7 Things You Never Knew About ‘The Bionic Woman’
When The Bionic Woman debuted on January 14, 1976, it was unlike anything television had seen before. Spun off from The Six Million Dollar Man, the show followed Jaime Sommers (played by Lindsay Wagner), a former tennis pro who is nearly killed in a skydiving accident. Thanks to cutting-edge science fiction technology (and some very generous government funding), she’s saved through experimental surgery that gives her bionic implants. With super hearing, super strength and the ability to run faster than a car, Jaime became one of the first true female superheroes on television.
Created by Kenneth Johnson and based on the novel Cyborg by Martin Caidin, The Bionic Woman balanced thrilling action with emotional storytelling, showing Jaime as both a secret agent and a schoolteacher trying to hold on to a normal life. The series was a hit not just in the U.S., but also abroad, with British fans especially falling in love with it.
Over three seasons, first on ABC and then NBC, Wagner made Jaime relatable and deeply human, even when she was breaking through walls or racing at 60 miles per hour. The show later inspired three TV movies and even a short-lived 2007 reboot, but nothing ever quite matched the charm of the original.
Here are 7 fun facts about The Bionic Woman you might not know:
1 Lindsay Wagner was never meant to stay
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When Lindsay Wagner first appeared as Jaime Sommers on The Six Million Dollar Man in 1975, it was only supposed to be a one-off gig. Her character was originally set to die at the end of her storyline, and Wagner herself thought it would be her final role under her Universal contract. However, viewers fell head over heels for Jaime; the audience reaction was so powerful that producers quickly brought her back from the dead and gave her a show of her own.
2 Jaime Sommers beat Wonder Woman to weekly TV
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While Wonder Woman might be the more famous superhero today, The Bionic Woman actually beat her to a regular TV series. Although two Wonder Woman TV movies had aired earlier, Jaime Sommers became the first female superhero to lead her own weekly primetime show. Her success opened doors for more women to lead action-adventure series and helped shift how female characters were portrayed on television.
3 Lee Majors was banned from crossing networks
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The love story between Jaime Sommers and Steve Austin was a big draw for fans, but it hit a snag in season three. When The Bionic Woman moved from ABC to NBC, Lee Majors, still under contract with ABC for The Six Million Dollar Man, wasn’t allowed to appear on Wagner’s show anymore. Viewers missed their chemistry, and the network change may have contributed to the show’s decline in ratings during its final season.
4 Jaime’s famous jumps were filmed in reverse
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One of Jaime’s signature moves was her gravity-defying bionic jump. To film it, stuntwoman Rita Egleston would actually jump backwards off a platform, landing feet-first onto a padded airbag. The footage was then filmed in slow motion at 60 frames per second and played in reverse. This clever trick made it look like Jaime was leaping incredible distances forward. It was a low-budget solution that actually worked quite well.
5 The Bionic Dog was a team effort
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In season three, Jaime was joined by a new character named Max, a bionic German Shepherd who stole plenty of scenes. He was actually played by several different trained German Shepherds, each used for specific needs on set. One dog had to be comfortable lying next to fire while another had to resist eating treats placed in front of him. There was even one specially trained to walk on a treadmill.
6 Lindsay Wagner made Emmy history
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In 1977, Wagner became the first woman to win an Emmy for a leading role in a science fiction series, making history and paving the way for women in TV, especially in the sci-fi genre. Do you remember seeing her accept the award?
7 The Fembots gave kids nightmares (and NBC heard about it)
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Many were scared of the fembots — lifelike female robots designed to infiltrate top-secret government facilities. When unmasked, their blank robot faces and glowing eyes were downright eerie. NBC reportedly received a flood of letters from concerned parents who said the fembots terrified their children.
Even some adults agreed that the featureless faces and robotic movements were nightmare fuel. What do you think?
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