70: The Harder They Fall (4.13)

1981; 47 minutes
Written by Nancy Faulkner; Produced by Robert Bennett Steinhauer, Karen Harris, Jill Sherman
Directed by Mike Vejar

After being struck by an out-of-control vehicle David wakes up in hospital unable to move.  The doctors diagnose a spinal injury that has likely resulted in permanent paralysis of the legs, this leading to a period of depression and readjustment for David.  As time passes he becomes friends with another paraplegic and during an evening at a bar a scuffle results the wheelchair-bound David being pushed down some stairs.  This of course triggers a transformation, but Hulk's own mobility is affected somewhat.  After the outburst of anger and destruction the beneficial effect of his radioactively enhanced rapid cellular regeneration puts David on the road to recovery, but his new friend is dealing with monetary issues of his own, something that prompts him into planning a bank robbery.

Bixby handles well his character's descent into shutdown following the accident that leaves him effectively crippled, and I like the way Hulk himself is also debilitated when he arrives on the scene.  There is a moment where in his desperation David considers deliberately triggering the transformation as he remembers the regenerative effects that occur.  He pulls back from this temptation, despite his discontent, but fate as usual takes over.  Denny Miller, as David's new buddy, also appeared in Killer Instinct as the enraged footballer (his character here was also coincidentally in the same profession, and it would have made a nice tie-in if they had decided to make the man one and the same).

Number of Fists: ***

68/69: The First (4.11/4.12)

1981; 47+47 minutes
Written by Andrew Schneider; Produced by Robert Bennett Steinhauer, Karen Harris, Jill Sherman
Directed by Frank Orsatti

In the town of 'Vissaria' a group of teenagers run into car trouble near a dead scientist's house and break in hoping to find shelter from the storm outside.  Taking more of a nosy look around the place than they should, one of them is killed by an unseen being.  A year later David arrives in Vissaria after discovering historical stories about the ominous scientist Clive and a green creature that reportedly appeared around the time of his experiments at the old house.  After uncovering more information David believes he is on the trail of not only someone else who became a Hulk-like monster, but a cure for the same condition.

A fantastic idea for the series, The First two-parter essentially brings another 'Hulk' into the equation with some strange and terrific results in equal measure.  It begins in lovely horror-movie style with a malfunctioning car near a creepy old house, leading to revelations of townsfolk that live in perpetual fear of what once happened there.  This story is unusual for the series in that it features several actual deaths (rather than mere injuries) one of which is a shooting on screen.  There are at least a couple of wonderful sequences, for example when David witnesses the transformation of the other man, with scientific fascination and shock combined.  The main difference with this man - David's nemesis ultimately - is that he actually wants to change into the creature, smiling whilst undergoing the transformation.  As David discovers in Clive's notes (a reinforced point from one of the earlier stories) the creature's personality is driven by its alter-ego's outlook, and the megalomaniacal man who becomes the monster in this case really is a different kind of beast to the Hulk, one who is actually willing to kill.

The second episode brings its own exemplary scenes, the favourite of mine being, naturally, the showdown between the two monsters.  Truly a boyish but charming homage to the classic monster clashes of the likes of Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man, etc.  This particular battle is preceded by one of the entire series' most staggering moments; when David is confronted with the other creature, his glimpse of hope (in the form of a serum) is tragically destroyed by his new nemesis.  David's reaction of absolute despair is a shiver-inducing occurrence, one that leads up to transformation into a confused Hulk, who takes a while to begin reacting to the threat before him.  There are several references to Universal chillers of the 30s/40s, from the overall setting to the Frankenstein-like creation that is the titular character, the names Clive (i.e. Colin Clive, who played the Doctor in the first two Universal Frankenstein films), and Frye (i.e. Dwight Frye, a regular misshapen assistant in many of those movies).  The place is also very similarly named to the location of the classic battle in the aforementioned Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man, which is called Vasaria.  It must be said that Dick Durock's turn as the monster borders on parody, but it's so freakishly bizarre that it also leers towards the legitimately eerie.

Number of Fists: *****/*****

67: Wax Museum (4.10)

1981; 46 minutes
Written by Carol Baxter; Produced by Robert Bennett Steinhauer, Karen Harris, Jill Sherman
Directed by Dick Harwood

David becomes a helping hand at a wax museum - the scene of a fire where the previous owner was killed.  His daughter now crafts the dummies, but she suffers from mental difficulties, neurosis, and hallucinations.  The current business partner appears to be torn between supporting the woman, who wishes to continue her father's vision, and balancing the depleted finances.

The first sequence of Hulk is a rather pitiful one, whereby David being burnt causes transformation that leaves Hulk with little to do except throw the source of the problem across the room.  They try to extend this with a comedy item with Hulk getting a little frustrated with an ATM, but it doesn't work for me.  What strikes me with this epsiode is that the scale and budget looks like it was restricted quite significantly.  There's no gloss, the limited locations/sets come across as cheaper, and there's a generally unsatisfying feel to the whole episode.

Number of Fists: **