Ex-EastEnder Michelle Ryan's bionic woman branded a flop

[Honey]

She's come a long way from Albert Square, and last night ex-EastEnder Michelle Ryan made her debut in the much-hyped remake of hit 70s show The Bionic Woman - but critics have given it a savaging.


The 23-year-old made her debut on US television last night as robotically-enhanced Jaime Sommers in an updated version of the sci-fi hit.

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Debut: Michelle Ryan who played Zoe Slater in EastEnders won praise for her debut in US show The Bionic Woman - but critics were not completely convinced


Hollywood: Ryan moved to the US to pursue her acting career in 2005



Michelle, who found fame playing Zoe Slater in the BBC soap EastEnders, quit Albert Square in 2005 to concentrate on her film and theatre career, winning the role over a host of Hollywood stars.
But the premiere episode was panned by critics who previewed the show.
One reviewer said the new show was "cliched" and a "total loss", and that the remake was "too dark and depressing".
The original series, which ran from 1976 to 1978, made actress Lindsay Wagner a star and producers promised the new version would be a "re-imagination" of the popular show.


But television reviewer Adam Buckman wrote in the New York Post: "This show is such a total loss that you couldn't rebuild it for $50 million or $100 million.


"They've embarked on a storyline that explores the alienation and uncertainty Jaime feels after being saddled with all these electronic gizmos without her permission while she was unconscious and half dead.

"To make this scenario as sad and dreary as possible, almost every scene in this show is filmed at night, in the rain or underground - wherever it is just dark enough so that you can't see everything that's going on."

Meanwhile, David Bianculli said in the New York Daily News: "The new star of Bionic Woman, Michelle Ryan may be a fine actress.

"This 21st-century Bionic Woman, whose rebuilt hero is estimated at having a $50 million price tag, isn't money particularly well spent - for the heroine or the series."

However, it wasn't all bad for Ryan, there was some praise for her portrayal of the robotically-enhanced bartender.
Tom Shales said in the Washington Post: "Ryan's flinty pluck and plenty of fancy footwork, however, may help the new Bionic Woman win over as many hearts and minds as the old one did - even if the new one does it the hard way."
Panned: Reviewers savaged the remake calling it 'cliched' a 'total loss' and said it was 'too dark and depressing'

Praise: Critics called Ryan 'a fine actress' who displayed 'flinty pluck' in the role of 70s icon Jaime Sommers



Ex-EastEnder Michelle Ryan's Bionic Woman branded a flop | the Daily Mail

[sharon_b]

She will always be Zoe Slater to me although she does look better now than she did in her Eastender's days. Im glad she finally got rid of that god-awful fringe that she seemed to have for 5+ years.

[VenusInFauxFurs]

Yor not my muvver!

[sharon_b]

Originally Posted by VenusInFauxFurs

Yor not my muvver!

Kat : 'yeh.......i am' (falls on the floor in a drunken heap)

haha!!! i remember that, i laughed my head off all the way through that scene when Kat told Zoe that she was her really mother Kat was in a right drunken state. 5 star telly for for 2001.

[VenusInFauxFurs]

It's like Pat Butcher and her big tacky earings.

Zoe Slater and Yor not my muvver

[sharon_b]

Originally Posted by VenusInFauxFurs

It's like Pat Butcher and her big tacky earings.

Zoe Slater and Yor not my muvver

Now i hate the sight on big earings and its all because of Pat Butcher

[VenusInFauxFurs]

I wonder where they do find her earings though??? I mean they are seriously tackier than tacky!

Oh and some of the clothes that Kat Slater wore wtf

[LaSchifosaVita]

I've just realized this woman isn't Jeri Ryan after seeing more than enough ads for this show that it should have sunk in long ago, which is a good thing, because I was considering watching the show when I thought it was her.

I do feel dumb about talking so much about how she looked better blond.

[DoveFeatheredRaven]

I recorded this last night and will give it a go. Loved her in Jekyll. She has lost weight since doing that, though.

[suede]

I liked it.

[Lily]

Michelle Ryan looks Michael Pitt.


Neither is attractive. And the show looked pretty bad.

[aabbcc]

To me, Jaime Sommers will always be Lindsay Wagner. I'm not interested in seeing someone else in the role.

[PaintTheTownRed]

It pulled in the highest ratings last night and for all new shows that have premiered so far. The critics may not like it but it did very well. I watched it and thought it was good.

[sweet and sexy]

I haven't seen it, it's always hard for new shows though.

[Palermo]

EE is my favorite show of all time, but I never liked "Zoe" - she always had that vacant eyed expression.