My biggest memory of SMDM was watching it over my cousins house and it was interrupted because of some stupid shenanigans over stolen tapes and impeachment. Nixon ruined my childhood and I will never forgive him.
They should have canceled the series after the death of composer Oliver Nelson. The series would have have been remembered as the great three seasons series. Composer J.J. Johnson coudn't compete against the heavyweight Oliver Nelson. Johnson only emulated the sound of Nelson in a subdued and simplistic way: nobody remember his input on the series because this is so empty.
They should have canceled the series after the death of composer Oliver Nelson. The series would have have been remembered as the great three seasons series. Composer J.J. Johnson coudn't compete against the heavyweight Oliver Nelson. Johnson only emulated the sound of Nelson in a subdued and simplistic way: nobody remember his input on the series because this is so empty.
That would have been a first: canceling a show because its composer died. We're talking about ABC here, a network which replaced one of the lead actors in Alias Smith & Jones after the guy committed suicide. Wasn't gonna happen, pal.
I also have the feeling you're being too tough on those seasons, as they're remembered fondly by fans (except maybe for Steve's mustache)
They should have canceled the series after the death of composer Oliver Nelson. The series would have have been remembered as the great three seasons series. Composer J.J. Johnson coudn't compete against the heavyweight Oliver Nelson. Johnson only emulated the sound of Nelson in a subdued and simplistic way: nobody remember his input on the series because this is so empty.
That would have been a first: canceling a show because its composer died. We're talking about ABC here, a network which replaced one of the lead actors in Alias Smith & Jones after the guy committed suicide. Wasn't gonna happen, pal.
I also have the feeling you're being too tough on those seasons, as they're remembered fondly by fans (except maybe for Steve's mustache)
Oscar
I know that a network couldn't cancel a series because of a composer. Even actor Lee Majors was embarrassed by the mediocrity of the last season that he did for the dough only.
Do these individual season packages come with any special features such as commentary tracks or short documentaries?
Yes. The bonus documentaries are largely superficial though the telling of how the opening credits were done is interesting. There are also some commentary tracks by Kenneth Johnson and director Cliff Bole as well as The Bionic Woman crossover episodes. I've got the first two seasons of that series arriving today and iirc Lindsay Wagner does some commentary tracks on those. I'm not sure if S5 has any bonuses on it, as I haven't even opened the package yet (delayed gratification and all).
I love this! Best suggestive editing ever, for the final episode.
I like your trailer, boy, but skip the shitty season 5 and keep The Seven-Ups!
I like a lot of Season 5, actually. I tend to like that season more than the previous "mustache/jumpsuit" season. Yeah, there are a couple of really slow and pointless episodes (Date with Danger and The Lost Island for example), but overall, it's fun enough. I like Deadly Countdown and Dark Side of the Moon, Bigfoot V and Just a Matter of Time. I enjoyed how they brought the astronaut side of Steve Austin back to the forefront.
I like a lot of Season 5, actually. I tend to like that season more than the previous "mustache/jumpsuit" season. Yeah, there are a couple of really slow and pointless episodes (Date with Danger and The Lost Island for example), but overall, it's fun enough. I like Deadly Countdown and Dark Side of the Moon, Bigfoot V and Just a Matter of Time. I enjoyed how they brought the astronaut side of Steve Austin back to the forefront.
Only two season 5 episodes are worthwhile from a story perspective: Date with Danger with Robert Walker Jr and Just a Matter of Time. I have a soft spot for Rollback because Austin infiltrates a gang. Unfortunately, the season features many two-parter space fillers.
True story- I haven't watched TSMDM since it's original run. Don't recall every seeing it in reruns and never owned it on home video. It was a distant memory until I read this thread.
Just today I was trying to figure out how to stream cable on my computer. While making my way through the channel guide I saw TSMDM was actually broadcasting at that very moment on ESQTV. A channel I never viewed before.
I was surprised how good the acting was and I forgot how pretty Oscars secretary was. What a rush! This episode Peggy Callahan had a listening device implanted into her tooth!
One minor annoyance with S4 is how the discs are all stacked atop one spindle. Luckily mine appear to be okay. They're not scratched and for $9.96 I won't whine too much, but Universal changing the package for just this one season is a bit dopey.
I see what you mean as I just received my order today just in time for the snowy weekend. Plenty of new entertainment to keep me busy! I think it's because season 4 has eight discs instead of six like the other four season packages. It'll be a SMDM marathon this weekend.
Looking back forty years, I most remember the Bigfoot episode which co-starred John Saxon (Nedlik), Stephanie Powers (Shallon), Sandy Duncan (Gillian) and some wonder drug called Neotraxin. I can't wait to watch that one again!
I still haven't finished S2 (still have a few left) but I skipped ahead to the start of S3 and I was not disappointed! Not even with the Sonny Bono episode which is MUCH better than I would imagine possible(!) It somehow managed to balance potential silliness--something it would not do as well later--with the adventure part of the story. The idea of Steve and Sonny in college together is insanely hilarious to me, though!
"The Price of Liberty"- another good balance, except it's with those disgruntled with the country and Steve, who had a sense of the "bigger picture" of the nation and its flaws. Lee Majors was never going to be Brando or Olivier, but there were times when he was surprisingly effective at emoting and doing it well. He's convincing in his arguments with the Lindstrom character (Chuck Connors) and in "The Return of the Bionic Woman", with his rage at being kept in the dark over Jamie's fate and with his subsequent crushing devastation at her memory loss and interest in Richard Lenz character.
With an opening straight out of The Andromeda Strain and even using a couple of still photos of the overhead shots of Piedmont. How much more rip-off-ee can you be?
"Survival of the Fittest"
What a guest cast. William Smith, a pre-Galactica Laurette Spang and... JoAnn Worley? Heh-heh. The script was recycled for an episode of The Bionic Woman.
It's interesting how these early episodes lack the sound effects of Steve using his bionic powers that would later become the object of parody.
I think those who were too old to watch a "kid's show" at the time don't appreciate those of us who watched it as a kid and are now rewatching the DVDs. They still think it's for kids since they've never really watched it.
But a lot of the agendas behind many episodes were quite grown up in nature, with stuff that the kids may not even have understood (e.g. political motivations).
And, as previously mentioned, the acting was top-notch. Everyone was playing it as if it was all totally believable. Completely straight-faced, no accidental split-second facial movement or body language to suggest they were embarrassed by any of the cheesy bits.
Jennifer Darling is adorable as Callahan, Oscar Goldman's new secretary. Looking at the end credits for this episode, the store clerk is credited as "L. Majors" so I went back and watched that scene again. Yep, he does play that goofy role!
From season five, this has got to be the single silliest episode of any series I can recall. Right up there with the worst of Lost in Space. It's as if Bert I. Gordon and Ed Wood wrote the teleplay.
The plot has something to do with retrieving a downed satellite before bad guys do. Once space aliens Jared Martin and General Hospital's Anthony Geary look into it's light they morph into cavemen-like neanderthals complete with Hobbit pointed ears and gorilla teeth while wearing karate outfits. This was a two hour episode, too!
I hope they were paid well. How embarrassing for all.
