The Incredible Hulk (TV Series)
Categories: Hulk | Science fiction television series | Television programs based on Marvel Comics | 1970s TV shows in the United States | 1980s TV shows in the United States | CBS network shows
- For information about the comic book series entitled "The Incredible Hulk", please see Hulk (comics).
The Incredible Hulk was a American television series that loosely adapted the Hulk comic book character and ran between 1978 and 1982, and starred Bill Bixby as Dr. David Banner and Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk himself. It was developed by Kenneth Johnson, who also wrote and directed a number of its episodes.
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Premise
The origins of the Hulk in the TV series differed greatly from the original comic book. Banner is this time a geneticist who has been traumatised by the loss of his wife in a fatal car accident, and his guilt over his inability to save her from the burning wreckage. He begins to conduct research into the strange phenomenon which sees humans display supernormal levels of strength, and to understand why others faced with a similar traumatic experience to his own were able to save themselves or their loved ones while under abnormally high emotional distress. He concludes that high levels of gamma radiation from sunspots is the cause, and to prove the theory, he bombards his body with gamma radiation to see if he can instill supernormal strength into his body.
Unbeknownst to him, however, the equipment is upgraded and administers a far higher dose than he intended, altering his body chemistry irrevocably. He initially thinks that the experiment has failed, but later that evening he experiences a flat tire and injures himself with the lug wrench. The resulting angry response triggers the metamorphosis (which begins with Banner's eyes turning into a white-greenish color) into the Hulk and he proceeds to destroy his car. While trying to reverse the process, the interferences of a nosy reporter called Jack McGee result in the destruction of the research laboratory and the death of a fellow scientist. Banner, now presumed dead, is forced to go on the run while trying to find a "cure" for his condition. In a manner similar to the popular series The Fugitive, this forms the basis of the TV series, as Banner endlessly drifts from place to place assuming different identities, while at the same time involuntarily using the powers of the Hulk to deal with the problems of the people that he encounters.
Music
One of the distinctive elements of this series that set it apart was the musical score used. In particular, the most famous music is a wistful piano piece called "The Lonely Man". It is typically used at the closing credits that typically show Banner on the road hitchhiking to the next town, burdened as ever with a destructive curse. It is a kind of quiet motif is unique in superhero television series which usually end with fast tempoed and brassy theme music.
A parody of this score was made in the closing credits of an episode of the Family Guy, when Stewie Griffin performs the hitchhiking scene at the end of the show.
Notable Episodes
- Pilot Episode
- "Death in the Family" (functions as a quasi-sequel to the pilot, also known as "The Incredible Hulk II")
- "Married" - David Banner gets married to a terminally ill fellow scientist, originally titled "The Incredible Hulk III: Married".
- "A Child in Need" - David Banner/the Hulk intervenes on the behalf of a child being severely abused by his father.
- "Mystery Man" - Jack McGee discovers a man changes into the Hulk.
- "Prometheus" - Radiation from a meteorite causes the Hulk to revert back to Banner abnormally and the Hulk is temporarily captured by the U.S. Government.
- "Dark Side" - In an attempt to find a cure, Banner injects himself with a drug that brings out his primal and evil instincts, making him dangerous and even more so as the Hulk.
- "The First" - David Banner encounters another man who is capable of becoming a "Hulk" - a man who has killed in the past and will do so again.
Made-for-TV movies
Three episodes of the series appeared first as stand-alone movies, but were later split into one-hour length for syndication. Two were produced as pilots before the series officially began in 1978.
- The Incredible Hulk (pilot) - 1977
- Death in the Family (pilot)- 1977
- Bride of the Incredible Hulk (season 2 premiere "Married" parts 1 & 2) - 1978
After the cancellation of the television series in 1982, three television movies were produced with Bill Bixby reprising his role as Dr. Banner, all of which aired on NBC.
- The Incredible Hulk Returns - 1988 David Banner meets a former student who has a magical hammer that summons the god Thor. Set up as a possible pilot for a live action television series that would loosely be based on the Marvel Comic book hero named Thor. Thor was played by Eric Kramer.
- The Trial of the Incredible Hulk - 1989 David Banner meets the blind lawyer named Matt Murdock and his masked alter ego; Daredevil. The Incredible Hulk and the Daredevil battle the Kingpin of Crime. Daredevil was played by Rex Smith, while John Rhys Davies played the Kingpin. This was also set up as a possible pilot for a live action television series that would loosely be based on the Marvel Comic book hero named Daredevil.
- The Death of the Incredible Hulk - 1990 David Banner falls in love with a Eastern European spy and saves two kidnapped scientists. The film ends with The Hulk taking an apparently fatal fall from an airplane.
Despite the apparent death of The Hulk in the 1990 film, more Incredible Hulk television movies where planned to help launch a pilot for She-Hulk and Iron Man. There was also talk about doing a television movie with the cast from the 1977-1979 live action Amazing Spider-Man television series in the mid-80s. However, all such projects were cancelled when Bill Bixby died of cancer in November 1993.
Other comments
- In the beginning, the full metamorphosis of Banner transforming into the Hulk would be shown until around the start of season 3. Due to production costs and Bill Bixby's refusal to wear green makeup during transformation, no full metamorphosis would be shown other than the triggering of Banner's transformation and the shirt tearing up as his body gains strength, with the Hulk appearing on the next scene.
- The three NBC made-for-TV movies reviving The Hulk were produced by Bill Bixby, who also directed one episode during the initial 1978-82 series. Bixby directed the latter two of the three movies, with Nicholas Corea directing the first one.
- Both Bixby and Ferrigno played dual roles on two seperate occasions.
- The Incredible Hulk was the beginning series of the highly-rated Friday-night block on CBS, which was followed by The Dukes of Hazzard and Dallas. The series lineup began as such in 1979 and remained that way until 1981, when the Hulk moved to a new night during the abbreviated fifth and final season.