The Impact of 'Wonder Woman,' Featuring Lynda Carter, on Television History

For over fifty years, Wonder Woman has been more than just a TV show. Lynda Carters portrayal of the Amazonian hero became a groundbreaking symbol for young viewers of all genders. Originally introduced in DC Comics in 1941, the character reached new heights when ABC cast Carter as Diana Prince, an Amazon princess with extraordinary powers.

The storyline begins when American pilot Steve Trevor, played by Lyle Waggoner, crashes on Paradise Island. Diana heals him and later travels to the United States, where she fights crime as Wonder Woman while maintaining a civilian identity as journalist Diana Prince.

The appeal of the show was that it wasnt only about strengthit was about intelligence, says Lynda Carter, now 71. Im delighted that both the series and the character have stood the test of time.

Wonder Woman stood out because she was never just a supporting figure to a male hero. Carter explains, I approached her as an ordinary woman who just happened to possess superhuman abilities. Notably, she earned a higher salary than her male co-star, a rare achievement at the time.

Carter secured the role in 1975, beating out Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Jaclyn Smith, who would go on to form the cast of Charlies Angels the following year.

Other actresses have also taken on the iconic costume. Cathy Lee Crosby starred in a 1974 ABC TV movie version of Wonder Woman, while Adrianne Palicki led a 2011 pilot that never became a series. In the modern era, Gal Gadot brought the character to the big screen in 2017, though the 2020 sequel Wonder Woman 1984 did not meet expectations.

Among her fondest memories, Carter recalls enjoying the Wonder Woman costume, of which she kept two versions. I need to have one preserved betterits fragile now, she says. She also loved performing the signature spin and was fascinated by the invisible jet, which was used sparingly on the show and is now lost.

Author: Natalie Monroe