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“Welcome Home, Jaime”

S1 E01

Production 44415
Original Airdate: January 14, 1976
WelcomeHomeJaimeJump1
Lindsay Wagner leaps into her own show.
Produced by
Kenneth Johnson
Written by
Kenneth Johnson
Directed by
Alan Crosland
Guest Cast
Guest Star(s)
Martin E. Brooks as Rudy Wells
Dennis Patrick as Carlton Harris
Special Guest Star(s)
Martha Scott as Helen Elgin
Richard Lenz as Michael Marchetti
Special Guest Appearance
Lee Majors as Steve Austin
Also starring
Roger Davis as Tom Hollaway
With
Ford Rainey as Jim Elgin
Dee Timberlake as Karen Stone
Joe Rainer as Attendant
Christian Juttner as Teddy
Uncredited
Bob Bralver as Sayers
Broadcast Order
Season 1
← Previous Next →
"Welcome Home, Jaime (Part II)"
Related episodes
"The Return of the Bionic Woman"
"The Return of the Bionic Woman (Part II)"
"The Bionic Woman"
"The Bionic Woman (Part II)"

Summary[]

Industrialist Carlton Harris has discovered the bionic powers of Jaime Sommers, and arranges several secret "tests" so that he can film her in action. When Oscar realizes what is happening, he arranges a "falling out" with Jaime so that she can go to work for Carlton, who is suspected of selling government secrets. While stealing secrets for Carlton in an effort to gather evidence against him, Jaime befriends the industrialist's son, Donald, a law student who is bothered by his father's illegal activities.

Deconstructed[]

For years, "Welcome Home, Jaime," has been the subject of much debate and speculation in fan communities. For much of its post-broadcast life it was believed to have aired as originally intended: on Sunday, January 11, 1976 as a Six Million Dollar Man episode.

But research for the Time-Life 2010 Six Million Dollar Man - The Complete Collection revealed evidence to the contrary. Vintage promotional recordings and numerous newspaper articles indicate that "Welcome Home, Jaime," was pulled from the Six Million Dollar Man, Sunday night time slot, re-edited with Bionic Woman main/end titles and credits, issued a new production number, and pushed up to make its ABC broadcast debut on Wednesday, January 14, 1976 as the premiere episode of The Bionic Woman.

Speculation lingers on whether original film elements of "Welcome Home, Jaime" with its Six Million Dollar Man main/end titles and credits survived after the switch.

Quotes[]

Jaime: Oscar, if I don't get an assignment from you very soon, I'm just going to show up and I'm gonna kick your door down.
Oscar: Ah, you're just the one who can do it.
Jaime: And don't you forget it.


(Jaime opens can with fingernail)
Helen: Incredible! You don't happen to have an extra set of those nails, do you?
Jaime: No, but I'll have Rudy check the parts department for you to see what he can come up with.


Jaime: I care an awful lot about Steve, but I just don't know where my heart is.
Helen: I understand. It's so frustrating to be confused.
Jaime: It really is.
Helen: Well, there's one thing not to be confused about. I almost had you for my daughter-in-law, and nothing could've made me happier. But back when you were growing up, even before you lost your parents, I always thought of you as my daughter. And I always will, Jaime. So, you see, I win either way.


Tom Hollaway: I hope you've got a couple of good solid legs to stand on.
Jaime: Well, as a matter of fact I do.


Karen: You know they gave you the dirty dozen?
Jaime: I know! Are they really as bad as they said?
Karen: Not really. They're just into preadolescence, so they're a little more outspoken than some of the other classes.


Jaime: I'll make you a deal. I won't call you a service brat and you don't call me a broad.


Jaime: How did you and I first meet?
Steve: Well, it was my first day in the third grade and you dared me to eat one of everything in the cafeteria.
Jaime: Did I? Did you?
Steve: Yeah, I tried and I got pretty sick. But I got even with you right here on this swing.
Jaime: Yeah, what'd you do, stick a frog down my back?
Steve: No, it was a lizard.
Jaime: Ew! That's an awful thing to do.

Novelization[]

This episode was adapted as a novel by Eileen Lottman. See Welcome Home, Jaime (novelization). (Note: the UK edition of this novel was published under the title Double Identity and credited to "Maud Willis".)

Trivia[]

  • The license plate number on Jaime's car is: 826 OPP (CA plate).
  • This episode marks the debut of Jerry Fielding's theme for The Bionic Woman."
  • At one point, Jaime wears a white top with multicolored strips. Aside from being featured in the opening credits, this would also be copied as the basic outfit worn by the Jaime Sommers action figure.

Bionic ability[]

  • As with The Six Million Dollar Man, the opening credits for The Bionic Woman include a number of lines of text taken from an apparent "catalog" listing the various parts used to replace Jaime's ear and limbs. Fast-readers, or those later able to freeze-frame the opening sequence, will note:
    • Jaime's ear is capable of amplification of up to 1,400 decibels.
    • Jaime's arm requires 1,550 watts of continuous power to operate.
    • Jaime's legs require 4,920 watts of continuous power to operate, and also contain a 2,100-watt reserve.
    • It is interesting to note that, despite Oscar's statement that Jaime's parts were smaller, her arm and legs actually require the exact same amount of power as that listed for Steve Austin's limbs. The catalog numbers are also identical.

Opening Sequence[]

Openingtitlefirstseason

Early title variant

  • As the first episode of the series, this episode debuted the intro sequence of The Bionic Woman and theme by Jerry Fielding.
  • The intro sequence would be revised several times over the run of The Bionic Woman, the first change coming after only two episodes. The version found here (as well as Welcome Home, Jaime (Part II) would play with a distinct version of Jerry Fielding's score, with the words "Second Bionic Replacement" before Lindsay Wagner's credit (which is a continuity error as The Seven Million Dollar Man already established a second bionic person, so this makes her the third bionic replacement), and with a somewhat inappropriate staccato drumbeat/bonga sound heard under the main melody. The composites of Jaime running superimposed on her titlecard shot, as well as her jumping supered over the same, are a sepia/orange color, and lost much detail in processing. These elements would be replaced for A Thing of the Past.

Gaffes[]

YearbookJamie

Steve's Yearbook

Tree gaffe

The tree from The Return of the Bionic Woman (Part II) (top) and the two from "Welcome Home, Jaime."

Continuity[]

  • During the main title, the on-screen "computer read-out" of Jaime's biography misspells her name as J-A-M-I-E. This spelling also appears under her photo in Steve yearbook. The error won't be corrected until the fourth episode, A Thing of the Past.
  • When Dr. Rudy Wells and Dr. Michael Marchetti are showing Jaime a slide show of pictures from her past to test her memory, the picture of Jim and Helen Elgin is taken from the next episode Welcome Home, Jaime (Part II). It comes from the scene where the Elgin's are talking to Oscar Goldman about Jaime's disappearance.
  • The Welcome to Ojai sign trumpeting "Steven Austin" appears once again, however while the sign was previously seen on a country highway on the outskirts, the sign now appears closer to the town itself.
  • In the teaser, when Oscar is dictating his letter to the Secretary, he first pronounces Dr. Marchetti's last name with a soft C and then later with a hard C. Presumably, this is the result of different ADR (Automatic Dialog Replacement) sessions being edited together. It's not uncommon for ADRs to be recorded out of order. Mr. Anderson may have recorded the initial soft C early in the production, before the proper hard pronunciation was established.
  • During the scene in which Jim and Helen explain to Jaime about her relationship with Steve, Martha Scott's image is momentarily flipped.
  • In the scene where a car is sideswiped in front of Jaime, it appears that the car already has a damaged fender, wheel, and bumper before it leaves the road. The door to the car also appears to be removed from its hinges before Jaime pulls it away.
  • The tree with the "Jaime+Steve" carving is different from the one in Return of the Bionic Woman Part II.

Nitpicks[]

  • The tennis ball that Jaime serves in front of Oscar did not damage her racquet yet it pierces a chain-link fence.
  • When Jaime pushes Steve on the swing, his 360-degree bionic-powered "flight" produces an airplane engine noise.
  • Carlton Harris reviews the film footage of Jaime ripping the door off the burning car. Only one camera was used, but the footage is edited and multi-angled (the same scene shown initially).

Gallery[]

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