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« Bionic Woman
Episode Recap: "The List"
Hello again faithful TVGuide.com fans! Joshua Green here, reporting for the most revamped show of the fall!
The momentum that began with "The Education of Jaime Sommers" continues with the focus on Michelle Ryan's Jaime Sommers and her CIA pseudo boyfriend covertly known as Tom. Their chemistry continues to shine and prompts me to think that Jordan Bridges as Tom will soon become a series regular. Jordan's comedic chops help him stand out among the cast and allows the show to be almost — gasp — fun!
I groaned when there was yet another dull training session between Jaime and Jae Kim. Granted, I usually whimper whenever Will Yun Lee is on the screen, but I absolutely detest these mundane training sequences. What have they actually accomplished? Jaime has been able to control her bionics solely because of her calm and self-control. Nevertheless, the training continues with tonight's episode but also serves for the reintroduction of Tom. All of a sudden this scene has a purpose, showing Jaime and Tom's continued confusion about their romantic feelings towards each other. Remember earlier when I said that Jordan brought wit to the show? I roared with laughter when Tom said in a roundabout way that he is the Human Bomb, like the character from his favorite comic book The Freedom Fighters. So until his true name is discovered, Tom is the bomb!
Bionic Woman needs to focus more frequently on Miguel Ferrer as Jonas Bledsoe. (Check out our interview with Miguel here.) I have seen Miguel on several other TV shows and movies, most notably as the lovingly deplorable Albert Rosenfield on Twin Peaks. Miguel has clearly found his niche in Hollywood, as he usually plays characters that viewers hate to love. People are drawn to Miguel because he reflects society as a flawed (and bald) everyman. His characters aren't bad human beings, but their social inadequacies sometimes overshadow their good intentions. "The List" finally shows Miguel's Jonas as the unassuming hero that I knew he would turn out to be. I love how quickly Jonas agrees to provide Jaime the financial means to purchase the list, all while assisting Becca (Lucy Hale) at the police station. After seeing how understanding he was with Becca, I look forward to more developments with Jonas in Jaime's personal life.
After making significant progress creatively, Bionic Woman's writers should now focus on the impossible task of making Jae Kim a more interesting character. Shame they're on strike….
Read recaps of prior Bionic Woman episodes here.
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Nov 8, 2007 11:03 AM
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Nice recap, Joshua, and I like the humor! 
I've stuck with this show even though I've been less-than-impressed with it, but I do see it making strides. Jaime and Tom do have some chemistry, even though to me he looks a little young for undercover CIA work, but then again, maybe I'm just getting old... but I did enjoy their verbal sparring and the oft-used but always-fun arguments to spur their connection.
Plus it's always nice to see the blond Cylon again. *grin* Callum Keith Rennie, am I right about that name? He's been everywhere lately!
The tech, whose name escapes me, has been a fun addition, lightening the mood. I also enjoyed the scenes between Jonas and Becca, and I think this is a good way to better connect Jaime's lives. And I did smile when Jonas covered for Becca to Jaime, saying Becca never called him.
And you're right; Will Yun Lee needs more development as a character - he's very two-dimensional right now. I'm also still trying to figure out if Ruth has a sense of humor or not. I like her, it's just hard to tell.
Another fun line - when Ruth notices Jaime twisting the ring on her finger and calls her on it. Nice way to take what could have been a cliched shot - Jaime messing with the ring - and making it fresh by stating it.
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Nov 8, 2007 11:39 AM
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I like the show and it is getting much better. But what they should do is get Michelle Ryan a better voice coach or something because I keep getting bogged down on how stitled her voice is and it seems to me that she spends so much energy on trying to sound American (instead of using her native British accent) that she doesn't have too much left to give to the acting. And I know she can act, I've seen her in other things.
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Nov 8, 2007 12:39 PM
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With all the "Green Week" crap that NBC's been shoving down out throats I'm amazed that they didn't have Jaime saving a whale or pushing an iceberg out of a warm current.
I almost reached for the remote when Tommy Boy hid behind a wooden chair while he was being shot at. What, he could find a pice of paper to use as a shield? He couldn't find a shark to jump over?
Never mind the training sessions - Jaime's fight scenes are ridiculous; she should be able to take out anybody with a single punch or kick, so what's with the extended fight scenes?
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Nov 8, 2007 1:12 PM
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Decent episode. Good action, better writing than normal (I didn't even mind the heavy chick-show vibe it was putting off). And they finally dressed Jaime up in colors besides black, navy, dark green, etc. We get it already, she wears black, she's cool, blah blah blah. I still say lose the sister (what a pain).
All that being said, HOW can you NOT have a blog for "The Unit"!?!
Tuesday's episode was a stunner. Best night of TV I've experienced in the new season and there was absolutely NOTHING here, when last season's blog was weekly must-read. Shame on you, TV Guide.
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Nov 8, 2007 1:34 PM
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Actually, last night's episode was the best yet.. (which isn't saying a whole lot)
It was actually well-written... several funny lines and actually well acted to boot, although the training scenes are just dumb. (Agree with the other posters... if she can kick down and bend a metal door with one thrust of her foot, there would be no fight she has that would last longer than 1 punch...)
The only thing that can stop this show from improving now would be if the writers went on strike and... er.. uh...
never mind..
Greg
www.denvertvguy.com
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Nov 8, 2007 1:44 PM
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I have also stuck with watching this show, It is improving and yet, still has some groaning moments. They have started to lighten up in some areas--I do agree with the fighting scenes--enough all ready! I do hope some good shows that have started this year will not be lost due to producers greed and the prolonged writers strike.
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Nov 8, 2007 2:35 PM
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My take on the fight scene was that Jae took her to school on how to take down the "Evil-Doer"s in a crowd without being obvious about her powers. Which she did use on the security guard, so it did serve a purpose.
Charliy, I'm right there with ya. Either the French have perfected Scotchguard to the point where it not only repels coffee stains, but bullets as well, or we're not supposed to take this thing seriously. Which I'm trying to do. But it's hard with this one. I'm seeing improvement, but with the plunging ratings it's not looking good.
OpinionatedWatcher, I didn't even realize that in the last ep she was really speaking with her native accent. She had me fooled. Maybe because I didn't know she was English I wasn't looking for it. Now Anna Friel on PD does an amazing job of masking her British accent.
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Nov 8, 2007 3:10 PM
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With all the "Green Week" crap that NBC's been shoving down out throats I'm amazed that they didn't have Jaime saving a whale or pushing an iceberg out of a warm current.
Too funny! 
It was an okay episode. Still better than whatever trash is going on over on ABC's "Private Practice". And actually, the CIA does recruit people fresh out of college and with 2 years of training, it's quite realistic to see a 25, 26 year old undercover agent. What's not realistic is hiding behind Victorian chairs while someone is shooting at you from 3 feet away. Come on!
I agree that one of the biggest problems with the show is Michelle Ryan's seeming discomfort with her American accent. The US has the largest entertainment industry in the world. You're telling me you had to import some girl to badly fake an American accent? As if there aren't hundreds of talented young American women here looking for their big break who could have carried the heck out of this role. It's not like Ryan is Keira Knightley. She's not a name over on this side of the pond so what was the point?
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Nov 8, 2007 3:24 PM
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Jaime's fight scenes are ridiculous; she should be able to take out anybody with a single punch or kick, so what's with the extended fight scenes?
Charliy, I guess you weren't paying attention because that was explained in last night's episode very clearly. If she blatantly uses her power to take someone down by knocking them 20 feet across a room in front of other people the secret (her bionics) will be out in the open. It was explained that if people found out she'd be much less effective as people would expect/prepare for it. Remember the technology behind it is still classified. Whether you think it's a good reason or not, it was quite clearly explained.
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Nov 8, 2007 4:33 PM
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Hey do you or anyone know if Bionic Woman got cancelled? Some1 told me that, but I don't believe it. If you kno email me at MustangLisa05@sbcglobal.net and put "Bionic Woman" in the subject so I kno it's not spam.
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Nov 8, 2007 7:40 PM
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Wow, where to begin? When this show debuted, 13.6 million people watched and the TV Guide blog had 98 comments (mostly negative). Now there are 6.44 million viewers (a 53% decline) and my comment is the 12th. Based on the mainly positive remarks it appears that all the naysayers have stopped watching and blogging. Until now. I watch an enormous amount of TV, some great, some good and a lot mediocre. This last episode was the worst television I have seen in years. And I actually thought the show had been improving. The acting was horrendous, the writing was so bad that the writers, whose strike I support, should be looking for alternative employment and the plot was laughable. The powers that be for this show have no idea what they want it to be. This episode played out like a romantic comedy gone horribly wrong. The show has no action, no adventure, no sci-fi elements, no likable characters to root for and no heart. I didn't detect one iota of chemistry between Jaime and Tom, the little sister is annoying filler and no one else is given enough to do. The big bionic moments are watching Jaime watch other people from afar and the weekly trek down her ear canal. And the "explanation" that others can't know about her secret is absurd. Why have a show titled the Bionic Woman, have a character with 2 bionic legs and 1 bionic arm, and have it appear that she would get her butt whipped by Sidney Bristow? I know everyone is entitled to their own opinions and I'm glad (amazed, but glad) that some people actually like the show but I am saddened at what a mess it has become. No wonder Lindsay Wagner won't even do a cameo.
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Nov 8, 2007 7:51 PM
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Monaco497:
Wow, that was a harsh assessment of the show.
I'm among those who has seen a good deal of improvement over the past 2 episodes, but I know that more needs to be done.
I agree with OpinionatedWatcher..
The most interesting issue to me is Michelle Ryan's American accent and how it seems to be hampering her vocal inflections and ability to sound more natural when reciting her dialogue. It's a somewhat odd but very real problem. I know many other British actors have been able to take on an American accent with better results, but this seems to be a stumbling block for her. She is a very good actress otherwise.
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Nov 9, 2007 9:57 AM
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Hi! Just a comment on a few of the points: I thought that this episode was alright, at best, but nothing extraordinary. Indeed, I found it a bit boring - nothing really substantial seemed to happen, and that has been my feeling with all of the episodes so far. Maybe I have become used to multiple-arc storylines on TV, but my usual reaction to BW episodes is to feel that a great deal did not happen. I don't find Tom interesting in the least. I do like Michelle Ryan. Also, to the earlier writer who was talking about all of the American actors who could have been hired to play this role - keep in mind that American entertainment media make huge amounts of money off the rest of the world. The least they can do is occasionally hire non-Americans for starring roles. At any rate, I'm still waiting for this show to get good. I will give it until the end of this season (or a few episodes into the new season, if the writers' strike continues) then call it quits. I'm still waiting to see how nasty the Berkut Group really is.
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Nov 11, 2007 9:59 AM
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