Airdate: 9/16/77
It is now 1977,
and a same-age Steve Trevor (explanation later), serving as a head government
security official, is flying over Devil’s Triangle to Samarra, where he hopes
to install a nuclear power facility. It’s also of interest to – the bad guys,
including a suave British megalomaniac, Dr. Solano, and his delicious but
devious cohort, Gloria. When one of their lackeys gas-bombs the plane it dives sharply
down and looks headed for certain disaster, but on nearby Paradise Island,
Diane steers the plane safely to landing courtesy her special magnetic field.
On board, she immediately recognizes Steve, and later ascertains that it’s her
old WWII boss’s lookalike son. Determining that the world is still in danger,
she vows to return to the states as Wonder Woman, and hypnotizes Steve into
believing he has an associate waiting for him – Diana Prince, WW’s eternally
heartsick alter-ego. The plane lands in Samarra as if nothing has happened –
the unaccounted-for time chalked up to the supernature of Devil’s Triangle.
The union of
nations gathered to discuss the new South American nukes is headed by – you
guessed it – Gloria and Dr. Solano, who believes by disrupting this part of the
world, the “fulcrum on which geopolitical power is balanced,” he can begin
several world wars and emerge the all-powerful victor (ah, who needs Hitler in
1977?). Neither a special prototypical robot adept at fencing nor special
face-transplant surgery resulting in a Steve Trevor doppelganger can stymie
WW’s race to the rescue – but Dr. Solano does escape, perhaps to serve as WW’s
nemesis some other time.
A lot of work to
bring the series up to the present day, but it all does seems to work, although
in an odd way the show seems more dated, with all the unfortunate 70s fashions
and primitive technology (gotta love the computer!). No longer must they rely
on Nazis as villains every single time – here they can explore the wide,
wonderful world of “modern” evil in all shapes and forms.
But despite the
setting and title change (it’s now The New
Adventures of Wonder Woman, and the opening now has Ms. Carter’s name above
the titles), the producers clearly didn’t want to disrupt a proven formula too
much – there’s still the comic-book style location panels, the transformations
are intact, same basic score and sound effects. General Blankenship is now Joe
Atkinson, a security higher-up, and Diana is now Steve’s “associate,” as a nod
to the feminist movement now in full flower.
Special effects courtesy Reynolds Wrap |
This is also a
feature length season premiere (well – almost – it’s a hour and a half), and
this begins what would become my favorite night of television in all broadcast
history. Starting at 8:00 now, by March of ’78 it would move to 9, with The Incredible Hulk airing at 8, a place
it would keep for the next four years, with The
Dukes of Hazzard ultimately replacing WW.
Wow, it really didn’t get any better than this!
Oh, and for a
change, WW does not succumb to being
gassed!
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