The Six Million Dollar Man
1974
Original language: English
- sci-fi & fantasy
- action & adventure
- drama
The story
Follow the adventures of Steve Austin, cybernetically enhanced astronaut turned secret agent, employed by the OSI, under the command of Oscar Goldman and supervised by the scientist who created his cybernetics, Rudy Wells. Steve uses the superior strength and speed provided by his bionic arm and legs, and the enhanced vision provided by his artificial eye, to fight enemy agents, aliens, mad scientists, and a wide variety of other villains.
What it’s like
Bright 1970s studio daylight with flat, even lighting, warm film-stock colour and the slightly soft look of early colour television, all rust-orange deserts, sun-bleached highways and the boxy interiors of government labs. Camera work is brisk and workmanlike: zooms, quick cuts, and freeze-frame slow-motion whenever the bionics kick in, with that now-iconic electronic whine and bass-heavy stings marking each feat of strength or speed. The mood is brisk, good-natured pulp, with a clear pleasure in gadgets and a mild, eyebrow-raised sense of fun rather than real dread. Episodes move at a steady clip, each built around a self-contained caper, a villain of the week and a physical showdown that is more clatter and jump-cut than blood. Intensity is low: fistfights, gunfire and crashes with no gore, a bit of peril and some menace from mad scientists and foreign agents, but nothing sustained or upsetting. Steve himself is a stoic, decent figure, and the warm, slightly paternal relationships with his handlers give the episodes a gently comforting centre. Good for a lazy weekend afternoon, nostalgic evenings, or easy background viewing for people who want retro action with a wink and no real fear.
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