NBC: “Bionic Woman” Pilot Review

The last of NBC’s newest offerings this fall, “Bionic Woman” is a remake of the ‘70s series.

The details from NBC:
Struggling as a bartender and surrogate mom to her teenage sister, Jaime Sommers (Michelle Ryan) didn’t think life could get much harder. But when a devastating car accident leaves her at death’s door, Jaime’s only hope for survival is a cutting-edge, top-secret technology that comes at a hefty price. With a whole new existence and a debt to re-pay, Jaime must figure out how to use her extraordinary abilities for good, while weighing the personal sacrifices she will have to make. Ultimately, it’s Jaime’s journey of self-discovery and inner strength that will help her embrace her new life as the Bionic Woman.

What did we think?

Zzzzzzzzzzz….Oh, hey what were we watching now? Oh, yeah, that’s right, it’s the new, flashy “Bionic Woman.” Well, let’s just say it, under whelmed. The opening was semi-interesting, but the rest of the pilot felt a bit too rushed. Implausible would be the best way to describe it. Obviously the very concept of a “Bionic Woman” is improbable; however, when it takes Jaime all of five seconds to master combat skills, there’s something fishy with that.

The pilot left us with more than a few questions:

Why would Jaime need a trainer (Will Yun Lee) if she has miraculously acquired fighting skills without even spending any time with him?

How did her boyfriend manage to walk away from the car wreck with little more than a bruise and some scratches?

Who are those people running the underground research facility and why do they want to build a superhuman agent? What are their motives?

The version we watched was the original pilot, which has since been re-tooled and the role of Becca, Jaime’s sister, has been recast. The character is also no longer hearing-impaired. We may reserve judgment until we watch the (hopefully) improved pilot – but for now, “Bionic Woman” is getting a rating of:


Our recommendation: if “Private Practice” really sucks and “Gossip Girl” fails to deliver (or just isn’t your cup of tea), then you may want to check out “Bionic Woman. It premieres Wednesday, Sept. 26th @ 9:00PM