Six Million Dollar man??

[Captain Mike]

I have been recently been getting hooked on watcing old shows that I used to watch as a kid online. It then hit me one time after watching Lee Majors on that silly bionic ear commercial that I started to look up to see if i could watch that, but to no avail I only saw one that had only season 2. With a little more research I `found out it has only been released in Region II (Europe). WTF is that about? And I cannot find any sure evidence why we people in the US have gotten squat. Has anyone else out there wanted this and how do we get the ball rolling to get it?

 

[Biffette]

It is a rights issue, IIRC. The people who own the rights to the show do not own the rights to the characters. I'm not really sure what details made it okay to sell in Region 2, but I'd recommend purchasing a region-free DVD player.

 

[matthunter]

It is a rights issue, IIRC. The people who own the rights to the show do not own the rights to the characters. I'm not really sure what details made it okay to sell in Region 2, but I'd recommend purchasing a region-free DVD player.

You may also need a TV/DVD player capable of PAL rather than NTSC colour format. I bought Region 1 MST3K discs (I'm Region 2) and have a region-free player, but still needed to change my player settings to NTSC output in order to watch them.

 

[Aragorn]

I'm making my own "Six Million Dollar Man" show, updated for the 21st century. It's about a journeyman starting pitcher who gives up a lot of walks and runs, has a career losing record but can pitch a lot of innings. That's what you get for $6 million these days.

 

[Vanyel]

Did anyone else wonder how he could bend metal with just one bionic arm? Or is there something else in his other arm?

 

[Middle Earther]

That was my all-time favorite when I was in grade 5+6. I had all the toys - even the Sasquatch - remember him? I think Star Wars was what replace the $6 million dollar man when I was going into grade 8. It's incredible that it hasn't come out on DVD yet - I'm sure it must come out soon.

 

[Captain Mike]

It is a rights issue, IIRC. The people who own the rights to the show do not own the rights to the characters. I'm not really sure what details made it okay to sell in Region 2, but I'd recommend purchasing a region-free DVD player.

That is some of the info I gathered on some of my google searches (along with some people hearing that some of the blame lay with Lee Majors, something about suing for some of the profit of the DVD's because of the wear and tear his body went through doing most of his own stunts, which I don't believe that is the case) Does anyone know who owns these rights and how we can start a letter writing campaign to get them released here in the US?

That was my all-time favorite when I was in grade 5+6. I had all the toys - even the Sasquatch - remember him? I think Star Wars was what replace the $6 million dollar man when I was going into grade 8. It's incredible that it hasn't come out on DVD yet - I'm sure it must come out soon.

I had Steve Austin and the "Death Probe" with battle damage...Oh what fun that was making the bionic sound effect ripping that sucker apart...

 

[Middle Earther]

^ I guess I didn't have all the toys - don't remember the death probe, although it sounds way cool. I think I would play with them right now, if I still had them...

I did have a lab - it was kind of a capsule you would "recharge" him in. I had the Oscar Madison (was that his name?) doll....ahem...action figure..too. I am stuck in memory lane now.

 

[Captain Mike]

^ I guess I didn't have all the toys - don't remember the death probe, although it sounds way cool. I think I would play with them right now, if I still had them...

I did have a lab - it was kind of a capsule you would "recharge" him in. I had the Oscar Madison (was that his name?) doll....ahem...action figure..too. I am stuck in memory lane now.

Oscar Goldman you mean. And didn't he come with some type of super secret briefcase gagdet?

 

[Supervisor 194]

A Region 1 compatible NTSC DVD of the show was made available in Mexico under the title "El Hombre Nuclear". HOWEVER, it does have the option of the original English soundtrack without Spanish subtitles---so essentially it IS a Region 1 release. It also has been color corrected much better than the Region 2 release as well as containing the original broadcast versions of the pilot telemovies rather than the syndication versions included in the Region 2 release. I found mine through Amazon, but be prepared to pay a bit. I loved that show so much as a kid--the price was worth it to me!

 

[Middle Earther]

^ I guess I didn't have all the toys - don't remember the death probe, although it sounds way cool. I think I would play with them right now, if I still had them...

I did have a lab - it was kind of a capsule you would "recharge" him in. I had the Oscar Madison (was that his name?) doll....ahem...action figure..too. I am stuck in memory lane now.

Oscar Goldman you mean. And didn't he come with some type of super secret briefcase gagdet?

Yes It had little folders and everything!

 

[Captain Mike]

I would still like to know where an any number of us can write or petition these companies to negotiote their rights with one another. I mean from what I see there are alot of U.S. fans that have wanted the series released here and would buy it.

 

[Middle Earther]

Wasn't it an ABC show? Perhaps that would be the best place to start.

 

[Andrew_Kearley]

I bought season 1 (and of The Bionic Woman too) - the releases of both shows seem to have stalled with the respective second seasons however - I have to say, it was a real chore to watch them. And I used to love them when I was a kid. SMDM was OK, but largely forgettable. Bionic Woman was just appalling. Suffice it to say that I didn't bother getting the season 2 sets, and I'm not unduly dismayed that the later seasons haven't been released. Some things maybe just have to stay in your childhood...

 

[Alpha_Geek]

It was an ABC show, yes.

Oscar Goldman is correct. Oscar Madison was half of The Odd Couple, IIRC.

Lee Majors is now selling a "Bionic Ear" hearing aid on US TV commercials.

Sasquatch was played by Andre the Giant.

You got me on the question of how one bionic arm can bend steel.

If you liked the $6,000,000 Man, pick up Martin Caidins' Cyborg.
It's the book from which the show came. The differences between the novel and what went to air are pretty interesting.

 

[Captain Mike]

I bought season 1 (and of The Bionic Woman too) - the releases of both shows seem to have stalled with the respective second seasons however - I have to say, it was a real chore to watch them. And I used to love them when I was a kid. SMDM was OK, but largely forgettable. Bionic Woman was just appalling. Suffice it to say that I didn't bother getting the season 2 sets, and I'm not unduly dismayed that the later seasons haven't been released. Some things maybe just have to stay in your childhood...

Well just like many things old and yet new, to each thier own.

It was an ABC show, yes.

Oscar Goldman is correct. Oscar Madison was half of The Odd Couple, IIRC.

Lee Majors is now selling a "Bionic Ear" hearing aid on US TV commercials.

Sasquatch was played by Andre the Giant.

You got me on the question of how one bionic arm can bend steel.

If you liked the $6,000,000 Man, pick up Martin Caidins' Cyborg.
It's the book from which the show came. The differences between the novel and what went to air are pretty interesting.

If I remember correctly Six Million was on ABC and wasn't Bionic Woman on NBC?...Making it one of the first network crossovers in some multi part episodes?
And No I have never read Caidin's novels but there are some major differences aren't there?...such as his left arm was the bionic (or to his term.."bionics") one, he could not see out of his eye, which was removable and could shoot a laser out of it, and Austin being an Air Force officer and not an astronaut was a more coldblooded killer than his TV counterpart?...just one of those things that I am curious with but one of those maybe next time books IMO.

 

[ClayinCA]

Sasquatch was played by Andre the Giant.

Only in his first appearance; in subsequent episodes he was played by Ted Cassidy, who was also Lurch in The Addams Family (and, of course, Ruk in Star Trek).

 

[Noname Given]

It was an ABC show, yes.

Oscar Goldman is correct. Oscar Madison was half of The Odd Couple, IIRC.

Lee Majors is now selling a "Bionic Ear" hearing aid on US TV commercials.

Sasquatch was played by Andre the Giant.

You got me on the question of how one bionic arm can bend steel.

If you liked the $6,000,000 Man, pick up Martin Caidins' Cyborg.
It's the book from which the show came. The differences between the novel and what went to air are pretty interesting.

Even as a kid of 12 watching the show, while I had no problems with them leaping 30 feet up to a ledge; even I wondered hopw they survived a leap down as the bionic legs were still attached to human flesh and bone, meaning, if anything, the landing impacts should crack their hips/spine, etc. Again, you just had to suspend disbelief a bit. If they released the show in the U.S., I'd pick up up (well at least the first two seasons; when it got to the point that Lee Majors/Steve Austin was driving his mercedes on all 'secret missions, it got even more ridiculous than I could take). My favorite episodes are still The Seven Million Dollar Man and the one where he fights a robot/andriod played by John Saxon (can't recall the actual title.

 

[Captain Mike]

Sasquatch was played by Andre the Giant.

Only in his first appearance; in subsequent episodes he was played by Ted Cassidy, who was also Lurch in The Addams Family (and, of course, Ruk in Star Trek).

`And of course they had such guest stars as William Shatner, John Saxon, Gary Lockwood, Goerge Takei, and of course Farrah Fawcett. I can go on and on since I started using IMDB, but I won't.

 

[Alpha_Geek]

If I remember correctly Six Million was on ABC and wasn't Bionic Woman on NBC?...Making it one of the first network crossovers in some multi part episodes?
And No I have never read Caidin's novels but there are some major differences aren't there?...such as his left arm was the bionic (or to his term.."bionics") one, he could not see out of his eye, which was removable and could shoot a laser out of it, and Austin being an Air Force officer and not an astronaut was a more coldblooded killer than his TV counterpart?...just one of those things that I am curious with but one of those maybe next time books IMO.

I think they were both initially on ABC, but NBC may have picked up a "return" movie that had a young Sandra Bulloch in it.

Cyborg was indeed a bit different. Caidin didn't have a working eye installed in Austin, instead a prostetic that had a camera for spy stuff. I don't recall a laser eye, but that would be cool.

It was still two legs and one arm though.

Other things that were less fantastic to save Austins life during the crash; artificial heart valve, "borrowing" a chimp liver to supplant his own temporarily, some other things I've forgotten. It's been years since I read it.

Other differences included fold out swim fins in the feet, and a small SCUBA tank in one (or both) thighs for an espionage mission.