THE REUNION MOVIES:
I will be honest, I have very mixed emotions about this trio of tv reunion flicks. Part of me, the little kid part, loves them just for the simple fact I get to see my favorite childhood heroes back in action again. Another part of me, the cynical adult, finds them frustrating and disappointing, a fantastic opportunity to tell a great new bionic adventure that was squandered and wasted.:sad:
In the 1980s, tv reunion movies of old television series were extremely popular. Seeing this as an opportunity, actor Richard Anderson courted the executives at NBC, and convinced them the time was right for a Bionic Reunion. In fact, Anderson is the main catalyst for all 3 reunion movies being made, even though he was not directly a producer of the films.
Besides the original actors from both bionic series, no one from behind the scenes (Harve Bennett or Kenneth Johnson or others) was involved in the production of these movies, and it clearly shows. Michael Sloan was hired to executive produce and write the reunion movies. Sloan was mentored under Glen A. Larson, serving as writer/producer on most of Larson's series, and his production style clearly reflects this experience. Sloan's own biggest tv series were probably the rebooted ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS, THE EQUALIZER and KUNG FU: THE LEGEND CONTINUES. While Sloan had genre experience, it seemed pretty clear to me he was not really familiar with the original series or what really made them successfully tick. It was almost as though he read the Cole's Notes version, getting the broad strokes but no fine details. While he did give Steve and Jaime some good character dialogue here and there, it almost felt secondary with our main heroes being shuffled to the sidelines so a new bionic character could be introduced for a possible new spin off series. Add to that the bionic gags were limited and poorly executed, and the villains were lame and unworthy, it makes for a mixed viewing experience for the Bionic Fanboy.
RETURN OF THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN & BIONIC WOMAN -- Aired May 17, 1987 on NBC. Steve is retired running fishing boat tours (???), while Jaime works at a Rehabilitation Centre. Neither has seen or spoken to each other in years. A supremist terrorist group called FORTRESS (apparently Steve's arch enemy's for the last 10 years --wtf???) is back and up to no good. Meanwhile, Steve's son (his what....??? talk about retro-cons!?!?!) is graduating from the Air Force and crashes his plane, and Steve begs Oscar to make him bionic! Steve and Jaime reunite, turns out Jaime got her memory back a few years before and all her old feelings for Steve return, and their romance is rekindled.
Okay, so the good -- the Steve and Jaime scenes together are excellent, they still have chemistry and some nice very character moments.
Martin Landeau chews up the scenery as the Big Bad Guy which is cool. This was just a year before his comeback career in movies with Ed Wood.
The rest.... well... I dunno, it's so hard for me to be generous as my expectations were so high.
Lots of annoying things.... the OSI is mistakenly called the OFFICE OF SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION, when in the series it was INTELLIGENCE.
The OSI has a secret headquarters! What the..?? The series clearly established the OSI as a publicly known but secretive organizaton like the CIA or FBI.
And yet everyone seems to know, from secretaries to security guards to other agents, that Steve is bionic?!!! What the heck?!!
And why in ten years have there been no other bionic agents created? The tech works, Rudy is still running things, and yet the next Bionic Man is only created because Steve demands his son be saved. Oh and don't get me started on Steve suddenly having a secret son?!?!
Jaime is running/working out in the park and acts all tired and winded when done. Why? She is bionic! It has been clearly established, even running a 60mph, is only like a fast walk for the rest of their organic body.
The badguys are weak and pose no serious threat. There is never any sense of real jeopardy or epicness that all the old 2 or 3 part bionic episodes used to have.
The MUSIC -- the soundtrack from all 3 movies is instantly forgetable. No attempt was made emulate or even used the original material so masterfully created by composer Oliver Nelson. It just never
FEELS like a Bionic Adventure, and this has a lot to do with the music.
But the thing that annoyed me the most, there is a scene where the badguys are trying to capture Steve and they have a car chase!
A frakking CAR CHASE!!!!
Steve even jumps his car over semi truck. I thought I was watching an episode of THE FALLGUY!::mad2:
I would give it 8 out of 10.:-D
BIONIC SHOWDOWN -- April 30, 1989 on NBC. Steve continually tries to ask Jaime to marry him but keeps getting interrupted by a very lame plot. Oh and Dr. Wells has created a new BIONIC GIRL! And there is a bunch of rubbish about some terrorists disrupting the World Unity Games and a mysterious Bionic Villain.
The good ... Sandra Bullock, this then unknown actress, shines and steals every scene she is in. It is worth watching for her alone! A BIONIC GIRL series starring Bullock would have rocked!
Steve and Jaime still have wonderful chemistry but they feel even more like guest stars than the leads in this second feature.
The bad.... again, very weak badguys.
Special effects not so special.
Geraint Wyn Davies (FOREVER KNIGHT) plays the traitor OSI agent/bionic villain, but his performance is nothing of interest.
This was filmed in winter in Hamelton, Canada, thus the exteriors are limited and everyone looks really, really cold.:canada:
I would give this one 7 out of 10.
BIONIC EVER AFTER Aired November 29, 1994 on CBS.
Steve and Jaime are preparing for their wedding, but something is wrong with Jaime's bionics making her ill and Steve goes off on a mission to rescue some hostages.
The Good.... Steve and Jaime get married!!!
YAY!:dance:
This is the only movie that was not designed as a back door pilot for a new bionic character, so our stars take the stage front and center, which is excellent.
The lovely Farrah Forke (Wings, Lois & Clark) guests and gives a good performance. Interestingly, she changed her name to Farrah upon coming to Hollywood because Farrah Fawcett (Majors former wife and regular SMDM guest star) was her idol.
The Bad.... this movie had basically
NO BUDGET and it shows everywhere. And they shot it in only 20 days, a total rush job. Almost no bionic gags and the few that do exist are very poorly executed. Again, a terrible villain. Once again Jaime is put into distress by having her bionics tampered with.
And more continuity blunders, as ANOTHER co-creator of bionics comes out of the woodwork.
Of the three, I do enjoy this one because our heroes get the most screen time together and it is clear why the original show worked so well. And it was nice to see them finally tie the knot.
I would give this one 8 out of 10.