Original Air Date: October 8, 1976

Directed by: John Peyser

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: A boy named Curtis (Eric Laneuville) is ridiculed by his friends when he decides he prefers playing violin to baseball. Billy Batson (Michael Gray) and Mentor (Les Tremayne) help when Curtis gets himself into trouble.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Near the beginning of the episode, Billy leaves the motor home to sleep on the ground outside (he seems angry but it’s not clear why). As he lays down, he spots an adorable, tiny ginger tabby kitten on top of a power pole. (The pole does not appear to actually be connected to anything but it’s scary to think they stuck a poor kitten up on a pole so high off the ground, even if they did somehow tether the kitty.)

Billy tries to climb the pole but realizes pretty quickly that won’t work. Looking around to make sure no one is watching, he utters the word “Shazam!” which changes him into Captain Marvel (John Davey). He then flies up to rescue the kitten.

Captain Marvel holds up the kitten, saying, “No reason to let anyone else know about this, right, Kitty?” The kitten mews his agreement. “It’ll be our secret.”

Reverting back to his teenaged self, Billy gives the kitten a bowl of milk and a name . . . Polecat.

Mentor exits the motor home and sees the kitten, then insists they can’t keep it because he’s allergic to cats (incredibly his allergies act up even before he has exited the motor home!) He sneezes to prove his point. Billy says he will find the cat a home.

Hearing violin music from nearby, Billy and Mentor investigate, Billy taking Polecat with him.

They find Curtis playing violin on the baseball diamond and ask him to join them later to jam. Billy states that Mentor used to play the ukelele.

As they walk away, Mentor protests Billy’s use of the words “used to” and starts to explain his musical prowess, but starts sneezing again. “Billy, that cat has got to go!” Mentor insists.

At that moment they hear the elders signal in the motor home and Billy shoves Polecat into Mentor’s hands before running to answer.

Once finished talking to the elders, Billy comes back out to report to Mentor, who is still holding the kitten.

Later, when Billy and Mentor and Polecat are waiting for Curtis to arrive, they are shocked to see him go past while hanging onto the back of a van. Billy changes into Captain Marvel to rescue him.

The next day Billy and Mentor are worried when Curtis doesn’t show up for an important orchestra audition. Billy holds Polecat as Mentor complains yet again about his not finding a home for the kitten.

Curtis’ teacher (Lenore Kingston) approaches them and says Curtis called her to say he wasn’t coming. Billy and Mentor decide to go talk to Curtis’ friends, but it turns out Curtis didn’t show up for the baseball game, either.

Eventually, after some close calls at a conveniently-located missile testing site, Billy and Mentor talk to Curtis who has passed the audition. Billy then asks Curtis for a favor and retrieves Polecat from the motor home, asking if he’ll care for him. “Why, sure, I dig cats!” Curtis smiles.

But Mentor glances at Polecat’s adorable little face with a shocked look and takes the kitten from Billy, saying, “Oh no! Nothing doing! Polecat stays with us!”

When Billy points out that Mentor said he was allergic to cats, Mentor says, “Well, I was at first. But it doesn’t bother me any more.” They all laugh and Billy adds, “Yeah, now he’s allergic to you!” We assume that despite the desire to keep Polecat the kitten in fact does not appear in any further episodes.

Final Mewsings: Kittens don’t appreciate being perched on tall poles for television productions.

Many thanks to Nick Wale for letting us know about the kitten in this episode.

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