The Six Million Dollar Man: Death Probe (part 2)

episode number: season 4, episode 15 (1977)
viewing setting: home DVD, 7/9/12 and 1/5/09 and 11/5/05

episode synopsis: Steve and his allies continue their efforts to stop the unstoppable Venus space probe before it reaches populated areas.

impressions: Though dated, this is one of the good ones (and was actually written by Steven de Souza, who went on to be the screenwriter on many great movies.) The basic plot is strong: hero vs unstoppable tank. Steve and his allies try just about everything to stop this probe, this time including fire and a rocket, but again they fail. The ultimate solution - involving pressure and altitude - seemed a little inaccurate, not to mention the idea that a helicopter could lift this thing off the ground. Yet, despite these logic gripes, the episode works and is highly entertaining.

notable guest stars: Jane Merrow is Russian scientist Irina. John de Lancie has a brief early-career appearance as an Army medic. Austin Stoker is an Army captain.

significant bionic antics: Steve plays tag with the probe, rips apart a fence, spars with the probe, gets his bionic arm crushed, runs around to be a decoy, bends a metal pipe to make a hook, actually pulls a helicopter down slightly (!), and has to deal with his repaired arm failing again.

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