joeharnell.com presents THE BIONIC WOMAN: THE RETURN OF BIGFOOT PART 2, featuring music composed and conducted by Joe Harnell for the 1970’s cult television show, THE BIONIC WOMAN, created and developed by Kenneth Johnson (THE BIONIC MAN, THE INCREDIBLE HULK, V) and starring Lindsay Wagner, Richard Anderson, Martin E. Brooks, Ford Rainey, Martha Scott and Jennifer Darling, along with special guest stars Sandy Duncan, Stefanie Powers, Ted Cassidy and John Saxon.
THE RETURN OF BIGFOOT Parts 1 and 2 are a sequel to a specially-aired episode from the second season of THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN. Part 1 of THE RETURN OF BIGFOOT began as the 4th season premiere to THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN and concluded with Part 2 as the 2nd season premiere of THE BIONIC WOMAN. Picking up on story elements from that second season episode of THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN, a rogue splinter group of alien explorers, led by the evil Nedlick, here played by veteran actor John Saxon, have taken control of Sasquatch, played by Ted Cassidy of THE ADDAMS FAMILY fame and are forcing Sasquatch to steal elements necessary to construct a force field around their base camp in Mexico, in order to make it impregnable and allow the aliens to continue in their efforts to steal more of the Earth’s riches and resources for their own benefit. By the end of the first part of THE RETURN OF BIGFOOT, Steve Austin is near death, after being exposed to a lethal dose of radiation. His only hope is to be treated in time with the aliens’ wonder drug, Neotraxin. Jaime Sommers is the only person who can save him and stop the alien rebels from taking over the world. In the second part of THE RETURN OF BIGFOOT, Jaime allows herself to be captured by Sasquatch to gain entry to the aliens’ complex and then escapes to confront Nedlick and his gang of rogue aliens. But their complex, hastily constructed over a volcanic vent, is causing a build-up of pressure that will soon cause a volcanic eruption that will lower the entire floor of the Pacific Ocean. Ultimately, it is Sasquatch who must risk his own life to prevent the volcano from erupting.
THE BIONIC WOMAN: THE RETURN OF BIGFOOT PART 2 continues Joe Harnell's successful creative collaboration with Writer/Director/Producer Kenneth Johnson, a relationship that includes fondly remembered television projects such as THE INCREDIBLE HULK, HOT PURSUIT, CLIFFHANGERS, V: The Original Mini-Series and ALIEN NATION. Moving to California in the early 1970's, Harnell emerged as a celebrated composer of film and television music. He has been nominated for an Emmy Award on three occasions for Best Dramatic Score. During his career, Harnell composed over 400 hours of original music for motion pictures and television. His scores for THE BIONIC WOMAN and THE INCREDIBLE HULK heavily influenced the scoring of all Universal television programs in the late 1970’s. His scores used a traditional orchestral approach (influenced by his Jazz roots) using a 32 piece orchestra. He frequently conducted scores from the piano during recording sessions and he performed all the piano and keyboard solos in all of his scores.
-Mike Joffe,
September 2008
Joe Harnell’s Music for The Return of Bigfoot
Track-by-Track Music Analysis
By Randall D. Larson
Joe Harnell’s score for BIONIC WOMAN episode, “The Return of Bigfoot, Part 2” (1976), is an energetic and exciting television score for the concluding episode of a cross-over show that began with Part 1 on THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN. That episode has been scored by SMDM’s regular composer, J. J. Johnson, while Joe Harnell took the musical helm when Part 2 jumped over to THE BIONIC WOMAN. Joe referenced Oliver Nelson’s original SMDM theme several times in his episode to highlight Steve Austin’s heroism as well as the peril in which he finds himself in this episode.
Refer to THE BIONIC WOMAN: RETURN OF BIGFOOT Part 2 soundtrack CD notes for full synopsis and background details on the episode. The following track-by-track examination of that soundtrack CD were too long to fit on the liner notes therein, and are presented here as an online bonus supplement.
Track 1: Return Of Bigfoot Recap
Joe composed a gentle arrangement of his rhythmic theme for Jamie for the pre-title montage that reacquaints viewers with what’s gone on in Part 1. The cue really emphasizes Joe’s sustained ringing-bell motif for Jamie over a forward-moving rhythm of strings and brasses, ending with poignant oboe and strings over shaker and drums as we replay Steve’s barely-conscious words to Jamie about the rebel aliens and the wonder drug that could cure him.
Track 2: Bionic Woman Main Title (Unused Version)
This is the new theme Joe wrote for the show when he assumed responsibility for scoring. Where Jerry Fielding’s theme (which is what you’ll hear when you watch the episode) featured a slow melody for strings over fast bongos and other percussion, with piano counterpoint, developing into a grand climax, Joe emphasized a strident, declarative statement for brass that opens into a keyboard melody over strings, which then take the melody themselves. The violin lyric resembles Fielding’s in tone but it’s a much different melody and treated with a little more muscle than the original. Joe hands the melody over to a variety of instruments, in turn; it’s a very nicely arranged theme, powerfully built and purposeful.
Track 3: Opening Credits / Helicopter Ride
Subsequent to the generic main title, a reprisal of Jamie’s theme is heard beneath the episode credits, while we see a helicopter approaching mountains. Joe’s jangling bell percussion chimes lightly over sinewy strings and snare drum while a low horn replays heraldic measure as we zoom into copter and see that Jamie is onboard. The cue ends with a menacing electronic howl as the scene cuts to “Meanwhile, 1800 Miles South” and zooms in on the mountain off the coast of Mexico where Nedlick and his band of renegade aliens have set up their new base.
Track 4: Jamie Drops In / Jamie vs. Bigfoot / Arrival At San Angelo
Jamie’s Theme is back in full riff as we’re back to Jamie in the helicopter. A nice descent of violin strands sounds as the helo slows to a hover. “What’s your security level?” Jamie asks the pilot. “Five,” he answers. “Well, you’re about to become a six – see you back at the base!” Jamie opens the door and jumps out of the helicopter, to the amazement of the pilot, bionically landing softly and commencing her slow-mo power run. But the aliens in Mexico have left their monitors live in the California redwoods, and quickly spot Jamie nearing their old base. Nedlick uses his time accelerator to, essentially, transport Sasquach up to the old base to take care of Jamie. Joe introduces his Sasquatch theme, a fastly snarling 4-note descending motif in the low winds bridged by a series of baying, ascending roars from brass over a rushing cadence of piano and bell-percussion. This livid, enraged motif is powerfully resilient and will recur during most of Bigfoot’s attack sequences, effectively capturing his power and rage. As Sasquatch confronts Jamie, an eerie, reflective shimmer of vibraphone suggests that he recognizes something of his beloved Shalon in her face (and a quick cutaway of Stefanie Powers enhances the notion). Gillian pops in using her Time Line Converter device, tells Jamie to take her hand, and then pops them both out of sight and into the alien’s San Angelo base.
Track 5: Entering The Complex / Bionic Hand Crank
A series of heraldic horn blares emphasizes the revolving tunnel (formerly and afterwards a dizzying attraction at Universal Studios) that leads to the alien’s complex; bell-percussion and woodblock emphasize Jamie’s reaction with a glimmer of her theme in the sharp tapping. Gillian escorts Jamie in to meet Apploy, who says he is unable to restore their broken power generator. But Jamie uses her bionic powers to bend a steel rod into a hank crank and restarts it, with an approving cheer from warm piccolos. The cue features the jangly bell percussion throughout along with the bionic power ostinato used as a sound effect.
Track 6: Steve Is Dying / Shalon’s Choice
A short and poignant cue as Jamie meets Shalon and informs her that Steve is dying with severe radiation sickness. As Shalon hands her the (last) bottle of Neotraxin to take to Steve, Joe introduces his love theme from saxophone, signifying Shalon’s choice and her continued love for Steve. There is an impassioned solo violin line as the two women clasp hands in mutual concern, echoed by winds. Then Shalon asks for Jamie’s help in stopping the revel base before the volcanic vent they are haphazardly doffing causes a major shift in the Pacific geologic place.” Jamie: “That could cause tidal waves, couldn’t it?” Shalon: “Enormous ones, yes.” Soft horns evoke a warm tone, while a sharp keyboard figure over rasp and electric bass signifies something more. “Steve means as much to me as he does to you Jamie,” Shalon says as Jamie and Gillian pop out.
Track 7: Jamie Vs. Bigfoot - Round 2
We’re back off the coast of Mexico. Gillian and Jamie pop into forest near Nedlick’s base. “With their monitors they’ll see you before you see them,” Gillian says reassuringly, then pops out to take the wonder meds to Steve. A clear synth melody accompanies Jamie’s cautious walk through the forest; super hearing tells her which way to go. She breaks into slo-mo running, observed by Nedlick in their video monitor; Jamie’s pretty theme heralds her arrival. She overhears Nedlick barking orders to Sasquatch and realizes he is controlling him by threatening to harm Shalon. The ape-man attacks Jamie, and she lets feigns passing out after being thrown. Surging power horns intone as the volcano starts to erupt
Track 8: Gillian Visits Steve
Dr. Wells is caring for Steve in the OSI hospital room. A heavy rhythm pad resonates morosely, with little cheer. When Wells steps out, Gillian pops in. Shalon is watching this via another of the aliens’ ubiquitous video monitors, and instructs Gillian to begin administrating the Neotraxin. But Wells and Oscar come back in, forcing Gillian to pop out. Shalon realizes Steve is near death, and worries that if the doctor and Oscar don’t leave the room, Gillian will be unable to save him in time.
Track 9: Volcano / Jaime And Bigfoot / Gillian Appears
Heavy brass intonations over hysterical percussion fills remind us of that the volcano is becoming more active. We segue to Jamie’s theme as she tries to break out of the room in which Nedlick is keeping her captive, but realizes the doors and walls are made of a super-strong metal that even her bionic arm can’t penetrate. Sasquatch walks by in the hallway and Jamie talks to him, telling him the Nedlick is lying – he can’t hurt Shalon. “It’s just a lie to make you do what they want!” she tells him, over soft layers of violins over rattling bell-percussion. Sasquatch ponders this, but is interrupted when Nedlick summons him to Level 4. Meanwhile, at OSI, Oscar and Dr. Wells have finally left the Steve’s room, allowing Gillian to pop back in and transmit information about Steve’s condition to Shalon. A soft string melody over jangling bongos plays out a kind of sad reversal of the powerful SMDM theme.
Track 10: Healing Steve / Shalon Faints*
Shalon instructs Gillian to inject the Neotraxin in specific areas on Steve’s body; nervous ascending/descending tones from strings and winds emphasize the critical procedure. Cut to San Angelo, where Apploy comes in and realizes that Shalon has given Gillian her medicine – the last in the complex – to save Steve. Shalon collapses with a shrill tweedle of woodwinds. Apploy informs Gillian and asks if the medicine has helped Col. Austin. A faint phrase of the SMDM theme sounds on horn. Cut to Dr. Wells informing Oscar about a volcanic eruption in Mexico. “If this volcano keeps erupting it could bring a serious disaster to the entire Pacific coast,” he tells him.
Track 11: Jamie Tunneling / Act Out
After a brief reprise of the 6-note volcano ostinato for high woodwinds to keep the peril in mind, Jamie realizes while her cell is encased in super-alloy steel, the room is build against the rock wall of the mountain cavern – and that she can tunnel through. Rhythmic pulses of low winds generate over string figures built out of that same 6-note volcano motif, as Jamie begins her slo-mo bionic power move, chiseling her way through the rock. Pervasive jangling of Jamie’s bell-percussion texture pave the way for her theme to come in from self-assured violins; then an upsurge of the volcano motif concludes the show’s third act and brings us into commercial.
Track 12: Steve Awakens / Breaking Through / Volcano
Steve awakens in the hospital room, soothed by a warm string melody backed by keyboard. Gillian is there. Cut back to the volcano erupting, its ostinato sounding an urgent warning from brass. Cut over to Dr. Wells and Oscar returning to Steve’s room, finding that he is gone. Cut back to volcano, rough brass chords carving an urgent rhythm over a rolling drum-kit beat; an ascending siren like upsurge of synth bring us back to the alien’s control room as Apploy comes and is warned of the imminent massive eruption. Dallet (Stephen Young) warns him they must evacuate. Faler (Charles Cypher) nods to the video monitor and warns him that Gillian is back – with Steve Austin. Nedlick sends Sasquatch out to finish him off.
Track 13: Steve vs. Bigfoot* / Bionic Action
Cut back to Jamie breaking through the rock wall and into Nedlick’s control room, her theme reprised on sinewy strings. A catchy rhythm with drums and brass notes as a tremor shakes the cavern and Jamie reacts. Outside in the forest, Steve’s super vision sees Sasquatch running for him in the distances. “Isn’t anything ever easy?” he murmurs and prepares to be attacked. Sasquatch’s theme snarls from low winds, and Oliver Nelson’s SMDM is heard cleanly from electric guitar and flute as they begin to tussle. A mélange of muscular fight music discharges from brass, percussion, segueing to Jamie’s jangly theme as she hears Nedlick commands Sasquatch to kill Steve; a fast paced woodwind melody over bells follows her as she rushes in and swipes the wrist communicator Nedlick has been using to control Sasquatch. Nedlick flung into a corner, Jamie talks into the communicator and radios Sasquatch: “Nedlick cannot hurt Jamie! He cannot hurt you any more – I have the control unit!” Sasquatch tosses the boulder he is about to crush Steve with off in another directions, and helps him up. Jangly bells and electric bass escort Jamie unto the tunnels as Nedlick’s men arrive. They pursue her with clear notes on keyboard over an electric bass riff. She uses Nedlick’s device to call for help from Steve and Sasquatch. The volcano spews. Jamie is trapped by Nedlick and the other aliens. “Oh, terrific,” she murmurs, as pounding keyboards signify her peril. Then the SMDM theme emanates heroically from strings as Steve races in with Sasquatch and they throw the men around. Pulsing notes from brass over vibrant drums. Sasquatch attacks Nedlick with a vengeance, but the volcano quakes like mad and they must leave.
Track 14: Bionic Trio* / Things Heat Up / Heroic Bigfoot
The episode’s furious musical climax. With the aliens taken care of, the volcano is the next matter. Steve, Jamie, and Gillian realize the only thing that will stop it will be if they can use the aliens’ time acceleration device to speed up the lava so that it condenses into stone and stops flowing. Energetic blasts of urgent brass give life to the slo-mo close-ups of Jamie and Steve running for the volcano and build the excitement, while recurrences of the 6-note volcanic ostinato emphasize the imminent danger and the SMDM melody laced through the active rhythms. But even Steve and Jamie’s bionics are no match for the volcano’s tremendous heat, and they collapse far out of range, the SMDM theme moving from strings to wiry synth. But Sasquatch, freed of Nedlick’s controlling threat, takes the device and risks his own life to throw it into the volcano. Joe’s four-note Sasquatch theme resounds, not snarling as before, but boldly from French horn, amidst the percussive din and counterpointed against blasts of the volcano motif. Rapidly fingered keyboards sound as Sasquatch throws the device into the heart of the volcano, followed by downward pulsing spirals of synths, echoing the change being made in the liquid lava, which hardens to rock and stops the flow. A warm melody for strings and harpsichord reunites Sasquatch with Steve and Jamie as all ends well.
Track 15: Shalon In Stasis / Steve And Jamie
A brief 3-note coda for quiet horns brings us back to San Angelo and the original base. Apploy informs Jamie and Steve that Nedlick will undergo judgment of their courts, and Gillian reports that the recovered Neotraxin will cure their people from the radiation exposure. Well, all but Shalon, who succumbed to a coma without benefit of the medicine. Moments from death, Apploy has slowed time down for her until their mothership can return and cure her properly. “When will your mothership return?” Steve asks. Apploy: “About a hundred earth years from now.” He suggests Steve and Jamie stay with them. “Your bionic abilities are much more of the future than this age. We’d be honored to have you stay with us and await tomorrow, a new century.” The music swells and trumpet tones sound heroically as our bionic duo regard this, but ultimately realize they cannot. Goodbyes are said, Sasquatch gets “a big bionic hug” from Jamie, whose theme sounds clearly from trumpets as they head out thru the revolving tunnel. The music culminates with a pleasing resolution for strings as they exit, and we go into:
Track 16: Bionic Woman End Credit
This is Joe’s own Bionic Woman Theme, used for the End Credits over a still frame of Jamie. Written at the studio’s request to replace Jerry Fielding’s original theme when Joe took over as composer midway through the first season, Joe arranged to have Fielding’s theme kept on the show’s Main Title and his own theme used on the End Credits.
Tracks 17-20: Bonus Tracks
A handful of earlier takes of cues modified for the final soundtrack. These arrangements are slightly different and give a slightly different tonality than what was used in the episode.
17. Entering The Complex (this earlier version contains more of the French horn motif).
18. Bionic Hand Crank (a slightly longer version, this was tightened up for the final edit).
19. Steve Is Dying (slightly less impassioned that the version used, Joe’s melody sounds a little sweeter and includes a phrase of the SMDM theme which wasn’t heard in the final version).
20. Healing Steve / Shalon Faints (just slightly different in tone).
Tracks 21-24: Tracking Cues
Four short action cues that Joe recorded “wild” – intended to be edited into sequences as needed throughout the series.
21. Jamie’s Action Theme - Tymp Solo
22. Jamie’s Action Theme - Tymp Solo (Faster)
23. Jamie’s Action Theme - Tymp And Piano Solos
24. Jamie’s Action Theme - Tymp And Piano Solos - (Faster)
* - Contains Theme From THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN, composed by Oliver Nelson.
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