"Love Song for Tanya"
(Original air date 02/15/76)
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A young Soviet gymnast develops a crush on Steve
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Writers: David H. Balkan & Alan Folsom
Director: Phil Bondelli
Steve meets with Jaime Sommers in a TV studio to watch young Soviet gymnastic star Tanya Brevski (Cathy Rigby) perform a routine on the beam.
Once the cameras stop rolling, Oscar shows up to brief the two agents on their upcoming assignments. Steve's will be to act as bodyguard to Tanya for the duration of her stay in America.
Once Steve parts ways with Jaime, he joins Oscar to go make the acquaintance of his new protegée, her authoritarian guardian Alexis Branovich (Terry Kiser) and Uri Gargon (Kurt Grayson), an arrogant gymnast full of condescension towards all Americans.
Before entrusting Tanya in Steve's care, Alexis hands him a list of activities. He leaves Steve and Oscar with the warning that they will be held liable should any tragedy befall the young girl.
Meanwhile in another part of town, Andre (Alan Mason), the head of a subversive spy organisation operating within the US at Bainbridge school, an all-girl academy, meets with his partner Ivan (Walker Edminston) to plot Tanya's assassination in order to sever the relations between the US and the USSR.
In town, Tanya insists that Steve destroy the ridiculous list of activities and asks her dashing escort to show her the fun spots.
Steve takes her to a small diner to taste their famous hamburgers and by the same token, he introduces her to a game of pinball. Much to his surprise, Tanya beats his score, calling it beginner's luck.
The next day, Steve meets with Tanya at the gymnasium where she teaches him a few twists on the uneven bars. He winds up impressing her with a somersault.
Later in town, while Steve gets some hotdogs, Tanya sneaks inside a dress shop where she asks the saleslady (Sheila Wills) for a complete facial makeover in order to please her handsome escort. In the park, she stops to help some kids with their gymnastic routine before she returns to the car with Steve.
Tanya spots a pretzel stand and asks permission to buy some. As she crosses back the street, Steve spots a car speeding towards her. He rushes to the young girl to snatch her up before she's hit and zooms in on the license number. Right then, Tanya falls in love with her knight in shining armour.
Steve reports the eventful afternoon to Oscar. Both men agree to keep the incident from Alexis until they can prove it was a deliberate act.
Steve goes back to the gymnasium where he runs into Alexis who's incensed at his behavior and insists Steve follow their strict rules.
Further away, he meets with Tanya and her teammate Uri who starts boasting about his strength. He challenges Steve to show what he's got, but the man politely declines. However when Uri accidentally drops his barbell onto the floor, Steve can't resist the opportunity to get his sweet revenge. He picks up the bar with one hand and puts it back on the rack. He then turns to Uri and teases him about needing more training.
Tanya brings Steve in a small office to discuss her feelings for him. She admits to being in love and willing to defect to the US in order to be close to him. The awkward conversation is overheard by Uri who contacts his boss, Andre, with the information.
The new development puts a new twist on their assassination plot, one that fortunately won't require a rifle.
A dazed Steve wanders into Oscar's office with the news of Tanya's confession. Both wonder how they will convince the girl to reconsider her decision to stay in the US. A call comes through from Alexis urging them to meet him at his hotel.
There, Alexis angrily produces a letter from Tanya saying that she has gone into hiding until her demands to remain in the US with Steve Austin are met. Steve is quick to point out that the letter was probably typed up by the same people who tried to kill Tanya earlier.
Alexis is appalled by this revelation. He warns Oscar and Steve to abstain from further intervention in this matter.
Steve suspects the reason for Alexis's impertinence is that he knows who kidnapped Tanya and is afraid that they might find out. He suggests to put a tail on Alexis's whereabouts.
Later, Alexis has Uri brought to his hotel room. He suspects the athlete to work for the covert spy ring implemented at Bainbridge. He threatens to ruin his Olympic career should he not reveal the location where Tanya is held hostage.
Steve tails Alexis's car to Andre's mansion.
Inside, the two men's fiery confrontation ends up with two gunshots. Steve irrupts in the room and dodges the bullets by pulling the rug from underneath Andre's feet.
Andre escapes. Steve rushes to Alexis's side to stem the bleeding. The dying man informs him of the Bainbridge School that fronts a spy organisation where he suspects Tanya is being held.
After calling the ambulance, Steve drives over to the school. Inside the gymnasium, he and Tanya use their respective skills to overpower Andre and his men.
Days later, Tanya is stunned to learn that Alexis has strong feelings for her. She therefore agrees to return to Russia much to Steve's relief.
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