A ‘Bionic’ hit

SCOTT COLLINS is wrong [“It’s a 30-Year Tuneup for ‘Bionic Woman,’ ” May 21]. “The Bionic Woman” was indeed a smash hit. In fact, right out of the box, the spinoff ranked No. 5 in its debut season. The following season, it ranked No. 14 and won Lindsay Wagner a much deserved Emmy.

Fred Silverman, overlord of a strengthening ABC lineup, inexplicably canceled the show, saying it had run out of gas. Hit-starved NBC picked it up and, in an unfortunate jump-the-shark moment, reintroduced the show with Max, the bionic dog.

So the show shone shortly, but very brightly -- as all those lunchboxes, dolls (and Dynamite magazine covers) can attest.

GREG PHELAN

Los Feliz