DC: Earth '77

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NoOneofConsequence
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DC: Earth '77

Post by NoOneofConsequence »

This is just something silly I've been kicking around for a while. I am a big fan of DC's Wonder Woman '77 series (and its Bionic Woman crossover), mostly owing to being a fan of the original series when I was a kid. I'm also a fan of the late 70s and early 80s genre tv I grew up with. And at some point it occurred to me that a number of DC characters and properties adapt pretty well to various shows from that period. So I started trying to develop a 1977 DC setting that evokes that period.

Obviously, the cornerstone for all of this is Wonder Woman, specifically The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, starring Lynda Carter as our heroine. Diana Prince, she works for the Inter-Agency Defense Command under its new director, Steve Trevor Jr., (played by Lyle Waggoner).
Since this is an expanded version of that original universe, you'd see more of Wonder Woman's rogues gallery (in addition to a lot of the stranger foes from the show). Probably the Deborah Domaine version of Cheetah, Zara Priestess of the Crimson Flame redone as a sort of 70s cult leader, Doctor Poison, a version of Eviless in the vein of 1970s alien invaders, Queen Clea of the Atlantan colony of Venturia, Doctor Cyber, Circe, The Red Panzer, Osira, Doctor Psycho, and the Kobra Cult. I'd also like to do Giganta, but I've no idea how to really do her in the context of a 1970s tv series. I'm also not sure who would be the best people to cast as these various characters.

Next is The Aquaman from Atlantis, starring Patrick Duffy as Arthur Curry, an amnesiac man with superhuman strength, the ability to breath under water, and to communicate with sea creatures. Found by the Foundation for Oceanic Research (who have minor ties with the IADC), he now works for them in their work of undersea exploration, top secret research, and environmental science.
I'm not sure how the supporting cast would play out, given Aquaman doesn't really have much in the way of surface allies, and I'm hesitant to rework people like Mera and the like into members of the FOR (even if Belinda J. Montgomery would make an interesting Mera).
Villain-wise, I think Ocean Master and Black Manta work really well in this context. Especially if you go with the old idea of Ocean Master being powered by mystic Zodiac Crystals. Others like Scavanger, Aquabeast, and several of the various mad scientists from his Golden and Silver Age adventures work well here too, I think.

And then there's Oracle's Angels. The mysterious and faceless Oracle, who communicates only over a speaker box with the voice of Yvonne Craig, has assembled a trio of recent female police academy graduates to work for her Oracle Detective Agency (probably in LA, but Gotham isn't out of the question). Dinah Lance, the daughter of a police captain, is played by Kate Jackson. Helena Bertinelli, secretly the daughter of an infamous Mafia don, is played by Jaclyn Smith. And Mari McCabe, a former fashion model, is played by Grace Jones.
I don't know who Oracle's male office manager is or who plays him. I'd considered Ted Kord, but I'm not entirely sold on it.

Finally, Victor Stone, star athlete. After a tragic lab accident, a man barely alive. But his father can rebuild him. He has the technology. The capacity to make the world's first bionic man. Better than he was before. Better, faster, stronger. Now he's an elite agent of the Office of Scientific Intelligence, where his father works. Victor is played by a young unknown, Ernie Hudson. [Edit Note: Carl Weathers has also been suggested for the role.] I'm not sure who would play his father, Dr. Silas Stone, or the head of OSI.
And given the conventions of the time, odds are this show would end up being titled The Bionic Brother, even though Martin Caiden's original novel was called Cyborg.

That's the foundation. I have three or four additional "shows" to build onto it.
Last edited by NoOneofConsequence on Thu Oct 29, 2020 12:39 am, edited 2 times in total.
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NoOneofConsequence
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Re: DC: Earth '77

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And for our host's benefit, I will mention that, yes, Michael Grey as Billy Batson, John Davey as Captain Marvel, and Joanna Cameron as Isis are part of this.
What is tolerance? It is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly. That is the first law of nature.
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Davies
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Re: DC: Earth '77

Post by Davies »

If you haven't already, you might want to check out Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77, which actually involves events from the 40s, the 60s and the 70s.
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NoOneofConsequence
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Re: DC: Earth '77

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It was on my list of stuff to grab before current events, but I haven't had the chance to go pick it up yet.
What is tolerance? It is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly. That is the first law of nature.
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Re: DC: Earth '77

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NoOneofConsequence wrote: Wed Oct 28, 2020 1:40 am And for our host's benefit, I will mention that, yes, Michael Grey as Billy Batson, John Davey as Captain Marvel, and Joanna Cameron as Isis are part of this.
I appreciate the thought. :D
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NoOneofConsequence
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Re: DC: Earth '77

Post by NoOneofConsequence »

And coming to CBS this fall, The Teen Titans, staring Parker Stevenson as Dick Greyson, Shuan Cassidy as Roy Harper, Pamela Sue Martin as Donna Troy, and Linda Blair as Lilith Clay. Also featuring Mal Duncan and Karen Beecher (yet to be cast). This is very much the team in their late 70s "not wearing costumes" phase, in which they operate out of the disco club Gabriel's Horn and are given financial backing and mentorship from millionaire Loren Jupiter.
I'm not really sure about enemies. I think it would be easy to update the likes of Ding Dong Daddy and Mad Mod into the disco era. And probably at least one appearance by Duela Dent/Harlequin.

Then there's Zatanna the Magician. I've no idea who would be the star here, but it would feature young 20-something stage magician and real wizard Zatanna as she tours the globe (budget permitting) and solves various mysteries and occult occurrences as she searches for her missing father, the famous magician Zatara. We'll see repeated flashbacks of father and daughter together, with the former played by Bill Bixby. Also the recurring character of professional debunker Doctor Terrence Thirteen and his daughter Traci, as well as the Phantom Stranger who keeps giving Zatana clues about her father. With special appearance by Darren McGavin as Doctor Occult.
Open auditions are now being held for the roles of Felix Faust, June Moone, and Bruce Gordon/Eclipso. Klarion the Witch Boy is played by Harvey Spencer Stephens.
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greycrusader
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Re: DC: Earth '77

Post by greycrusader »

These are all wonderfully creative mash-ups! I'm afraid I don't have an extensive knowledge of appropriate 1970s genre shows (aside from suggesting a rather obvious spin-off series, The Six-Million Dollar Sister, featuring Natasha Irons as a IADC agent horribly injured in a terrorist attack, who is outfitted in a super-tech armor which restores her mobility, along with giving her enhanced strength, speed, and cyber senses.
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Re: DC: Earth '77

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greycrusader wrote: Fri Oct 30, 2020 1:40 am These are all wonderfully creative mash-ups! I'm afraid I don't have an extensive knowledge of appropriate 1970s genre shows (aside from suggesting a rather obvious spin-off series, The Six-Million Dollar Sister, featuring Natasha Irons as a IADC agent horribly injured in a terrorist attack, who is outfitted in a super-tech armor which restores her mobility, along with giving her enhanced strength, speed, and cyber senses.
There apparently is now a female version of Cyborg, called Cygirl, that I am guessing was inspired by the never used character from the original pitch animation for the Justice League cartoon. But for some weird reason she is a Wonder Woman villain. Still, the idea would make a good addition to the Cyborg show. Thanks.


Besides the original Wonder Woman show, the first three are all essentially existing shows reskinned: Man from Atlantis, Charlie's Angels, and The Six-Million Dollar Man/Bionic Woman. (I'm actually a little disappointed we never had Wonder Woman '77 crossover comics with the other two.) The two follow ups are derived from the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew series and from Bill Bixby's pre-Hulk show The Magician.

I should have two more shows tomorrow.

Meanwhile, a reminder that in 1978, you will believe a man can fly.
What is tolerance? It is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly. That is the first law of nature.
Voltaire, "Tolerance" (1764)
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Re: DC: Earth '77

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Dibny & Wife, in which we follow the adventures of Ralph and Sue Dibny, played by Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James, husband and wife detective duo in their adventures. Their dynamic is heavily in the same vein as Nick and Nora Charles in the classic Thin Man movies, Yes, Ralph has his powers, but you hardly ever see them in use.

Adam Strange on the Planet Rann. The year is 1977, and archaeologists are investigating a recently discovered lost city in the mountains of Peru. In a freak mishap, team leader Adam Strange is exposed to cosmic forces beyond all comprehension. In the blink of an eye, he is thrust thousands of lightyears across vast space to an alien world. Staring Gil Gerard as Adam Strange, Erin Grey as Alanna, and Tim O'Conner as Sardath. Eventually including an appearance by Thom Christopher and Barbara Luna as Thangarians Katar Hol and Shayera Thal.
What is tolerance? It is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly. That is the first law of nature.
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Re: DC: Earth '77

Post by greycrusader »

These last two strike me as especially inventive, though it is hard to picture Rock Hudson as Ralph Dibney.

All my best.
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Re: DC: Earth '77

Post by NoOneofConsequence »

greycrusader wrote: Sun Nov 01, 2020 1:30 am These last two strike me as especially inventive, though it is hard to picture Rock Hudson as Ralph Dibney.

All my best.
There are probably a few better casting choices. I mostly just used him because he was the lead in the tv show McMillan and Wife.

More than a few of these casting choices could go multiple ways. I have Ernie Hudson, a total unknown novice at the time, as Cyborg just because he was the voice fo the character on the Superfriends cartoon. But as I mention, Carl Weathers would also work. And in all honesty, if it had really been a tv show back in 1977, studios probably would've insisted on casting someone more well known, and in my head I could easily see that ending up being OJ Simpson. And given his later questionable reputation, I'd be kind of tempted to just lean into that and end up casting Bill Cosby as Cyborg's father.

Currently, I'm trying to figure out a tv adaption of Archie Goodwin's run on Manhunter, the Jack Kirby version of Sandman, and Bronze Tiger and Richard Dragon. And maybe the Hairy-Chested Love God version of Batman.

Meanwhile, I present Angie Dickinson as police officer Liza Warner in Lady Cop.
What is tolerance? It is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly. That is the first law of nature.
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Re: DC: Earth '77

Post by Davies »

Richard Dragon must be played by a young Chuck Norris. (Watch clips of him from Way of the Dragon/Game of Death.)
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NoOneofConsequence
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Re: DC: Earth '77

Post by NoOneofConsequence »

Davies wrote: Sun Nov 01, 2020 8:50 pm Richard Dragon must be played by a young Chuck Norris. (Watch clips of him from Way of the Dragon/Game of Death.)
He'd be an interesting choice. Bronze Tiger would probably be played by Jim Kelly (though if this were the 80s, he'd be Steve James).

Meanwhile, I have this odd idea of The Man Who Fell to Earth reworked to be about Starfire.
What is tolerance? It is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly. That is the first law of nature.
Voltaire, "Tolerance" (1764)
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