A Look at Wonder Woman 40 Years Later
Sometimes the best man for the job is a woman. Especially when it comes to superheroics. Last week, Supergirl became fall’s highest-rated debut series, proving to the world that skirts go with capes as well as spandex tights.
The CBS show was a long time coming: It’s been 40 years since the premiere of TV’s first, and last, major live-action superheroine series, as well as the only such show to last more than a single season. (R.I.P., Birds of Prey.)
Wonder Woman premiered on November 7th, 1975 in a TV movie called The New Original Wonder Woman that doubled as a series pilot. Feminism is a hot-button issue in 2015, when reproductive rights and the wage gap are still being debated — and 1975 wasn’t so different. Declared International Women’s Year by the United Nations, it was two years after Roe v. Wade, one year before Take Back the Night marches began, and the height of the fight for the Equal Rights Amendment.
So perhaps it’s no wonder that even from a modern perspective, Wonder Woman‘s first flight is just as entertaining and revolutionary today as it was 40 years ago.
Though later seasons would jump ahead to the ’70s, the pilot is set during World War II. It tells the story of the original Princess Diana (Lynda Carter), a young woman born and raised on Paradise Island in an all-female Amazonian civilization. When army pilot Steve Trevor crashes on the island while taking down a Nazi plane, Diana falls in love and volunteers to take him back to “man’s world.” There, she dedicates herself to fighting crime and stopping America’s fascist enemies — both in her Wonder Woman persona and as Diana Prince, military secretary.
The show establishes its campy tone early, starting with its over-the-top, comic book-style opening. It’s also surprisingly funny, with comedian Cloris Leachman playing Diana’s mother and several winky, knowing moments.
All in all, the pilot holds up — even with four decades of context, and some measure of progress between that first airing and today. Check out the top girl-power moments from The New Original Wonder Woman for proof — then watch the full episode yourself via Amazon Prime.
Everything about Paradise Island, especially Queen Cloris Leachman
“I named this island Paradise for an excellent reason. There are no men on it.”
Though the women are somewhat scantily clad, their isolated Amazonian civilization is technologically advanced and reflects the athleticism and intellectualism of its ancient Greek origins. They value sisterhood and good deeds — and while the Queen doesn’t want her daughter to go out into the dangerous, male-dominated world, she trusts Diana’s abilities. Sisterhood! Even though they’ve also got an invisible plane that doesn’t conceal its riders, which is just ridiculous.
Wonder Woman is 100% badass
Sure, she leaves home for a lame love-at-first-sight. But shortly after arriving in the U.S., Diana not only saves Steve Trevor’s life again, but also foils bank robbers, gets a job in a Vaudeville-esque show and stops a machine gun-wielding Nazi spy — all in her downtime while waiting for Steve to get out of the hospital.
The show isn’t afraid to show Diana being being stronger, faster, smarter and more competent than everyone around her — especially the men. And especially when those men objectify her — as they obviously do when they see her barely-there outfit, explained away by her Grecian roots.
Lynda Carter’s performance
Like many comic book adaptations, the show is tongue-in-cheek — especially when Carter’s Wonder Woman is onscreen. She plays Diana as a dry wit who’s pretty much always chill, barely sweating the bad guys or even how she’ll make money in this strange new world. It’s as if she knows that she’s better than all the whiny men around her — but she’s too nice to tell them. Also, she originated the best clothing transformation in history:
via GIPHY
Diana can literally stop bullets with her accessories
It’s apparently pretty common on Paradise Island to hold bullet-stopping contests. The Queen clarifies that only women have the speed and skill to deflect ammunition using only the metal on their wrists — and Diana, of course, does it best of all. Even when she’s up against a machine gun. There’s not much else that needs to be said about this. Just look at the face of a Nazi who’s seen how Diana blocks bullets, but still tries shooting at her anyway:
The only competent Nazi is a woman
The pilot features a whole slew of Nazis, both in Germany and as spies in the US. But the only one who seems to know what’s going on — and who actually gets away with a scheme — is Marcia, a woman posing as Steve Trevor’s trusted assistant.
She uses her feminine wiles to get what she wants, and her method works. Thanks to Marcia, the Nazis are nearly able to kill Steve, bomb the US, and steal plans for a high-tech bomb. Only Diana can stop her — but Marcia’s also the only opponent Diana can’t take down immediately. Diana uses her lasso against Marcia, compelling her to tell the truth. It’s a great scene, one between two women who are almost equally matched.
Marcia even delivers the movie’s harshest insult: She calls Wonder Woman “strangely dressed, very attractive, quite strong, and unfemininely pushy.” Coming from a Nazi femme fatale, that sounds like a ringing endorsement of Diana’s brand of femininity.
Diana’s big anti-Nazi speech
“The Nazis don’t care about their women. They let them fend for themselves. And any civilization that does not recognize the female is doomed to destruction. Women are the wave of the future, and sisterhood is stronger than anything.”
That’s really the overall message of the show. Yes, it’s campy and ridiculous and the effects are laughable. And yes, in many ways, it’s outdated. But Wonder Woman also has a female protagonist who is strong, smart, and capable, who faces female foes and has female friends of the same caliber — all while interacting on an equal level with men.
The 40-year gap between superheroine TV shows means that we’ve been left to fend for ourselves — and it’s time to bring back the sisterhood.