Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Spells &amp; Karma" data-source="post: 62568" data-attributes="member: 23">LIGHT-FINGERED LADY / SCREAMING JAVELIN / DIANA'S DISAPPEARING ACTThe character dynamics are tweaked again. Enter: Saundra Sharp as Eve. It's lovely to see Saundra here. She's likeable enough, a good actress (she would go on to be one of the most fascinating of tertiary Knots Landing characters) and it's good to have another capable female character.But her arrival is also an acknowledgement of Diana's increasing autonomy within both the IADC and the series. She still has the occasional scene with Steve, but for the most part Diana is off having adventures these days. Changes to the order were touched on in dialogue at the beginning of the first Bruce Lansbury episode where Steve's promotion was mentioned. Almost immediately it's become apparent that, among other things, the changes mean:<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Joe Atkinson has been promoted "upstairs" at the IADC meaning we've seen the last of him. Because...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Steve has Joe's old job and now gives the orders. But...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Steve will be tied to a desk for much of the time, reducing the frequency with which he can accompany Diana. Which means that...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Diana is now mostly working solo in the field. As a result of which...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Eve is on hand to support Steve as Diana used to do.</li> </ol>There are a number of other implications that come from this: Steve/Diana scenes are becoming less necessary and less frequent. And by the same token, Lyle Waggoner has less screentime. Diana herself is shown to be strong, capable and - for a woman who grew up on a remote island far removed from American values - streetwise. She no longer has to send Steve away or get kidnapped in order to change into Wonder Woman. In fact she's falling back on her Amazonian alter ego at times when it seems the new Diana Prince could just as easily handle stuff.Certainly, a trait in the first few Lansbury episodes was that Wonder Woman became more showy, seemingly just for the hell of it. In a couple of episodes, Diana would get a call from Steve and, rather than getting into her car or hopping into a cab, would change into costume, leap out of her apartment window (secret identity suicide if you ask me) and boing her way across town, leaping over hedges and fountains for no real reason at all. Adding insult to injury, the same footage was recycled.This has calmed down a bit in the last few episodes, though Diana still seems to underestimate her own abilities and relies on WW to get the job done.The episodes are becoming a little more watchable, though still something of a Curate's egg.After the juvenile high jinks, Light-Fingered Lady had a fairly substantial plot involving Diana posing as a burglar to infiltrate - and bust - a burglary ring. It felt like it could have been any cop show from that era, which is a double-edged sword. It felt more grown up, more watchable and far less dated than the episodes preceding it. But the payoff was that it also felt a little generic. Overall, though, it was good to be able to get invested in a plot. And we got to see the Wonder Wetsuit again!The tone for Screaming Javelin was set in the cold opening. Henry Gibson against a blue screen pretending to parachute into America while talking to nobody in particular about his plans of world domination and revenge against Diana Prince and shrieking with manic laughter. Subtle stuff.In truth, Screaming Javelin was hugely enjoyable because of Gibson's OTT performance. His character, Mariposa would feel right at home in the Adam West Batman series alongside King Tut, The Bookworm and their ilk. Mariposa's plan is to steal the world's top athletes and force them to perform on behalf of his micronation. And Gibson gives it his all.Here's a typical Mariposa scene, which will give a flavour of the episode:[MEDIA=youtube]23Y4kwhKLs4[/MEDIA]Mariposa feels like something of an attempt to give WW an arch nemesis. Diana even mentions his apparent demise at the end of their "last little encounter", suggesting they'd met before (and making me think for a few moments I'd missed an episode). There's even a hint that he would return when he disappears from the trap WW has put him in and we hear his laughter echoing. All in all, he's a nice addition to the series. One that's reminiscent of some of WW's more way out adversaries from her adventures in the mid-Twentieth century. It's a shame this is his only appearance.Lest we forget, Gibson was in The New, Original WW pilot episode in a different role. Whether it's by design or accident, Mariposa spends much time looking at a large globe that almost dwarfs him (after his anger at the way his country is ignored, we see he has stuck his own cutout of it onto the globe) which is reminiscent of his scenes as Nikolas in TNOWW where he cowered by the globe in Nazi headquarters.The other thing this episode is notable for is featuring a young Rick Springfield, amid his tour of the teen shows. Here's a very sweaty young Rick being given words of wisdom from Wonder Woman herself:[MEDIA=youtube]VKOfckP8u2U[/MEDIA]Diana's Disappearing Act also had a supervillain type in Cagliostro (heavily implied to be the original alchemist from the 18th Century), but feels more workaday in its approach.As far as Diana's rapidly forgotten Amazon heritage, it's worth noting that she mentions her mother in Screaming Javelin (apparently that's who taught her to throw two javelins at once - a trick she uses here to entrap Mariposa). For the first time in these episodes I also noticed Diana has a pair of busts (oo-er missus). They're in her apartment, near her doorway and appear to be Greco-Roman. It's a nice little touch.</blockquote>

Verification: Who played JR Ewing?

Poison your name this Hallowe'en

There's plenty of time to choose your spooky October username

Click here for more details

Reply to thread