The Six Million Dollar Man pilot movie was first broadcast 50 years ago today

[John Callaham Reporter]

On March 7, 1973, ABC broadcast The Six Million Dollar Man pilot movie, based on the novel Cyborg. The movie would get a few TV film sequels before the actual series began, and ran for five seasons, spawing a spin-off The Bionic Woman, and later three reunion movies

 

[+primortal Subscriber²]

Man, I'm odd.  I used to watch them all when they first aired as a kid  Good Times 😛

[+jamwheat Subscriber²]

On 07/03/2023 at 12:35, primortal said:

Man, I'm odd.  I used to watch them all when they first aired as a kid  Good Times 😛

"Odd" and OLD, like me!  I loved watching all those back then!

[FloatingFatMan]

Likewise, I loved this show as a kid but never knew it was based on a book until many years later (what kids read credits?).  Since then I've tried many times to find the book but it seems it's never been back in print in all these years...

 

[Dick Montage]

On 08/03/2023 at 07:17, FloatingFatMan said:

Since then I've tried many times to find the book

Martin Caidin Cyborg Six Million dollar man paperback book 1973 | eBay

 

If you felt like it...

[FloatingFatMan]

On 08/03/2023 at 20:17, Dick Montage said:

Martin Caidin Cyborg Six Million dollar man paperback book 1973 | eBay

 

If you felt like it...

Thanks, but I don't want to read it THAT much!  £35 for a paperback? Nope!

 

[George P Global Moderator]

On 08/03/2023 at 22:54, FloatingFatMan said:

Thanks, but I don't want to read it THAT much!  £35 for a paperback? Nope!

 

The book and the series are very and I mean very, different.  I actually think the changes they made for the show are way better than how things are in the book. 

 

Hell I actually think they can bring this back for today and it can work easily.  The show was a episodic procedural like many of the cop shows on TV today.  The bionic twist can easily set it apart again. 

[FloatingFatMan]

On 13/03/2023 at 11:20, George P said:

The book and the series are very and I mean very, different.  I actually think the changes they made for the show are way better than how things are in the book. 

 

Hell I actually think they can bring this back for today and it can work easily.  The show was a episodic procedural like many of the cop shows on TV today.  The bionic twist can easily set it apart again. 

I've read various synopsis over the years so I have some idea of the differences in abilities etc. As for a remake.. They actually tried in the early 2000's with Bionic Woman but it was a total flop... Probably because they strayed too far from the original, and it wasn't Steve Austin!

[George P Global Moderator]

On 13/03/2023 at 15:12, FloatingFatMan said:

I've read various synopsis over the years so I have some idea of the differences in abilities etc. As for a remake.. They actually tried in the early 2000's with Bionic Woman but it was a total flop... Probably because they strayed too far from the original, and it wasn't Steve Austin!

I had forgot about that, and yeah it was too off and even back during the original show the bionic woman didn't do well on its own. 

 

I think a new show can work, might have to call it the $6 billion dollar man though.   It just doesn't have to be cheesy.  

[+primortal Subscriber²]

Mark Wahlberg been trying to do a movie on the 6 billion dollar man for a while now....

https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/mark-wahlberg-wants-the-six-billion-dollar-man-to-be-his-answer-to-superhero-movies-so-where-is-it

[FloatingFatMan]

On 13/03/2023 at 17:46, primortal said:

Mark Wahlberg been trying to do a movie on the 6 billion dollar man for a while now....

https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/mark-wahlberg-wants-the-six-billion-dollar-man-to-be-his-answer-to-superhero-movies-so-where-is-it

Interesting.  I could totally see him in the role as Austin as well... Or perhaps a new character so that Lee Majors could return one more time as the original model...

[hagjohn]

Suddenly, I'm feeling quite old.

[McCordRm]

I, too, am this old. Loved the concept. My friends and I still play a version of Shadowrun/Cyberpunk that we started modifying back when we were teens.

[FloatingFatMan]

On 09/04/2023 at 04:10, McCordRm said:

I, too, am this old. Loved the concept. My friends and I still play a version of Shadowrun/Cyberpunk that we started modifying back when we were teens.

My friends, we come from the best of times... Where TV was full of action and hope and you didn't have 10,000 channels with nothing on...

[SnoopZ]

On 09/04/2023 at 09:08, FloatingFatMan said:

My friends, we come from the best of times... Where TV was full of action and hope and you didn't have 10,000 channels with nothing on...

Only 3 channels in the UK when Six Million Dollar Man was broadcast, it was the first show my parents let me watch in the evenings rather than being in bed, I was only 6 when it was first broadcast.