Now We Know What Really Happened to Starbuck

Yeah, it was on network air, and yeah, some of the line-readings set a new standard for clunkiness, and yeah, it’s sad that original bionic babe Lindsey Wagner is shilling Sleep Number beds at 3 a.m., but the debut of Bionic Woman, NBC’s new distaff cyborg noir, was actually pretty tasty fare. Worth noting that David Eick, fresh off a cult hit but ratings dud with Battlestar Galactica, carried premier night with the 18-49 demo, according to the L.A. Times. Also good to know that BSG’s Katee Sackhoff (BW’s psychopathic beta launch) can chew the scenery just as ruthlessly in stormy Vancouver San Francisco as on a nuked, Cylon-occupied Vancouver Caprica. Whoa Nellie! Is there an actress in all of sci-fidom who can stand her ground against this blonde bundle of ham? Maybe Claudia Black.

Best line of the episode:

Will (supergenius son-of-Frankenstein boyfriend, following first bionic sex) to Jaime (better, stronger, faster and flushed from first bionic orgasm): “You’re hardwired for specialized warfare!”

Let’s give it a chance and see what develops in the show’s frozen mountaintop lairs and cobalt-lit underground labs. Drinking game to play while watching: Toss back a shot every time a cast member from BSG slips into the frame.