Spidersecu Don't Believe the Hype

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

TrueHello Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

voicemaster71 I keep thinking that I may have seen the pilot episode of the Six Million Dollar Man series when it played weekday afternoons when I was real little, but I'm not sure. I do know that as an adult, having seen both the original 90 minute pilot in movie form (my preferred favorite) and the 2 part syndicated version, I have grown to really love this movie. I never could have seen the original air date. I was practically 2 years old when it aired. The pilot to me, seems like it can't make up its mind about what the official title shall be. I feel the title should be simply enough, the Six Million Dollar Man. Some call it Cyborg named after the Martin Caidin novel that it was based off of. Others have called it both Cyborg: The Six Million Dollar Man. Sounds reasonable to me. Lee Majors took on the role of Steve Austin while acting on another TV show that wound up being short lived. We see Steve as somewhat of a rebel and after his accident, he's a depressed man who'd rather die than live with one limb or have Bionic ones replace his destroyed ones. I find it rather odd that the word Bionic was not used until the actual weekly series began. I also find it ironic that Steves rank of colonel was ignored, not to mention his walk on the moon not being fully discussed.We see the emotion he goes through after the rescue of the boy which tears into his bionic arm as well as his confrontation with Spencer. I loved his first official adventure in the dessert and how he escapes and kicks some butt bionic style. Now for Dr. Rudy Wells. If I'm not mistaken, the original Dr. Wells was played by the late Martin Balsam who I think was on Archie Bunker's Place. I liked Balsam's version of Rudy. He was not only Steve's doctor, but also his best friend. Barbara Anderson was a very beautiful lady and I recall her as nurse Jean Manners. I find it odd that they replaced her with Carla in the Seven Million Dollar Man episode. Now for the only criticism. I discovered that Richard Anderson's character, Oscar Goldman, was in the Cyborg novel and that it was Goldman who made the move to have Steve bionically rebuilt, but I cannot for the life of me figure out why they replaced Oscar with the character of Oliver Spencer, played brilliantly by the late Darren McGavin, who would later on do Kolchak the Night Stalker as well as the "Old Man" in A Christmas Story and he was a laugh a minute. McGavin's Oliver Spencer is someone who makes Oscar look like a priest. He is totally cold hearted red tape government man all the way. As much as I like Darren McGavin, I'm glad he moved on after this pilot. Not much was done to show Steve as a Bionic Man, but when they did, it was impressive enough. I more or less recall the series in its 3-5 seasons where he runs in slow motion and that special sound effect. None of that was here in these early episodes. I also feel the need to comment on the awesome music score by Gil Melle. I highly recommend that you see this pilot movie in order to understand how the Six Million Dolar Man really works. I give it a perfect 10.

razorbladeetches Although I haven't seen this show in years, I do have very fond memories of it. I recall it came on every Sunday night either before or after the new Hardy Boys show and I was pretty much addicted to it. It's a part of my past ... like it or not! Just like Superfriends, Sid and Marty Kroft, Big Wheels and my old neighborhood friends. I would have to admit it would be a most difficult thing for me to objectively review this show. That's the problem with nostalgia -one tends to idealize the past. I have my own perception of the show and I don't know how it would stack up to reality. I like to think of the show as something that I liked but left behind long ago. Not that I wouldn't be up to watching a few episodes now but it just wouldn't be the same.

ShootingShark Steve Austin is a rebellious NASA test-pilot who is critically injured in a horrific crash, losing both legs, his right arm and his left eye in the process. His doctor, with the backing of a mysterious government agent, uses experimental prosthetic surgery to give him new limbs and a new eye, which will give him superhuman strength and sight. The surgery is a success, but what does the government have planned for him ? This pilot TV-movie for one of the most successful US TV series of the seventies is a surprisingly low-key but intriguing story, with a great central idea. The rotten intelligence services want a super-agent, capable of incredible feats of strength and agility, who can infiltrate situations by stealth where a team of operatives could not. Their solution - take a man as good as dead and rebuild him as a cyborg; a bionic man with artificial limbs and senses infinitely more powerful than a normal man. Henri Simoun's script, based on a book by Martin Caidin, is really just a three-character play (Anderson, as a bit of totty, is pretty but unnecessary) between the unwilling roboman (Majors), his doctor (the always-reliable Balsam) and a control agent (McGavin), but it explores the Frankenstein theme with surprising subtlety and the relatively few action scenes are handled well. Also good, in the classic seventies style, is the depiction of government as ruthless strategists with limitless resources and no compassion - they see their creation not as a man, but as their product, which is only worth having if it is an asset to their operations. Perhaps a little too sober and ponderous at times, but a great story nonetheless.

beechgrove Great show. Fans from the airing of the original show never forget it! Re-airing of the show in countries around the globe garner each time a new flush of fans. There are SO MANY web sites dedicated not only to the show, its lead actors,but the concept of bionics, too. Most discussions about the series occurs at these sites.'Everyone' is waiting (with baited breath) for a theatrical movie to be made of the original show concept conceived by Martin Caidin, explored in the TV movie / first episode pilot Cy'borg / Moon and the Desert.Fabulously original sci-fi idea, which is believable and outlandish both at the same time. Part of the show's appeal was the exploration of the human side of 'the machine', and individual identity. It is this element that spans the years, remains current and absorbing to fans, as well as aspects of where science could take us in the future. The show covered so many bases from flying and space, to scientific discoveries, communication technology, paranormal elements, and the action,spy and political thriller genre were also well mined for story ideas. The show appealed to adults and children alike. (Of course another huge appeal factor it has to be acknowledged was the lead actor, Lee Majors!)