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| Production 41233 Original Airdate: January 17, 1975 | |||
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| Produced by Lionel E. Siegel and Joe L. Cramer | |||
| Teleplay by Richard Carr | |||
| Story by Mel & Tom Levy | |||
| Directed by Arnold Laven | |||
| Guest Cast | |||
| Guest Star(s) Linda Marsh as Barbara Thatcher Jeff Corey as Orin Thatcher | |||
| Co-starring Joseph Ruskin as Markos Than Wyenn as Prof. Kosoyin Wesley Wau as Emil | |||
| Broadcast Order | |||
| Season 2 | |||
| ← Previous | Next → | ||
| "The Cross-Country Kidnap" | "The Last Kamikaze" | ||
Summary[]
Steve runs into beautiful Barbara Thatcher, with whom he was once emotionally involved, and learns that her scientist husband had been killed in a plane crash en route to Lisbon. The romance begins anew and Steve is on hand to thwart a kidnap attempt on Barbara by unknown assailants. Then comes a telephone call from her supposedly dead husband. Steve then flies to Lisbon with her to confront the husband, who is holed up in the consulate of a foreign power.
Deconstructed[]
Quotes[]
Steve: You know, Oscar, there's been something I've been meaning to ask you. Do you ever have a leisurely meal?
Oscar: Only on weekends, pal, and sometimes not even then.
Steve: Mrs Thatcher would like to see her husband right away, Mr. Marcos.
Steve: (patting Marcos' shoulder with his non-bionic hand) Do exactly as I say, or I'll break your neck.
Barbara: Oh Steve, you have a wonderful way of making things easier... and harder at the same time.
Trivia[]
- The somewhat unusual character name Orin Thatcher may be a reference to Torin Thatcher, a longtime character actor.
- We get a rare glimpse of Steve in a full suit and tie in a casual (non-military) situation.
Storyline[]
- This episode has a few parallels to "The Bionic Woman" two-parter that aired only a few months later, including a montage of Steve and his lady friend enjoying a range of activities. The downbeat ending is also similar in tone to the ending of "The Return of the Bionic Woman".
- Whether by accident or design, the writers don't immediately get Steve involved with another woman. The next episode in which a major female character appears won't be until "Taneha" a number of weeks later.
Character[]
- Steve enrolled in astronaut training approximately seven years before this episode took place.
- Steve may have been heartbroken seeing Barbara stay with Orin, but he needn't have worried. His true 'lost love' was just around the corner.
Fictional Geography[]
- The geography of the "Bionic Universe" expands once again with this episode. Orin Thatcher has been in hiding in Lisbon at the Bagarian Embassy.
- Bagaria is presumably a part of the Eastern Bloc nations. It may be a fictional stand-in for Bulgaria.
- Since Oscar and Steve assume that Thatcher defected, Bagaria is aligned against the United States in the Cold War.
- When Steve and Barbara arrive at the Bagarian Embassy, there are two flags hanging over the entrance. The flag on the left might be the Portuguese flag. The colors and pattern seem correct. The flag on the right is unknown. It has three horizontal stripes: orange, dark blue, and olive drab. Perhaps this is meant to be the Bagarian flag.
Gaffes[]
- When Steve arrives at the airport in Lisbon he phones Oscar from a telephone booth. The sign on the booth reads "Telefono," which is Spanish. Portuguese for telephone is "telefone."
Illusion breaker[]
- When Steve jumps over the car, wires can be seen hoisting the stuntman.
- The crack in the wooden beam caused by Steve breaking free is visible when he's first chained to it.
Gallery[]
