David E. Kelley's Wonder Woman gets a stronger, braver makeover

Earlier this year, David E. Kelley's draft pilot script for NBC's "Wonder Woman" leaked online, and some fans took issue with its less-than-Amazonian version of girl power: Yes, there were scenes of Diana having a sleepover, and eating ice cream ("It's been a three-scoop day!"), and teaming up with her press secretary Myndi to "scream like schoolgirls" over a Katy Perry video, and maybe even crying herself to sleep over her old flame Steve Trevor. As the Daily Beast quipped, Diana was acting a lot like Kelley's last feminism killer, Ally McBeal.

But someone must have thrown a golden lasso around that script and saved it, because it's been rewritten, and now Diana seems to have grown a pair. According to i09, the new version of the script finds her lifting bad guys by the throat, gouging their eyes with her thumbs, kicking them into their air with those go-go boots and making obscene gestures at them. In a flashback, we see her pulling Steve out of a burning airplane, despite being told that doing so will be way too dangerous. Even her cat seems braver: In one scene, we discover it's bitten her neighbor William Marston (named after the "Wonder Woman" creator), who tells Diana he thinks Wonder Woman is a fascist. And apparently, Diana's glad the cat bit him.

Well, well! Obscene gestures? Kick-boxing? Animal violence? Is Kelley's Wonder Woman going from white swan to black swan right before our eyes? If so, you'll find us right in front of the TV for that first episode, screaming like schoolgirls.

-- Melissa Maerz

Photo: Scene from Wonder Woman. Credit: i09.

Comments

[Alex]

I have high hopes for Wonder Woman. One of my favorite tv shows of all time is Wonder Woman (1975-1979) starring Lynda Carter. I hope the new Wonder Woman is just as good.

[jd]

Cue the people still not happy in 3...2...1...

[Alonzo]

Thank Hera!

[jmgonzales]

With the very recent news that the show's producers will come out with three (3) more costumes, I pondered that Diana will be having flashbacks or will be travelling back & forth in time to contrast her old and new characters - to tie in both old and new fans!

I believe David E. Kelley is far more intelligent than we viewers & fans want to think. All these bits of info is his way of upping the anticipation for his big TV franchise.

:D

[Rich Greene]

The way Mr. Kelly seems to fantasize that all women crave to do the bidding of males may make his transition to writing a strong feminist character like Wonder Woman an uphill battle. I was never a big WW fan growing up, however i started thumbing through this title while i was in art school in the early 2000's. I enjoyed what i read and i enjoyed the seriousness of WW character and her ability and confidence in herself to go toe to toe with Superman or Batman.

I am afraid that wont translate well from Kelly unless of course he makes her a strong WW by costume and then he will just destroy the her Diane persona as one who is sex craved like most of his female characters.

Lets talk costume; I know that most costumes dont seem translate well from a comic book to television or the silver screen, however the costumes that have been leaked on-line for his version of WW are horrible. The one above is pathetic. If you are going to use Spandex for a costume make it look as if someone cant walk into Balleys and buy it off the rack. AS for the metal attributes on WW costume make them metal, not some cheap plastic painted to look like gold. Cause really plastic??? WTH are you thinking? WW should be tough and carry herself like a woman who talks "NO SH!T" from anyone. This version doesnt give that persona.

Now with that in mind lets talk about the woman who has been cast. I know nothing of her and nor do i care to. I dont have the urge to look her upon the Imdb database and see all the great or not so great things she has done in her career. What i want to point out is that she looks 'soft' and not in top physical condition as an Amazon warrior should look like. Rounded jawline, instead of a chiseled one, soft velvety skin instead of that from someone who has led a rugged warriors life.

What would i suggest? Perhaps a woman much like Lucy Lawless. She played the part of an Amazon quit well in looks and stature. Acting...well you fans of her show can debate that.

I personal think this show is a "FAIL." I wont give it a chance just based on this actresses appearance. She is not a WW nor should she be given that title to immortalize. She looks as if she is right out of High School.

[John]

To Rich Greene: You won't even give this show a chance... based on your opinion of the actress's appearance? Really? I wonder how much in life you've lost out with this thinking. I had no desire to watch the new Battlestar Galactica because I thought the original was so cheesy and a total rip-off of Star Wars. Then, I gave it a chance and watched the pilot... and discovered one of the best hour-long television dramas ever televised.

I just re-read the rest of your post. You say she looks "too soft"? The costume "looks plastic"? You looked at her credits on imdb and they weren't good enough? Never saw her on Friday Night Lights, did you?

Kid, to quote William Shatner, you need to seriously"get a life."

[RD]

So now WW has a cat? A cat with spunk? They taking from Power Girl now? Kind of reaching, but it seems to me that it's reaching for the fangirl appeal a little too much. Almost laughably. A femme fatale who takes no $%*! and is a cat owner. Sounds like a female power fantasy to me. Ha!

But despite that ham and cheese, Adrianne Palicki is a terrible actress. So if the lead isn't going to satisfy fans...right. This show's already dead to me, and I'm the easy-going, it's-fine-if-it's-different type of audience when it comes to adaptations.

[Leo]

I think they should have left the costume alone like Lynda Carter had it in the New Adventures of Wonder Woman. It was majestic and very tightly fit unlike the ugly, baggy one that looked toy like in the first version. Wonder Woman is a strong, intelligent, confident woman with a soft, caring side who can kick butt when she needs to. Another thing is that she does not do obscene gestures but is very patriotic and a well mannered, polite individual. I hope you guys don't screw this up!

[JERRY WINN]

The new show is going to be fine. Have worked for David on Chicago Hope, The Practice, Ally, Boston Public, Boston Legal. The show will be fine. Jerry Winn