The Six Million Dollar Man Movie:01

Episode: The Moon and the Desert
Original Airdate: 3/13/73

I don’t remember TOO much about this series except that I loved it and watched it rabidly as a kid.  Thinking about this now, I do remember thinking it was completely awesome and the special effects were mind blowing and…. The Bionic Woman…. YUM! Let’s see what we’ve got going on here.

Steve Austin is a U.S. astronaut. One day he strolls into work and test pilots an experimental new plane. Trying to land, he crashes and tears his body up. The government gives him a new arm, some legs and a new mechanical eyeball. Then they send him to the Middle East to run through the sand and rescue a politician from terrorists. I would hate to spoil this for you but let’s just say, he throws a bunch of grenades and makes it back home.

Here’s some notable takeaways from the first of three TV “Pilot” movies:

• The opener is a Pre-DOS computer explaining to the viewer what a “Cy’borg” is
• The dad from A Christmas Story is in this
• Steve Austin is wearing a slick one piece, orange jumper
• With  a match sticking out of his mouth….
• This is some interesting POV filming from inside the cockpit
• There are LOTS of moustaches in this thing
• Ashtrays in the hospital break room! Score!
• That nurse has a nice rack acting ability
• There’s WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too much Be-Bop in the score
• Nice wig, Israeli captive
• No man throws grenades like that!!!
• LOL that was TOTALLY a stuntman falling off of that tank…

Oh well – this was pretty good. It had some laughable moments that were supposed to be serious, some serious hairdos and some serious moustaches. The special effects were mainly sped  up footage of Lee Majors running a lot and the music totally sucked. But I’m not complaining and I’m geared up for the next one!