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| Production 44402 Original Airdate: March 3, 1976 | |||
 Jaime destroys the radar jammer
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| Produced by Kenneth Johnson | |||
| Written by Wilton Denmark | |||
| Directed by Alan J. Levi | |||
| Guest Cast | |||
| Guest Star(s) Forrest Tucker as J.T. Connors Ben Piazza as Warren Rayker | |||
| Special Guest Appearance Lee Majors as Col. Steve Austin | |||
| With Howard McGillin as Staff Sgt. Alicia Fleer as Katie Christian Juttner as Teddy Gary McLarty as 1st Guard | |||
| Broadcast Order | |||
| Season 1 | |||
| ← Previous | Next → | ||
| "Claws" | "Bionic Beauty" | ||
Jaime is sent to investigate her dear friend J.T. Connors after an unarmed missile is launched from his estate.
Summary[]
Colonel Steve Austin and Oscar Goldman examine an unidentified ballistic missile that landed in the Los Angeles reservoir. The missile was launched from an unknown location while the OSI's radar defense system was jammed. Jaime Sommers reluctantly agrees to investigate J.T. Connors' ranch as a possible launch site.
Connors, a brilliant and powerful industrialist, is one of her oldest and dearest friends. Upon her arrival, the two reminisce about the past and tour Connors' estate. Along the way, Jaime asks about a fenced-in building, and is told that the Radar Installation is off-limits. Later that same evening, Jaime returns to explore the building. She finds the radar jamming equipment, but in doing so, activates the alarm system. In an effort to escape, Jaime damages her right leg and is transported back to the house by Connors. Jaime questions Connors about the building, but he doesn't answer. Instead he gives her a sedative.
In the morning, Jaime tells Connors about the missile, and the two soon find out that Warren Rayker is responsible for the launch. Jaime tries to contact Oscar, but she is taken by Rayker to a room where she finds an unconscious Connors lying on the ground. Rayker takes his two hostages to the Radar Installation where they make contact with Oscar and Steve, who are both at the M.E.W.S. Control in Los Angeles. Rayker threatens to launch another missile armed with conventional weapons at the M.E.W.S. control if he does not received fifteen million dollars. Returning to the storage hut, Connors is able to repair Jaime's leg. They escape, making their way to the Radar Installation, but Rayker has already activated the security system, complete with electrical fence and laser beams. Jaime makes it through the defense system, but Rayker prevents her from destroying the radar jammer. They go to meet Oscar, who is flying in by helicopter with the money, while Steve remains at M.E.W.S. in an attempt to intercept the missile. Connors attacks Rayker, knocking the control device out of his hand and launching the missile. The radar jammer was also activated, rendering M.E.W.S. defenseless. Jaime races to the jamming antenna as Steve attempts to track the missile. Using a pole, Jaime is able to destroy the antenna, allowing Steve to track and intercept the missile. In Jaime's Coach house, Steve and Jaime make plans for a candlelight dinner.
Deconstructed[]
Quotes[]
J.T.: Your leg is bionic?
Jaime: Both of 'em. But right now, this one needs a repairman, and you're elected.
J.T.: (fondling Jaime's bionic leg he just repaired) Amazing piece of equipment.
Jaime: J.T.? That may be equipment to you, but it's my leg...
J.T.: (embarrassed) Yeah, I'm sorry.
Jaime: Never leave a loaded missile around the house!
Steve: Y'know, I'm... uh... I'm pretty good with bionic parts.
Jaime: Oh, you are?
Steve: Yeah, you'd be amazed to see what I can do with 'em.
Jaime: Would I?
Steve: Well, at least we oughta talk about it.
Jaime: Like maybe over a candlelit dinner?
Steve: Yeah, like over a candlelit dinner.
Jaime: I'd love that.
Steve: What'cha got in the fridge?
Jaime: Huh? (Steve goes to get up) Hey! (they kiss)
Trivia[]
The "missile" footage in the first few minutes of this episode is from the launch of Apollo 17, the ONLY night launch of the Apollo program, and the last manned mission to the Moon.
Storyline[]
- The story for this episode shares some superficial similarities with Population Zero. Both episodes feature sonar/jammer devices. Both feature the protagonist's bionics not working correctly for a time. And both show the protagonist ripping a metal pole out of the ground, and flinging it at said sonar/jammer. In fact, select footage of a metal pole being ripped from the ground and thrown in this episode is taken from "Zero". (The pole thrown by Jaime has a sign attached, while the pole in footage from "Zero" has no sign.)
- The inner workings of one of Jaime's bionic limbs are revealed for the first time. Given her reaction upon seeing the opening in her leg, it seems this may be the first time she has seen this, too.
- Jaime takes exception to J.T. referring to her leg as a piece of equipment. This echoes statements made by Rudy Wells to Steve in the 1973 pilot urging him to not look at his bionic arm as a machine, but as his arm.
- The first scene between Jaime and J.T. contains a surprising level of political discussion for the Bionic franchise, with references to J.T. being right-wing politically (so much so he jokes he won't even signal a left turn), and a reference is made to the then-still-controversial topic of fluoridation of water. Ironically, while J.T.'s complaints about Washington bureaucrats suggest he considers them to be too far left, in fact at the time the episode aired the president was Gerald Ford, a Republican.
Behind the scenes[]
- According to The Bionic Book it was around the time this episode was produced that Lindsay Wagner was involved in an automobile accident that left her with a permanent scar on her upper lip. Although the scar is not visible in this episode, it becomes noticeable beginning with the next episode broadcast, "Bionic Beauty"
Gaffes[]
Continuity[]
- Jaime whips the lemon meringue pie to full volume just before Oscar enters, but the bowl appears empty after he enters.
- Jaime reacts with an "ouch!" when she scratches her right hand against the protruding screw in her oven door. Based on what we know about bionic limbs, she shouldn't be able to feel that sort of pain (for example, in Claws she doesn't even notice when an elephant steps on her foot, yet alone react in pain).
- Jaime's shoes change from loafers to tennis shoes when she starts running toward the radar jamming antenna.
- When Jaime kicks the door of the storage facility open, she knocks out a guard who falls unconscious into a washbasin which is lying flat on the ground. In the next scene he is leaning on top of the basin and it is now vertical and placed on its side
- The post Jaime rips from the ground has a sign attached to it when she throws it, however the sign disappears as it approaches the radar jamming device, and returns on impact. (See above: this is due to the use of recycled footage from a similar scene in "Population Zero".)
- Jaime clearly feels pain when J.T. attempts to fix her bionic leg, and also as the leg shorts out. Both series have been inconsistent as to whether Steve and Jaime should be able to feel pain in their artificial limbs.
Illusion Breaker[]
- As Jaime kicks down the door of the radar installation to escape, the sparks to indicate her leg is being electrocuted appear before her foot connects with the door.
Gallery[]
