown jewels and to kill her using lethal fog pellets. As the villains depart, they throw the fog pellets, which explode, forcing Batgirl to turn away from the gas. The first attempt has been made on the life of our bold beauty.
Fortunately, the attempt fails, as we see in the next dungeon scene where Lord Ffogg and Lady Peasoup return to find a very much alive and very defiant Batgirl. The despicable crooks hypothesize that the fog pellets have gone stale, resulting in Batgirl remaining alive. While the vile twosome go off for more fog pellets for another chance, Batgirl resumes her hopeless struggle to free herself.
In the following scene, things are looking up for our heroine as Batman enters the dungeon and finds the bound beauty. Just then, Lord Ffogg returns. Batgirl shouts a warning to the Caped Crusader, but Lord Ffogg pushes Batman off the stairs and then tosses a new batch of fog pellets. Batgirl’s face shows deep concern for the safety of her rescuer as lethal gas fills the dungeon. A second attempt on the life of the Curved Crusadress has now been made and things do not look good for the booted beauty.
Fortunately, deliverance is at hand for Batgirl as in the next scene we see the Caped Crusader deactivate the lethal gas with Anti-Lethal-Fog Batspray, thus saving the life of our delicious damsel. Batman then pulls out a Batfile to begin removing the chains on Batgirl’s wrists. This causes an adoring glance from the shimmering seductress to her champion as he works to free her. This appears to be the only time in the season that Batgirl appears to be smitten with the Caped Crusader.
The next-to-last scene in the dungeon finds Batman and a now-freed Batgirl attempting to break out of the dungeon. Batman spots a ventilating grate in the ceiling, but has no Batarang or rope to reach it. Batgirl pulls out a length of rope, presumably from her utility belt. Batman uses the old Indian rope trick to make the rope stay firm and straight so they can climb out of the dungeon.
The last dungeon scene is the best. It begins as Batgirl begins to climb the now rigid rope from the dungeon to the grate. The scene then switches to outside Ffogg Place as an amazing sequence of images begins. First, the grate moves. Next, a shiny satin cowl with a smiling face appears from the hole. This is quickly followed by a very curvaceous chest, a delicious derriere, luscious legs and, finally, dazzling Bat Boots. Once free of the torturous dungeon, a huge look of relief fills the face of our dazzling damsel, Batgirl.
The success of this Bat Trap is mainly due to two elements. The first is, obviously, the writers who developed the plot, dialog and the actions of the actors. (Elkan Allan received credit for this story. Allan and Charles Hoffman both received credit for the teleplay. – ed.) It is they that develop a concept or idea and mold it into a believable story. The second element is, of course, the acting skills of the actress who brought our beloved heroine to life, Miss Yvonne Craig. While Yvonne’s superb figure and the shimmering purple Bat Suit supply the sensual nature of the character, it is her facial expressions and physical mannerisms that supply the depth to the Batgirl character. A lovely body and a tight-fitting suit only produce a one-dimensional character. It takes a lot more to make an audience believe that you are desperately struggling to escape a truly lethal gas.
One more point about Miss Craig. In years past, I once read an article in which the author described Yvonne’s acting skills as minimal at best. I do not propose to speak for the folks in the Batgirl Bat-Trap community, but I do think that anyone who harbors such absurd views about the lovely and gracious Miss Craig should be taken out and immediately horse-whipped.
Now to the ratings:
As one can see, “Chained in the Dungeon” cops a perfect score. As I mentioned earlier, it was the first true Bat Trap. Additionally, it was the first time where our dazzling damsel was captured, held hostage and put in genuine peril. I believe that it also set the standard for the many creative and ingenious Bat Traps that were to follow it. It appears safe to say that the first Bat Trap was indeed the best Bat Trap.