This Woman Is Going To Be Bionic

Yes, it was recently announced that 22 year old Michelle Ryan, best known as "Zoe Slater" in BBC's "EastEnders" has surprisingly landed the lead role in US broadcaster NBC's "Bionic Woman" remake. Sorry, "reimagining". Now in some quarters of the internet this has gone down as well as razorblades in a ham sandwich, but why?

"She's British". Okay, so that's a problem? Hugh Laurie's as English as they come yet he's an Emmy awarding winning TV actor in the US in "House". In fact there's British actors in practically every US series these days, from Joely Richardson in "Nip/Tuck", to "Ugly Betty"s Ashley Jensen (from our "Extras"). I expect she can do an American accent as well as the next actress if called upon (not that it stopped Hugh - his is awful) so that's not a problem - it is called "acting" dearies. She's not got a broad cockernee accent in real life you know.

"She was in "EastEnders" for God's sake". That's not exactly a crime is it? Oh it is. Well look, Billie Piper was a popstar, didn't stop her being excellent in "Doctor Who" and she's coincidentally appearing in an TV adaptation of "Mansfield Park" with the aforementioned Miss Ryan. Tamzin Outhwaite & Michelle Collins amongst others managed to make the jump from Walford to normal drama. I'm no expert but on the few occasions I did watch "EastEnders" over the last few years, I wouldn't say that Ryan's acting was any better or worse than in any other mainstream TV drama, even in such as miserable glum role as Zoe Slater.

"Like, who is she? I've never heard of her." Yeah, and Lindsay Wagner was a big name when the original started. She wasn't even a household name in her own household.

"You can't remake "The Bionic Woman" - it's a classic!". Let's not pretend for a minute that the original "Bionic Woman" was anything but a piece of 70s hokum which is probably best left to the memory. And the memory cheats. I've seen episodes since and they're rubbish, so there's not much that a new version could ruin. So therefore where's the problem kids?

Let's not get too excited here, as it's only a pilot Ryan has been signed up for. But the pilot is being made by "Battlestar Galactica" producer David Eick, and the lucky ones amongst us with access to the net and Sky have seen what a triumph that reworking has been, utterly making you forget the corny original and creating a show which can hold it's head high along with the likes of quality shows such as "Medium", "The West Wing" and "Sopranos" as being one of the best that US TV can offer. So that's promising.

But it is another remake. It does seem that Hollywood is increasingly looking to our childhood for inspiration, and one by one those shows you used to love when you were 9 are back... and not necessarily better. There does seem to be a better strike rate amongst the TV remakes as opposed to the cinema. "Charlie's Angels" was a great campy success but the "Full Throttle" sequel sucked big time. "Starsky & Hutch" got away with lovingly taking the piss out of everything we loved about the original show, but didn't exactly set the box office alight . "The Dukes Of Hazzard" seemed to hang it's marketing strategy on the delights of Jessica Simpson, but the movie looked to be more empty and mindless than the original series ever was. "Bewitched" tried a post modern twist on the remake idea, but Will Ferrall was as annoying as Nicole Kidman was cute. And "Miami Vice" threw everything out from the original series except the characters of Crocket & Tubbs , but at least the original creator Michael Mann was at the helm so some sort of quality could be assured.I won't mention the likes of "Lost In Space" or "The Avengers"...

Anyway, let's wait until it's made to see if the new "Bionic Woman" is going to be any good or not.. if it's good there will be a series. And then Steve Austin could come back!

If nothing else this article gives me an excuse to use this picture of the Jamie Sommers doll from the 70s (though if there's going to be a Michelle Ryan figure made they'll need more plastic for the bust).