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Electra Woman and Dyna Girl

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Electra Woman and Dyna Girl
Title card
Created byJoe Ruby
Ken Spears[1]
StarringDeidre Hall
Judy Strangis
Norman Alden
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes16
Production
ProducerSid and Marty Krofft
Running time12 minutes (per episode)
Production companiesSid and Marty Krofft Television Productions
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseSeptember 11 (1976-09-11) –
December 25, 1976 (1976-12-25)

Electra Woman and Dyna Girl is a live action superhero children's television series from 1976 created by Sid and Marty Krofft. The series aired 16 episodes in a single season as part of the umbrella series The Krofft Supershow. During the second season, it was dropped, along with Dr. Shrinker. When later syndicated in the package "Krofft Super Stars" and released on home video, the 16 segments, which were each about 12 minutes long, were combined into eight episodes.

Premise

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The program followed the crime-fighting exploits of caped superhero Electra Woman (played by Deidre Hall) and her teen sidekick Dyna Girl (Judy Strangis), who worked in their normal lives as reporters for Newsmaker Magazine (the two's surnames were never revealed—just their first names: Lori and Judy, respectively). In each episode, the duo dons brightly-colored spandex costumes, in a bright flash of light called an "Electra-Change"; get into the "ElectraCar"; and use an array of technically-advanced gadgets to thwart an eclectic collection of supervillains. They were assisted by Frank Heflin (Norman Alden), a scientist who stayed at their "ElectraBase", operating its highly sophisticated "CrimeScope" computer while keeping in continual contact with the pair through their "ElectraComs".

Characters

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Main

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The "ElectraEnemies" with their henchpersons

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  • The Sorcerer and Miss Dazzle
  • The Empress of Evil and Lucretia
  • Ali Baba and the Genie
  • Glitter Rock and Side Man
  • The Spider-Lady with Leggs and Spinner
  • The Pharaoh and Cleopatra

The ElectraComs

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The ElectraComs were bulky wrist devices worn by the title characters. They could function as two-way radios with video capabilities; they also served a variety of other specialized functions, which allowed the duo to escape various traps devised by their enemies. With the addition of special cartridge attachments, the ElectraComs were additionally seen to perform the following functions on the show:

  • Direct-A-Scan – navigates the title characters through buildings to the exact location of the villain.
  • Electra-Change – allows the title characters to change from their civilian clothing to the costumes of their super-powered alter-egos instantaneously.
  • Electra-Beam – emits a focused kinetic beam of energy that can "push" or "pull" objects much like a tractor or pressor beam.
  • Electra-Degravitate – allows the title characters to defy gravity for very short distances so that they can circumvent obstacles in their path or levitate themselves to higher ground.
  • Electra-Force – apparently breaks steel bars (was not available the one time it was attempted).
  • Electra-Force Shield – is essentially a force field used to detain villains once they have been caught. The shield was also used defensively as a protective barrier that can shield against physical and energy attacks.
  • Electra-Freeze – lowers the temperature of the target to below freezing.
  • Electra-G – increases the weight of the target.
  • Electra-Split – replicates target to create a copy. Both objects are left in an unstable state and it does not work on human beings.
  • Electra-Strobe – speeds the wearer's motions, thoughts, and actions 10,000 times faster than normal.
  • Electra-Vibe – creates a localized sonic field that can shatter glass or disorient an opponent who is not equipped with earplugs.
  • Electra-Vision – emits a blindingly bright light, turning night into day.
  • Electra-X – is a portable X-ray that reveals the target's skeleton or identity beneath any disguise.

Other resources

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  • The ElectraCar is a shield-shaped, three-wheeled vehicle that can also convert into the "ElectraPlane" with its wheels folded under/inside it. As the ElectraPlane, the ElectraCar is capable of flying into low Earth orbit. It also has a Tracking Beam for pursuing villains.
  • The ElectraBase, located beneath the duo's civilian home and accessible by a hidden elevator, not only houses Frank Heflin's lab and the ElectraCar, but also serves as the home to "CrimeScope", one of the most powerful computers ever built – much like the BatComputer, which it parodies. CrimeScope is always kept up-to-date with what is going on in the world, can analyze any data transmitted through the ElectraComs, and can also operate the ElectraCar via remote control.

Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateSpecial Guest Villains
1"The Sorcerer's Golden Trick"Walter MillerDick Robbins and Duane PooleSeptember 11, 1976 (1976-09-11)The Sorcerer
(Michael Constantine)
and Miss Dazzle
(Susan Lanier)
2September 18, 1976 (1976-09-18)

The Sorcerer escapes from prison and plans to rob Fort Knox with a powerful mirror. Electra Woman and Dyna Girl are trapped as the Sorcerer unleashes his mirror trick.

Guest star: James Mock
3"Glitter Rock"Chuck LiottaDick Robbins and Duane PooleSeptember 25, 1976 (1976-09-25)Glitter Rock
(John Mark Robinson)
and Side Man
(Jeff David)
4October 2, 1976 (1976-10-02)

The evil Glitter Rock and his assistant Side Man kidnap Electra Woman's friend in a plot to hypnotize the world. Electra Woman and Dyna Girl race to stop Glitter Rock from activating his hypno-music satellite.

Guest star: Michael Blodgett
5"Empress of Evil"Walter MillerDick Robbins and Duane PooleOctober 9, 1976 (1976-10-09)The Empress of Evil
(Claudette Nevins)
and Lucretia
(Jacquelyn Hyde)
6October 16, 1976 (1976-10-16)

The Empress of Evil attacks ElectraBase and kidnaps Dyna Girl. Electra Woman faces off with the Empress of Evil, who is immune to her Electra-powers.

Guest star: Jean Sarah Frost
7"Ali Baba"Walter MillerDick Robbins and Duane PooleOctober 23, 1976 (1976-10-23)Ali Baba
(Malachi Throne)
and the Genie
(Sid Haig)
8October 30, 1976 (1976-10-30)

Ali Baba wants the Metamorphosis Formula to turn everyone evil. Electra Woman confronts Ali Baba - and an evil Dyna Girl.

Guest star: Ian Martin
9"Return of the Sorcerer"Walter MillerDick Robbins and Duane PooleNovember 6, 1976 (1976-11-06)The Sorcerer
(Michael Constantine)
and Miss Dazzle
(Susan Lanier)
10November 13, 1976 (1976-11-13)

The Sorcerer steals Merlin's Mirror and embarks on a crime wave. Electra Woman and Dyna Girl are trapped in another dimension beyond Merlin's Mirror.

Guest star: Billy Beck
11"The Pharaoh"Jack RegasGreg StrangisNovember 20, 1976 (1976-11-20)The Pharaoh
(Peter Mark Richman)
and Cleopatra
(Jane Elliot)
12November 27, 1976 (1976-11-27)

The Pharaoh plans to use a magical pyramid to release Solaris - a being of pure energy. Solaris takes over the city as Electra Woman and Dyna Girl speed to the Pharaoh's hideout.

Guest stars: Bruce Hoy, H.B. Haggerty
13"The Spider Lady"Walter MillerGerry Day and Bethel LeslieDecember 4, 1976 (1976-12-04)The Spider Lady
(Tiffany Bolling),
Spinner
(Bruce Fischer),
and Leggs
(Robert Raymond Sutton)
14December 11, 1976 (1976-12-11)

The Spider Lady disguises herself as Electra Woman to frame her in a heist. Dyna Girl finds herself confronted by two Electra Women.

Guest stars: Andrea Lovell, Andy Veneto
15"Return of the Pharaoh"Jack RegasGreg StrangisDecember 18, 1976 (1976-12-18)The Pharaoh
(Peter Mark Richman)
and Cleopatra
(Jane Elliot)
16December 25, 1976 (1976-12-25)

The Pharaoh is back and on his way to stealing the mystical Coptic Eye. Electra Woman and Dyna Girl find the Pharaoh - in a booby-trapped pyramid.

Guest star: Sterling Swanson

Other adaptations

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Unaired WB television pilot

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The WB Television Network commissioned a pilot for a new version of the show in 2001 starring Markie Post as Electra Woman and Anne Stedman as Dyna Girl. The new series was written in the form of a cynical parody of the original show – and the superhero genre in general. It was set 25 years after the original series, with a retired Electra Woman brought back into action by a fan who ends up becoming the new Dyna Girl.

The pilot portrayed Electra Woman as a disillusioned, bitter, sexually promiscuous, chain smoking alcoholic, much in contrast to the character's original portrayal. In the pilot, Electra Woman had been married and divorced since the end of the original series, her husband having left her for the original Dyna Girl, taking her bank account and car and leaving her as trailer trash. Although the pilot was shot, the series was not picked up.

The pilot omits the character of Frank Heflin, but includes an in-joke reference to Norman Alden, who had portrayed him in the original. The university's alumni function is attended by Aquaman, whose character voice Alden had provided on the Super Friends animated series.

Web series

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YouTube personalities Grace Helbig and Hannah Hart starred in a reboot of the original series.[2][3][4] The show, produced by Tim Carter and Tomas Harlan through their Contradiction shingle, was directed by Chris Marrs Piliero and shot in Vancouver, B.C. during February and March 2015.

Electra Woman and Dyna Girl was digitally released by Fullscreen through its streaming platform as a series of eight 11-minute webisodes in April 2016. It was released on all major platforms on June 7, by Legendary Digital Studios and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. A DVD version was released in late July through Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.[5][6][7]

Parody

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In 1992, comic-book writer Bryan J. L. Glass and artist Michael Avon Oeming created Lycra Woman and Spandex Girl, an "Aerobic Duo" of super-heroines parodying Electra Woman and Dyna Girl. After the DuPont chemical company successfully sued the creators for unauthorized use of its Lycra trademark, copies of all issues using the name were destroyed and the lead character's name was changed to Flex Woman. The pair appeared in several limited series and one-shot specials, most recently in 1997.[8]

References

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  1. ^ Ruby-Spears' Filmography. Received on 15 September 2007.
  2. ^ "Grace Helbig, Hannah Hart are the new 'Electra Woman and Dyna Girl'". Mashable.com. 2015-02-26. Retrieved 2015-02-27.
  3. ^ Electra Woman & Dyna Girl - Announcement
  4. ^ Electra Woman and Dyna Girl on Twitter
  5. ^ Dry, Judith. "'Electra Woman and Dynagirl' Review: Grace Helbig and Hannah Hart Fly High in Female Superhero Spoof". Indiewire. Posted June 10, 2016.
  6. ^ Poon, Tim. "Electra Woman And Dyna Girl Review — In The Middle" Archived 2016-06-09 at the Wayback Machine. Platform Nation. Posted June 8, 2016. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  7. ^ Fowler, Matt. "Electra Woman & Dyna Girl: The Life of an Underappreciated Superhero". IGN (Canada). Posted April 25, 2016. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  8. ^ "Flex Woman". Comic Vine. Archived from the original on 2016-07-12. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
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