The other day I wrote a piece explaning why I think that Michelle Ryan could be the right woman to play Jaime Sommers (the Bionic Woman). I totally stand by that, but another thought also crossed my mind – what if Katee Sackhoff was instead cast as Jaime Sommers!? I mean, alot of people think that Katee outshone Ryan in the pre-aired Pilot (I also agree with this), so on this basis would this make Katee a ‘better’ choice for playing Jaime Sommers?

After giving this question greater thought, I honestly struggle to envisage Katee in the Jaime Sommers role. Perhaps it’s because she has too much charisma (not that Ryan doesn’t, mind), which at this point in time Sommers doesn’t require? Or perhaps it’s because Katee just looks so dominant (she has a unique quality of being fearsome yet quite feminine, I think), again, another quality which Sommers is not yet in need of? I dunno, but I can’t really visualise her playing Jaime Sommers. Not that she doesn’t have the ‘range’ to play such a character, but physically, I just can’t see it.

This in itself is odd, because ‘on paper’ she should totally rock as the ‘Bionic Woman’. Ahh, perhaps I’ve overlooked the fact that in the Bionic Universe she is the ‘first’ Bionic Woman..afterall, maybe Sarah Corvus was like Jaime before she got melded with Bionics? Perhaps the opening scene of the pre-aired Pilot gives us a greater understanding of the many faces of Corvus? Perhaps we’ll see a flashback were Corvus is vulnerable and at odds with her abilities?

So I guess despite Katee playing the role of Corvus, she will also (at times) play the role of Jaime Sommers, in a round about way?

I guess at the end of the day, the skill of an actor or actress is to make the viewers buy into a story. For some, Michelle’s early portrayal of Jaime Sommers was unconvincing – I totally respect that because I can see where they’re coming from. However, I think that it’s not an easy role to play at this stage - particularly in a Pilot in which so much happens in such a short space of time. So perhaps Katee herself would also struggle to totally convince as Jaime?

I guess two or three episode in, we will be able to judge better – though it’s good to consider these things now, so that we can look back and see ‘if’ and ‘how’ our opinions change! :)