Marsha's Scheme of Diamonds

"Marsha's Scheme of Diamonds" is the 58th episode of the Batman television series. It originally aired on ABC, on November 24, 1966 and guest starred Carolyn Jones as Marsha, Queen of Diamonds.

Plot synopsis

In the previous episode, as Batman is about to be forced into saying “I do” to Marsha, Queen of Diamonds, Aunt Harriet Cooper and Alfred Pennyworth, posing as “Mrs. Batman” and her “lawyer” respectively, storm up to the altar. The prank was actually on Marsha as “Mrs. Batman’s” lawyer provides a fake marriage certificate (thanks to the Batcomputer, which Alfred worked on) to the minister conducting the wedding, showing that Batman is still married. The minister refuses to finish the wedding (because Batman would have committed bigamy had he married Marsha), thus allowing Batman, and Alfred to quietly leave the church in their "newlywed" Batmobile.

A furious Marsha runs back to her lair, where she is about to give another potion to Robin, however an alarm is tripped, indicating that Batman has arrived. Marsha and her goons escape before Batman and Alfred enter. Using the antidotes, Batman and Alfred revive Robin, Commissioner Gordon and Chief O’Hara from Marsha’s captivity. Marsha returns to see Aunt Hilda, about the failure of Hilda’s latest potion. Hilda knew the potion was of poor quality anyway, so they try to figure out a workable potion for the Dynamic Duo.

Meanwhile, Robin wakes up in the Batcave, telling Batman that their troubles with Marsha all center around their Bat-Diamond. Since the Bat-Diamond would be too large and heavy for Marsha to steal from the Batcave, also making it too obvious to be noticed, the Dynamic Duo obtains some information via. the Batcomputer about Marsha’s bordello. Commissioner Gordon calls Batman, remembering Marsha saying to him that she has to visit her aunt, while Batman suspects that there may be a basement where Marsh and Aunt Hilda are hiding. Using the Bat-Computer, Batman and Robin connect the coordinates of Marsha’s basement, and then they pay a visit to the Queen and Hilda. Hilda throws another potion at Batman and Robin to turn them into mice, that attempt fails and a fight with Marsha’s men ensues. Marsha throws a smoke bomb, rendering Batman and Robin unconscious, then Hilda applies a foolproof potion to turn Batman and Robin into toads before delivering them to Commissioner Gordon’s office. The toads are in a cage, with Marsha threatening Commissioner Gordon to reveal the Batcave and Bat-Diamond’s location, or else Batman and Robin will be “toad-dinner” to a hungry cat eager to eat them alive. Or so it seems as Batman & Robin reappear through a window, shocking Marsha and Gordon. The toads were actually replacements after the Bat-Computer located the caged Dynamic Duo, unlocking them first before Batman used two frogs (complete with mini-capes), before Marsha would come back to pick them up, thinking the potion worked on Batman and Robin. The voices from the toads were the work of Batman as a ventriloquist while they were outside Commissioner Gordon’s office before they entered the window. Marsha is now placed under arrest by Gordon as her hopes of the biggest heist are like Hilda’s potions, up in smoke.

The final scene shows Aunt Hilda teaching a culinary class to students at the Wayne Institute of Economics, while Bruce and Dick look on. As the mild-mannered philanthropists leave, a couple of frog jokes are exchanged, with Dick complaining of a “wart” on his thumb.

Next Week

Cliff Robertson as Shame corrals The Caped Crusaders!

External links

• "Marsha's Scheme of Diamonds" on IMDb
• "Marsha's Scheme of Diamonds" at TV.com