26: Haunted (2.14)

1979; 48 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson 
Written by Karen Harris/Jill Sherman; Produced by James G Hirsch
Directed by John McPherson

David takes a temporary job as a helping hand for a woman who is moving out of the city back to her old family home, a place where her twin sister accidentally drowned years before.  The estate agent along with her cousin seem eager for Renee not to stay in the place, instead encouraging her to sell it for her own wellbeing.  Then there are odd occurrences and sightings of a little girl on the premises...

Taking more of a mystery approach, the episode borders (as suggested by the title) on haunted house horror movie territory, as David stays a few days/nights to help Renee out.  He's immediately suspicious of the two other characters who pop up every now and again, particularly the cousin who seems to have a habit of appearing behind doorways, etc.  Matters are not helped by Renee's increasingly fragile nature.

I did sit there thinking, I've seen this kind of scenario quite a few times going back to forties cinema, but I was a little surprised by how the story takes its turn, as it's not quite as predictable as first thought.  Unfortunately Hulk's participation in this episode is reduced to contrivance.  Of note is that this episode is directed by series regular cinematographer John McPherson. 

Number of Fists: ***

25: Like A Brother (2.13)

1979; 48 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson 
Written by Richard Christian Matheson/Thomas E Szollosi

Produced by James G Hirsch
Directed by Reza S Badiyi

Completely eschewing the temporary progress he made in A Solitary Place, David manages to wander into a predominantly black neighbourhood to obtain a job in a ghetto not particularly welcoming of white folk...  Working at a car wash he finds himself on the bitter side of a black colleague who he later befriends after helping one of the guys with a cut wrist.  It turns out the young man is looking after his diabetes-inflicted brother whilst on the verge of becoming a runner for a local drug-dealer-cum-dodgy club owner.

David certainly knows how to land himself in trouble, and this time it's with a black gang who were never going to take kindly to a white man befriending one of their 'brothers', who is effectively being groomed to be a gofer.

Ineffectual Hulk-outs are marred by contrivance and another attempt to draw out Hulk's softer side when his anger is momentarily dissipated to pick up a child/pushchair (which amusingly slips out of the mother's hands to roll right into the middle of the action, as her friends hold her back...).  Pertinent at the time, since then very tired, the story overlays conventional criminal antics with race relations commentary. 

Number of Fists: **

24: A Solitary Place (2.12)

1979; 48 minutes
Written by Jim Tisdale/Migdia Varela; Produced by Nicholas Corea
Directed by Jeffrey Hayden

Banner has been living in a makeshift hut in the Mexican woods for a month now, without incident, the solitary existence he finds to be generally something that facilitates the calm required to maintain his more 'human' form.  This is until a woman stumbles into his camp.  She's a doctor who was held responsible for the death of a child on the operating table, and she too is seeking a little solitude from the world and its, or her, problems.  She is also being hunted by the father of the girl who died, who is accompanied by his son and one Jack McGee.  Exaggerating a damaged knee she persuades Banner to let her stay for a few days, but this of course means that her trouble is about to become his trouble...

An unusual premise with David's self-imposed isolation from society taking precedence as he realises that Hell Is Other People.  And just to prove the point, as soon as a woman wanders into his safe bubble, strife begins, even leading McGee right there inadvertently.

Spoiler ahead:  The theme of revenge is turned on its head here as the hunter is about to kill the doctor when a jeep crash causes his own son to become almost fatally injured, and the doctor herself has to save him, thereby redeeming her in the eyes of the would-be killer.  David's problems are not resolved though, and he has to leave behind his month of non-incidence as he heads back out on to the road.

Number of Fists: ****

23: Wildfire (2.11)

1978; 48 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson 
Written by Brian Rehak; Produced by James G Hirsch
Directed by Frank Orsatti

Wildfire, one of a dwindling number of independent oil drilling companies, is close to financial collapse and run by a stubborn veteran of the industry who feels that they are close to hitting metaphorical gold.  Meanwhile a corporation, recognising the potential in Wildfire, is trying to buy out the small company before they actually do find oil in their current land-based spot, while the price can be kept low, but one of its employees is prepared to go to any lengths to sabotage Wildfire's chances of success.  At the same time David is generally getting in the way as a new operative at Wildfire, whilst forging a relationship with the owner's daughter.

Note that there is a spoiler in the following text.  Saved from being filed under M for Mundane by a dramatic final third when the oil rig blows up, leaving a fire to rage almost out of control.  Hulk's first appearance, after David is trapped in an oil drum by the no-good employee of the opposition, is quite witty in that Hulk's attention on the bad guy is irretreivably diverted to the truck's radio, leaving the guy to scarper.  This child-like, animalistic nature is illogically subverted during the final act when Hulk shows a little too much intelligence when he rescues the owner from the burning rig before capping the escaping oil.

David once more manages to develop a relationship with a female during this story, before having to move on again (although this time with a major boost in finances provided by some fruitful shares in Wildfire, which could arouse some cynicism regarding his motives for sticking around in the first place).

Number of Fists: ***