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Wonder Woman(NBC) *Spoilers!*

NBC passes on Wonder Woman.

Well that was fun (to make fun of) while it lasted. EW has learned that NBC passed on the much buzzed-about Wonder Woman pilot from David E. Kelley and Warner Bros. TV.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/05/12/nbc-rejects-wonder-woman/

Looks like this entire topic ended up being pointless in the end. :shrug:

Well I guess this thread can be locked since there is nothing further to discuss.

I'd say wait until the end of next week to close it. Given the WW pilot was made by Warner Brothers, there might be a infantesimal chance The CW could pick it up.

I wouldn't bet on it, but it's there.
 
I just saw the tweet. Dang wanted to see the pilot. Maybe this and the Aquaman pilot can be packaged and sold as a set.
 
I just saw the tweet. Dang wanted to see the pilot. Maybe this and the Aquaman pilot can be packaged and sold as a set.

Probably not, but certainly in this day of downloads and DVDs the days of unsold pilots disappearing forever, only to resurface occasionally as 10th-generation convention bootlegs is past us. OK, it didn't make it to series, but I'd still be curious to see how it turned out. Same goes for Ronald Moore's 19th Precinct. That one I'm sure would sell a few copies on DVD to nuBSG fans alone. Once Kelley exhausts Plan-B avenues (I assume he'll try and sell it to another network), he should get it released. It's got Liz Hurley in it, for god's sake.

As for WW as a potential film/TV franchise, it's a shame that the only really long-lasting solo female superhero appears to have become a lost cause. If WW can't make it, that makes things look grim if we ever want to see a Supergirl reboot, or another run at Birds of Prey (which would be a killer if they stuck to what the comic book is doing these days), or Batgirl, or Ms Marvel. At least not as solos. We've got Black Widow as a sidekick to Iron Man and the Avengers, but you're not gonna see a She-Hulk series anytime soon. (Talking live-action of course - animation is another story).

There's probably a good essay to be written somewhere as to why film- and TV-makers simply can't seem to "get it" when it comes to adapting female superheroes. Again talking solos as opposed to, say, films featuring assorted X-Men team members, you pretty much can count the number of lasting successes on one index finger - Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman. And even then, it really wasn't that good a show. It's fondly remembered and remains entertaining solely on the strength of Carter's performance and physical attributes. Meanwhile, Batman and Superman's film franchises endure crappy movies and survive, while Supergirl, a much much better movie than Superman IV and the George Clooney Batman film - that's not saying much, I know - stumbles out of the gate despite having a perfectly cast lead, and kills any future films stone dead. I can understand why some folks can get frustrated.

In the case of WW, people had already dismissed it even before the thing started filming, so Kelley probably would have been better off not making it. 19th Precinct not getting the cut was a surprise, though.

Alex
 
Long winded analysis of what went wrong.

But I can cut to the chase: with men bailing on broadcast TV, broadcast is increasingly being written for women, and women don't care about comic book characters. All it takes is for a bunch of women in a focus group to snort at this so-called women's lib figure, jiggling out of her bodice, and that's the end of that.

Playboy and Pan Am both pass muster because they are classy workplace dramas focusing on the realistic-ish problems that women of that era faced, like Mad Men does. But it's impossible for women to relate to some bizarre person from some kind of ancient island who looks like a supermodel and dresses like a hooker yet allegedly runs a corporate empire.

An overall analysis of the shows that are getting picked up backs up this article: the common thread is that the networks are catering to female tastes. Women do go for sf/f, but it's more like Alcatraz (female lead character in a mystery tale set in a scenic city) and Grimm (very good looking male lead character in a dangerous, grown-up fairy tale setting).

But comic book based TV is not entirely dead: FX is still working on Powers. The lead actor is the very-popular-with-the-ladies Kyle Chandler. Plus cable doesn't cater to women as much as broadcast does (yet).
 
It's rather too bad. But then I probably fit into the pattern. I've bailed on commercial television a year and a half ago. I find most of what is on TV these days is garbage and I don't see anything on the horizon to bring me back.

Even so I kind of miss tuning in for a couple of decent shows a week. But it is what it is. And a the networks cater more to a market I'm not part of I'll have ever less reason to take a look at what's being offered.
 
Darn, after all the hype I was really looking forward to seeing the final product (even though I fully expected it to be as cheap and embarassingly cheesy as pretty much everything else NBC has put on the air the last 5 years).
 
Its simple: men like comic book heroes that are men[.b] being depicted in the live medium, and women could care less about comic books. So it didn't get picked up. Simple.
 
I want to see an epic movie take on Wonder Woman, with Greek Myth elements played really serious a la lord of the rings. That would be cool. I... I...... err... *all the single ladies by beyonce starts playing* I just can't help myself... *starts strutting like an empowered woman*


edit: NBC should sell this pilot episode for like 3 dollars a pop on iTunes. Why not? Free money for them since the pilot is already made and enough comic fans will give it a looksie. Or put it on Hulu and get a little ad money off of it, call it a TV movie.

This whole thing sounds like a failure of execution. It was underwhelming for the same reasons that the new Knight Rider, V, or Bionic Woman didn't work.

It just wasn't that good.

If the pilot had produced awed reactions of HOLY SHITTT!!! the way the LOST pilot did, there's no way this doesn't reach series.
 
@StarTrek1701 that line of logic is extremely bizzare. I'm a man and I enjoy female superherorines, and Wonder Woman is one of my favorite characters. As for women not caring about comic books...sigh...that's gotta be some kind of sterotypical comment. Every time I go into my comic shop it's crawling with women. Both single women and women with their boyfriends, and they don't look like they're bored. They're flipping through all kinds of different books and having conversations about various stuff to do with comic books. So I would disagree with your comment big time.
 
The pilot will be leaked, just like Aquaman was, or they'll release it. Either way, we'll see it.

I don't see why she has two separate but public "identities" at all. And that makes either the costume or the business suits redundant.
As much as I was hoping to see this, I will admit I did find the whole three identities thing a little odd.
As I see it, she has two identities, not three.

1) Diana from Themiscyra, CEO extraordinaire, who also dresses up in a costume to fight crime.

2) Diana Prince, her secret identity.
 
I'm really disappointed this didn't get picked up. I'm even more disappointed we may never see the pilot aired. I wish it could be aired as one of those "movie of the week" thingies like the Knight Rider 2007/8 series pilot was. It also makes me fear for anyone else trying to do a costumed hero show (especially one with a woman in the lead). :(
 
I wouldn't be surprised if it hits the internet eventually. If that "Lost in Space" remake pilot can find it's way onto youtube I'm sure this will too.
 
The pilot will be leaked, just like Aquaman was, or they'll release it. Either way, we'll see it.

Yeah, it's just a matter of time. I saw the Aquaman Pilot not long after it was officially passed on. I don't think we'll have to wait too long for this one either.
 
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