74: Danny (4.17)

1981; 49 minutes

Director of Photography Edward Rio Rotunno 
Written by Diane Frolov

Produced by Robert Bennett Steinhauer, Karen Harris, Jill Sherman

Directed by Mark A Burley

Hitchhiking David befriends a man who is on the run from pesky townspeople.  Ben takes the traveller back to a camp where he and his friend are living off-grid, free of the system.  There's also a woman there with a baby called Danny.  David stays for the night but departs the next morning as he realises all is not well within the little group: the woman, Rachel, is discontent and she heads off on the same morning.  One of the guys, frustrated that Rachel has spurned his advances, assumes the two of them have left together, thus he goes out looking to track them down, which lands David in a usual heap of trouble.

Taking place in the middle of nowhere with very few characters this one feels like it was made on threadbare budget.  Robin Dearden (who also played Joleen in Brain Child) is quite good as the distraught mother Rachel but this episode otherwise feels very by-the-numbers, boring to watch and of little value to the series as a whole.  It's difficult as a viewer not to feel sorry for the baby Danny ('actor' uncredited), who spends much of the episode crying, screaming, and generally in distress.  Hulk 'abducting' Danny at one stage is unintentionally bizarre.

Number of Fists: **

73: Half Nelson (4.16)

1981; 48 minutes

Director of Photography Edward Rio Rotunno 
Written by Andrew Schneider

Produced by Robert Bennett Steinhauer, Karen Harris, Jill Sherman
Directed by Barry Crane

David arrives in Baltimore and helps out a midget being mugged in an alleyway...  The little guy, who seems to have three names, is mixed up with some criminals whilst making a living as a wrestler.  He takes David in for a few days and introduces him to an entire small person community, at the same time getting him into trouble with the aforementioned gangsters.

Probably the nadir of the entire Incredible Hulk run, the whole far-fetched debacle is difficult to watch - the bad guys are the worst type of generic stereotypes (whose conversational habits consist largely of what to eat next), the alleyway mugging is a bit of a joke, and when David attends a party full of small people dancing and the like, it teeters over into parody.

Hulk's appearances are obviously also contrived in an episode that may desperately attempt to tackle the difficulties faced by those who are 'different' from what is considered to be the norm, but can't quite do anything skillfully enough to give it any substance.  The illogical tendencies of Hulk's intellect are also more emphasised in the sequence when he heads down to the changing rooms to rescue a threatened Nelson when he had no way of knowing where the small guy was.  How Andrew Schneider could have written this episode after the legendary The First is anybodies' guess.

Number of Fists: *

72: Interview With The Hulk (4.15)

1981; 48 minutes

Director of Photography Edward Rio Rotunno
Written by Alan Cassidy; Produced by Robert Bennett Steinhauer, Karen Harris, Jill Sherman
Directed by Patrick Boyriven

One of McGee's colleagues - a science journalist by the name of Fletcher - attempts to steal his big story when he accidentally takes a call from a witness who has seen the man who becomes the Hulk.  Fletcher heads out and tracks down the mystery man via the woman who saw him change, and instantly recognises him as David Banner as a result of his previous writings in the science field.  Fletcher's insidious motivation leads him to make a deal with Banner to tell his story for the newspaper, with guaranteed anonymity.  However, as Banner divulges information about what's been happening over the last few years, Fletcher begins to sympathise with him, ultimately questioning his own ethics.

I wasn't entirely convinced by Michael Conrad's performance as the unscrupulous reporter hiding a difficult historical experience that allows him to sympathise with Banner's plight, but there are a number of good things about Interview With The Hulk, including the fact that it veers from the established formula for a change (Hulk only really appears in this episode once, aside from some flashbacks, and it's quite a nifty creature-trapped-on-the-roof sequence that reminds me of old monster movies), plus it's nice to see Banner in a position where he can lift the weight from his shoulders by telling his tale of loneliness and inner torture to another person, even though he is essentially forced into it.  The ongoing sadness of the character is prevalent in this story.

Number of Fists: ***

71: The Harder They Fall (4.14)

1981; 49 minutes

Director of Photography Edward Rio Rotunno 
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 in 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 psychological and emotional 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: ***

69/70: The First (4.12/4.13)

1981; 48+49 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson 
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 group of teens in a malfunctioning car near a creepy old house, leading to the death of one of the teens and 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 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 part 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 of Vissaria 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.  This is one of the best entries in the series.

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

67: Wax Museum (4.10)

1981; 49 minutes

Director of Photography Edward Rio Rotunno 
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: **

66: King of the Beach (4.09)

1981; 49 minutes

Director of Photography Edward Rio Rotunno 
Written by Karen Harris

Produced by Robert Bennett Steinhauer, Karen Harris, Jill Sherman
Directed by Barry Crane

Carl Molino is a body builder who works in the back of a diner for next to nothing whilst dreaming of opening his own Italian restaurant.  A local con-girl tries to partner up with him and persuade the big man to enter the 'King of the Beach' body-builder competition with hopes of earning them both a packet of cash.  The naive girl also gets herself wrapped up with corrupt businessmen whose interest in the competition does not accommodate the presence of Carl.

A fun episode where Lou Ferrigno actually appears in non-Hulk form as Carl, which was a fantastic idea.  In fact almost the entire episode features Ferrigno in one form or another, making this quite a likable novelty in the series.  I quite appreciate the way Ferrigno plays the part of Carl (adopting some of his own characteristics of course, including the fact that Carl's hearing does not function at 100%).

It's plenty of opportunity to show off Ferrigno doing what he did best back in his prime - demonstrating a massive physique (he'd obtained plenty of professional world-class competition experience during the seventies, including first-place wins).  I also found Crane's handling of the first Hulk sequence to be reasonably strong, whilst the presence of Bixby and Ferrigno on screen together has an emotional tug to it.

Number of Fists: ***

65: Goodbye Eddie Cain (4.08)

1981; 48 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson 
Written by Nicholas Corea

Produced by Robert Bennett Steinhauer, Karen Harris, Jill Sherman
Directed by Jack Colvin

A private investigator is questioned by the authorities about a murder - his story encompasses criminal goings-on that are intermingled with the presence of a gardner called David who has no tracable past.  Then there is the eventual unexplained appearance of a large green monster...

Told from the perspective in retrospect by the titular character, the epsiode takes on the form of a 40s/50s film noir, in terms of both plot and style of narration.  The dialogue can be looked on as quite corny but I guess that's a deliberate aspect of the whole approach.  It's a novel and refreshing idea in the context of the series, but when Hulk does appear he seems to have stumbled onto the wrong set, his presence being completely at odds with the atmosphere of the story.

Interest wanes as the episode progresses unfortunately, despite the novelty.  This was the first of two episodes directed by Jack Colvin, aka Jack McGee of course (the character himself not appearing here), the second foray being East Winds later in the same year.

Number of Fists: **

64: Fast Lane (4.07)

1981; 48 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson 
Written by Reuben Leder

Produced by Robert Bennett Steinhauer, Karen Harris, Jill Sherman
Directed by Frank Orsatti

David hires a car to travel to New York for a tightly scheduled interview he's had lined up.  He's unaware that the boot contains a million dollars of criminal money, and that one of the employees of the hire company is going to use the traveller as a decoy so that he can get away with the cash, unhindered by the mob who he hopes will then be after David.

Frustratingly padded with stock footage of car racing (reflecting the memories of the hire car employee, whose life has taken a turn for the mundane), Fast Lane is essentially a road movie contained within 48 minutes.  It plods along at the opposite pace suggested by the title, appearing to be heading towards disaster.  The story is enhanced by the complicating arrival of a failed waitress with problems of her own, and things finally pick up as the various threads entwine for an exciting escape for what must be a bewildered David as he's forced to take part in a car chase that he probably could do without.

Number of Fists: ***

63: Bring Me The Head of The Hulk (4.06)

1981; 48 minutes

Director of Photography John McPherson 
Written by Allan Cole, Chris Bunch

Produced by Robert Bennett Steinhauer, Karen Harris, Jill Sherman
Directed by Bill Bixby

David applies for a job helping out a revolutionary scientist in the area of genetic study, not realising that the whole laboratory has been set up by a French mercenary (La Fronte, played by Jed Mills) who is intent on killing the Hulk - after months of studying patterns of Hulk activity he's nailed down the conditions under which the creature generally appears.  La Fronte initially took his offer to the Register before going to competition after McGee objected to the intent to kill rather than capture.

Despite the improbable nature of the premise it possesses a certain degree of intrigue knowing that Banner/Hulk has been cornered against his knowledge.  This is followed up later on when, aware that the person who becomes the Hulk is in their midst, La Fronte rounds up all of the staff at the base with the objective of smoking out the monster (quite literally - he sets the place on fire before trapping them all).  This leads to one of the few occasions where Banner owns up to being the creature, although it is to plead to La Fronte's non-existent sense of humanity in order to save the others from being burned alive.

It does lose its way by the final act as the supposedly highly intelligent La Fronte seems to lose all grounding in rational thinking as his homicidal streak takes over.  Nicely helmed by Bixby - this would be the only episode of the series that he'd direct, although he did return to the seat for the three TV movies made between 1988 and 1990.  Sandy McPeak, playing Alex, the criminal with burgeoning sense of morality, had previously done a convincing job as the abusive father in A Child in Need. 

Number of Fists: ****