Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

The Bionic Woman: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown March 21, 2024

You can hear it, can't you? '70s and '80s kids grew up universally skilled at making three instantly recognizable sound effects with their mouths: the hum, buzz and clash of a Star Wars lightsaber, the metal-grinding transformation noises from Transformers, and what can only be called the "bionic effect", the slow-mo chi-chi-chi-chi-chi of Lee Majors or Lindsay Wagner using their bionic-enhanced strength or speed to save the day. But the two popular bionic series amounted to far more than just a memorable sound effect. Five successful seasons of the Majors-led The Million Dollar Man held the attention of fans young and old from 1973-78 (to the tune of 99 episodes), while its Wagner-led, female empowerment spin-off, The Bionic Woman, proved just as engaging, running from 1976-78, with 58 episodes to its name. It would be too easy to merely say The Bionic Woman was a risk. It certainly was a risky venture for ABC, and for the show's final season, NBC. After all, mid-70s Hollywood wasn't nearly as kind to women as culture was slowly pushing it to be. No, the series and others were a part of a crucial revolution in television, setting the stage for dozens of classics shows with actresses in the pilot's seat and influencing countless more that continue to benefit from their Bionic heritage almost fifty years later.

She can hear things undetectable to the human ear. She can crush steel in one hand. She can run faster than a sports car. She is... the Bionic Woman! When a horrifying skydiving accident leaves professional tennis player Jaime Sommers (Primetime Emmy winner Lindsay Wagner) critically injured, she finds new life thanks to Oscar Goldman (Richard Anderson) and Dr. Rudy Wells (Martin E. Brooks), who utilize know-how and the latest technology to surgically implant bionic enhancements throughout Sommers's body; the same bionic enhancements Six Million Dollar Man Steve Austin (Lee Majors) received years earlier. A secondary elementary teacher by day, Jaime leads a secret life via the Office of Scientific Intelligence, which utilizes her super speed, strength, hearing and more to tackle the secret missions not safe for average men and women. After honing her abilities and learning the extent of her new powers, Jaime's journey is told over three seasons and three reunion films, all of which are included in this excellent 18-disc Shout Factory Collector's Edition box set.

Like The Six Million Dollar Man before it, The Bionic Woman is pure, unadulterated nostalgia crammed into a TV action drama that hits every cue and includes every element that made '70s adventure series such quintessentially thrilling yet retrospectively quaint hits of the era. Wagner is quite engaging, despite the stilted nature of the decade's go-to television performance style and the now amusing lack of realism in action that seemed oh so convincing when we were young. But little of that matters. The show takes itself seriously to a near fault, while preserving plenty of room for the sort of heart, humor and good will Majors introduced in the first series. Wagner's supporting cast is a blast from the past as well, leaving only the spin-off's scripts -- decidedly hit or miss baddie-of-the-week stories of intrigue and danger that follow the established bionic formula to a T, female-led cast or no -- as the culprit behind lesser moments and episodes. You may also detect the decline in the third season, as the bionic phenomenon of not one but two partnered and competing cyborg shows began to wear out their welcome with the networks and audiences.

The best episodes then remain the best now, particularly the crossover episodes that see Wagner and Majors teaming up to take down a threat too great for just one superhuman. Yes, a bit of ye olde Hollywood sexism creeps in -- Majors clearly takes the lead... always -- but two cyborgs for the price of one clearly energize the writer's room and bring better ideas to the table. There's also a proto-MacGyver vibe to the series that finds Wagner's Jaime less prone to Austin-esque violence and far more eager to solve problems with brains-over-brawn intelligence. The shift, while notably born from antiquated expectations surrounding gender roles, is often a breath of fresh air, leading to more inventiveness and exciting ah-ha moments than simple brute force might otherwise have provided. If only the series' villains were more clever. The Bionic Woman doesn't offer very compelling antagonists, recycling cliched nasties who tend to tie up Jaime and leave her to die rather than, I don't know, shooting her in the head. But it's that flavor of Bond-level silliness that you come to anticipate from family friendly '70s actioners. At least The Bionic Woman offers Jaime more meaningful personal relationships than Austin is given in The Six Million Dollar Man, frequently moving friendship and connection to the core of an episode and forcing Wagner's heroine to make more impactful choices.

Is it all a tad too superfluous at times? Silly at others? Unintentionally laughable five decades after the fact? Sure. But again, I can give you the exact reason why: 1970s TV. This was still an age of experimentation, creative growth and low-to-modest budgets, and far removed from the high-dollar, A-list casted premium cable productions that we enjoy today. You have to transport your mind to a simpler time, when cute, cuddly or cheesy was sometimes the best entertainment a primetime action drama could offer viewers of all ages. Watching The Bionic Woman from a modern perspective, with 21st century demands and sensibilities, will miss the point of the series entirely, not to mention squelch any possibility of savoring the treats and delights the show is so proudly serving. Come for the spectacle but stay for the memories of a time when a woman super-leaping out of harm's way had us all holding our breaths and cheering in our living rooms for at least forty minutes every week.

The Bionic Woman: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

I was more than pleased with The Bionic Woman's 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfers. Colors are nicely saturated and contrasted, with punchy primaries, generally handsome skin tones, deep black levels, and fairly notable shadow delineation. Faces sometimes appear flushed, amounting to a reddish glow that makes the actors look as if they've just finished running a relay, but it's the exception rather than the rule. Detail is impressive too, with crisp, clean edges, a preserved veneer of grain and, overall, well-resolved fine textures. There are moments where softness invades the image. Grain and clarity sometimes fluctuate slightly from episode to episode as well, yet thankfully maintain the tactile appearance of an analog series from the era at all times. Blame the original photography and the hurry-up-and-shoot mechanics of mid-70s TV for any inconsistencies, though. Just don't scowl at Shout's remastering efforts or encoding. Yes, I'd wager limited noise reduction has been utilized here and there, but it remains almost entirely unobtrusive and merely seems to be an attempt to balance the aforementioned fluctuations. It fortunately isn't applied in a manner that hinders fine detail. I was also satisfied with the proficiency of the presentation. Banding, blockiness, halos, errant noise and other digital anomalies are MIA, and only a handful of questionable shots pepper the 58-episode run. All told, The Bionic Woman doesn't always look quite as refined as the Blu-ray release of The Six Million Dollar Man, but it holds its own and stands shoulder to shoulder with its predecessor.

The Bionic Woman: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Unfortunately, The Bionic Woman's home video releases have a history of disappointing fans and this one is no different. Several episodes struggle with muffled dialogue and a dip in clarity (see the series' corresponding forum thread for more specifics if you really must know exactly which episodes fare the worst). And while Shout Factory has addressed a few more problem areas, amounting to a moderate improvement over past editions, the issue still looms large and leads to bouts of inconsistency, middling fidelity and, again, disappointment. Ah well. Otherwise the series' DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track is decent. Keep your remote handy to bump up the volume when problems present themselves, but be assured that, typically, no such intervention is necessary. Dialogue is frequently intelligible and well-prioritized, the show's music sounds quite good, and effects (tinny though they sometimes may be) are deliciously '70s. More tender loving care could have presumably righted every lapse in clarity, but for now, this is as good as it's probably going to get.

The Bionic Woman: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Blu-ray release of The Bionic Woman: The Complete Series is housed in a glossy cardboard slipcase, with each of the three seasons divided into its own Blu-ray case. (A fourth case houses the Reunion Films disc.) It's pretty straight forward. The only real oddity? The first reunion special, "The Return of the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman" (1987) has been mistakenly included on the sixth disc of Season Three. Likewise, a Season Three Photo Gallery appears on the Reunion Films disc. Not a huge deal but a glaring oversight that will cause a few double takes.

Season One

• Eleven Audio Commentaries (Discs 1-5) - The supplemental package kicks off with a half-dozen audio commentary tracks from Herbie J. Pilato, author of "The Bionic Book: The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman Reconstructed." Pilato dissects "Welcome Home Jaime," "A Thing of the Past," "Claws," "The Deadly Missiles," "Bionic Beauty" and "Canyon of Death." Also included are tracks for "The Bionic Woman Part I" and "Part II" with writer/director/creator Kenneth Johnson, a second track for "The Deadly Missiles" with director Alan J. Levi, "Mirror Image" with Levi and writer James D. Parriott and "The Ghosthunter" with Johnson.


• Bionic Beginnings (HD, 24 minutes) - A look at the inception of the show, the challenges of casting and producing a spin-off, writing with two series in mind, launching a show that both complements and competes with its predecessor, and more.


• Gag Reel (Disc 5, SD, 2 minutes)


• Original TV Promos (Disc 5, SD, 6 minutes)


• Photo Gallery (Disc 5, HD)

Season Two

• Eight Audio Commentaries (Discs 6-11) - "The Return of Bigfoot Part I" and "Part II" with Pilato, two tracks for "Road to Nashville" (one with Levi and the second with Lindsay Wagner), "Biofeedback" with Wagner, "Doomsday Is Tomorrow Part I" and "Part II" with Johnson, and "Once a Thief" with Levi.


• Toy Still Gallery (Disc 11, HD)


• Bionic Testing Center Still Gallery (Disc 11, HD)


• Photo Gallery (Disc 11, HD)

Season Three

• Two Audio Commentaries (Discs 12 & 17) - "On the Run" with writer Steven E. de Souza and "The Bionic Dog" with Parriott.


• Three Podcast Commentaries (Discs 12, 13 & 17) - Bionic Woman superfan, website creator and longtime collector James Sherrard delivers commentaries for "Fembots in Las Vegas," "Brainwash" and "On the Run," recorded as episodes of his podcast.


• Q&A with Star Lindsay Wagner (Disc 17, HD, 15 minutes) - A quick round of questions and answers from series lead Lindsay Wagner. Her commentary tracks are teeming with more details of course, but this solid Q&A is a welcome addition.


• Bionic Blast (Disc 17, HD, 11 minutes) - A much too brief featurette.


• Bryan Cranston Gives It to Us Straight (Disc 17, HD, 5 minutes) - Yep, you read it correctly. I won't spoil it!

The Reunion Films

• Kenneth Johnson "Recording Tracks" Photo Gallery (Disc 18, HD)


• "Next Time on The Bionic Woman" Reel (Disc 18, SD, 30 minutes)


• Additional TV Spots (Disc 18, SD, 2 minutes)


• BioniCon Photo Gallery (Disc 18, HD)


• Season Three Photo Gallery (Disc 18, HD) - Not sure why it's on this disc, but ok...

The Bionic Woman: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The 18-disc Blu-ray release of The Bionic Woman isn't without its problems. But there's enough here to warrant a strong look, from its video presentation to its hours and hours of special features. I doubt the series will earn many new fans, but those who grew up pretending to be bionic will find plenty to rediscover (and laugh at in retrospect). I do wish Shout would have addressed all of the audio issues that have plagued the show's releases but this is the best on the market for the foreseeable future.