Changes: Operation Firefly

Revision as of 23:11, 11 November 2007

Summary

It is feared that the inventor of a revolutionary wireless laser, Dr. Samuel Abbott, has been kidnapped. Steve Austin travels to El Capote, Spain to meet with his daughter, Susan, who is gifted with extra sensory perception (ESP). Susan senses that her father is being held in the Florida Everglades. On their way to the Madrid airport, an attempt is made to kill both Susan and Steve but they survive and eventually arrive in Florida. Meanwhile Oscar Goldman receives a visit from a representative of the kidnappers confirming that Dr. Abbott is indeed being held prisoner and seeking a ransom.

In the Everglades Steve and Susan begin their search but during their first night there they are attacked by four men. This results in the death of their local guide and the loss of their boat. The following day, in a canoe made from a log, they manage to continue their search. Susan is lucky to survive an attack by a crocodile with Steve coming to her rescue. Eventually they locate Dr. Abbott in a large house but they quickly discover that he has been tricked into believing that the kidnappers, the leader of which is an old friend of his, are his protectors and that Steve has been sent to kill him. Steve is imprisoned but soon escapes and removes a vital part from the wireless laser that Dr. Abbott has been working on. When the laser explodes during a test, the leader of the kidnappers is infuriated and hits Dr. Abbott. Now realising the truth about his captors, Steve, Susan and Dr. Abbott finally manage to escape.

Production

Season 1, Episode 3

Production Number: 40016
Airdate: February 1, 1974
Producer: Sam Strangis & Donald R. Boyle
Written by: Sy Salkowitz
Directed by: Reza Badiyi

Guest Stars

Pamela Franklin - Susan Abbott
Simon Scott - Samuel Abbott

Co-starring

Jack Hogan - John Belson
Joe Kapp - Frank
Vic Mohica - Eddie
Joseph Ruskin - Le Duc

With

Erik Holland - Ed Rawlins
Bill Conklin - Hobbs
Margarita Cordova - Desk Clerk

Quotes

Steve Austin: You know the thing about canoes is that they tip over easily, especially home made ones.

Susan Abbott: What happens if it sinks?

Steve Austin: Well you'll be the first to know!

Trivia

This episode settles on, but does not introduce, the sound effect associated with the use of Steve's bionic eye. The sound had previously been used in Template:SMDM and "Wine, Women and War" to indicate the operation of various background technology.
It also introduces, but does not consistently use, the final visual effect for Steve's POV while using the eye. We first see a close-up of his eye, followed by a zoom  from his point of view  on the scene he is observing. The zoom features a reticle overlay that is similar to the viewfinder on many cameras, and includes a centered cross framed by brackets. If Austin uses his bionic eye in the dark or is scanning for infrared traces, a red filter effect is added to the brackets and cross. Though used in the top half of the program, the overlay is missing from an instance of eye use in the bottom of the hour, when Steve gets caught by John Belson and his men.

Nitpicks

Scenes Deleted In Syndication

The Six Million Dollar Man: Season One
Previous episode:	Next episode:
Survival of the Fittest	Day of the Robot

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 ==Trivia==
+*This episode settles on, but does not introduce, the sound effect associated with the use of Steve's bionic eye.  The sound had previously been used in {{SMDM|The Six Million Dollar Man (Pilot)}} and "[[Wine, Women and War]]" to indicate the operation of various background technology.
-*This episode settles on what will become the final effects used, whenever [[Steve Austin]] uses his bionic eye.  We first see a close-up of his eye, followed by a zoom &#151; from his point of view &#151; on the scene he is observing. The zoom features a reticle overlay, that is similar to what you would see in an old-fashioned camera viewfinder (brackets and centered cross).  If [[Steve Austin|Austin]] uses his bionic eye in the dark or is scanning for infrared traces, a red filter effect is added to the brackets and cross.  A characteristic beeping sound is also heard, at all times.
+*It also introduces, but does not consistently use, the final visual effect for Steve's POV while using the eye.   We first see a close-up of his eye, followed by a zoom &#151; from his point of view &#151; on the scene he is observing. The zoom features a reticle overlay that is similar to the viewfinder on many cameras,  and includes a centered cross framed by brackets.  If [[Steve Austin|Austin]] uses his bionic eye in the dark or is scanning for infrared traces, a red filter effect is added to the brackets and cross.  Though used in the top half of the program, the overlay is missing from an instance of eye use in the bottom of the hour, when Steve gets caught by [[John Belson]] and his men.
 ==Nitpicks==