Once in a while, a TV series will do an episode that honors the long and storied history of the medium. Star Trek: Voyager did so with its 1998 episode "Bride of Chaotica" and its homage to 1930's sci-fi film serials like Flash Gordon. Supernatural did it with its season 4 episode "Monster Movie" and its loving parody of the Universal Studios classic theatrical chillers that became staples of late-night TV. If there's one grouping of shows that I think could have a good outlet for this kind of story, it'd definitely be the 'Arrowverse' (Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and now Supergirl). Which is why I bring to you a particularly amusing story idea for a Flash/Arrow 2-parter, one that homages one of the greatest hits of DC Comics' television efforts: the legendary 1966 Batman series starring Adam West and co. With an episode like this, the cast of both shows (mostly on the Arrow side of things) get to take a breather from all the dreary and dramatic while poking fun at (and paying tribute to) a more lighter, goofier phase of the Dark Knight. Also, to me, it'd be a challenge to see how long the cast and crew can go without laughing once while in production.
Plot:
Felicity Smoak is visiting Team Flash at STAR Labs, and Cisco demonstrates his 'Vibe' powers to her. Unfortunately, the rift he opens winds up sucking both him and Felicity into it, with Team Flash scrambling to try and get them back, having determined that the world they wound up on is the 66th catalogued. Meanwhile, Cisco and Felicity come to in Earth-66's Star City, which looks more...vibrant than the one they know. The fashion differs as well, as do the cars, the architecture, everything. Felicity and Cisco's confusion is dispelled once they see the date on a newspaper: 1967. The two find themselves helping this world's Team Arrow foil a scheme by the 'Crime Champions'--an alliance of Central City's Rogues and Star City villains such as the Clock King, Cupid, and Count Vertigo, in more flamboyant incarnations on this Earth--while trying to figure out a way to get back home.
*Now, some Earths in the multiverse vibrate at different frequencies, accounting for the differing timelines in each--which is why folks on Earth-1 in 2016 can exist in 1967 on Earth-66.*
Episode Aesthetics: The episode, true to the source material it's homaging, would have all the hallmarks of Batman '66, made up of
1. A Nelson Riddle-esque score and background music
2. Intentionally-humorous simplistic morality (you know what I mean)
3. Campy, tongue-in-cheek comedic style
4. Our 'dynamic duo' winding up in some cockamamie elaborate deathtrap.
5. A narrator with a 'breathless' narration style similar to Walter Winchell or the like (in this case, Ralph Garman, who did this sort of bit on "Agent Carter").
6. Onomatopoeia superimposed in bright colours on the screen, as in comic-book fight scenes ("POW!", "BAM!", "ZONK!", etc.) during the fighting in the episode.
7. Our dynamic duo climbing up a building at some point, with some random celebrity or so popping out of the window--in this case, it's Ed Asner, saying a resigned "Eh, it's been done."
Some sample bits of comedy present in this story:
1. Felicity's frustration with trying to work and understand 60's technology.
2. Cisco, at one point, dons a version of his comic counterpart's second costume when going on patrol with Ollie and Thea. Upon seeing it firsthand, Felicity tries her best to stifle her giggles.
3. Felicity and Cisco all confused at why everyone seems to act so hammy and melodramatic.
4. Cisco drawing upon the 60's segment of his font of pop culture knowledge to help him and Felicity navigate this world. Felicity gets in a few "Mad Men" jokes here and there.
Earth-66 Arrowverse Characters:
In coming up with this Earth's versions of familiar faces, I looked to a lot of classic TV shows for influence in appearance and characterization, each incorporating a fun nod to one character or another. All characters' respective actors would play their Earth-66 counterparts. It'd be basically them playing against type (mostly).
#Team Arrow
+Green Arrow/Oliver Queen
More clean-shaven than his Earth-1 counterpart, as well as more 'friendly', this Oliver is a philanthropist by day and the bow-slinging Green Arrow by night. His backstory is more in-line with the original interpretation of Green Arrow from decades ago. His costume is based on Green Arrow's original look from 1941-68, with a domino mask, red boots and gloves, a feathered cap, and a green tunic and pants. Of course, Earth-66 Oliver is based on that most iconic of campy superheroes, Adam West's Batman. It gives Stephen Amell the chance to do a bit of 'Adam Westing' of his own while paying tribute to one of the most famous superhero portrayals of TV history.
+Speedy/Thea M. Queen
A hip and trendy socialite with a heart of gold and a quick wit, she owns and runs the Verdant A-Go-Go nightclub while acting as Oliver's partner as the scarlet slinger of arrows, Speedy. Her costume is based on Roy Harper's original comic-based costume, made up of a yellow feathered cap/gloves/go-go boots (Nancy Sinatra-style)/belt, but with a red top and hot pants instead of a red tunic. Character-wise, she's a combination pastiche of Burt Ward's Robin (minus the 'Holy--' puns) and Yvonne Craig's Batgirl (sans any 'damsel-in-distress'-itis). She is at first skeptical of Felicity and Cisco's being from another Earth, saying "Sounds like something off Star Trek". Cisco: "Let me guess--"Mirror, Mirror"?" Thea: "Uh, yeah--how'd you know?"
*Both Earth-66 Green Arrow and Speedy use trick arrows, to add to the 'gimmicky' nature of this universe.*
+Spartan/John Diggle
Oliver's bodyguard and back-up partner on patrol. His look unmasked has him sporting a short afro and a mustache; his helmet is more enclosed, sort of like Silver Age Iron Man's without the mouth slot. Character-wise, he's similar to regular Digg, but also incorporates elements of The Mod Squad's Lincoln Hayes and Mission: Impossible's Willy Armitage.
+Black Canary/Laurel Lance
Oliver's former flame and ADA of Star City who by night is the butt-kicking, sonic-screaming Black Canary. Her 'day job' look is inspired by Marlo Thomas in That Girl and her characterization is similar to Diana Rigg's Emma Peel from The Avengers, while her Black Canary getup is a live version of the Golden/Silver Age costume (with domino mask), with flats on the boots instead of heels. (Sara in this universe is in college at Ivy University.)
+Curtis M. Holt
Team Arrow's tech expert when their Felicity is out of town. He hasn't become Mr. Terrific on this Earth (yet). Character-wise, he's got elements of Mission: Impossible's Barney Collier.
+Detective Quentin Lance
Team Arrow's liaison with the Star City Police Department, and Laurel's father. Character-wise, there is one big inspiration for the Earth-66 Quentin, one I've had in mind ever since I first heard him speak a line in the show: Peter Falk as Columbo. So yeah, Earth-66 Quentin is basically their answer to Columbo in terms of character, mannerisms, methodology, etc. All of which makes me think that Paul Blackthorne would be great for a hypothetical "Columbo: Year One" tv special.
#The Crime Champions--The team name comes from a group of bad guys from the very first JLA/JSA crossover in 1963's Justice League of America #21-22, made up of Earth-One's Chronos, Dr. Alchemy and Felix Faust; and Earth-Two's Fiddler, Icicle, and Wizard. Here, we don't have that fanciful a lineup, but one that works, made up of:
+Captain Cold/Leonard Snart
Wears a more comic-based costume, and his character and demeanor are inspired by Neville Brand's Al Capone from the TV series 'The Untouchables'.
+Heatwave/Mick Rory
Wears his comic counterpart's full white suit and orange goggles. Unlike the rest of the characters here, his characterization is based on a more recent character: Mendula and Oblangata, the twin henchmen of the Lobe from Freakazoid!. A thug, yes, but a thug with a brain.
+Golden Glider/Lisa Snart
Captain Cold's sister, a former pro ice skater and the grifter of the Rogues. She's akin to Julie Newmar's Catwoman.
+Captain Boomerang/'Digger' Harkness
The team's snarky bleephole, his mischievious characterization is in part inspired by Paul Lynde's Uncle Arthur from Bewitched.
+Clock King/William Tockman
The chief planner and strategist of the group, Tockman is this story's answer to Burgess Meredith's Penguin (minus the squawking). His getup is based on a later version of the Clock King (Temple Fugate from Batman: The Animated Series), but uses the color palette of Tockman's original crazy costume.
+Cupid/Carrie Hartnell
The team loon. Because of her crazy obsession with Green Arrow, she's unintentionally the story's equivalent of Caesar Romero's Joker.
+Count Vertigo/Werner Vertigo (played by Seth Gabel instead of Peter Stormare)
A bit more manic and 'cackle-y' than either of the regular Count Vertigos, he's the equivalent of Frank Gorshin's Riddler.
#Other Earth-66 Characters
+Earth-66 Flash/Barry Allen
He appears near the end of the 2nd part of the crossover to lend a hand in the final battle. He wears a costume more in-line with classic getups, and in terms of character, think George Reeves' Superman from the 50's, but younger.
+Adam West as Star City Mayor George Weisinger
Named for Green Arrow's original creators Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he is saved from a kidnapping ploy that's one part of the Crime Champions' overall plan for the city. Why leave the original Campy Crusader out of all the fun? You don't, simple enough.
+Burt Ward as Star City police commissioner Jack Woodley
Named for 50's Green Arrow creative team Dick and Dave Wood and Jack Kirby, here Ward gets a chance to honor his former Batman co-star Neil Hamilton's take on Commissioner Gordon.
+Julie Newmar as Star City councilwoman Francine Herron
Named for France Herron, Green Arrow scripter from 1947-63, she's a prominent city council member for Star City and also is nearly kidnapped. With that, all three surviving Batman '66 players have their own cameos in this special.
A fancast concluded! What will come next from the mind of FlixMentallo21? Will he add pictures at a later point? Will the users of Comicbookmovie.com like this story? Tune in tomorrow to learn the rest, same Arrow-Time, same Arrow-Channel!
And now folks, give it up for the musical stylings of voice actor, singer, and former radio personality Wally Wingert: