As I'm going down t.v. memory lane, the one aspect of television I used to love most was Saturday mornings. I used to get up at 7:00am just so I wouldn't miss Superfriends. Sitting there in my pjs, eating some Frosted Flakes cereal, I'd watch cartoons up until noon, before I had to go out and play.
One of my favorites was a live action, Batman knockoff by Sid and Marty Krofft called Electra Woman and Dyna Girl.
Starring Deidre Hall (as Electra Woman) and Julie Strangis (as Dyna Girl), the duo posed as magazine writers when they weren't down in their "Electra Base" and working with Professor Frank Heflin (portrayed by character actor Norman Alden. Of course, this was way before Hall landed her gig on Days of Our Lives as Dr. Marlena Evans. Strangis, I found out, was the sister of producer Sam Strangis who, funny enough, used to work on the old Batman series. Norman Alden also had some ties to the "super hero" world, having voiced Aquaman in some of the original Superfriends (you remember, the show I would get up at 7:00 am to watch)
Anyway, the "camp" factor was high with this one and it was an all too obvious "homage" to the original Batman series in quite a few ways.
- Experienced crime-fighter with young sidekick who used advanced gadgets to thwart evil.
- All their crime fighting gear was prefixed by "Electra" (instead of Bat), such as the "Electra Car", "Electra Base", "Electra Coms", etc.
- Dyna-Girl's exclamations were "Electra insert situation here!", instead of "Holy insert situation here!" (a la Robin). She even smacked her fist into her palm, like Robin.
Even though the show only lasted for sixteen episodes, it's still a cult classic to this day. I'm surprised Hollywood hasn't tried to make a movie out of the idea.
Honorable Mentions: The Electric Company, Emergency, Eight is Enough
Tune in tomorrow when I take you to a most fantastic place.
22 comments:
Hey, I watched that show as a kid! Anything with superheroes, and I was there. Cheese and all.
I remember that show too. I didn't realize it was such a short-lived series.
I don't think I watched that one.... which is shocking, because I also was up for Superfriends every Sat am. This show would have been right up my alley. Electra Awesome!
So you were a fellow Saturday morning cartoon fan, too? I thought it lasted longer as well. I enjoyed Isis -- it's a guy thing, you know. I guess it is no surprise that my latest book is set in Egypt, huh? :-)
Electra woman and Dyna Girl sounds like a cool show. Sounds like something I would have enjoyed.
I've never even heard of Electra Woman! Wow, this was fun...I wonder if I could find any old episodes on Youtube... I used to watch Batman and Robin. My Sat mornings were also in front of the TV. It was the one time we could watch TV without asking, because our parents wanted to sleep in! We used to watch Fat Albert, The Thunderbirds and many others...
DUUUDE!! Elecktra Woman and Dyna Girl were the shiz. I am feeling so nostalgic right now it's not even funny. Me and my brother used to watch this show like crazy. We loved it. Even though it was SO cheesy.
Oh, yeah, I watched that, along with a bunch of the Kroft shows. I hesitate to say it was one of my favorites, because I might be tempted to say that about any of those shows, but it was one of my favorites.
Great showcase of an old show!!!
The bottom pic reminds me of how cool lunchboxes used to be. So fun.
There was nothing better than Saturday morning TV. :)
Hey you guys!!! Man, I loved electric Company. Never did understand why people liked Sesame Street better.
I don;t remember Electra Woman very well, which is weird because it would have been right up my alley. I used to watch Hulk, Wonder Woman, and Isis and Shazaam.
Because it stars women. Same reason there still isn't a Wonder Woman movie out right now. Never saw this show but it definitely sounds fun and campy.
I always wonder about Hollywood. What makes them take up one story and not the next? I have a theory that it's a cosmic connection or something like that.
:-)
16 AWESOME episodes!!! :)
Props to you for doing the A-Z Challenge, Mark. Sooooo impressive.
Never saw (or heard of) this one, but it does sound fun and like something I'd watch!!
I never would have remembered Electra Woman and Dyna-Girl on my own, but I used to watch them.
I agree with one of the other commenters that Electric Company was much better than Sesame Street. Who could resist HEY YOU GUYS!!!!
I don't remember that one. But eight is enough was a favorite.
Stopping by on the 6th day of the #Challenge. Congratulations on this blog that is so well presented. Know you will be making new blogging friends. If you have time or interest, I'm wiring about gardening and related topics this month. Come visit. I'll meet you at the garden gate.
I used to watch Eight is Enough all the time. It was so fun, because I'm the youngest of 8 kids, you know. Of course, the reality of a family that big is nothing like the show.
MJ, A to Z Challenge Co-Host
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I am laughing my head off right now. I don't remember it, but I really really want the lunchbox.
Pretty sure I never saw this show. But I totally watched cartoons on Saturday mornings here in Western Aus. :)
Nice Lunchbox. The show seemed interesting.
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