Wonder Woman: The New Original Wonder Woman

"This is the golden belt. It is the symbol for Amazon supremacy. So long as you wear it, you will retain your cunning and strength away from Paradise Island."

- Hippolyta

"The New Original Wonder Woman" is a pilot movie and the first official episode of the superhero fantasy series Wonder Woman (later referred to as The New Adventures of Wonder Woman). It was directed by Leonard Horn and written by series developer Stanley Ralph Ross. It first aired on ABC on November 7th, 1975.

Synopsis
From within a top-secret Nazi base in Berlin, Germany, Reich party leader Colonel Oberst von Blasko gives orders to his top pilot Drangal. He wants him to conduct a raid against an American bomb factory in Brooklyn, New York. While the two men converse, Oberst's assistant Nikolas listens closely. Oberst also talks about a double-agent he has planted in Washington who will be responsible for destroying all blueprints relating to the bomb factory, preventing the Americans from constructing another.

In Washington, General Blankenship of the Air Corps Intelligence Division receives news concerning Drangal's attack plans. He consults with Major Steve Trevor and his assistant Marcia. Trevor tells him that he will personally intercept Drangal before his plane ever gets near the United States. After Steve leaves, Marcia returns to her apartment and sends a coded message to her master – Oberst von Blasko. She is the Nazi double agent.

Trevor and Drangal face each other in the air. Both pilots cripple the other's plane and are forced to evacuate via parachute. While floating downward, they continue fighting one another and Drangal shoots Steve in the chest. Although injured, Steve manages to float safely to the shore of a tropical island in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle. Drangal however, is not so lucky. He lands in the middle of shark-infested water, never to be seen again.

As Steve's body washes up on the shore of this "paradise island", two Amazons named Diana and Rena come upon him. Diana, having never seen an actual man in person, is infatuated with Trevor and scoops him up. She brings him to a hospice where other Amazons tend to his wounds. Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons learns of the news and becomes agitated. She explains to her daughter Diana that the Amazons have lived free of the warlike nature of men for thousands of years. Diana wants to study Steve Trevor, but Hippolyta is reluctant. Diana finally convinces her to allow her to act as Steve’s personal nurse.

Later, news of Major Trevor's apparent demise reaches the offices of the Air Corps Intelligence Division. General Blankenship and Marcia share a toast to honor Steve's memory. After Blankenship leaves, Marcia sends another coded message to Oberst von Blasko. She tells him of the deaths of both Trevor and the pilot Drangal. Oberst suspect that the Americans may have their own double agent working in Berlin. Oberst decides to complete the mission personally. On Paradise Island, Queen Hippolyta decides to hold a tournament to determine which Amazon will be charged with returning Steve Trevor to the United States. Diana wants to participate in the tournament, but Hippolyta strictly forbids it. She does not want the Princess of Paradise Island risking her life in a foreign land. Diana however, will not be deterred. Disguising herself with a blond wig, she enters the tournament and excels at every event. The final contest is called Bullets and Bracelets. Diana and another Amazon test their mettle by deflecting gunshots from the other with the use of their magic bracelets. Diana wins the contest and is awarded the Golden Belt and Golden Lasso as tools for her mission to the United States. The Golden Belt will give her added strength, while the lasso forces others to speak only the truth. Diana removes her disguise and Hippolyta is shocked to see that it is her daughter standing before her. However, she is still very proud of Diana and will honor Amazon tradition by allowing her to undertake the mission. She provides Diana with a specially designed costume and an invisible jet plane. At Hippolyta's suggestion, she takes the name Wonder Woman.

Wonder Woman flies Steve Trevor back to the United States and immediately takes him to a hospital. Word of Steve's return soon reaches the office of General Blankenship. Marcia feigns happiness, but once Blankenship leaves, she places a call to her agent in New York and tells him that Trevor is alive.

Wonder Woman meanwhile tries to adapt to American culture. After an embarrassing incident at a clothing outlet, she stops two armed bank robbers from making a getaway. One of the witnesses is a theatrical agent named Ashley Norman. Ashley is so impressed with Wonder Woman's bullets and bracelets display, that he wants to put her on the stage. Wonder Woman isn't comfortable with using her talents for exhibition, but she does need a means of earning money. After a quick visit to the Army hospital to see Steve, she goes to Ashley Norman's theater and performs the bullets and bracelets stunt for a crowded house. Ashley calls upon volunteers from the audience to fire bullets in Wonder Woman's direction. One of the volunteers is an elderly woman armed with a machine gun. Wonder Woman succeeds in deflecting every single shot fired from the weapon. After the show, Wonder Woman tells Ashley that she is quitting. Ashley tries to force her to stay with the show, but Wonder Woman flips him onto his back. After she leaves his office, he telephones Marcia. Ashley is Marcia's New York contact. He tells her that he tried to delay Wonder Woman as long as he could, but she is gone.

Meanwhile, Steve Trevor recovers and is nearly healed from his injuries. He telephones General Blankenship and learns that Oberst von Blasko is personally undertaking a mission to bomb the Norden munitions plant in Brooklyn. Steve tells Blankenship that he will intercept Von Blasko in his new experimental fighter. On his way to the airstrip, Steve encounters Ashley Norman and two Nazi stooges. The thugs jump him and knock him out. They bring him back to Marcia's house and question him about the location of the Norden bomb site plans. Despite the interrogation, Steve refuses to tell them anything. Ashley injects him with a truth serum, and Steve eventually yields. He gives Marcia the combination to his office safe where the plans are kept.

Marcia breaks into Steve's office, but finds Wonder Woman waiting for her. Wonder Woman tells Marcia that she suspected her treachery all along. Marcia is hardly intimidated by Wonder Woman's presence, and boldly remarks that she was the Nuremberg Judo champion. Marcia and Wonder Woman begin fighting one another, and they crash through the office door into the hallway. Marcia tries breaking a chair across Wonder Woman's head, but Diana deflects it with her bracelets. She then delivers a punch to Marcia's jaw, which sends her reeling down the hall. Wonder Woman then wraps her stunned adversary with her Lasso of Truth. She forces Marcia to reveal where Steve Trevor is stashed away.

Before Wonder Woman can rescue Steve however, she has a more pressing concern - Von Blasko. She flies her Invisible jet out over the Atlantic until she finds Von Blasko's bomber. She lands her plane on top of his and boards Von Blasko's cabin. Von Blasko attempts to fight her, but Wonder Woman knocks him out with one punch. She drags the Nazi onto her plane, then sends his bomber crashing into the sea.

Returning stateside, she dumps Von Blasko's unconscious body on the steps of a police precinct house, then takes off to find Steve. She arrives at Marcia's apartment and begins fighting the thugs. Ashley Norman and the others open fire on her, but even Ashley realizes how fruitless an effort it is. She finishes the thugs off and unties Steve. Trevor is startled to see Wonder Woman yet again and wants to know more about her. Wonder Woman tells him that they will be together soon and takes off.

A few days later, Steve meets with General Blankenship to discuss filling in Marcia's position. Blankenship tells Steve that he has already interviewed someone for secretarial duty. Inviting him into his office, Blankenship introduces Steve to Yeoman first class Diana Prince. What Steve doesn't realize is that Diana Prince is actually Wonder Woman in disguise. Steve feels that Diana Prince and he are going to get along just fine.

Notes & Trivia

 * This episode is available on disc one, side A of the Wonder Woman: The Complete First Season DVD collection.


 * Originally aired as a seventy-four minute pilot, though it is not considered the first episode of the series.


 * The introduction of this episode includes World War II era stock footage of Adolph Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.


 * This is the last work of director Leonard Horn. Horn passed away in Los Angeles, California on May 25th, 1975 at the age of 48, nearly six months before this episode first aired.


 * The cat-fight between Wonder Woman and Marcia later inspired a memorable television brawl between the leading actresses on Dynasty years later.


 * The same portrait of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt can be found in both Steve Trevor's office and Marcia's apartment.


 * Actors Severn Darden and Eric Braeden who both play Nazi agents in this episode also played villains in the Planet of the Apes franchise. Braeden played the role of Dr. Otto Hasslein in Escape from the Planet of the Apes and Darden played Inspector Kolp in Conquest of the Planet of the Apes and Battle for the Planet of the Apes.


 * Cloris Leachman was paid $25,000 for one day's worth of shooting in the role of Queen Hippolyta.

Bloopers

 * After the bank robbery, Ashley Norman is drivng his car after Wonder Woman, he is passing a dark green Beetle. The camera cuts to a different angle and the colour of the car also changes to light blue and the dark green one is in the distance.

Quotes

 * Queen Hippolyta: Noble Amazons masked in the tradition of our tournaments with only your individual skills and prowess to rely upon. One of you will win for the glory of all to preserve our Paradise. Let the tournament begin!

....
 * Queen Hippolyta: Young Amazon minds are best occupied with athletic discipline and higher learning.

....
 * Queen Hippolyta: There are so many things you don't know. Do you have any idea of your age?
 * Diana: By what standard?
 * Queen Hippolyta: By the Earth's clock.
 * Diana: No.
 * Queen Hippolyta: You are immortal as are all of us on Paradise Island. If you should ever leave here, you could revert to a human being.

....
 * Queen Hippolyta: I named this island Paradise for an excellent reason: (Sitting down on a chair) There are no men on it. Thus, it is free of their wars, their greed, their hostilities, their barbaric, masculine behaviour. (as she bites down on her knuckles)
 * Diana: Thousands of years have passed. Perhaps men are now different. Perhaps, they've come to think as much of peace as we do.
 * Queen Hippolyta: We shall soon see.