Spoiler Alert: This post contains plot details from The Six Million Dollar Man (up to Season 3, Episode 1) and references to The Bionic Woman. If you’re watching for the first time, you might want to bookmark this for later.
I’m currently midway through a rewatch of The Six Million Dollar Man, and I’ve just reached Season 3, Episode 1 — “The Return of the Bionic Woman.” I figured this was a good point to pause and take stock of the experience so far.
This is my first time revisiting the show since I watched it live as a kid in the 1970s. Back then, it was just cool — bionics, slow-motion action, spy plots, and of course, Steve Austin and Jaime Sommers. I didn’t think too hard about it; it was just a fun part of TV at the time.
Watching it now with adult eyes, the pacing is slower than what we’re used to today. Scenes play out at a more deliberate pace, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t. It reflects the production realities of the era — tighter budgets, limited effects, and writing that leans more on exposition than fast-moving plots. Still, there’s a certain charm in how these stories unfold, especially with the added weight of knowing the historical backdrop — Nixon’s resignation, the energy crisis, the general cultural shift America was going through at the time.
One thing I remembered vaguely from childhood was that Jaime Sommers “died” at the end of Season 2. Rewatching that episode, I noticed how ambiguous her death actually was. There’s no funeral or definitive ending, just a line from Dr. Wells and Steve’s emotional reaction. It feels like the writers left it intentionally open, maybe as a way to gauge audience reaction before making a final decision. And judging by the fact that she’s back in Season 3, clearly the response was strong.
“The Return of the Bionic Woman” acts as a transitional episode — a reintroduction for Jaime before she moves on to her own series. I like that they didn’t hit the reset button; her return has continuity and emotional context. There’s still tension between her and Steve, especially with the memory loss element, and it gives the character a bit more complexity going into her own show.
I haven’t watched The Bionic Woman since the ‘70s, so I’m looking forward to seeing how it holds up. Right now, it feels like a natural extension of the story rather than a spinoff just for the sake of it.
So that’s where I’m at in this rewatch. It’s been interesting to revisit these shows with more context — both in terms of storytelling and the era they came out of. And while some of it shows its age, there’s still something solid at the core of it.
Looking forward to the rest of this bionic nostalgic trip.
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