Forgotten TV Heroes: Electra Woman and Dyna Girl

History: Electra Woman and Dyna Girl is a Sid and Marty Krofft live action children's television series from 1976. The series lasted 16 weeks (i.e., one 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.

The program playfully, but deliberately, lampooned the superhero combo of Batman and Robin, taking many of its cues from the earlier Batman television series. The show followed the crime-fighting exploits of female caped crusader Electra Woman (played by Deidre Hall) and her teen sidekick Dyna Girl (Judy Strangis), who worked in their off-time as reporters for a magazine. In each episode, the duo would don skintight spandex in a bright flash of light called an "Electra-Change", hop in the Electracar, and use an array of technically advanced gadgets to thwart an eclectic collection of supervillains. They are assisted by Frank Heflin, a scientist who stays at their "ElectraBase" while keeping in continual contact with the pair through their "ElectraComs".

Electra Woman and Dyna Girl Merchandise:

Electra Woman & Dyna Girl 2001 (pilot): The Warner Brothers 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 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. Although the pilot was shot, the series was not picked up.

The pilot omits the character of Frank Helflin, but includes an in-joke reference to his former portrayer, Norman Alden. The university's alumni function is attended by Aquaman whom Alden had voiced on The Superfriends.