episode #16 - Assault on the Princess

episode #3 of 2nd season / Air Date: 10/6/76 written by Wilton Denmark Directed by Alan Crosland

Jaime turns pro card dealer in this one; her bionics apparently make it possible for her to become about the best at this after a short time of training, like reading cards . Her assignment takes her to a cruise ship, departing from South America somewhere. It's made to look like she's on the run from the local police and the sleazy ship's owner (Ed Nelson) hires her on after seeing her skills. The macguffin in this one is an energy cell gizmo which has to be kept refrigerated or it turns into a bomb. It was stolen by a ne'er-do-well code-named 'The Iceman' and he plans to rendezvous with a sub. What's a bit unusual is the inclusion of the character Romero (Vito Scotti), who returns from the first season's Fly Jaime; he still has an intense crush on Jaime and can be annoying; he functions as all-out comedy relief.
The mystery element in this one is the question who is the mysterious 'Iceman.' I think I guessed this one before the reveal so it's not that big a surprise. There's also an unintentional comical slant to the whole 'Iceman' subplot; the Iceman's henchman keeps bringing up the name of 'The Iceman' whenever he's upset or threatening someone, as if to make sure that the audience understands that this Iceman is important. Ed Nelson's character, however, reveals some extra layers and is not the typical scumbag we had expected him to be. Wagner was also really coming into her own around this time, developing Jaime's character - both her vulnerabilities and her increased proficiency, which comes with experience. There's one moment towards the climax, however, which is a head-shaker: I expected Jaime to throw the live bomb using her bionics; instead, she hands it to the foolish Romero to handle! BoG's Score: 6.5 out of 10

Bionic Trivia: Steve Kanaly has a supporting role here as the rather dim ship's captain; he would soon be a regular on Dallas