Anyone tried watching the series as an adult?
I downloaded everything, from the three 1973 films and every episode of the five seasons. Plus those three later movies.
I made it my mission to watch them all, but I'm finding it hard going.
The initial hurdle you have to gloss over is that the entire premise is impossible: Steve isn't bionic enough to protect his human body from being destroyed by his feats. That's okay, as I imagine there's some pseudo-scientific explanation that's just not mentioned on screen about spine implants and the such.
The second hurdle is the era, and its horrific fashion sense! The flares, the huge collars, the leisure suits! Though none of those can compare to this Season Four masterpiece ensemble...
Go on, SuperMad, I dare you to make this one!
Another thing that stands out as a mark of its time is Steve's very patriarchal attitude towards women. It's a character trait that stays with him, and in at least one later episode a woman tells him he's a male chauvinist.
The original film was quite dark and more mature than much of the series, what with Steve's reaction and suicide attempt. However, it became de-canonised as soon as the more amiable Oscar Goldman replaced the cold-hearted Oliver Spencer as the man who created TSMDM, and the O.S.O. became the O.S.I.
The first two seasons were pretty watchable, barring some mis-matched stock footage. After that it becomes very patchy, and often evident that the target audience was very young - hence the really clumsy exposition conversations between Oscar and Steve at the beginning of episodes, or the fact the Steve no longer kills anyone.
I've had to fast forward through some of the more mundane episodes, and am now half way through the fifth season. Looking forward to getting to the end so I can start on the three seasons of
Bionic Woman. I've regarded every SMDM episode featuring Lindsay Wagner to be a highlight as she's just so watchable.
I think I'm pretty much in for the SuperMad Jaime Sommers, but would pass on any full Steve Austin or the funny looking Bigfoot, unless it somehow translates well into 1/6.
