Ran from 1977 to 1982. For 83 episodes, a loyal fanbase followed the plight of Dr. David Banner (Bill Bixby). Driven by anguish over his failure to save a loved one, David experiments on himself using gamma rays, in an effort to unleash the hidden strength humans seem to display in times of extreme duress. Things go wrong, to say the least, and in times of great emotion, David transforms into the Hulk (Lou Ferrigno), a large, incredibly strong, green skinned creature.By the end of the pilot movie, David is believed dead and goes on the run.
The Original Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk has been a staple in Marvel Comics since his first appearance in 1962, but to many The Hulk is less known for his comic. 'The Incredible Hulk' The Incredible Hulk (TV Episode 1977) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.
The series follows him as he moves from town to town, constantly seeking a cure. Along the way, David finds temporary friends and allies and assists them as best he can, while his alter-ego often proves useful in defeating various threats to both himself and others. Relentlessly pursuing David is an investigative reporter, Jack McGee (Jack Colvin), who is desperate to prove that the Hulk is real and what the secret is behind these vague reports of a green-skinned monster. Watching today, it's easy to point out its faults: the dated music (not counting the wonderfully sad 'Lonely Man' theme), the sometimes hammy scenarios David finds himself in, and some questionable - yet amusing - clothing choices. There's also the fact that late 1970s television was ill-prepared to tackle a character as powerful as the Hulk.
Even taking into account that he's drastically smaller and less strong than in the comics, there is still some very obvious FX work here – it's hard not to laugh at the oh-so-fake bear the Hulk throws into the air, among other unintentionally silly moments. But allowance has to be given to the fact that much more simply wasn't possible, given the resources available. Some comic book purists will also cry foul over the changes from the comic, starting with the use of the name David instead of Bruce. But it's important to keep in mind how rare it was to see a comic book adaptation treated with any sort of gravity at the time, and how The Incredible Hulk stuck out for how seriously it took its main character's plight. This alone is very noteworthy, and has helped secure the series a fond place in the memories of many fans, including the director of the 2008 Incredible Hulk film, who to the TV series. Nowhere is the serious nature of the show better on display than in the TV-Movie pilot for the series.
As much as some of it might come off cheesy today, from a production and FX standpoint it's extremely impressive how much it emotionally resonates. The final line of dialogue to the pilot is a gut punch, arguably bringing more pathos and tragedy the story of Dr. Banner than either of the two feature films based around the character have done. As the series progressed, things definitely got increasingly silly. Some of the situations David finds himself in are very cornball, filled with down on their luck folks, disabled girls in distress, and other Hallmark ready sentiment. Yet the show deserves tremendous credit for almost always avoiding the campy route – even when the sentiment was laid on a bit thick, it still feels deeply earnest and never winking at the audience. In the history of comic book adaptations, The Incredible Hulk (which debuted a year before Superman: The Movie) deserves a lot of credit for doing what fans of the source material always longed for – taking these characters and situations seriously, and not thinking comic book derived material has to be played in a jokey manner.
The late, great Bixby was the heart and soul of The Incredible Hulk, thanks to his believable and relatable performance. He brings a gravity to the role that was essential, helping audiences invest in this tortured man and his situation. The visual of Dr. David Banner walking by himself as we hear the aforementioned 'Lonely Man' theme playing is iconic now and it deserves to be – Bixby helped invest the character and show with a surprising and powerful sadness, even among the Hulk saves the day moments that delighted kids back then, myself included. Colvin is also a lot of fun as Jack McGee, the reporter always one step behind David, whose threatening presence gave the show it's Les Miserables influenced through-line – the same format used so successfully in The Fugitive. Ferrigno's Hulk might look goofy compared to what we know from the comics and recent films, but the body builder turned actor also deserves credit for not only bringing the physicality to the role, but also doing a very good job in the quieter scenes, where the Hulk – who never speaks here – has more childlike, kind moments than his usual roar filled rages.
The Incredible Hulk Full Movie
Unfortunately, The Incredible Hulk was unceremoniously cancelled during its fifth season, with only seven episodes completed, meaning the show has no true narrative conclusion. There would eventually be three TV-Movie reunions - not included in this set - of very questionable quality. However, it's notable that those movies were not guided by the show's creator, Kenneth Johnson ( V), who never got to wrap up the story of Dr.
David Banner in his own way. Score: 7 out of 10.
The following is a list of episodes. The series began with two, two-hour on November 4, 1977 and November 27, 1977. Regular one-hour episodes began on March 10, 1978 and ended on May 12, 1982. It was created by, produced by, and ran for 80 episodes.The Incredible Hulk follows the story of David Banner (played by ), a physician/scientist who, traumatized by the loss of his wife, douses himself with dangerously high levels of. He into a giant, green whenever he becomes angry.
The series chronicles Banner's attempts to find a cure for himself, as he is pursued across the United States by Jack McGee. The series was loosely based on the comic book of the same name.After the cancellation of the series, three television movies aired on (1988, 1989 and 1990). On July 28, 2006, season one was officially released on DVD. Season two was released in the United States on July 17, 2007. Seasons three and four were released in June 2008 to coincide with the release of the 2008 film.