The fourth episode of Wonder Woman airs on ABC, starring Lynda Carter and Lyle Waggoner. John Saxon guest stars, and Debra Winger makes her first TV appearance as Wonder Woman’s younger sister.
Major Trevor and Diana are present when Nazi agents attempt to hijack an experimental fighter plane, the XPJ-1. Unknown to everyone except Trevor and General Blankenship, the XPJ-1 can be destroyed by remote control; while they see to that, Diana transforms into Wonder Woman and rounds up other Nazis operating under cover at the airfield. Some of the Nazis, including Captain Radl, witness Wonder Woman in action – specifically, her bullet-deflecting bracelets. Diana is amazed when her younger sister, Drusilla, is waiting for her at her apartment, bearing a message from their mother to return to Paradise Island. Diane introduces a disguised Drusilla to General Blankenship, who offers her a tour of Valley Forge, a destination that the General and Drusilla never reach thanks to Captain Radl. Drusilla transforms into a new guise – Wonder Girl – to try to save General Blankenship, but she becomes a hostage instead.
teleplay by Jimmy Sangster
story by Barbara Avedon & Barbara Corday
directed by Herb Wallerstein
music by Artie KaneCast: Lynda Carter (Diana Prince / Wonder Woman), Lyle Waggoner (Major Steve Trevor), Richard Eastham (General Blankenship), Beatrice Colen (Etta Candy), John Saxon (Captain Radl), Carolyn Jones (Queen Hippolyta), Charles Frank (Peter Knight), Paul Shenar (Lt. Wertz), Kurt Kreuger (Major Hemmschler), Debra Winger (Drusilla), Curt Lowens (General Ulrich), Erica Hagen (Dalma), Pamela Shoop (Magda), Kurt Grayson (Harris), Jay Fenichel (Tommy), Brad Rearden (Joey)
Notes: This is the first TV appearance for a 21-year-old Debra Winger, whose first movie appearance had debuted in theaters only days earlier. Though this first appearance of Wonder Girl would seem like it has “spinoff” written all over it, Drusilla would make only one further appearance after this two-parter; this was probably for the best for Winger’s career, as she would go on to be nominated three times for the Oscar for Best Lead Actress just a few years later, starting with 1983’s An Officer And A Gentleman.
LogBook entry by Earl Green