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|---|---|---|---|
| Production 41244 Original Airdate: 23 March 1975 | |||
 Steve says a "final" farewell to Jaime
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| Produced by Lionel E. Siegel Joe L. Cramer | |||
| Written by Kenneth Johnson | |||
| Directed by Richard Moder | |||
| Guest Cast | |||
| Guest Star(s) Lindsay Wagner as Jaime Sommers Malachi Throne as Joseph Wrona | |||
| Special Guest Star(s) Martha Scott as Helen Elgin Alan Oppenheimer as Rudy Wells | |||
| With Ford Rainey as Jim Elgin Paul Carr as Timberlake Sidney Clute as Mr. Schwartz Elisabeth Brooks as First Nurse Walt Conley as Dr. Lomax Margaret Impert as 2nd Nurse Richard Jannone as Attendant | |||
| Broadcast Order | |||
| Season 2 | |||
| ← Previous | Next → | ||
| "The Bionic Woman" | "Outrage in Balinderry" | ||
| Related episodes "The Bionic Woman" "The Return of the Bionic Woman" "The Return of the Bionic Woman (Part II) "Welcome Home, Jaime" "Welcome Home, Jaime (Part II)" | |||
"The Bionic Woman" was a story consisting of two episodes of The Six Million Dollar Man. This particular episode concluded the story, and was the final episode produced in the series' second season (though two more episodes would be broadcast after it).
Summary[]
Steve Austin and Jaime Sommers are happily preparing for their forthcoming wedding when Oscar Goldman visits them in Ojai and insists that they must both go on a dangerous mission to retrieve another stolen printing plate from criminal Joseph Wrona. Steve and Jaime are lucky to escape with their lives when Jaime starts to reject her Bionics during the mission. Upon their return to Ojai Jaime's condition deteriorates further. Dr Rudy Wells discovers that Jaime has a blood clot on her brain and is in grave danger. Tragically, despite the best efforts of Rudy and his team Jaime dies during surgery to remove the clot leaving Steve heartbroken.
Novelization[]
Plot elements from this episode were incorporated into the novelization Welcome Home, Jaime by Eileen Lottman (published in the UK under the title Double Identity and credited to "Maud Willis").
Home Video[]
"The Bionic Woman" two-parter had the distinction of being, until 2010, one of the only episodes of either series to be officially released to Home Video in North America. In 1978 MCA DiscoVision released this episode on Laserdisc in the US, under the title, The Bionic Woman, inviting ambiguity as to the contents. In the 1980s, Universal put out a VHS tape, again entitled The Bionic Woman and again containing the two-part Six Million Dollar Man episode. The tape is long out of print. In an effort to stitch the two parts together as one movie, first act credits were removed from part two -- along with the scenes over which they appeared.
Deconstructed[]
Quotes[]
Jaime: Steve... something that Oscar said back there kinda set me thinking...
Steve: What's that?
Jaime: Well, about how... uh... my Blue Cross didn't cover bionic reconstruction. Now, who's footing that bill?
Steve: Uncle Sam.
Jaime: Well, that's what I thought, but... uh... what exactly is it that Uncle Sam expects in return?
Steve: Well, I guess he wants you to be part of the team.
Jaime: How many people are on the team?
Steve: Well, Oscar's the head coach, and, so far, I'm the only player.
Jaime: I guess the stakes are pretty high then, huh?
Steve: Yeah... very high.
Steve: Now Jaime's going to be my wife, and I'm not gonna let you run her life like-like--
Oscar: Like we agreed?
Jaime: Gentlemen, I'm sorry, but I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. The, uh, bionic ear you both gave me.
Steve: Jaime...
Jaime: Steve, Oscar and Rudy made me bionic. They saved my life; now I'm going to return that favor.
Steve: You haven't had enough time to get used to the bionics.
Jaime: I perform very well under pressure! And you know I've been up against some very stiff competition.
Steve: Jaime, this is no tennis match! You hit a ball into this net and you'll get your head blown off!
Jaime: Well, then, I'll just have to aim high and serve nothing but aces.
Steve: No deal, Jaime.
Jaime: You can't speak for me. And you can't change the obligation I feel to Oscar and Rudy and the government for making me whole again. I gotta pay my own way.
Wrona: You did considerable damage to me, Colonel Austin. And now I'm going to do considerable damage to you.
Jaime: Tell me something?
Steve: Anything.
Jaime: We're gonna live happily ever after, aren't we?
Steve: You bet. Here's to us.
Steve: You really like her don't you?
Helen: Oh, I've liked that sweet girl ever since your day in the third grade. Remember, she helped you come home because you got sick from eating all that food?
Steve: Yeah, but I never told you which sweet little girl dared me to eat all that food.
Jim: Helen, you sure it's legal for the stepfather of the groom to give the bride away?
Helen: Well, as long as the stepfather of the groom isn't the father of the bride it's legal.
Rudy: Jaime's body is producing massive amounts of white blood cells to fight off something foreign in her system.
Steve: You mean she has an infection?
Rudy: No, it's her bionics, Steve. Jaime's body is rejecting her bionics.
Steve: I love you Jaime, I've always loved you...
Trivia[]
Character[]
- While this story is famed for the debut of Jaime Sommers, it also marks the return of Steve's mother, Helen Elgin and introduces Jim Elgin — Steve's step-father. This particular episode is especially important to the development of Helen, who would later be a recurring guest star on The Bionic Woman, because it establishes her as one of the few civilians to know of the existence of bionics.
- Public outcry over the death of Jaime Sommers made producers realize the character's appeal and bankability. They quickly went to work on resurrecting her for the season three premiere, "The Return of the Bionic Woman."
- Helen and Jim's status as Jaime's legal guardians is hinted at when Jaime selects Jim as the man who'll give her away. The death of Jaime's parents and the subsequent guardianship of the Elgins is revealed in "Welcome Home, Jaime."
- This episode marks the final appearance of Rudy Wells in season 2, and the last regular appearance of Alan Oppenheimer in the part. When we next see Rudy, he will be played by Martin E. Brooks, although Oppenheimer will play him once more in "The Bionic Criminal".
Chronology[]
- The episode establishes that seven months elapse between Austin stealing the first plate and Jaime's botched mission to recover the second, making this likely the longest timeline of any Six Million Dollar Man or Bionic Woman episode.
- It is strongly implied that Austin has been inactive for these seven months.
Jaime's acceptance of Wrona's invitation
- Jaime's telegram accepting Joseph Wrona's invitation is dated March 1, stating that she would arrive on the 5th. Wrona's dialog establishes the tournament as being on the 8th. 1975 is of course assumed.
Bionics[]
- Oscar's initial solution to Jaime's bionic rejection is to suggest to Rudy that her bionics be "adjusted to normal strength." This is the same procedure performed on Barney Hiller in "The Seven Million Dollar Man."
Production[]
Story[]
- The tragic and rainsoaked finale is almost identical to the end of the two hour Incredible Hulk episode "Married" (1978) which was also written by Kenneth Johnson.
Gaffes[]
The Return of the Bionic Womant|ladder in lower left]]
Both Joseph Wrona & Timberlake lie in wait for Steve & Jamie, during their escape from his home. Timberlake accidentally shoots Wrona when he stands up from some bushes to take his own shot at the couple. The scene cuts to a reaction shots of Timberlake, Steve & Jamie & then back to a long shot of Timberlake's view of things. During this long shot view, Wrona's body isn't seen in the shot. While it's possible he fell into the bushes or crawled out of frame, it's extremely unlikely given he was shot with a rifle & the amount of time it would've taken, to move.
Nitpicks[]
- The events following Jaime's "death" are unclear, in the extreme. The Return of the Bionic Woman establishes that actions occur regarding Jaime immediately after her death, without Steve's knowledge. No reference is ever made to a funeral, but presumably there would have been one prior to Austin departing his ranch.
- The lyrics of "Sweet Jaime" when the song is first heard make reference to their relationship going "flat" and how Steve doesn't like seeing her "now and then" and, most noticeably, that their friendship has ended. None of this actually reflects the rekindled romance seen on screen as the song plays out.
- A color-correction error occurs during the recap of Part I, as the color of the "orange" juice when Jaime breaks the glass is noticeably different.
Illusion-Breaker[]
- As Steve and Jaime complete a jump over a fence on Steve's ranch, a step ladder can be seen on the left side of the frame.
- Steve and Jaime make their escape from the estate of Joseph Wrona by jumping from the window. As they land, shadows reveal that they're jumping from a low ledge.
Gallery[]
