TV Show Review: Wonder Woman - The Complete Series

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Wonderful portrayal of a great super hero

Cons: Cheesy as can be

The Bottom Line:

70's cheese?  Yes

But nostalgia filled fun, too

Once you get it, good

Wonderful Series

I admit it. Even as a kid, I always like Wonder Woman the best of all the super heroes. And for the silliest reason. I love her ability to change from Diana Prince to Wonder Woman by spinning. I always thought that was so cool. Naturally, this was one of the few shows I was going to buy if it ever came out on DVD.

So my list of shows I'm allowed to buy has grown, but this show remains a great one to have on DVD. And this set is your one stop shop for all three seasons that made up the entire series.

Season one finds Wonder Woman (Lynda Carter) leaving Paradise Island to help America fight the Nazis in World War II. The set includes all 13 of the WWII episodes, including the extended pilot. I'll admit to never having been a super fan of this season. To this day, it seems especially cheesy to me. I think one problem is that they give Wonder Woman too many "love will solve everything" lines. She's also a little more naive then the sophisticated, wise cracking Wonder Woman of later seasons.

Seasons two and three find our heroine on a new network and in a new decade. Wonder Woman is called to the world of men once again to fight the evils of the "modern" 70's. Teaming up with the son of the original Steve Trevor she helped during World War II (still played by Lyle Waggoner), she joins the Inter Agency Defense Command and finds plenty of danger to keep her busy. I much prefer the modern episodes because they allow Diana and Wonder Woman to develop a personality. This changes happens slowly over season 2, and by season 3 she's a must stronger character. I find her a fun character to watch. And she takes on the bad guys head on, more concerned with catching them then transforming them.

While there are various supporting characters at various times, Lynda and Lyle are the only true stars of the series. Lynda is outstanding as Wonder Woman. Not only does she have the look, but she brings a wonderful attitude to the part. No matter what else happens, this portrayal will always be the Wonder Woman for me and millions others. Lyle does a good job as Steve. He gets the job of being the helpless person who always needs to be rescued. Part way through season 2, he gets a promotion and doesn't spend as much time in the field. I miss their interactions, but it does help Diana/Wonder Woman's character develop.

While in season 1, the stories focus on defeating Nazi's; the bad guys expand with the later seasons. In seasons two and three, she faces terrorists, aliens, magicians, mad scientists, and super criminals. While none stick around creating any kind of continuing story lines, they do entertain during their episodes.

These DVD sets are great for fans. All 60 episodes are presented on two sided discs to keep the price down. With three episodes per side, you get a sharp picture and clear sound. Presented like they were on TV 30 years ago, there's nothing here that will blow you away in the way of wide screen or surround sound, but there doesn't have to be. Season 1 has a commentary on the pilot and then a "how the series came to be" documentary. Season 2 has a documentary as well, and season 3 concludes with a commentary on the season premier and a documentary on Wonder Woman as a feminist icon.

So the series is slightly (ok, greatly) dated and a whole lot cheesier then I remember. It's still fun for the nostalgia crowd. And Lynda Carter will always be Wonder Woman to me. I'm thrilled to have these and know I will enjoy them for quite some time to come. Long live Wonder Woman!