Wonder Woman (2011)

This here's a pilot. A 44 minute episode where Adrianne Palicki plays Wonder Woman, and it was... not like Wonder Woman at all!

I was going to say just look at the suit and you'll see she's totally out of character, but come to think of it this is probably more truthful to the comics than her new one. A real world counterpart however... she needs to be portrayed differently than a graphic one. Maybe I wouldn't have said so if I hadn't seen the new movie but this just feels... fake. Cosplay-like. The girl looks great, but is that really the suit she'd choose to do battle with?

It's not just appearance, though. The Amazonian backstory shines with its lack of presence, she balances three jobs, is funded by doll sales and in this particular episode: chases down an evil femme fatale (played by Elizabeth Hurley) selling a potion with fatal side effects. The acting's not bad, though unfortunately the script definitely is.

There are so many loose ends I won't even bother going through them, but that said I am surprised how incredibly much people have bashed this pilot, because if you get around the fact that she's as out of character as she'll ever get, then it's not all bad. Adrianne Palicki is definitely not a bad main character, and that intro scene... it was pretty scary.

They build the atmosphere nicely, and they let the viewer see through Wonder Woman's armor. She's likable, and deep, albeit totally out of her usual world. The premise is pretty exciting too, and the fight (yes, one) looked better than I'd expected- outdated special effects disconsidered.

Hadn't I been warned by reviews maybe I'd be the one flaming this to oblivion, but as it is I wouldn't want to put it lower than a...

 rated 2/5: decent