Review of the Bionic Woman on NBC

I turned on NBC at 8:00 pm Wednesday unsure of what their new version of the Bionic Woman might be like. I was expecting to see a phony remake of The Bionic Woman (1976-78) and Lindsey Wagner somewhere in a cameo and I was waiting to hear that da-da-da-da-ting-ting-ting sound that played when Jaime used her bionic ear or took off running in slow motion. I was pleasantly surprised. No slow motion here. Not necessary. I became an instant fan. I am already planning to stay home and watch next week.

It is refreshing that NBC chose to come back with the Bionic Woman and not the Bionic (i.e: Six Million Dollar) Man. There aren't that many (if any?) female heroine's out there this year and I think The Bionic Woman will stick.

Michelle Ryan plays Jaime Sommers a woman who was in a bad car accident and brought back to life by her doctor boyfriend via computer chips in her brain and super tech implants in her legs and arm. That is where the resemblance to The Bionic Woman (1976-78) with Lindsey Wagner starts and that is where it ENDS.

There is a darker, urgent quality to this Bionic Woman. As in the dialogue spoken by Dr. Eric Masters in one of the final scenes, "Science fiction is quickly
becoming today's reality". The Bionic Woman reflects that very statement.

The special effects are superb, the story and characters believable and even the music matches the tone of the storyline.

Katie Sackhof who actually plays a small part in the premiere is excellent as Sarah Corvus, claiming the title of the first bionic woman and apparently Jaime's new nemesis. The two meet in a club where Jaime, new to her bionic brain, freaks out.

Sarah, who seems to know a lot about the bionic persuasion, helps Jaime in the restroom. Turns out Sarah Corvus is an insane bionic mess and this "friendship" ends quickly when she later starts shooting at Jaime and her boyfriend, Dr. Eric Masters, played by Chris Bowers of "Rescue Me" fame.

Miguel Ferrer ("Crossing Jordan") is Jonas Bledsoe, the secret government boss who is upset with the big bucks (fifty million) Eric blows on illegal, classified techno stuff to bring his girlfriend back to life. He expects Jaime to use her new super human qualities to save the world.

The fight in the rain between Jaime and Sarah is 21st century television at its best complete with special effects better than many big screen flicks I've seen lately. At one point Jaime flips in the air holding on to a chain link fence with rain pouring down. Speaking of the rain, the weather is a huge effect in itself throughout the hour long pilot episode. From scorching heat to down pouring rain to mountain snow, the director, Michael Dinner seems to have thrown it all in.

The Bionic Woman is produced by Bruno Heller, David Eick and Laeta Kalogridis. It airs Wednesdays (for now) on NBC.