Review: WONDER WOMAN pilot
Monday, May 9th, 2011
Scott Carelli reviews the new Wonder Woman pilot from David E. Kelley. Moderated by Matt Smith.
We start our discussion with non-spoiler reviews of the film before falling into a full-on dissection/discussion of the show with heavy SPOILERS. Enjoy!
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Tagged under: Adrianne Palicki, Cary Elwes, David E. Kelley, Elizabeth Hurley, Tracie Thoms, wonder woman
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Sounds like it’s everything I feared and some of what I hoped. I think “Wait, what?!?” is the best reaction ever.
Thanks Scott for some insight of the Wonder Woman pilot. I have to say I am dissapointed to learn that much of what Wonder Woman fans feared is soon to become a bad reality. It is beyond sad that DC Comics & Warner Bros. has allowed this to happen to an icon that has existed for 70 years. It was enlightening to hear Scott’s review being that it was from a non Wonder Woman fan . What an embarressing mark left on this character by David E. Kelley. As Scott mentioned, what parent would want their daughter’s looking up to a Wonder Woman this violent? Hopefully this pilot will be forgotten like the Cathy Lee Crosby pilot. One thing I never heard in this interview was anything about Adrianne and her portrayal as Wonder Woman other then she can act the part however the script which we all knew would be , is terrible. Thank you David E. Kelley. I hope David realizes he will never hear the end of this. It’s quite saddening that Wonder Woman is treated so horrible. Green Lantern, Thor, and Captain America get big screen movies this year that everyone is excited for and what do Wonder Woman fans get? Zilch! A lame TV show by a writer that has no business writing Wonder Woman. It’s sad that lesser known Super Heroes can score a big screen movie yet the most famous female hero EVER, gets a TV show and a crappy one at that. People can say what they want about the Lynda Carter series but she had class. Lynda also played her to the T! The same will never be said for this version. And that’s not intended to disrespect Adrianne because I’m sure she is a good actress but Kelley’s writing is delivering a negative image for WW.
I think the conclusion about Palicki is that she could be good if the script wasn’t so terrible.
Sad making. :(
Couldnt agree more with the poster above. I am dreading this movie/pilot. I wouldnt be surprised if its nothing like the Wonder Woman we all know and love and grew up with. This pilot sounds as if its just taking the piss with our much beloved character.
I hate it…just HATE it when a tv show destroys the integrity of a comic -book and torpedos everything we believe in.
Well I guess Wonder Woman will have to wait another
thirty years for a show or movie.
If the series doesn’t pan out, I think they’ll do a big screen movie anyway – one of the WB/DC execs said they want to do a Justice League movie with Flash and WW solo movies too, perhaps as spin-offs as opposed to solo movies leading to a team-up.
I have hope but they basically have to can David E. Kelley to make it work.
Sound like it needs some very critical changes and these people need to pick up a WW comic. WW is a warrior yes but she does not kill brutally or without remorse. The occasions are few and far between and there has to be no other option if and when she kills. Gratuitous violence has never been the way of this character who is a peace maker first. This is supposed to be a woman who is an icon and example for girls. Who the hell are they writing? The female Punisher who wears star spangled panties, sells dolls to fund her vigilante activities, worries about breast size and moons for a fratboy? Oh and has a cheesy villain who is supposed to be her Lex Luthor. I never cared much for Smallville since it has become very cheesy and cliched too in the last few seasons ( red jacket Superman who can’t fly) but least its Luthor was one of the best things to come out of it and the first five seasons was something fresh.
Lmfaoooo! Wow at this wonder woman. I think it sounds so awesome….. if it wasnt Wonder Woman. This is completely a 180 of what she is supposed to act like and stand for. Thats like having Batman wear really bright colours and skip on top of roof tops.
Wondy KILLING thugs?! she TORTURES suspects?! that’s soooo wrong!
and it totally cheapens her snapping Max Lord ‘s neck. that was a momentum event in the comics.
I’ll give it a look but it’s starting with a huuuuuuge preconceived dis-favorable impression
Is there special effect how she transform to ww ?? hu ?
Nope. No special effect. They mentioned that the special effects weren’t finished, but there didn’t appear to be any missing from the changing scenes. They were just quick edited close-ups of her getting dressed.
1st of all i’m really sick of everyone being so negative & slamming a show that they have NEVER EVEN SEEN! at least watch it yourselves when it airs before you judge it. i’m excited for it, and hopeful that it will be great.
I have a few questions for the guy who saw the pilot if he’s reading this,
1) was there a Lynda Carter cameo?
2) did she twirl to become wonder woman
3) were there sound effects when she used her powers?
4) were there fun graphics & opening credits?
5) was there a new theme song?
thanks =)
Hey Christopher! I’m the guy that saw it so I’ll answer your questions:
1) No Lynda Carter at all. I’d assume (if they were smart) they’d be saving her to play Diana’s mother at some point down the line. But she’s no where to be seen in the pilot.
2) No twirling. When she gets into Wonder Woman gear it’s just action close up shots of her getting dressed. Kind of like the Schumacher Batman movies.
3) No sound effects. But everything (including music) was temp, so it’s possible that could change in the final aired episode.
4) There were opening credits but they were only animatics and OBVIOUSLY unfinished. Looks like it will have an animated version of her origin in the opening credits each week with Wonder Woman narration explaining where she came from and how we got to the point that the series begins.
5) There was no theme song, but again it was obviously temp music and could be something they’re still working on.
You’re welcome! =)
Lynda Carter first publicly mentioned about being talks to appear in WW AFTER the pilot already wrapped filming. She was meant to appear later after a greenlight to series. It wasn’t as if she was left on the cutting room floor.
April 29th it was announced who was going to be doing the WW musical score. Not exactly sure when the pilot was delivered to NBC, but now it is only few weeks after that announcement – so the music in the pilot was just temporary. –>
Jup2 Adrianne Palicki
Adrianne Palicki FILMMUSICREPORTER.COM: Chris Bacon to Score ‘Wonder Woman’ Pilot ~ http://twitter.com/#!/Jup2/status/64501523006226432
30 Apr
Not unusual for SFX to be left out of the pilot for network presentations. Her Aquaman pilot wasn’t 100% SFX complete. Neither was her LIS pilot.
Thanks again, Scott! =)
This link works better than the twitter link about Chris Bacon …
http://tinyurl.com/662apd8
Thanks again for listening Jup2!
I’d like to thank everyone for visiting the site and listening to my review! If you have any specific questions I’ll answer them here!
Hi, I have a few questions if you don’t mind:
What is Carey Elwes’ role in the pilot? Is there any reference to greek mythology whatsoever? Why Diana changes her outfit from pants to shorts? From 1 to 10, how would you rate the pilot as a whole?
Cary Elwes is Diana’s CEO of her company. They seems to be friends as well but they hardly touch upon their relationship other than sharing a beer at the end of the episode. His role seems to be one to keep her focused on her business and trying to talk her out of going to far as Wonder Woman, but he never succeeds in the pilot.
There is absolutely no reference to greek mythology outside of the opening credits where she may have mentioned something in the voice over narration. But in the episode itself there is nothing.
Near as I can tell, she changed outfits because it was decided by her company that she needed an image change and costume redesign so that they can sell more toys and merchandise. So she wears the new redesigned costume at the end of the episode and that is the bikini bottom costume.
From 1 to 10? As a pilot for a generic superhero TV series I’d give it a 5. As a Wonder Woman series I’d have to give it a 3. It needs a LOT of work, but I’m curious to see a second episode. But it’s a morbid curiosity, not a genuine one.
Well, it is one thing to not like something (while saying you’d watch it again) but it is indeed something else to be so derisive and condescending in your comments. What are your credits that it gives you the right to be so high and mighty in your comments?
For the record, I also saw the pilot and
1. She doesn’t throw a pipe at a guy for no reason, she is being shot at!
2. She doesn’t torture a guy, she breaks his arm for information.
3. The script is an intelligent telling of the tale.
4. All the actors are excellent in their respective roles.
I could go on, but really you have so many things factually incorrect that it’s hard for me to believe you actually paid attention to anything other than your excitement to be able to deride other people’s work.
I could have respected your comments a lot more if you gave your assessment without all the snickering and chuckles.
You demean yourself with your snide remarks.
And yes, I saw the pilot too, and I liked it a lot.
Good. I’m glad you liked the pilot. I don’t agree with your assessment at all, but your opinion is yours and mine is mine.
1) He’s a security guard shooting at someone who has broken into the place that he works for and has taken out like a dozen guys twice his size before getting to him. Wonder Woman would understand this and act accordingly. She would NOT throw a pipe into his throat!!
2) Breaking someone’s arm for information is the DEFINITION of torture. I didn’t say she was doing it for fun!
3) The script is not intelligent at all IMO. But that’s just my opinion. I’m not going to put you down for your’s like you have so kindly put down mine.
4) Again. I disagree. The actor playing Steve Trevor could have been played by a wooden plank with more emotion than that guy. But if you liked him, that’s OKAY. Because I don’t get offended by other people’s opinions like you apparently do.
Thanks for spending your time to come onto my website and tell me that I’m not entitled to my opinion because it isn’t yours. I’m glad you have so much free time on your hands and I really hope it made you feel good.
Have a great day sir =)
Wow, what childish defense. How is breaking arms for information not torture by the way?
LOL. I think the next time a cop breaks your arm to find out if you’ve been drinking or not, you might understand why it’s torture.
hi Scott, im so intrigue with the traditional costume of Adrianne.. did they change the tiara and belt too to match her bikini bottoms? And does it have whites stars? hope you answer me back.. thanks :)
Best Darna, I honestly can’t remember if the tiara or belt changed for sure… but I don’t think it did. However, the bikini bottoms definitely had white stars all over them. It was the traditional Wonder Woman costume minus the regal cape she sometimes wears.
You can get an idea of what WW’s shorts looked like from this photo -> http://twitpic.com/4y3sp2 <- Do they pretty much match what you saw in the pilot, Scott?
Pretty much yeah. That’s a still from the infamous boardroom “tits” scene, and the doll in question is wearing her new rebranded costume that Wonder Woman wears in the final action sequence.
Ahhh – ok – thanks Scott for putting this still into perspective!
I look forward to the review. Was there any reference to the source of her power or her weaknesses?
No references were made to her origins whatsoever beyond the brief mentions of Themyscira in the title sequence and when it’s revealed she can never return to her homeworld.
Thanks for the review! So does she wear glasses like the classic Diana Prince from the Linda carter show?
Wonder Woman – No glasses.
Diana Themyscara – No glasses.
Diana Prince – Glasses… sometimes. But she’s alone in her apartment when wearing them so your guess is as good as mine as to what purpose they serve.
Wow. That was illuminating. I can’t believe they produced that and called it Wonder Woman. I’ll be watching anyway since I love all things genre but I might be in it just to witness the spectacle of a show imploding.
I can’t really say I won’t be watching for the same reason…
Thanks for the review but I’m unclear on a few things:
-did she kill the security by throwing a pipe or just throw the pipe?
-the use of the needle on the bad guy, was it an antidote injected or is she just stabbing guys with needles without explanation?
-any mention/appearance of the original scripts Myndi Mayer or The Animals/science geeks in Diana’s basement?
-any bullet deflecting?
-was it a standard pilot 50 whatever mins or a longer 2 hour tv movie length?
- She kills the security guard by throwing the pipe into his neck which then stabs him against a door.
- She stabs the bad guy in the neck with the syringe to get a blood sample which ends up being useless.
- Both Myndi Mayer and the science geeks are nowhere to be found in the pilot.
- The security guard that she stabs in the throat with the pipe shoots at her before getting stabbed. She deflects those bullets with her bracelets.
- It was a standard 40-50min pilot. I didn’t time it exactly, but the whole thing took roughly an hour.
SCOTT–GREAT REVIEW–ONE DISAGREEMENT
I suspected AP could be really good, if only they’d tell–for ONCE–a quality live action origin story.
My only disagreement with your review, is about WW’s dark side. Obviously it’s better than the pillow-fight-pajama-party-ice-cream-crap, even if the pendulum has swung too far. But also, WW, at her very roots, is quite a sadomasochistic character–as told by her inventor, William Moulton Marston. If DEK wants to push the envelope, then I say bravo–that’s exactly the direction in which to push, for this character. Don’t you have to admit that’s a HUGE improvement after the blue boots and rubber pants fiasco?
Wonder Woman should be a character that little girls can look up to and want lunch boxes and back packs with her likeness. She stands for something. But neither this, nor the pj party Wonder Woman stand for that. They need a happy medium is all I’m saying.
But respectfully, why do you presume her to be a children’s character, when she literally originated as more of an adult one? Never any nudity, but an abundance of bondage, domination, and submission.
I admit that just by virtue of being a comic book character makes her potentially child-oriented. And of course there have been many child versions, from most WW cartoons to Lynda Carter. So it may be fair to say there are two legitimate versions of WW–adult, (the MORE legitimate,) and child.
NOW: If you could design the perfect WW show yourself, would it be for children or adults? For me, it’s not even close.
I hope DC, DEK, and all the rest can hear your review–I agree with almost everything else you said 100%…
I don’t presume her to be a children’s character. But she’s not exclusively adult either. She should be like the dozens of superhero movies that come out year after year: more than entertaining for adults, but appropriate for kids. Girls have no strong female role models or heroes. Wonder Woman should be that character. But this show does not depict a character that any girl should look up to.
I understand where Wonder Woman’s roots come from, but I have no interest in watching 60min of S&M every week. That may have been Wonder Woman when the character was invented in the 40s, but after 70 years… things change. It’s the nature of storytelling.
What do you mean girls have no strong female role models???
Still, I definitely agree that Wonder Woman should not be throwing pipes into people’s throats. I think a big part of Wonder Woman was also that she played a happy medium between Bruce and Clark – you had the dark, the light, and the placating female. While that is definitely not all she is, I think that it’s important to keep her personality when they are trying to update everything else about her. Also killing someone with a pipe is just tacky. -____-
Thanks a lot for a detailed review. I definitely agree that they should wait and revamp and try to do this properly. ^.^;
imo, I believe both can be done, with a skillful enough storyteller. for example, little girls will only see the magic lasso, where adults will make the more ‘adult’ connection. the cartoons are written the same way. bottom line is, that while there are many female characters written for their violence (firefly?), wonder woman is the only character little girls instantly get, there is no other, and while it may (respectfully) appeal to the fanboy sensibility to underline her warrior nature with violence, it is wholly unnecessary, and unfair to her biggest fan base.
I definitely think she can be the warrior WITHOUT being angry; one does not automatically mean the other. In fact, I think it is harder to write a warrior without making them an angry vigilante. WW is, as i see her, a young woman who wants to be able to prove herself, which is why she hides her identity to win the games on Them. island.-
Also, as one of the “big three”, they never kill unless it is totally necessary. In a show like this, it would make a lot of sense if she WANTED to, but has to conform to NOT doing so, and thus learning the value of human life. Also, as a “real life” example of a superhero in their world, what would that say to other young women if they saw her killing people? I remember an episode of the 70′s Lynda Carter WW where she ran up to a guy shooting at her, bent his gun, and wrapped a piece of steel around him. I find that in real life, stronger people are actually gentler with people, because if they get rough, they really mean to cause some damage.
Just my opinion.
I agree with you 100% Norm. Well said.
then she is huntress and not wonder woman
Can’t say I disagree…
Um have you guys ever read the comic books??? She is violent!! She’s serious. But I guess you havent taken the time to do that. She is a warrior. You sound confused about whether you like it or not. And on the cartoon she is violent and kicks more a@@ than Superman and Batman. Little girls won’t be watching this darn show.
Have you read any comics?
In the Golden Age big Three quickly established a no kill policy. Deviations from this line are seismic events.
Taking the pipe kills the security guard scene as described,… well let’s put it this away – would you be happy if a cop knowingly shot dead someone who was no real threat to them?
Unless the review leaves out an important angle ie it was a kill or be killed moment for either Diana or some other unspecified innocent – then a pipe through the throat is clearly over kill and out of character.
I’m not confused. I didn’t like it. I just tend to give most shows a pass to at least a second episode (assuming it gets that far) because pilots are a hard thing to get just right. There are far too many variables.
Wonder Woman is only violent when the situation is dire and desperate enough that she needs to be OR she’s at war. Neither of which happen in this episode. Have YOU read the comics? Bc it really sounds like you don’t know the character at all.
Sounds like WW is more based on HitGirl.
Beyond deflecting a few bullets, any other feats we expect from WW, like super strength, speed, or jumping (or flying – in the comics she can sometimes fly)?
What’s the purpose of the secret identity if she’s openly acting as a businesswoman?
We definitely get some super strength when she’s taking out a dozen guys twice her size and throwing them around like ragdolls, as well as jumping in the same scene (lots of wire work as I said in the review). There was no flying in the pilot, not did she use super speed. She was chasing that guy down on Hollywood Blvd at the beginning and she barely caught him, so I’m assuming that’s not a power she has on this show.
I think that’s why she has 3 identities on the show. Everyone apparently knows that Diana Themyscira, businesswoman, is Wonder Woman. However, Diana Prince is her normal 20-something identity where she can get away from it all. At least that’s what I took away from the pilot.
Scott: Were you able to tell if Palicki had worked on her physique any?
Just based on the photos I’ve seen she is too soft and twiggy to be convincing as a superhero (more like a fashion model). IMO. I’m hoping they worked on that, but there wouldn’t have been much time.
Yeah she’s definitely soft, but like you said, she was cast and then the pilot was put into production maybe two weeks later? Not enough time to tone up. It’s very usual for actors to look drastically different from the pilot to the second episode because they can usually fit in 3-6 months of training between the two. I’m sure if WW gets picked up, Palicki is going to look much more cut than she is in the pilot.
Yes, perhaps, if it gets picked up. She doesn’t strike me as the athletic type, though. They might have done better had they gotten someone a bit closer to the ideal to begin with.
Thanks for the reply!
Yes, she had an intense training regimen but like you said there wasn’t much time before shooting began.
She also had an even more intense workout regimen for RED RAWN.
She a very physical actress and a good part of the time she does her own stunts.
I could see the toning in her physique from the photos of the street filming in Hollywood.
Scott – Thank you posting this review and sharing your opinions!
I have no doubts you’ve seen the pilot and since now the pilot has been passed by NBC e may never actually to see this pilot. Thanks makes you review even more valuable (informationaly).
It’s not problem at all. I was afraid that the series might not be picked up so I knew I had to get the word out on what I saw. I’m glad you found it and gave it a listen! Thanks!
Scott any input on your opinion on how “beautiful” Adrianne looks? I know it depends on taste but she’s been severely criticized since she was announced and then when the vinyl pants/hot red lipstick pics debuted. Since the revisions to the costume the comments seems more agreeable but she looks like she has the statuesque physique to look like an Amazon but hearing her/seeing her is another thing. You said she did a good job as an actress but from a more superficial/fanboy view do you think people’s fears/criticisms will be justified or maybe they’ll change?
I think it’s really dependent on taste. Adrianne is gorgeous and definitely has the look and chops to be playing a Wonder Woman, but at the same time she’s still not “my” Wonder Woman. I just think she’s going to be good for what they seem to be going for in this particular take on the character (the warrior/business mogul). My favorite take on the character is the one from the Justice League and JL Unlimited series, but this Wonder Woman definitely isn’t that, and if Palicki had tried to get there, I don’t think she would have been right for the part.
So like I said, it’s really all about taste. As it stands, based on the show and concept of the character that I saw, Adrianne is going to do great. I definitely felt like I was watching Wonder Woman when she showed up in Act 4 with the classic WW gear on. It’s definitely a cool fanboy moment.
Thanks Scott for the information! I really hope that NBC does an extreme overhaul on Wonder Woman. It would’ve been smart to do an origin episode, hopefully they’ll come to their senses. I read a rumor that David E. Kelly might not continue working on Wonder Woman and that someone else might step in to do so.
Wow, thanks for sharing some information, Scott!
I’ve always hated everything about this Wonder Woman wanna-be. For me, Adrianne Palicki is NOWHERE nearly beautiful enough to play Wonder Woman! I remember Phil Jimenez’s words on Facebook: he pictured Ms. Palicki as Cassandra (Cassie) Sandsmark (the current Wonder Girl), but never as Diana.
Australian supermodel Megan Gale is the perfect choice for the part.
As much as I hate everything about this ridiculous pilot, the big tits scene is coherent, considering not only the actress who has gotten cast as Wonder Woman, but also David E. Kelly’s recent statement: he sacrificed the character’s physicality. Thus, her being self-conscious is pretty okay for that hideous project, although way out of the real Wonder Woman character. (She is supposed to be as beautiful as Aphrodite, and Adrianne Palicki is definitely NOT!)
So, now, Wonder Woman kills and tortures… Some “improvement”, huh?!? She’s also been depowered (is NOT as strong as Superman, does NOT fly by herself and has NO superspeed). On the Wonder Woman (season 2) DVD documentary, Phil Jimenez himself admitted that the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman had grown more and more powerful on seasons 2 and 3: “her superstrength could rival that of Superman, as well as her speed could rival that of the Flash”. Now, in the 21st century, when they do have all the necessary technology to make her work wonders, she gets depowered and turned into a dispensable La Femme Nikita to say the best.
Some improvement!
I just hope that piece of kr@p never sees the light of day!
Thanks, Scott!!! You rock!!
fyi, wonder woman got picked up as a series =)
http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/05/10/what-were-hearing-harrys-law-renewed-law-orderla-cancelled-wonder-woman-picked-up-by-nbc/92198/
Fail.
Tragic train wreck!!! I’m sure Adrianne will be perfect. Hopefully it doesn’t continue beyond two skits. Saturday Night Live will have a field day with this pile. Anyone who think this violent version of Wonder Woman will be amazing must be a mental case . That’s all society needs is someone who is suppose to be a super hero yet she kills, tortures, and in no way is family friendly other then in name only. DC Comics has allowed everyone involved with this project to kill Wonder Woman. Burn in hell DC & Warner Bros for allowing NBC to deliver complete CRAP!!! Hopefully you lose so much money over this your all at the end of the unemployment line. In real life that’s what happens when you do a banged up job. Very cruel joke on Wonder Woman fans and hope we get the last laugh. Do I want WW to fail? Of course not. Do I want “this Wonder Woman” to fail? Faster then a lightning bolt. This is all F’d UP!!! One segment at the end where you get the feel it’s Wonder Woman doesn’t cut it. Something better will follow but this horse crap isn’t it. Thanks for NOTHING David E. Kelley! ROTTTTTTT!
I’m skeptical of anything that comes out about a yet to be released pilot. Hollywood has a hard time as it is keeping programs on the air. Now, they are having to give in to fan reviews before their product even airs. One bad review by someone who might be upset because the show doesn’t follow the comic version can ruin their prospect before it even starts.
I’m sorry folks. Wonder Woman engages in close physical combat. She is an amazonian warrior princess. Do you honestly think the people she fights only walk away with a few bruises? She fights to incapacitate her opponent. How else do you expect her to get information from villains — the Lynda Carter way? Lasso her opponent and call upon the strange power of the Lasso of Truth? C’mon. Wonder Woman is more than some runway model prancing about in a sexy outfit. I’m hoping reviews like this one will carry little weight. I want to see the Pilot without having to get it from Itunes.
She engages in physical combat, is an amazon warrior, etc. etc. Fine. Could she at least look the part then? She indeed looks very much like a runway model prancing about in a sexy outfit, only one who, we are to believe, beats the living crap out of people. Besides looking incongruous, even at times risible, stick women supposedly pummeling brawny men on screen has become cliche. Might as well put tights and a cape on Pee Wee Herman and call him Superman.
Wonder Woman is (or should be) an inspiring character. She symbolizes both strength and goodness to girls and young women. Yet here, it seems to me, she does neither very well. Just from what I’ve seen, read, and heard, it might be best if Kelley’s pilot disappears quietly–for the sake of the character if nothing else.
I don’t know that she has to kill her opponent to achieve her goals. Or flip people off. Or talk about her tits and have a complex about it. These are the sorts of things she is supposed to be above because she’s…you know…Wonder Woman. People would be more like children to her physically because, in her world, her peers are gods and goddesses…you know, like Thor. Close physical combat for her would not nearly be as much of a challenge as would Darkseid or Ares.
You wouldn’t punch a bunny with all your might, would you?
And, by the way…the Lasso of Truth has been a part of Wonder Woman’s mythology since 1941, as a direct result of the comic’s creator working on an early version of the polygraph during World War 1, not just the Lynda Carter version. So, yes, I would actually EXPECT her to use that lasso above all else to extract information.
There are plenty of other sexy, violent, female warrior characters who kill to get their goals accomplished. I don’t see why they ALL have to kill.
It really sounds like David E. Kelly really didn’t do that much research on the character if at all. I mean if he really wanted to do a modern version of Wonder Women why not take notes from the Nolan Batman movies and Smallville. They modernized the characters without changing them. From what I can understand from your review this pilot wasn’t even of the same quality as the Aquaman pilot which was surprisingly good. I’m just sorry that Palicki didn’t have a great script to work from.
I have a question about the fight scenes – you’ve described them to be quite violent – but are they all completely one-sided, or are Wonder woman’s enemies in any way a match for her? Does she just toss them around or is there some vulnerability? I personally think superhero shows, like the original wonder woman tv series, are dull on the action front when the enemy poses no real threat..
They posed very little threat, and the people she was fighting were all huge bodybuilders suped up on super-steroids. Does that answer your question?
yep, not what I wanted to hear but still – thanks all the same…not that it matters because it hasn’t been picked up…
None of this review makes sense and I don’t believe a word of it. Scott seems to have been the only person to have seen this. Odd.
Wrong. I’m the only person to see the pilot that cared enough to do a review of it. It’s only being screened at this point. I just lucked into seeing it. But if you’d rather believe that I would create an awful Wonder Woman pilot in my head with the insane amount of detail I’ve described both in my review and in answering everyone’s questions being asked here, then that’s your purgative, but you’ll have to excuse me while I accuse you of being in a deep state of denial.
And do me favor. Don’t come to my site and accuse me of being a liar. Thanks. Have a lovely day :)
NBC passed on Wonder Woman. OR Ding Dong the Possible Nightmare is over.
http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/wonder-woman-not-going-forward-at-nbc-manns-world-may-be-shopped-to-cable/
No way! I wanted to see the train wreck of this show for myself. This would have been great for a late night “insult fest” as we bathed in how bad it was.
Somehow I can’t help but blame you Scott. ;D
I like to think of it as temptation removed.
Yeah, still hope for a WW movie?
DC, get your shit together guys!
Though it’s late in the day, and too late as far as the current Wonder Woman project is concerned, I wanted to say “thanks” for taking the time to post your review of the (now-confirmed-as-failed) pilot. To my knowledge, you’re the only one who saw the pilot that actually went to the trouble to review it, and your comments were intelligent and honest. I know a lot of people have slammed you for having the “gall” to give the pilot a thumbs-down, but I appreciate you speaking your mind and calling it as you saw it. Based on what you had to say, I don’t know if this “modernization” of Wonder Woman would have made it very far as a series, but as you pointed out yourself, a pilot episode is very seldom the best a new series has to offer, and if the show had been given the chance to work out the bugs, it might have improved. (For the record, I’m in that minority of fans that approved of Adrianne Palicki, and like you I think if she had the time to hit the gym between the pilot and the taping of the first few episodes she would’ve quickly become the one and only Wonder Woman to a new generation of viewers.) Ever since the announcement from NBC that Wonder Woman would not be going to series, a lot of so-called “experts” are declaring the character unadaptable–that her origins, costume, and motivations are too absurd to translate to the modern era. I don’t believe this to be true, but I do think a different approach needs to be taken to the character. Rather than trying to make her more “modern” and “mature,” I think any future project would be better served by going in the exact opposite direction–not to make Wonder Woman campy, but to embrace her purity and innocence and base a series around her as being a well-intentioned idealist in a world that has (mostly) rejected what she’s supposed to stand for. Wonder Woman might work better as a more family-friendly series, as opposed to one that’s meant to air in the 10 PM time slot. There’s been a glut of angst-ridden heroines with bad attitudes on the TV screens over the last 15 years (“Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” “Dark Angel,” “The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” “Dollhouse,” and on and on). Why not reverse gears and give a more positive heroine a chance? Anyway, that’s my opinion, and thanks for putting up with me long enough to read it. Best of luck to you!
I agree with all of your points, and thank you so much for listening and understanding my point of view. Wonder Woman is not a broken, unadaptable character. She just needs a creator who cares enough to adapt her to our modern era. I mean, her origin dictates that she’s a fish out of water, so why is it so difficult to make her even more out of touch with our current times. Sort of like a female Captain America. I think that would be the best way to pitch a Wonder Woman movie/series. But, alas, no one seems to think outside the superhero mold, and that’s why the character continues to fail.
Thanks for listening!
Hey just thought I’d let you know I went ahead and mentioned your podcast on my podcast ^_^
Left a link to this podcast on my website. Hope you don’t mind and you are more than welcomed to have a listen. ^_^
Thanks so much! I’ll definitely give it a listen soon!
ehhhh…what the hell. I’m throwing on a comment here to make it hit the 80 comments mark. That’s gotta be a Geekshow record, doesn’t it???
Not quite. Two Geeks Episode 92 and a Transformers review post both got more.
It’s really sad that things turned out the way that they did for this show. I can’t believe that someone would greenlight this project, spend millions to have it made and not take the time to do it right. They should have just remade the original Lynda Carter pilot and replaced the Nazis with the Talibam/Al Quaeda. I think that the first season of the 70′s show was the best of the three season’s that it aired. With so much going on in today’s world, the military aspect could have still been relevant. I think that they shouldn’t give up and maybe the CW or another network, perhaps cable, like a TNT or even the Cartoon Network should give it a try. If a show like Xena could work, Wonder Woman can too.
Hello, this was great listening to review but I don’t think you mention how she changes into her costume. Sorry if you did mention it but was just curious if she spins around like Lynda Carter?
It’s a shame we’ll never get to see this, even as awful as it sounds i’m still interested in seeing the pilot.
She doesn’t spin. She just changes the old fashioned way.
*leSigh* as much as i wanted scott to be wrong, his review is spot on. I saw the pilot last night, and i’m a HUGE WW fan, but he’s 100% right. i’m so bummed. =/
also the screener i saw didnt have any opening credits or a voice over intro like you described, wonder if you saw a different cut?!? Mine had a quick showing of the logo getting larger with 3 loud thumps of sound. and I HATED the lasso around the neck thing. hated the diana prince alter ego (no reason for it) the dialog was just dreadful from start to finish. and the overall tone was just weird. i’m sad to say, that i’m glad this wonder woman show didnt go to series. but i’m hopeful that this entire thing generated enough interest in wonder woman, to try again, and get it right the next time.
I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to post such a thorough review of the pilot… it’s unfortunate that it didn’t get picked up or at least, sent back for more work. I’m a HUGE WW fan and I was looking forward to this, but your review pretty much hit the realist in me. Too much work has to be done on this; I don’t know what in the world they were thinking when they brought on Kelley as director and reading on several websites about the show getting a heavy dose of “girl power”… sigh… I’m surprised there were no fight scenes scheduled to be set to Spice Girls, Aqua, or Ace of Base… or were there 8-/
So many people have seen this pilot episode now; how the hell does one go about seeing it now? After all this build-up, much of it, I brought down upon myself, it would be nice to send an e-mail to the right people and see if I can get a copy. I believe if they do this again, they should bring back Palicki and Thoms. As you guys said, Thoms is great in anything; I’m just as impressed with her acting as I am with her amazing singing. I don’t know anything about Palacki, but I read that fans who didn’t just her by her breast size liked her acting ability and were happy with the decision to cast her. But the points about Trevor are taken greatly. He’s got to be daring, independent, and fair, with a dash of cockiness.
I agree with the killing thing… that really pissed me off because Diana will kill if she has to, but an innocent man just doing his job? That’s why some of the other comic directors were given ten trade paperbacks to read by the publishers just to make sure they got the character right. And they’ve got to get villains who are a physical threat too. Cheetah has to be a part of this at some point. But what am I going on about? Warner Bros execs said they haven’t given much thought to what they’re going to do with WW and CW passed on it.
Well, once again, thanks for such a thorough and humorous review… humor makes the pain of this mess of a pilot easier to deal with lol.
Be safe.