Steve Austin. A man barely alive. We can rebuild him. We have the technology.
If those words don't immediately trigger a specific, high-pitched "ch-ch-ch-ch" sound effect in your brain, you probably didn't grow up in the seventies. Or maybe you just haven't fallen down the rabbit hole of classic sci-fi television yet. Finding a way to watch 6 million dollar man in the modern era is actually a lot harder than it should be. You'd think a show that basically defined the bionic superhero genre would be plastered all over Netflix or Disney+, right? Not exactly.
Digital licensing is a nightmare. Honestly, it’s the villain that even Steve Austin couldn't outrun with his nuclear-powered legs. Because the show was produced by Universal (now NBCUniversal) but based on the novel Cyborg by Martin Caidin, the rights are a tangled mess of spaghetti.
But you're here because you want to see Lee Majors jump over a chain-link fence in slow motion. I get it. There’s something genuinely comforting about the analog grit of 1970s television that modern CGI just can't replicate.
The Streaming Struggle: Where is Steve Austin Hiding?
Right now, if you want to watch 6 million dollar man without digging a dusty VCR out of your attic, your options depend heavily on your patience for ads. Currently, the most reliable way to catch the series is through "FAST" services—Free Ad-supported Streaming TV.
NBC's own platform, Peacock, has been the primary home for the series on and off for the last few years. However, these shows rotate like a revolving door. One month Steve is there, the next month he’s been replaced by Knight Rider or Airwolf. It’s frustrating. If it isn't on Peacock when you check, your next best bet is usually Tubi or The Roku Channel. These platforms love "retro" content because it's cheap to license and has a dedicated fanbase that doesn't mind a few mid-roll commercials for insurance or dish soap.
Is it on Amazon Prime? Sort of. Usually, it’s tucked behind a "buy per episode" wall or requires a secondary subscription to something like the PROKIDS or CineVault channels. It’s rarely "free" with your Prime membership.
📖 Related: Colin Macrae Below Deck: Why the Fan-Favorite Engineer Finally Walked Away
Streaming isn't forever. Licensing deals expire at midnight like Cinderella’s carriage turning into a pumpkin. If you find it, binge it. Don't wait.
Why the 1973 Pilot Movies Matter (and why you likely missed them)
Most people think the show started with a weekly episode format. It didn't.
Before the series became a pop-culture juggernaut, there were three distinct TV movies aired in 1973. If you skip these, the actual series feels a bit hollow. The first movie, simply titled The Six Million Dollar Man, is actually quite dark. It’s more of a moody spy thriller than an action show. Steve Austin isn't a happy-go-lucky hero; he's a suicidal astronaut who hates his new body.
Then you have Wine, Women and War and The Solid Gold Kidnapping. These moved away from the gritty realism of the first film and started leaning into the James Bond aesthetic. By the time the weekly series kicked off in 1974, the tone had shifted again toward the "hero of the week" style we all remember.
Tracking down these movies is the "hard mode" of trying to watch 6 million dollar man. They are often packaged separately from the "Season 1" digital sets. If you’re buying them on Vudu or Apple TV, check the fine print to see if the 1973 pilots are included. Usually, they aren't. It’s a total buzzkill for completionists.
The Bigfoot Factor: Why We Still Care
Let’s talk about the Sasquatch.
👉 See also: Cómo salvar a tu favorito: La verdad sobre la votación de La Casa de los Famosos Colombia
You cannot discuss this show without mentioning the "The Secret of Bigfoot" two-parter. It is arguably the peak of 70s television weirdness. Seeing Lee Majors go toe-to-toe with a bionic Bigfoot (played by the legendary André the Giant, no less) is an experience that stays with you.
Why does this show still work? Why do people still search for ways to watch 6 million dollar man fifty years later?
It’s the sincerity.
Lee Majors played Steve Austin with a quiet, blue-collar stoicism. He wasn't cracking quips like a Marvel character. When he bent a steel bar, he looked like he was actually straining. The show leaned into the "cost" of being bionic. It wasn't just cool; it was heavy. It was a burden. That human element, combined with the iconic sound design, created a template that everything from RoboCop to Iron Man eventually borrowed from.
The Physical Media Argument
If you are a hardcore fan, stop relying on streaming. Just stop.
The Time Life DVD box set from about a decade ago remains the "Gold Standard." It was the first time the show was truly remastered from the original film elements. More recently, Shout! Factory released a definitive Blu-ray collection.
✨ Don't miss: Cliff Richard and The Young Ones: The Weirdest Bromance in TV History Explained
Here is why you should care:
- The Spin-offs: The Blu-ray sets usually include the crossover episodes with The Bionic Woman.
- The Reunion Movies: There were three "Return of" movies in the late 80s and early 90s (including the one where a young Sandra Bullock plays a new bionic character). These are almost never on streaming services.
- No Editing: Syndicated versions of the show (the ones you see on MeTV or local cable) are often "cut for time" to squeeze in more commercials. You’re losing minutes of footage. Physical media gives you the full broadcast length.
Yes, it costs money upfront. But you'll never have to worry about a "Content Expiring" notification again.
How to Optimize Your Viewing Experience
If you manage to find a way to watch 6 million dollar man, don't just put it on in the background while you scroll through your phone. It doesn't work that way.
The pacing of 1974 is not the pacing of 2026.
The show uses slow motion—a lot. Ironically, the slow motion was meant to represent Steve moving too fast for the human eye to see, but it requires a bit of mental adjustment for a modern audience used to "bullet time." Give it an episode or two. You’ll find that the deliberate pace actually builds more tension than the frenetic editing of modern action shows.
Better Than a Reboot
There have been rumors of a "Six Billion Dollar Man" movie starring Mark Wahlberg for years. It’s been in "development hell" longer than Steve Austin spent in the hospital. Honestly? We don't need it. The original series captures a specific post-Apollo era optimism about technology that you just can't fake today.
Your Actionable Next Steps
If you’re ready to start your bionic journey today, here is the most efficient path forward:
- Check Peacock first. It’s the most likely "free" (with sub) home for the series. Search for "Six Million Dollar Man" (use the word, not the number 6, as search engines can be finicky).
- Scan the FAST apps. Download Tubi, Pluto TV, and Freevee. Set an alert on a site like JustWatch to notify you the second the show hits a free platform.
- Look for the "Crossover" List. If you want the full story, you have to watch the episodes where Steve meets Jaime Sommers (The Bionic Woman). These are "The Bionic Woman" (Season 2, Episodes 19 & 20) and "The Return of the Bionic Woman" (Season 3, Episodes 1 & 2).
- Invest in the Shout! Factory Blu-ray. If you find yourself watching more than five episodes, just buy the set. The jump in visual quality from a grainy stream to a 1080p scan is massive. You'll finally be able to see the wires holding up the "heavy" boulders, and honestly, that’s half the charm.
The technology exists. You just have to know where to look. Steve Austin is out there, probably running in slow motion across a California ranch, waiting for you to hit play.