Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman
Reunion film featuring Sandra Bullock's first TV appearance.
Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman, often shortened to just *Bionic Showdown*, is a made-for-TV science fiction movie that first broadcast on NBC on April 30, 1989. It brought back the main actors from the original series *The Six Million Dollar Man* and its spinoff *The Bionic Woman*. This film is significant as the first time actress Sandra Bullock appeared on television, and it was the first movie to give her a prominent role. The story centers on a diplomatic crisis that endangers global peace after an unknown bionic individual steals classified information.
Returning characters include Steve Austin (Lee Majors), Jaime Sommers (Lindsay Wagner), Oscar Goldman (Richard Anderson), and Dr. Rudy Wells (Martin E. Brooks). Also appearing is Jim Castillian (Lee Majors II, the real-life son of Lee Majors), a character from a previous TV movie. New characters are Kate Mason (Sandra Bullock) and Jim Goldman (Jeff Yagher).
After the success of the first reunion film, *The Return of the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman* (1987), *Bionic Showdown* was quickly approved. It also served as a "backdoor pilot" for a possible series centered on Kate Mason, though that series never happened. A third reunion movie, *Bionic Ever After?*, followed in 1994.
**Plot**
Oscar Goldman reluctantly attends a Pentagon gala celebrating the upcoming "World Unity Games," unhappy about having to practice détente with former enemies in the era of glasnost. At the same event, Steve Austin nervously prepares to propose to Jaime Sommers, a secret his colleagues seem to know. Just as he is about to ask, the building goes on alert when a masked person breaks into an office, steals top secret information from a computer, and escapes. During the getaway, several guards are thrown against a wall, and Oscar is thrown out a window by the intruder, who appears to be bionic.
The next day, Kate Mason prepares for the final stage of becoming bionically enhanced. Dr. Rudy Wells performs surgeries to implant electrical bone strengtheners, muscle stimulation contacts, bionic blood vessels, and a control computer in her brain. The final activation occurs before an audience of military and civilian observers. Since there are supposed to be only four known bionic humans—Steve, Jaime, Steve's son Michael, and now Kate—General McAllister tightens security and questions
- aired
- April 30, 1989
- network
- NBC
- genre
- Science fiction television film
- director
- Not specified in source
- notable_for
- First television appearance of Sandra Bullock
- series_based_on
- The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman
Lore & Background
The film follows Oscar Goldman, who is reluctantly attending a gala banquet at The Pentagon to celebrate the upcoming 'World Unity Games.' Steve Austin is nervously preparing to propose to Jaime Sommers when a masked bionic person infiltrates the building, steals top secret information, and throws Oscar out of a window. Kate Mason is undergoing final bionic enhancement surgery by Dr. Rudy Wells, becoming the fourth known bionic human. A masked person sets a bomb on Steve's boat, paralyzing Jim Goldman. Oscar resigns from the OSI and is later kidnapped by the masked assailant, revealed to be OSI agent Allan Devlin, working with Soviet General Dzerinsky and CIA Director Charles Estiman to restore a tense political climate. Kate goes undercover at the World Unity Games in Toronto, where she stops Devlin from bombing the Soviet Foreign Minister's viewing box by throwing a shot put and throwing him off a rooftop. Steve finally proposes to Jaime, but she proposes to him first.
Reader's Guide
Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman holds significance as the second reunion television movie following The Return of the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman (1987). It was quickly greenlit based on the success of that prior film and doubled as a 'backdoor pilot' for a potential series centered on the character of Kate Mason, though that series never materialized. The film is historically notable as the first television appearance of actress Sandra Bullock, who played Kate Mason, and the first film to strongly feature her. It also introduced the character Jim Goldman, played by Jeff Yagher. A third reunion film, Bionic Ever After? (1994), followed. The film's plot involves a diplomatic crisis, bionic espionage, and the introduction of a new bionic character, expanding the franchise's universe. Its home media releases include inclusion in DVD and Blu-ray sets from Time Life, Universal Home Video, and Shout! Factory.
Did You Know?
- The film is the first television appearance of actress Sandra Bullock.
- The film doubled as a 'backdoor pilot' for a potential series based on Kate Mason, which never materialized.
- Lee Majors II, the real-life son of Lee Majors, played the returning character Jim Castillian.
- The film originally aired on April 30, 1989 on NBC.
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