Movie and Television Reviews

Like the bionic woman herself, the show keeps getting stronger.

Something happened to Bionic Woman on its way to becoming the worst show of the season: it got pretty good. Maybe not good in the "well written and original" kind of way but certainly in the "oddly addictive and inoffensively fun" manner.

I panned the first episode for its pretentious direction and pseudo "darkness," but the producers of the show completely transform the show in the second episode, lightening up the tone and infusing Bionic Woman with a sense of humor.

The characters are good too. The lead actress, Michelle Ryan, does a great job playing a tough yet girly and feminine Jamie Sommers. Nathan (Kevin Rankin) adds most of the humor as an unlucky in love geek (redundant, I know). The love interest, Tom (Jordan Bridges), is, well, kind of interesting as are the episodes in which he acts (He'll have a recurring role). The psychologist with the Bond-girl name, Ruth Treadwell (Molly Price) has the potential to be a fascinating character as her story unfolds. Even the little sister, Becca (Lucy Hale), isn't annoying.

If there's a problem with the show is its overall flatness. The episodes have been solid, but none have given Battlestar Galactica-like thrills or generated strong emotions. When Antonio (Isaiah Washington) dies in Trust Issues, I didn't feel any sense of loss at all. Maybe we haven't been able to bond with any of the characters yet, but if that's the case, then, why kill anybody?

Something that I've noticed is the complete middle of the roadness in the Bionic Woman's politics. When Jamie asks if the C.I.A were on our side, Jonas Bledsoe, the leader of the Berkut Group, replies with "sometimes." Imagine if Michael Moore had written that line. The show acknowledges the existence of real terrorists not the Dick Cheney-led shock troops of the Bourne movies. Some of the terrorists are even from a certain unspeakable group in the Middle East (Ar** Mu*****). Amazingly, in the episode in which Ar** Mu***** were featured, the bad guys (no quotation marks) were bad all by themselves; they weren't seeking revenge for Paul Wolfowitz' handling of the world bank or anything.

I may have even heard support for our efforts in Iraq. In the episode The Education of Jamie Sommers, Jamie's mission is to stop somebody from selling neural implants to TERRORISTS for use against AMERICAN SOLDIERS. Hallelujah!

Ironically, as the show has become more watchable, it's ratings have declined (See here for story). Part of the good start probably had to do with the marketing blitz including a seemingly three hour "making of" that played in theaters for like eight years. Hopefully, things will stabilize and the show keeps going. I'm already missing it today.