Light-Fingered Lady
Writer: Bruce Shelley
Director: Alan Crosland
Airdate: January 6, 1978

Synopsis: Diana goes undercover as a highly successful bank robber with the assignment to keep watch on criminal genius Anton Caribe. As "Lil" Thanxton, Diana is recruited by Tony Ryan, one of Caribe's top men to help carry out their biggest heist yet. Tony is attracted to Diana's beauty, as he has been so many times before in picking potential help, and this makes Caribe skeptical about bringing her into the fold. Even though she has the police record (planted in police files by the IADC) to backup her claims of being a great thief, Caribe wants more proof. So, as a way of proving her abilities, "Lil" suggests that she steal the alarm system plans for the next job. If she succeeds, she gets cut into the deal. As Wonder Woman she gets the plans, still not knowing which bank the plans are for. Along the way, Diana is being tailed by Leech, who is dead set on proving her a phony.

The plans turn out to be for the residence of Michael Sutton, a competitor of Caribe's who has to his credit the largest bank robbery to date—the Beirut Bank Robbery of 1976. The money was never recovered, and Caribe is determined to steal the money from Sutton along with anything else he can get his hands on. This job, if carried out successfully, would allow Caribe to retire as one of the wealthiest criminals in the world. There's only one problem: the alarm system. It is touted as being the most full-proof system in existence, complete with armed guards and attack dogs at the entrance of the vault.

A plan is concocted that would allow "Lil" entrance to the compound so that she is able to disarm the system and let the rest in to clean out Sutton's vault. Tony pretends to double-cross Caribe by "stealing" one of Caribe's most valuable artifacts, the sarcophagus of Queen Nephrititi, and presenting Sutton with the opportunity to buy it. Sutton takes the bait, and with "Lil" inside the sarcophagus, Diana is smuggled inside. What they don't count on though is Sutton overcautiously placing the artifact inside his vault. So Wonder Woman pulls off a big one—getting herself out of the vault, dealing with the attack dogs, getting through security beams in order to get to the alarm shut-off and then covering her steps to make sure the others don't question how she did it! The signal is then given and the others join Diana inside.

Meanwhile, the guards on their routine inspection, discover the alarm off and turn it on just as Diana is running for the elevator where the others are waiting to make their getaway. Like cowards, they leave "Lil" there to fend for herself.

Knowing she has little time until Sutton and his guards arrive and find her, Diana quickly changes into Wonder Woman. With her ability to communicate with animals, she asks the guard dogs for their help and opens the vault once again and hides inside. When the elevator door opens, Sutton and his men find the dogs jumping and playing in the security beams and therefore assume they had set the alarm off by accident.

Back at Caribe's hideout, as the group is reveling in their success, "Lil" bursts in, reveals her true identity as Agent Diana Prince with the IADC. Steve Trevor and other armed men join her and Caribe and his gang are apprehended.

At the end, Leech makes the comment: "See, what you get when you trust a woman?" To which Steve replies: "Yeah! You get the job done!"

Curiouser, and Curiouser...
On television everything is made to look so easy... take for example when Caribe's men go to open the supposedly impenetrable vault. With a slice here and there with their little laser and help from their hefty ex-football player co-hort, they are able to bend the bars a little and they are able to gain entrance lickety split. I think it took Wonder Woman almost as long when she broke out of it earlier in the episode!

And then there's the matter of those disappearing heels on Wonder Woman's boots. Has anyone been able to explain satisfactorily how they so conveniently retract when she is running and climbing? Take notice of the scene when she is climbing through the window at Techtron to steal the plans for the security system.

Applause-worthy: Mid season number two, this episode demonstrates the un-tapped potential of the show in regards to writing and creativity. One of the best written of the CBS years, this episode is just plain fun. From the double spin at the very beginning, (Diana transforming into Wonder Woman and then into the diving suit) to the witty closing remarks, you might wonder why the show was always so under-rated. Acting wise, Lynda Carter is in top form, showing yet again she was more than just a pretty face.

Included in this episode is a slight glimpse into what could have been the beginning of a more 'intimate' relationship between Diana and Steve. When Steve warns Diana to be careful at the outset of her assignment, she responds with giving him an affectionate kiss on the cheek and assures him that she'll be alright. And then the look Diana gives afterward makes the whole scene very touching and sweet. Was this an attempt at teasing us with what was never to be?

Also worth mentioning is one comical moment when Wonder Woman has to think fast. After stealing the security system plans, she unexpectedly runs into Leech as he is trying to find "Lil" inside the Techtron building. Wonder Woman pretends to be in pursuit of Lil Thanxton and insinuates that she knows that Leech is her accomplice. She locks him a closet and he begins banging loudly on the door. Seconds later the door swings open and there is "Lil", trying to calm him down before someone hears him. Leech is awe-struck that not only has "Lil" been able to get pictures of the plans but has also eluded Wonder Woman!

Cringe-worthy: Leech brings Marge Douglass to Caribe so that he can confront "Lil" face to face with this person from her past. When Marge sees "Lil", there is a long pause and you are relieved when the woman finally speaks and starts playing along with knowing her. Caribe is angry with Leech for bringing her to their hideout and compromising the security of their operation. Leech drops her back where he picked her up and Marge gets into another car driven by none other than Steve Trevor! And you can guess what's coming next... she strips off her disguise to reveal Eve (from the IADC) underneath! What exactly was Eve's job description at the IADC? And what was it with those disguises that were like a piece of skin adhered to your face and that were able to totally alter your appearance?

Episode entry by Stewart Nixon