Even as a kid, I could tell the budgets were low - if I remember rightly, there weren't any Batmobiles - and I sort of forgave that. I did enjoy the cliffhangers and action. Plus, I was happy to see live-action Batman, although my first experience of that was the Adam West series.

But is there a reason they went for generic villains (a hooded villain, The Wizard, and a racist stereotype, Dr Daka)?

Could the budget really not have stretched to Riddler, Joker or Penguin? Might have improved the serials slightly to see one of those.

Also worth mentioning is this: as a kid, there was no IMDb or Google. You only learnt about shows either by writing to a publication such as TV TIMES, who did often reply to readers' queries, or waiting until a book was published. When I first saw these serials on Channel 4, I did wonder if there might be others. I was wondering if they'd made others. Obviously, they hadn't.

Around 1989/90, I did read a magazine which focused on these serials and 1979's LEGENDS OF THE SUPERHEROES. It was insightful, but did make me wish DC had been better served. Be careful what you wish for, I did buy a copy of LEGENDS OF THE SUPERHEROES (NTSC version, not sure if UK ever released it). I was looking forward to seeing live-action versions of Hawkman, Green Lantern, Solomon Grundy, etc. It was quite bad, to be honest.

So, thoughts on the 40s serials are welcome, but I can expand this topic further, too. I know this wasn't unique to WB/DC, but thinking about the 40s serials, LEGENDS OF THE SUPERHEROES and so much else, it sure must have been frustrating for some to be enjoying comics but seeing pretty poor or underwhelming representations on the small screen.

And while I know the 1960s BATMAN series casts a long shadow - I'm fed up of seeing "Holy!" headlines in tabloids - it at least gave me a colourful depiction of Batman, plenty of villains who appeared akin to the comic versions, plus fun even though the series has its detractors.

As for the serials... this is just supposition, but obviously, the rights for Batman, Robin, and Alfred were granted. The producers might have wanted to make their own generic villains, in case they were a big hit. (Remember, those Batman stories didn't have a lot of memorable villains either.) 

Just as you say, "frugal" was the watchword in producing these. I can't help but think using the Joker or the Cat would have incurred costs that were easily avoidable.

This was also the era wherein super-soldier Captain America who fought such bizarre characters as the Red Skull and the Black Talon was shown onscreen as a crusading district attorney armed with a pistol. 

Including all of the ephemera from a given comic book series may have been seen as too much of a good thing. Studios seemed to think it best not to overwhelm the audience with implausibilities.

The programs were designed to appeal to the kiddies while openly mocking the properties for the amusement of the adults. They are just about completely unwatchable. "Ghetto Man" and "Retired Man" (formerly the Scarlet Cyclone) are, believe it or not, not the worst things in shows that feature a tap-danced Mordru the Merciless singing about how he loves being evil and Charlie Callis as a mugging, joke-telling Sinestro. Be afraid. Be very afraid...

One note of interest concerning the programs is that they apparently tried to realize some of Alex Toth's original designs for the characters from the Super Friends. The results are... weird. Toth also did the art for the casting notice that appeared in Variety. Black Canary actress Danuta apparently went on to appear regularly on The 700 Club. 

Yes, as a kid, seeing photos of live-action versions of Hawkman and Solomon Grundy was particularly exciting. And that's all one knew without the benefit of IMDb or Google.

I remember writing to a magazine (may have been Starburst) asking if there was a chance of a VHS release. I eventually found an NTSC copy at a comic convention.

And, my goodness, I was so disappointed. It had become a life's work tracking it down.

"The Challenge" had a modicum of entertainment, I guess, with the whole bomb thing, but even through naive, younger eyes, I didn't like the mocking. 

"The Roast" is, well, there's no modicum of enjoyment there. Terrible. I'd rather drink a pint of suntan lotion than ever watch that again.

The few photos I saw once had me thinking I'd be finding a superhero series akin to BATMAN or WONDER WOMAN. It could have been something different.

I think that's why any of us have any nostalgia for the execrable output of live shows that we had. It was ALL we had! Ha, such a difference now where there are so many superhero tv shows I don'rt have time for them all, even the ones I actually even wanna watch.

"... Badly, but at least they tried."

Right! No matter how "bad" the whole project was ,(I think this is where cringe worthy originated) nobody had the arrogance to think their design was better than decades of the originals.