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If you are not 18, please exit stage left. While there is normally nothing naughty here, I do write and review erotica so there are links to spicy stuff and the occasional heated excerpt.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

No Wonder Woman? WTF?!!!!

I am out for blood, specifically that of David E. Kelley and the execs at NBC. I am beyond pissed that the new Wonder Woman television series has been cancelled before it even had a chance to start. WTF? Excuse me? How can Wonder Woman be over when not one ep has aired? How in the name of all that's holy does one fuck up a ready made money machine with a built-in loyal following? Let me count the ways...

1. David E. Kelley has no concept on how to work with superhero material. After all the pilot was riddled with Girl Power bubblegum songs ala Kelley's previous work Ally McBeal. The script was more goofy comedy than drama and featured the tired catch phrase "You go girl." and Adrianne Palicki in an atrocious costume that looked like something out of a superhero strip show.

2. See above

3. The responses at the screening according to Deadline were mixed, with people saying they didn't "buy into the modernization" and was there really a need for more comic book superhero shows. WTF?! First of all, that modernization response is total bull. It's probably code for "we don't want to see women kicking actual ass, we want them in sexy pillow fights, screaming obscenities or pulling hair like the girls on Jersey Shore." Or worse yet, "we think women should be rescued by the heroic man, it's more in line with family values and expectations." Second, considering the bulk of network television is given over to lame reality shows, yes, there is a need for some original programming that requires actual actors and writers.

4. The marketing. This show was going strictly for comic relief and dramedy like Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives. They were not even trying for those of us from the Heroes, Buffyverse, Xena: Warrior Princess and Smallville crowds. You know, the ones who would actually watch and promote the show.

5. "Superhero shows haven't done well on television." Really? Okay, what was Buffy, if not a superhero? Clark Kent and Smallville? Heroes? Xena? These shows all lasted more than three seasons and have cult followings. These shows all over came atrocious scheduling that would have killed lesser shows.

6. DC Comics. Wonder Woman is one of their prize treasures, yet they let this show concept get mishandled from the start. Where were they when David E. Kelly was fucking this show up? Counting the days til they can release more Superman and Batman toys no doubt.

Wonder Woman was such a huge influence on me. I was raised on her comics and the television show. I wanted more than anything to be Lynda Carter, fighting crime with my golden lasso and bracelets, flying my invisible jet. I am sad for all those little girls out there who won't get a chance to know her character like I did.

I love superhero movies. Batman, Superman, Iron Man, and Spider-Man are all some of my favorites...I'm happy that they are so successful, but where is the hero for the girls? I watch every summer as the men kick ass and the women are damsels to be rescued, relegated to love interests and hero tech support. Even Sue Storm is nothing more than the cook/secretary for the Fantastic Four. Don't believe me, watch those films again. She spends more time asking those guys what they want to eat and going "Oh Reed." "Oh Johnny." and "What's happening?" Not to mention the running joke of her losing her clothes.

There were bright spots with X-Men and Watchmen, but nothing where it is solely a female hero taking charge. Elektra and Cat-Woman were both abysmal and I hate it when they are held up as examples of why women fail as superheroes. No one other than comic geeks were familiar with Elektra and the whole world knows Cat-Woman was a villain in Batman NOT a superhero.

When, oh when, are we going to get a bonafide female superhero blockbuster movie? I'm holding out hope for Marvel's Black Widow, that she will get her own flick. But since Marvel has not planned an origins movie for their female X-Men, my faith is dwindling. It is so frustrating being a woman and a fan of superheroes.

23 comments:

  1. I think the look they went for with the costume and the actress was all pretty horrible. I'm not surprised it got canned.


    I think Alias was probably the last decent kick ass woman on tv.

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  2. She needs a movie, not a series anyway. And we need a JLA movie, but DC has already stated it will never do that, which sucks.

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  3. @mood That costume was just awful. And you're right, Sidney Bristow was one of the last decent kick-ass women on TV, though I think they have resurrected Nikita, now.

    @Alex. WW absolutely needs a movie. The Tomb Raider success has proven that there is an audience for a female action hero. And you're right about JLA. I wonder just what is going through the minds of DC.

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  4. David E.Kelley is our new arch enemy, Melsy. We must retaliate :)

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  5. Dez, indeed we must. I'm calling for a blood hunt and a boycott of him forever.

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  6. I used to watch Wonder woman, it was such a fun show. I didn't know they were talking about bringing it back. I hate it when they cancel shows before they even start!

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  7. Awesome rant!

    Your rebuke of Kelley, NBC, and DC comics does somewhat coincide with my latest post. One of the films at Cannes that I am looking forward to is Sleeping Beauty. And it is one of four films in the main competition that features a female director. That's an excellent development for female representation in filmmaking, and ultimately, a solid stepping stone for a "maturation" of the directorial hierarchy. Perhaps, when more women man positions behind the camera (as opposed to perfunctory superhero roles in front of it), then you may get your wish of a genuine, powerful female superhero lead.

    Great post!

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  8. I hope that you sent David a link to this article! Sorry that you are so upset about this. I didn't really watch the original too often, but my girls loved to. I guess that Lynda now lives in Sunriver OR, which is right down the road from me. I've probably run into her and not even realized it.

    Thanks so much for coming to visit, Melissa, and I hope that your coming week is awesome.

    Take care,

    Kathy M.

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  9. I wasn't aware of this Melissa, good post.

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  10. I agree with my friend Alex - Wonder Woman should be a full-length feature, not a lame TV series with poorly-staged action scenes.

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  11. If this show had JJ Abrams or Joss Whedon running it, it would have been picked up for at least 13 episodes. All David E Kelley knows how to do is make shows based on sexy business women.

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  12. @Siv, yeah i do hate when they don't give shows a decent shot. I loved Wonder Woman growing up and was so looking forward to this new show.

    @Matt Thanks! I loved your post. Oh my God do we need female directors. It is my fondest wish to see a woman up on the bigs bringing it like Thor and Iron Man. The audience is there if these stupid execs would just pay close attention and stop trying to soften up the female superheroes. God! They need to play it straight out, both barrels blazing to mattresses like their male counterparts. Stop over feminizing them because of some left-over Mad Men sexist 'tude. Women need not be soft and have so called gentler powers.

    Bigelow is my newest goddess. She took a male military flick and straight up delivered.

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  13. @Oregon Kathy, I should definitely send this link to David. He messed with my childhood idol and he deserves to be yelled at. That is too cool that Lynda lives not that far from you. I hear she is a very nice person.

    I hope you have a wonderful week as well.

    @Ricky Thank you! I knew there was problems with Wonder Woman, but I had no idea it had been this bad. I wrote this immediately after reading the article. I was that incensed. LOL

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  14. @George, hon, I absolutely agree with Alex, too. I would love nothing more than to see Wonder Woman on the big screen. Since that didn't look likely, I was praying for a decent TV show.

    @Jaccstev You are so right about Joss or JJ. They would have done proper justice to Wonder Woman. Maybe we can get them to make a movie. Dear Joss... :)

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  15. I loved Heroes. A true classic. One of the problem with writing the script for a Wonder Woman movie was the movie suits could not decide if they should make her a lesbian or a straight woman. True story. To be continued.

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  16. I agree, it would be great to see a bona-fide female centric superhero on screen. I'm still waiting...

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  17. @Stephen I did not know that about the Wonder Woman script. Very interesting... Thank you for sharing.

    @Angela Thank you! Kelley is a moron who never should have been allowed within fifty feet of Wonder Woman and yes, that old costume still reigns supreme.

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  18. @Julia Hallelujah!! :)

    @Lydia One day we WILL have our female superhero. I am bound and determined to see this through. It'll be so amazing watching a woman take on a villain like Joker or General Zod and not have to partner with or wait for some man.

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  19. There seems to me to be no shortage of 'kick ass' heroines on TV. I frequently see women beating men up on TV shows, Ziva on NCIS does it frequently, for example.

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  20. @louise Hi! Welcome to the Imaginarium. Yes, Ziva is one kick-ass womam for sure. I love to watch her. Now, if only we could get these fantastically strong women on the big screen...Thanks for the great comment. :)

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  21. Gaaah, you know I feel your frustration! We need some fucking women heros up in here, pronto, or I'm going to go medieval on Hollywood's ass! Really, what the hell? I thought we were going forward in women's rights, not backward. And yet in every superhero movie, women are nothing but love interests and damsels in distress. Which I would take as a genre folly, except for the fact that superheros are mainly targeting young kids. And it's just not right for little girls to have nothing but some Cat Woman to chose from when they want to play superheros. And people wonder where lesbians come from. Excellent post!

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  22. @M Amen Sister! I'll grab my mace and broadsword and join you in cleaving Hollywood execs in half.

    Why is it so hard to get a kick ass woman on the big screen? It's not like there's not an audience for one. Wonder Woman is the perfect vehicle for a female movie superhero and yet, DC does nothing. You're right, they target young kids and it's like they're telling girls you're only good enough to help or be rescued. That's your job.

    God help me, but I want to bitch slap the lot of these execs for their archaic line of thinking. It's even worse when you know that some of these studio heads are women.

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