User Reviews

A prime minister of the African nation of Boizana is ready to announce his country's break from the Soviet bloc. Seeking to prevent this defection to the West, the Russians retain a Dr. Barto who manages to find a look-alike of the prime minister, comedian Billy Parker. Parker is persuaded to undergo surgery to remove a growth on his neck, but is instead implanted with an electronic device that allows his behavior to be completely controlled by computer commands. The prime minister is to be kidnapped, and the puppet Parker substituted in his place. Their plans are slightly derailed when Parker is hit by a car and suffers a head injury. X-rays reveal the implanted device, and OSI is immediately notified. Steve Austin is assigned to act as Parker's bodyguard to determine the people and the motive behind the plot.

A fairly wacky yet enjoyable episode about a comedian implanted with a chip that can tell him what to do. The series has always featured high concept ideas, and this is one of them - there's the usual action, but I found the idea and the actor playing the comedian quite engaging.

Utterly appalling nightclub comic Billy Parker (Flip Wilson) is hit by a car after a show. The hospital discovers he has had a mysterious device implanted in his brain by the Soviets. Why Would The Russians Want control the brain of a nightclub comedian? Because Parker is a dead ringer for the newly elected prime minister of a small African republic that has pro-Western capitalist views.

With the real prime minister set to cut ties with the USSR and condemn the Eastern Bloc in front of the United Nations the Soviets intend to abduct him and send mind-controlled Parker in his place to give a very different speech.

Cyborg government agent Colonel Steve Austin (Lee Majors) is sent by his superior Oscar Goldman (Richard Anderson) to protect Parker knowing full Soviet agents can control the comic's brain in dangerous ways. Austin would be no match for the nefarious machinations of those serving under the communist yoke were it not for his bionic enhancements.

This is the silliest episodes of the entire series and the worst case of an adventure show having completely misunderstood what its featured guest star slot was for. Flip Wilson was one of the kindest men in show business. That may have been why seemingly no one told him he wasn't funny.

Primarily known for his 1970-74 variety show it is perhaps understandable that Flip Wilson appear on this series given its place on the network schedule. The Six Million Dollar Man was in its fourth season and second season as part of ABC's Sunday night schedule anchoring the 8pm to 9pm time-slot. It's competition on CBS was the Sonny & Cher Show who may have had the ABC brain-trust needlessly worried.