Review: The Six Million Dollar Man: The Secret of Bigfoot Parts 1 and 2

This was, to me, a classic episode which I only saw once as a kid, and which I partially credit as giving me an interest in all things 'Squatch, starring Lee Majors as the world's first Bionic Man, Colonel Steve Austin (no, not the WWE wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin, but his ring name was inspired by this character). Two geologists are setting out seismic sensors when they are set upon and kidnapped by a mysterious creature. Austin, in the area for a geological survey with his boss Oscar Goldman (Richard Anderson), sets out to investigate, and he and his team find a large track which a Native American working with the group identifies as coming from the Sasquatch, or Bigfoot, played by the late Professional Wrestler Andre The Giant. Austin sets off to rescue the two geologists, but encounters the Bigfoot, which is actually more than it seems-it turns out to be the bionic protector of a colony of humanoid aliens, built by Shalon (played by actress Stefanie Powers) based on the descriptions of our earth-bound Hairy Biped. Austin has a confrontation with the Bionic Behemoth, ripping off its arm in the process. He follows the creature into a cave inside a deep mountain, but is knocked unconscious and is experimented on to find out his true origins and how he could be super-strong and super-fast. He strikes up a friendship with Shalon, but learns of a plot by the government to cause a small man-made earthquake to head off a larger quake which would shake the western seaboard into the Pacific Ocean. The aliens want to stop this because it is a danger to their race, but Austin is determined to stop Shalon, who is chosen to attempt to stop the nuclear warhead which is buried 500 feet below ground from detonating. The Sasquatch attempts to stop Austin from escaping the mountain, but fails, and Austin stops the sabotage from taking place, but unfortunately, the man-made quake causes damage inside the mountainous alien compound. Austin and Shalon return to clean up the mess and save the life of the alien leader, and Austin becomes friends with the 'Squatch, but his memory is erased before being released back to the outside world, where he is found by Goldman and his group. Sure, it's cheesy '70's fare, but I like it, and it is partially what got me interested in 'Squatch in the first place. I would give it about 4 out of 5 stars.