15: Ricky (2.03)

1978; 49 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson 
Written by Jaron Summers; Produced by Nicholas Corea
Directed by Frank Orsatti

Set against the competitive backdrop of motor racing David is helping out at the tracks where a mentally challenged (or whatever the politically correct terminology would be nowadays) man either gets himself into trouble or is manipulated by his guardian's competitors into causing it.  The opposing team are not enamoured with the fact that they are repeatedly beaten by Ricky's team and so go to immoral lengths to swing the advantage back in their direction.

As the episode's title would suggest, this story seems to have less to do with Hulk and more to do with Ricky, an innately gentle man with a history of problems who is not receiving the care he needs, or deserves.  Almost everybody (except David and a female mechanic) speaks to him like he's an idiot and even his well-meaning guardian has little patience for him, therefore this story can be a tad upsetting.  The role is competently played by Mickey Jones, who has carved a reasonable career for himself in films since.

Hulk's appearance seems a little contrived here, as all he's given to do is rescue Ricky from a car... twice.  I'm not sure if that's supposed to be amusing but it feels borderline tedious.  The episode does make good use of racing stock footage, and Bixby comes across well in his character's sympathetic and patient manner.

Number of Fists: **

14: The Antowuk Horror (2.02)

1978; 49 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson
Written by Nicholas Corea; Produced by Nicholas Corea
Directed by Sigmund Neufeld Jnr.

The tiny backwoods town of Antowuk is on its last economic legs due to an absence of tourism and the fact that families are leaving quicker than arriving.  David has a job at one of the stores there, working for the bummed-out and obnioxious Harlen Bates, whose inconsiderate approach to management causes David to lose his temper and...  Hulk smashes up the store, throws Bates around and heads off into the surrounding woods.  Despite the wrecked property and the appearance of an inexplicable green monster, Bates sees the whole thing as an opportunity to get Antowuk back on its feet: he and a friend decide to capitalise on the publicity by creating their own 'abomination', a hairy madman that is actually Bates in disguise.  Of course the plan only works to an certain degree...

The drama early on is driven largely by the infuriating Bates, who pushes David around to a point where you really want him to just get the heck out of there.  He sticks around after the first appearance of the Hulk, probably because he is protective towards Bates' young daughter, who lost her mother some time before.  Of course not only is McGee on the scene this time but a whole team of other reporters and before long almost everyone is on a good old-school angry villagers hunt through the woods looking for the monster.  There's a nice climactic build-up to this as David is concurrently on his way through the woods to stop Bates' insane plan, while a has-been game hunter is also looking for one more glory kill to get his own name back into recognition.

Number of Fists: ***½

13: Married (2:01)

1978; 98 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson 
Produced by Nicholas Corea/James G Hirsch
Written and Directed by Kenneth Johnson

Learning of the pioneering hypnotherapy being conducted by Dr Caroline Fields, David pays a visit to the hospital where she carries out research.  It turns out that she is giving up her work to focus on finding a cure for her own degenerative cellular condition, which is advanced enough to leave her only weeks to live.  After administering aid to the woman during a seizure David's knowledge comes in useful enough for him to stay to help with her self-focused work, with the eventual hope that she can assist him in controlling the monster with hypnotherapy treatment.  During their time together they develop an affection that leads to marriage, but Fields' condition is bringing her own demise ever closer.

This strong season 2 opener is steeped in both optimism and tragedy.  David obviously feels a powerful connection with Fields early on because this marks the first time that he reveals to anyone that Banner (who she has heard of and admires) is not dead, along with the reasons why.  It's a tingling moment that leads on to Banner and Fields helping one another with their respective illnesses - the Hulk's regenerative flesh they theorize may be used to reverse the degenerative affliction that is pushing Fields gradually closer to death via seizures akin to epileptic fits, while Fields repeatedly puts David under hypnosis with the aim of facilitating control over the creature, a control initially imagined but ultimately to become practical.  The opportunity is smartly utilized to reiterate the events of the pilot, given the fact that back in the seventies audiences were unlikely to be able to re-watch something since original broadcast (in this case about a year prior), as well as allowing a hypnotized David to articulate his experience of metamorphosis, something hitherto always shrouded in memory loss.

This episode marks a rare instance where Bixby and Ferrigno actually get to share screen time together - David's mental state takes place in a (mentally realized) desert where his imaginary means of enslaving the creature are stimulated by Fields' hypnotic suggestions.  In fact Hulk is given a lot more to do in this story than in anything prior, a particular highlight being when he virtually demolishes a house in effort to get Fields away from a group of playboys/girls.  There are lulls in activity, slowing things down a little too much as the romantic elements are brought to the fore, but the result is a climax of some poignancy.

Number of Fists: *****

12: The Waterfront Story (1.12)

1978; 49 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson
Written by Paul M Belous/Robert Wolterstorff; Produced by Chuck Bowman
Directed by Reza S Badiyi

David has been working as a bartender near the docks for two weeks when a scuffle brings the Hulk on to the scene.  About to make his departure as normal David is persuaded to stick around due to the beneficial effect he is having on the bar's manager, Josie, who recently lost her husband in some sort of unspecified accident.  Local elections are due to take place and the two forerunners are both putting pressure on Josie to endorse them, but David becomes aware that their methods are not entirely savory.

A fairly mundane conclusion to season 1, particularly after a long run of consistently good stories.  It does differ in the detail that David actually gets his stuff to leave three times in this story, plus the opening scene begins with a very brief appearance of the Hulk.  The first real arrival of Hulk, during a bar brawl, is played more for comedy (and to give the audience what they want) than for narrative necessity.  There is quite a good chase through a warehouse but otherwise this one is, I feel, the most average of what season 1 has to offer.

Number of Fists: **

11: Earthquakes Happen (1.11)

1978; 50 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson
Written by Jim Tisdale/Migda Varela; Produced by Chuck Bowman
Directed by Harvey Laidman

At a recently constructed nuclear facility the new gamma lab attracts David's attention and as an imposter he tricks his way into the building, presenting himself as an inspector (the real one has been delayed deliberately as part of the plan).  On his faux tour of the facility, the woman showing him around - Dr Diane Joseph - begins to suspect something and heads back to check his file.  David uses the opportunity to head down to the lab to attempt the gamma reversal process that he and Dr Elaina Marks were discussing before her death.  Before he can carry it through the now aware Dr Joseph manages to shut down the machinery, perplexed as to why anyone would put themselves through such dangerous exposure.  At that point there is an earthquake and Banner/Hulk is trapped down there with a small group of people.  Not only that but the nuclear reactor is now on the verge of meltdown.

One can only presume David's desperation outweighs his common sense at times, because his precarious aim right from the offset is only to most likely lead to failure.  Having said that, it does make for some exciting television as he goes about pulling off his doomed appearance as an imposter.  And the very reason that a group of people are trapped underground after the quake is because they had become aware that this inspector was not who he said he was, and were attempting to get him out, so there is an added air of tension when they are trying to make their way out of the place.

Hulk's darkly lit scenes are effective (thanks to the regular presence of cinematographer John McPherson) as he goes on a destructive spree to get himself out of the confined space, though surprisingly this time his presence is hardly witnessed at all aside from on some security monitors up in the control room.  This efficacious episode builds up well to the earthquake itself, an adroit natural alternative to the criminal activity that usually accentuates David's troubles.

Number of Fists: ****

10: Life And Death (1.10)

1978; 50 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson
Written by James D Parriot; Produced by Chuck Bowman
Directed by Jeffrey Hayden

David heads into Oregon to meet a doctor conducting ground-breaking research into DNA manipulation that might help with the affliction that he aquired during his tests with gamma raditation.  On the way he meets and assists a pregnant woman who is going to stay at the nearby 'Matrix' institute - leaving her to continue about her business he heads to the hospital.  Doctor Rhodes performs some tests with David and organises the necessary injections for later that day, but in one of the rooms David overhears a newly admitted patient panicking over her lost baby and muttering something about Matrix.

Prior to his later appointment David heads back to the building to warn the girl he met earlier but they won't allow him entry, hence, ever persistent he climbs the wall anyway and manages to locate the girl.  She explains to him that she is actually giving the baby to them so that it can be purchased, presumably by a couple who can't have their own.  There appears to be some ambivalence on her part and, as David is trying to explain the pros and cons of what she is about to do, they are spotted by the owners of the institute, and one of the participants turns out to be Rhodes himself.  David quickly departs, unaware of who has just been present, and later attends his own appointment while the girl gives his thoughts some consideration.  Rhodes, concerned and persuaded that David and the girl are actually collaborating to either blackmail or incriminate them, appears to proceed with his experiment on David, but actually injects him with a lethal overdoes of morphine-sulfate instead.

What initially looks like it is going to be the sugary tale of David helping a pregnant woman (which he does of course) actually turns out to be one of the best episodes of season one.  The plot, aside from being inevitably afflicted with the usual coincidences (without which there would be no series!), is well thought out, tense, and leads to an unusual appearance of the Hulk.  This occurs after David is injected by Rhodes - what viewers who missed the pilot may not be aware of is that the beneficial side effect of David's problem is advanced replenishment of cells, so he heals at a far greater rate than normal.  Therefore the injection does not kill him, but locked away in the theatre (to die), the Hulk emerges completely delirious.  He staggers through the hospital causing mayhem before managing to get out, leaving David in an excessively dreary state but nevertheless intent on getting back to Matrix to alert the girl of his new knowledge (which Rhodes revealed to David as he was strapped down and expected to die).  Ironically the very thing that David wants to cure is the thing that saves his life.  David also replies early to a statement that he is alone with 'sort of', suggesting that he believes the creature is something that accompanies him rather than simply being an extension of himself.  This resonates later when Rhodes is working on David's DNA via extreme magnification - it actually feels like the experiment the doctor is about to perform will 'kill' the Hulk, and there's an unexpected element of sadness evident there.

I also think Hayden's direction is less generic than the TV norm, for example with an excellent camera pan during a prolonged dialogue between Rhodes and one of his amoral associates, plus a number of Hulk point-of-view shots that add an element of interest to his trajectory through the hospital.  In addition, the second transformation is executed in a novel manner with Banner's hands pulling himself up the stairs as they become progressively greener.  This episode is topped off with a funny near-miss with McGee in the hospital as David leaves.  Overall, a stand-out moment in season one.

Number of Fists: *****

09: Never Give A Trucker An Even Break (1.09)

1978; 49 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson
Written by Kenneth Johnson; Produced by Chuck Bowman
Directed by Kenneth Gilbert

Clearly David has learned nothing about trusting strangers/people after what he's been through: a woman picks him up as he's hitchhiking and after getting to know one another she asks him to do a favour to surprise her 'boyfriend' with a note while she waits in the background to give him a birthday kiss.  It's all a pack of lies, naturally, and the note is actually a threat - David narrowly escapes a beating when she nearly mows everyone down in a HGV.  What follows is an extended back and forth chase as the girl reveals that the tanker is her vehicle and she was hijacked by the guys, who want it to transport stolen computer equipment.

Unusually Never Give A Trucker..., written by the show's developer, takes on a comedy slant as David and his new friend drive back and forth, swapping between a car and tanker depending on who has managed to get what.  It's quite entertaining but does run a little out of steam towards the end.  Continuity is established with the previous episode when David says he is travelling from Vegas.  He also mutters, after the first Hulk-out, that he should get stretchy shirts.  

McGee is mentioned but this is the first episode in which he does not actually appear.  The conclusion to this episode also differs from those before (and mostly after) it - instead of walking off out of town alone it would seem that he hooks up with the woman for a while, who wants to share 'more than the reward' with him...

Number of Fists: ***

08: The Hulk Breaks Las Vegas (1.08)

1978; 50 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson
Written by Justin Edgerton; Produced by Chuck Bowman
Directed by Larry Stewart

While helping out at a casino in Vegas, David witnesses a hit and run accident that is perhaps not actually an accident at all.  while administering help, the man hands him a tape recorder (for any gen-z readers, technology that existed back in the seventies...) containing evidence that he has just obtained against crooked casino bosses.  Unfortunately one of the henchmen sees the exchange, placing David in hot water.  Not only that but the dying man asks David to get the recorder delivered to a reporter with whom he and his partners have been sharing information for the purposes of exposure - that reporter is Jack McGee of course.

Obviously the inclusion of McGee as the intended recipient for the evidence that David acquires brings a higher degree of tension than might have been the case otherwise.  The conversation that Banner is forced to have with McGee on the phone is golden,  Later, when a captured Banner is thrown into the same car as McGee who 'luckily' has been knocked unconscious, they're both taken to be executed in suitably elaborate gangster style, but Hulk's appearance saves McGee as well as himself.  A great slant is added after the crooks have been put virtually out of action as a calmed Hulk begins transforming right in front of McGee, but a bullet from one of the crooks sends the Hulk running before the fixated reporter is able to learn the truth.

I also liked the way the first Hulk-out is shot - after Banner is thrown down some stairs Hulk emerges in silhouette as he makes his way back up, with thudding footsteps accompanying the ascending shadowy behemoth, which is especially effective more than usual.  This episode features the underused but stunningly attractive Simone Griffeth (primarily a TV actress, she reveals more of her talents in Death Race 2000...) adopting the role of a card dealer who David befriends.

Number of Fists: ****

07: 747 (1.07)

1978; 50 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson
Written by Thomas Szollosi/Richard C Matheson; Produced by Chuck Bowman
Directed by Sigmund Neufield Jnr.

Upon discovering a scientist who is conducting similar research to his own into the links between gamma radiation and aggression, David arranges to fly to meet the man with a hope of finding a cure.  Aboard the plane one of the pilots and a stewardess are aiming to steal a cargo of Egyptian artefacts, such is David's bad luck.  In flight they drug the other pilots (accidentally drugging the passenger next to David also, which is what alerts him to something being amiss) with the intention of parachuting out of the plane with their hoard.  As soon as David attempts to question the (last remaining conscious) pilot he is quickly bungled into a secure container within the plane's cargo hold.  Of course he still cannot keep is mouth shut at which point the pilot attempts to push the cage out of the plane, triggering the arrival of the Hulk.  The pilot is concussed and the theft-plot thwarted, but the problem now is that there is nobody to fly the plane back down to the ground...

Quite a tense episode where the wrong-doers spark off a much greater threat than themselves.  The plane is populated with characters who help or hinder matters, including a middle aged shoe-shop owner whose attempts to beguile a rich woman lead only to embarrassment, the woman's overly knowledgeable son obsessed with aeroplanes, an elderly couple on their second honeymoon, etc.  David is put into the terrifying position of having to control the plane via audio instruction from the ground, and Bixby pulls off this sweaty-palmed fear adeptly.

Number of Fists: ****

06: Terror in Times Square (1.06)

1978; 50 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson
Written by William Schwartz; Produced by Chuck Bowman
Directed by Alan J Levi

Sandwiched between scenes of Jack McGee talking to his editor about closing in on the creature in New York, this story reveals that David has indeed recently got himself a job in the city (at one the old amusement arcades).  A gangster has long held the small businesses in the area to ransom, attaining a monthly income from each of them, and this includes the arcade.  The business owners plot to overthrow the perpetrator and David, who has come to care about several of the people involved, lands himself right in the middle of trouble when he snoops around himself, even going so far as to break into the gangster's headquarters to obtain evidence.

A fairly generic soup of mob criminality and protection rackets is injected with a big boost for the Hulk's second appearance.  Who out there has needed to get somewhere and they can't move any faster than the traffic will allow, the resulting anger of which does not proceed to get you moving any quicker?  That's the situation David finds himself in when he's on the way to prevent catastrophe at a rendezvous - jumping into a taxi he finds himself stuck in New York traffic with the clock ticking away.  Rage leads to Hulk of course, who smashes out and makes his way through the New York streets on foot.  Not only was this amazingly brave of Lou Ferrigno - it's winter in Manhattan and I can tell you from personal experience it gets very cold there! - but much of it was obviously shot live and with busy streets there are some priceless moments of utter bewilderment as onlookers are fixated by the charging green giant.

A timeline is shaped with this episode as McGee's editor states that he's been chasing the monster for six months.  Despite a lull during the middle act, if there is such a thing, this episode makes up for any dragging with the titular Times Square action.

Number of Fists: ***

05: Of Guilt, Models and Murder (1.05)

1978; 50 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson 
Written by James Parriot; Produced by James Parriot/Chuck Bowman

Directed by Larry Stewart

I tend to like the episodes that sway to some extent from an established formula, and this one does at least attempt something a little different, albeit still essentially within the now familiar context of David discovering that unscrupulous people are up to something nefarious before the same people then aim, somewhat fruitlessly, to dispose of him.

This story begins with a confused David emerging from transformation in someone's house.  Unsure what happened he looks around the damaged room and discovers a dead woman, the evidence obviously pointing towards the Hulk as murderer.  He attempts to piece together what happened during the preceding hours but is limited due to the memory lapse that he inevitably suffers every time he becomes the Hulk.  The press is all over the story, and on implication of the big green giant, so is the National Register (i.e. Jack McGee).  Hearing of an assistant position going at the very house where the death took place, Banner immediately applies with the hope of finding out what happened - he doesn't want to walk away feeling as though he/Hulk is truly a murderer and clearly there is something amiss with the whole scenario.

Opening in a manner which partially reminds me of Alex Proyas' stunning noir/sci-fi film Dark City, Of Guilt... builds up a genuine sense of intrigue in addition to adopting the fairly novel approach of having the same events recounted differently by each witness spoken to.  Unfortunately it does lose momentum for the final third - some of the direction does not appear to be up to scratch (e.g. Hulk runs towards three ill-doers, throws one of them across the yard, while the other two simply stand there watching, no more than three or four feet away - there's just no reaction!), and the explanatory sections don't logically add up.  Nevertheless, for its mysterious set-up and early intrigue,  this story is worthwhile.

Number of Fists: ***