Topic: Wonder Woman Episode Reviews

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Wonder Woman

Episode Reviews

Disregarding an unsold pilot film starring Cathy Lee Crosby as the title character, William Moulton Marston's celebrated comic-book superheroine Wonder Woman made her TV bow in the formidable person of Lynda Carter. Introduced on November 7, 1975, with the two-hour opener The New Original Wonder Woman, the ABC fantasy adventure series began its semi-weekly run on April 21, 1976. Initially set during the WWII years, the series chronicled the adventures of a legendary Amazonian princess who hailed from Paradise Island, where her forebears had fled from male persecution back in the third century B.C. Like the other female residents of Paradise Island, Wonder Woman had powers far beyond those of ordinary women, and was decked out with gold bracelets and a golden belt containing the miracle metal Feminum, enabling her to deflect bullets with her wrists. She also possessed a golden lasso with which she "wrangled" various villains. Assuming the "mortal" identity of Diana Prince, Wonder Woman joined the U.S. army air corps as a yeoman, the better to be near handsome pilot Major Steve Trevor (Lyle Waggoner), whom she'd met when his plane crash-landed on Paradise Island. Since "Diana" wore glasses and dressed more modestly than her "real" self, Steve never quite caught on that she and Wonder Woman were one in the same. Most of the first-season episodes found Diana Prince helping Steve battle Nazi spies and saboteurs, with our heroine transforming herself into Wonder Woman by twirling around and around at super speed. These early episodes also featured Wonder Woman's younger sister Drusilla (aka Wonder Girl), played by no less than Debra Winger; also, Beatrice Cohen appeared as Corporal Etta Candy, Diana's best friend.

When Wonder Woman moved from ABC to CBS for its second season, quite a few changes were imposed upon its format. First, the title was altered to The New Adventures of Wonder Woman. Second, the series' time frame was moved up from the 1940s to the 1970s, with Diana/Wonder Woman fighting contemporary baddies on behalf of the IADC (Inter-Agency Defense Command), headed by Joe Atkinson (Norman Burton). Finally, Steve Trevor was replaced by his lookalike son (and W.W.'s immediate superior), Steve Trevor Jr. (played again by Lyle Waggoner), who because Wonder Woman was "immortal" appeared to be the same age as the heroine -- or, more accurately, she appeared to be the same age as he. Other additions to the property included IADC's all-purpose computer I.R.A. (voiced by Tom Kratochzil) and Steve Jr.'s secretary, Eve (Saundra Sharp). In this revised form, The New Adventures of Wonder Woman survived on CBS until September 11, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

My Thoughts:

I have many fond childhood memories watching Wonder Woman. Much like The Incredible Hulk it was a series I would never miss. I always felt it was a great adventure series with a hot, strong woman lead. I had always liked a strong woman... so needless to say Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman was very drool-worthy for me.

Notice that I am NOT calling this a marathon, I got thinking about this yesterday.... and while I do watch my series in marathon like splotches... I seldomly watch a show straight through to the end to call it a true marathon. So I won't be using that term any longer for my TV Series threads.

I have all 3 seasons. So I will be able to eventually review every single episode. But you may find it surprising that there won't be many really good reviews in the first season. As unlike many people... the first season is my least favorite of the series. I never really liked the war-time Nazi episodes all that much. I always much preferred the episodes that took place in the 70's Which of course was modern time at the time the series aired. So many of my favorite episodes are from the second and third seasons.

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Wonder Woman: Season 1

Meet the United States' secret and most beautiful weapon in the fight against tyranny: Wonder Woman! Season One of WONDER WOMAN (the Pilot Movie and 13 regular episodes) retains the World War II era of the super heroine's early comic book adventures. Also captured is the exuberant tone of a comic book come to screen life as the warrior princess, empowered by her sense of a woman's worth and by the mysterious substance Feminum that's found only on her remote native isle, battles a succession of Nazi baddies. Former Miss USA Lynda Carter stars as the heroine who hides her identity behind the oversized glasses of a War Department functionary. But when duty and danger call, she transforms. And the wonders never cease.

Stars:
Lynda Carter as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman
Lyle Waggoner as Steve Trevor
Richard Eastham as Phil Blankenship
Beatrice Colen as Etta Candy

Episodes:
 Pilot Movie: The New Original Wonder Woman
 1. Wonder Woman Meets Baroness Von Gunther
 2. Fausta: The Nazi Wonder Woman
 3. Beauty on Parade
 4. The Feminum Mystique Part 1
5. The Feminum Mystique Part 2
6. Wonder Woman vs. Gargantua!
7. The Pluto File
8. Last of the Two-Dollar Bills
9. Judgment from Outer Space Part 1
10. Judgment from Outer Space Part 2
11. Formula 407
12. The Bushwhackers
13. Wonder Woman in Hollywood

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Wonder Woman: Season 1

Pilot Movie:
THE NEW ORIGINAL WONDER WOMAN
Airdate: Nov. 7, 1975
The world is waiting for her! The events that feed Wonder Woman to leave her uncharted homeland isle and join the fight for the forces of Good against Evil provide the adventurous springboard for the series.

Guest Stars: John Randolph as Phil Blankenship Red Buttons as Ashley Norman Stella Stevens as Marcia Eric Braeden as Drangel Severn Darden as Bad Guy

Writer/Director Stanley Ralph Ross - Writer Leonard Horn - Director

My Thoughts:
As I said earlier in this thread... I never cared much for the episodes of this first season. Being centered around the war and the Nazis. But this pilot movie is an exception to that rule. I felt it is an excellent introduction to the characters. In this movie Cloris Leechman played the Queen, Diana Prince's mother, and she did a wonderful job in the role. I can't stress enough how perfect the lovely Lynda Carter is in the role of Diana Prince/Wonder Woman. She does a great job and looks just like you would expect Wonder Woman to look in real life.

The scenes on Paradise Island are both entertaining and breathtaking. Not only breathtaking for the fact of all the beautiful scenery... but come on now... it is an island full of nothing but beautiful women! The whole tournament thing was also a lot of fun to watch. Then the whole show she did when Wonder Woman first got to the states. Had to love when she deflected the bullets from the machine gun.

One thing I noticed about the first few episode... when Diana Prince twirls around to change to Wonder Woman... instead of just magically changing... her street clothes disappearing... they are still in her hands and she has to find a place to stash them. This is understandably changed within the first few episodes.

My Rating:

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Wonder Woman: Season 1

1. WONDER WOMAN MEETS BARONESS VON GUNTHER
Airdate: Apr. 21, 1976
Caught in a hornet's nest of spies - and likely to be stung! Wonder Woman's bid to rescue Steve from charges of enemy collaboration become even more difficult when her magical lasso falls into Nazi hands.

Guest Stars: Christine Belford as Baroness Paula von Gunther Edmund Gilbert as Warden Ed Griffith as Hanson Christian Juttner as Tommy Bradford Dillman as Arthur Deal, III

Writer/Director Margaret Armen - Writer Barry Crane - Director

My Thoughts:
This episode... while alright... is not a favorite. I do like a few of the characters. Like the boy who is obsessed with being a detective like his hero Sherlock Holmes. But for the most part I didn't care about the majority of them. The story was interesting... but not as good as it could have been.

My Rating:

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Wonder Woman: Season 1

2. FAUSTA: THE NAZI WONDER WOMAN
Airdate: Apr. 28, 1976
Is there enough room in the world for two Wonder Women? Not when one of them is a Nazi spy intent on capturing the real Amazonian hero and discovering her secrets for the benefit of Hitler' Master Race!

Guest Stars: Bo Brundin as Colonel Kesselmann Colby Chester as Charlie Scotts Jeff Cooper as Nazi Keene Curtis as Nazi Bill Fletcher as Nazi Lynda Day George as Fausta Grabels

Writer/Director Charles Moulton - Writer Barry Crane - Director

My Thoughts:
This one is actually quite a bit of fun. I liked the whole set-up on how the Nazis captured Wonder Woman. And how the head of this group of Nazis wouldn't listen to the woman that captured Wonder Woman of course made him look like an idiot. I also got a kick out of Steve going to try to rescue Wonder Woman... gets captured himself... making Wonder Woman go back to Germany to rescue him. I did feel the way Fausta Grabels did a complete turn around at the end was a bit far fetched... but was a minor thing compared to the rest of the episode.

My Rating:

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Wonder Woman: Season 1

3. BEAUTY ON PARADE
Airdate: Oct. 13, 1976
A touring beauty pageant is a norale booster for troops... and the perfect cover for Diana (aka Wonder Woman) as she tries to discover what's behind a series of recent saboteur activities.

Guest Stars: Anne Francis as Lola Flynn Dick Van Patten as Jack Woods William Lanteau as Colonel Flint Bobby Van as Monty Burns Jennifer Shaw as Susan

Writer/Director Ron Friedman - Writer Richard Kinon - Director

My Thoughts:
This is another entertaining episode. Though I must say I did not like Lynda Carter in that wig! Her natural hair looks so much better! But it was fun watching an episode with her in a beauty pageant. And Dick Van Patten made a great MC for it. I enjoyed his character quite a bit... he had some good bad jokes.

My Rating:

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Wonder Woman: Season 1

4. THE FEMINUM MYSTIQUE (Part 1)
Airdate: Nov. 8, 1976
Enter WONDER GIRL! Drusilla, Diana's younger sister, arrives from PARADISE ISLAND and plunges ito wartime intrigue when agents eager to find the source of the secret substance Feminum kidnap her.

Guest Stars: Carolyn Jones as Queen Hippolyta Charles Frank as Peter Knight Paul Shenar as Wertz Kurt Kreuger as Hemmschler Debra Winger as Drusilla/Wonder Girl

Writer/Director Jimmy Sangster - Writer Herb Wallerstein - Director

My Thoughts:
Well... what to talk about first here. This is the first appearance of Drusilla/Wonder Girl... Diana/Wonder Woman's little sister... of course played by Debra Winger. I always liked the few episodes she shows up in. Really a fun character. It is a shame they never brought her back for any episodes in seasons 2 or 3. Apparently they were not able to get Cloris Leachman to come back to play the Queen. So they got Carolyn Jones to play the part. You may know her as Morticia on The Addams Family. And even though she did a very good job as the Queen... I did see a little of Morticia in the character. Obviously not the style or mannerisms... but more in the way she did a few of her lines. All I could think is "I could so see Morticia saying that!" It was also fun seeing the scenes at Paradise Island once again. This time much more in the two part episode.

I must say though... Steve Trevor and others are so stupid not being able to realize Diana Prince is Wonder Woman. Especially when just as soon as Diana Prince's sister shows up so does Wonder Woman's. But of course they have to. No different then Lois Lane and others not realizing that Clark Kent is Superman.

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Well... that completes the first disc of the first season. I think I will try to save the next disc till tomorrow. Though that may be hard considering I just watched part 1 of a 2 part episode.

I have to admit. If I can go by this disc... I may have been a little strong on my dislike of the first season. I am enjoying it much more then I remembered I did. While it I am sure it will still be my least favorite season... it is much better then I remember it being... so it is far from bad.

I told a couple friends that do not frequent forums that I started watching these episodes today... and the first thing one girl said to me was... "I hope you have a drool bib ready!"  That is of course a fair statement as hot as Lynda Carter was in this series. I recently seen Lynda Carter in a movie from 2005 (Sky High) and another from 2006 (Slayer) and I must admit... she still looks gorgeous! Especially considering she is almost 60 years old! 

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Wonder Woman: Season 1

5. THE FEMINUM MYSTIQUE (Part 2)
Airdate: Nov. 8, 1976
Today, PARADISE ISLAND. Tomorrow, the world. Drusilla inadvertently provides details of her home isle to her captors, sparking a Nazi plan to come to the uncharted island and seize Feminum for the Reich.

Guest Stars: John Saxon as Captain Horst Radl Carolyn Jones as Queen Hippolyta Charles Frank as Peter Knight Paul Shenar as Wertz Debra Winger as Drusilla/Wonder Girl

Writer/Director Jimmy Sangster - Writer Herb Wallerstein - Director

My Thoughts:
This is a very good conclusion for the last episode. Definitely enjoyed every minute of it. I enjoyed seeing the Amazons against the Nazis on Paradise Island. Especially the Queen getting aggravated at one of the Nazis for calling her old.

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Wonder Woman: Season 1

6. WONDER WOMAN VS. GARGANTUA!
Airdate: Dec. 18, 1976
Will a Big Top attraction mean big trouble for the Allied war effort? A powerful circus ape secretly trained by the enemy awaits the command that will send him on a mission to nab a valued U.S. informant.

Guest Stars: Robert Loggia as Hans Eichler Gretchen Corbett as Erica Belgard John Hillerman as Conrad Steigler Tom Reese as Carl Herb Voland as Dr. Osmond

Writer/Director David Ketchum - Writer Tony DiMarco - Writer Charles R. Rondeau - Director

My Thoughts:
This one is not a bad episode... but not one of the best ones I have seen either. Gargantua was pretty cool... well as cool as a guy in a gorilla suit could be anyway.

My Rating:

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Wonder Woman: Season 1

7. THE PLUTO FILE
Airdate: Dec. 26, 1976
Trouble on the double! A race against time unfords when an elusive ne'er-do-well who seeks an inventor's earthquake machine is also discovered to be a carrier of the dreaded and highly infectious Bubonic Plague.

Guest Stars: Robert Reed as The Falcon Hayden Rorke as Professor Warren Albert Stratton as Charles Benson Michael Twain as Frank Willis Kenneth Tigar as Dr. Barnes

Writer/Director Herbert Bermann - Writer Herb Wallerstein - Director

My Thoughts:
This episode has two very familiar faces from sitcoms of the time. The first being Robert Reed who played the father on The Brady Bunch. And then there is Hayden Rorke who played the curios psychiatrist on I Dream of Jeannie. While I liked seeing these familiar faces... the episode itself really is no more then an average one. Enjoyable to watch... but nothing much special about it.

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Wonder Woman: Season 1

8. LAST OF THE TWO-DOLLAR BILLS
Airdate: Jan. 8, 1977
A diabolical Nazi plot to undermine the economy! The plan: paper the nation with counterfeit currency and replace monetary overseers with enemy agents who are lookalikes of the actual officials.

Guest Stars: James Olson as Wotan Barbara Anderson as Maggie Rollins David Cryer as Hank John Howard as Dr. Diderich Richard O'Brien as Frank Wilson

Writer/Director Paul Dubov - Writer Gwen Bagni - Writer Stuart Margollin - Director

My Thoughts:
This one is another just average episode. But it does mark the very first time Wonder Woman used her head band as a boomerang. In this episode it is just a round crown-liked band... though I do remember them improving on this in the (I believe) second season.

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Wonder Woman: Season 1

9. JUDGMENT FROM OUTER SPACE (Part 1)
Airdate: Jan. 16, 1977
An onrush of wartime events puts Wonder Woman in contact with an interplanetary vistor whose special mission is to see if Earth should be destroyed... or if it is worth saving.

Guest Stars: Tim O'Connor as Andros Kurt Kaszner as S.S. General von Dreiberg Janet MacLachlan as Sakri Scott Hylands as Paul Bjornsen Archie Johnson as General Zachary Kane

Writer/Director Stephen Kandel - Writer Alan Crosland - Director

My Thoughts:
This is one 2 part episode I never cared for. I just didn't care for the story or the characters enough. It is like they went heavier on the story and less with the action/adventure. But they really didn't know how to go about it.

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Wonder Woman: Season 1

10. JUDGMENT FROM OUTER SPACE (Part 2)
Airdate: Jan. 17, 1977
The interplanetary visitor's experiences while being hold by the Nazis - and Wonder Woman's attempt to free him - lead to his fateful dicision about the Earth's destiny.

Guest Stars: Tim O'Connor as Andros Kurt Kaszner as S.S. General von Dreiberg Janet MacLachlan as Sakri Christopher Cary as Mallory Scott Hylands as Paul Bjornsen

Writer/Director Stephen Kandel - Writer Alan Crosland - Director

My Thoughts:
Much like the first part... I just couldn't get into this one much. I think this 2 part episode is one of the few that I kept remembering when I believed the first season to be so bad. Thankfully the most of this season has not been as bad as I remembered. But this one is one of the few that is hard for me to sit through and give my full attention to.

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Wonder Woman: Season 1

11. FORMULA 407
Airdate: Jan. 17, 1977
An Argentine scientist develops a way to give rubber the strength of steel. It's an invention that can help win the war for the Allies - if Steve and Wonder Woman can keep the enemy from obtaining it. /i]

Guest Stars: Nehemiah Persoff as Professor Moreno Marisa Pavan as Maria John Devlin as Major Keller Peter MacLean as Schmidt Charles Macaulay as Ambassador McCauley

Writer/Director Elroy Schwartz - Writer Herb Wallerstein - Director

My Thoughts:
This one is really just an average episode. And I didn't really care too much for the characters either. But over all not a bad episode. The storyline is entertaining at least.

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