Okay, it’s time to start reviewing regular season episodes of the show. I’ll group episodes in the same way they are presented on the DVDs. So here are the first four episodes of Season 1 from The Six Million Dollar Man.
Episode 1 – Population Zero
Special guests: Don Porter (Gidget)
Synopsis: In this episode Steve and Oscar investigate the seeming death of an entire town. After arriving Steve uses his actual moon walking space suit as a rudimentary Haz-Mat suit to investigate the town. A disgruntled scientist contacts Oscar to claim credit for the town and promises to strike again if not paid $10 million. Steve sets out to find out who the guy is and how to stop him.
Bionics: We see a lot of good bionic slow motion running in this episode, but no “bionic sound”. Not sure when that particular sound effect will start showing up. When Steve is running, the sound is silent except for the sound of a beating heart. In the episode conclusion, Steve rips a metal fence post out of the ground (including the cemented base, see pic above) and hurls it javelin-style through a truck killing all the bad guys. Probably one of the more bad ass things Austin has done and we are only in episode 1. We also learn in this episode that deep cold will hinder the performance of Steve’s bionics.
Notes: This is the first episode of the weekly series. We finally get the regular series opening with the famous tag line “Better, stronger, faster…”. The music has a very “X-Files” feel to it which is interesting because the entire opening feels like an episode of that show. It seems almost EVERYONE already knows about Steve’s bionics. Why do they bother keeping it a secret? Apparently Steve lived 20 miles from the afflicted town in this episode and knows everyone in the town by name.
Review: This was a very good episode. Steve and Oscar work well together, the story was good. The villain, played by Don Porter is fun. The perfect setup for a weekly series.
Episode 2 – Survival of the Fittest
Special guests: Joanne Worley (Rowen & Martin’s Laugh-In)
Synopsis: During important negotiations with Russian officials, Oscar’s life is threatened by individuals wanting to make sure those negotiations fail. When the plane that Steve and Oscar are flying in crashes, Steve must protect Oscar when it becomes clear that someone else on the flight is not who they appear to be.
Bionics: In the opening, Steve uses his bionics to remove lug nuts from a flat tire in one of the more “real world” applications of his abilities we’ve seen. Another instance, after the plane has crash landed, has Steve karate chopping a coconut in two. It’s not immediately clear whether he uses his bionics for this. Steve saves Oscar from getting bitten by a snake by bionically running up to the snake, grabbing it and hurling it into a rock wall, straight up murdering the snake. Without prejudice. Late in the episode we see Steve’s bionic “night vision” for the first time.
Notes: While on the plane, the in flight meal is delivered in really nice lunch boxes. Oh the golden age of commercial air flight. The plane’s engine catches on fire and the pilots immediately DROP IT OFF THE PLANE. Is that standard procedure? While crash landed on the island, someone jury rigs the CB radio and attempts communication. On what power source is that radio running? And why is no one taking off their uniforms, jackets or ties? It looks pretty hot on that island. Apparently this episode was remade as Fly Jaime for The Bionic Woman series.
Review: This is also a pretty good episode. Lee Majors is likable and fun. We get some pretty awesome bionic action and there’s a nice reveal at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. Except for Joanne Worley. I mean REALLY?
