''The Incredible Hulk'' is an American television series based on the
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
character the
Hulk. The series aired on the
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
television network
A television network or television broadcaster is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, where a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay television providers. Until the mid- ...
and starred
Bill Bixby as Dr. David Banner,
Lou Ferrigno
Louis Jude Ferrigno Sr. (; born November 9, 1951) is an American actor and retired professional bodybuilder. As a bodybuilder, Ferrigno won an IFBB Mr. America title and two consecutive IFBB Mr. Universe titles; and appeared in the documenta ...
as the Hulk, and
Jack Colvin
Jack Colvin (October 13, 1934 – December 1, 2005) was an American character actor of theatre, film and TV. He is best known for the role of the tabloid reporter Jack McGee in ''The Incredible Hulk'' television franchise (1977–82).
Ear ...
as Jack McGee.
In the TV series, Dr. David Banner, a widowed physician and scientist who is presumed dead, travels across
America under
assumed names and finds himself in positions where he helps others in need despite his terrible secret: Following an accident that altered his cells, in times of extreme anger or stress, he transforms into a huge, savage, incredibly strong green-skinned humanoid, who has been named "the Hulk". In his travels, Banner earns money by working temporary jobs while searching for a way to either control or cure his condition. All the while, he is obsessively pursued by a
tabloid newspaper
A tabloid is a newspaper with a compact page size smaller than broadsheet. There is no standard size for this newspaper format.
Etymology
The word ''tabloid'' comes from the name given by the London-based pharmaceutical company Burroughs We ...
reporter, Jack McGee, who is convinced that the Hulk is a deadly menace whose exposure would enhance his career.
The series' two-hour
television pilot
A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distr ...
movie, which established the Hulk's origins, aired on November 4, 1977. The series' 80 episodes were originally broadcast by CBS over five seasons from 1978 to 1982. It was developed and
produced by
Kenneth Johnson, who also
wrote or
directed
Director may refer to:
Literature
* ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine
* ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker
* ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty
Music
* Director (band), an Irish rock band
* ''D ...
some episodes. The series ends with David Banner continuing to search for a cure.
In 1988, the filming rights were purchased from
MCA/Universal
MCA Inc. (originally an initialism for Music Corporation of America) was an American media conglomerate founded in 1924. Originally a talent agency with artists in the music business as clients, the company became a major force in the film ind ...
by
New World Television
New World Pictures (also known as New World Entertainment and New World Communications Group, Inc.) was an American independent production, distribution, and (in its final years as an autonomous entity) multimedia company. It was founded in 19 ...
for a series of
TV movie
A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...
s to conclude the series' story line. The broadcast rights were, in turn, transferred to rival
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
. New World (which at one point owned Marvel) produced three
television film
A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...
s: ''
The Incredible Hulk Returns
''The Incredible Hulk Returns'' is a 1988 American television superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character the Hulk which serves as a continuation of the 1978–1982 television series ''The Incredible Hulk''.
In ''The Incredible Hulk Retu ...
'' (directed by
Nicholas J. Corea), ''
The Trial of the Incredible Hulk
''The Trial of the Incredible Hulk'' is a 1989 American television superhero film based on the 1978–1982 television series ''The Incredible Hulk'' featuring both the Hulk and fellow Marvel Comics character Daredevil, who team up to defeat Wilso ...
'', and ''
The Death of the Incredible Hulk
''The Death of the Incredible Hulk'' is a 1990 American television superhero film, the last of three revival films based on the 1978–1982 television series ''The Incredible Hulk''. Bill Bixby reprises his role as Dr. David Banner and Lou Ferrign ...
'' (both directed by Bill Bixby). Since its debut, ''The Incredible Hulk'' has garnered a worldwide fan base.
Premise
David Banner, M.D., Ph.D., is a physician and scientist employed at California's Culver Institute, who is
traumatized
Psychological trauma, mental trauma or psychotrauma is an emotional response to a distressing event or series of events, such as accidents, rape, or natural disasters. Reactions such as psychological shock and psychological denial are typical. ...
by the car accident that killed his beloved wife, Laura. Haunted by his inability to save her, Banner and his research partner, Dr. Elaina Marks, study people who were able to summon superhuman strength during moments of extreme stress. Obsessed with discovering why he was unable to exhibit such super-strength under similar conditions, Banner hypothesizes that high levels of
gamma radiation from
sunspots contributed to the subjects' increase in strength. Impatient to test his theory, Banner conducts an unsupervised experiment in the laboratory, bombarding himself with gamma radiation. However, the radiology equipment has recently been recalibrated, and Banner unknowingly receives a massive overdose. He initially thinks that the experiment has failed, but, when he injures himself while changing a flat tire, Banner's anger triggers his transformation into a , , green-skinned, superhumanly strong creature who is driven by rage, and has only a primitive, sub-human intelligence. The creature reverts to Banner when he calms down, and, since Banner is unable to remember what occurs while in his transformed state, he goes to Marks for help. The two of them slowly piece together what happened and investigate the nature of the metamorphosis, and the possibility for a cure. Their efforts are hindered by tabloid reporter Jack McGee, who was initially investigating Banner and Marks' superhuman strength research but now suspects them of being connected to the reports of a green-skinned monster roaming the area. While snooping around their laboratory, McGee unknowingly triggers a fire, and Banner rushes back into the laboratory to save Marks, only for the creature to emerge from the fire with her in his arms, dying. Mistakenly believing that Banner was killed in the fire along with Marks and that the creature was responsible for their deaths, McGee publishes a story naming the "Incredible Hulk" as their killer and urges law enforcement to capture him. Believed to be dead, Banner grimly resolves to travel from place to place, assuming different identities and odd jobs to support himself and to enable his search for a cure. He also finds himself feeling obliged to help the people he meets out of whatever troubles have befallen them. Inevitably, doing so puts him in perilous situations that trigger his transformations into the Hulk, which in turn attracts the attention of McGee, who is obsessively pursuing the mysterious creature across the country, both to prevent further violence and to bring legitimacy to his story.
Despite the Hulk's rampages usually helping put some wrong right, Banner flees the town at the end of each episode, fearful that the Hulk's appearance will bring unwanted scrutiny from the authorities or the ever-persistent McGee.
Opening narration
The opening narration is provided by
Ted Cassidy
Theodore Crawford Cassidy (July 31, 1932 – January 16, 1979) was an American actor noted for his tall stature at and deep voice. He tended to play unusual characters in offbeat or science-fiction series such as ''Star Trek'' and ''I Dream of ...
:
Prior to the beginning of the series, a different version (also provided by Cassidy) was used for the second pilot movie, ''The Return of the Incredible Hulk'' (later re-titled "Death in the Family"):
Episodes
Cast
Main cast
*
Bill Bixby as Dr. David Banner
**
Lou Ferrigno
Louis Jude Ferrigno Sr. (; born November 9, 1951) is an American actor and retired professional bodybuilder. As a bodybuilder, Ferrigno won an IFBB Mr. America title and two consecutive IFBB Mr. Universe titles; and appeared in the documenta ...
as the
Hulk, a green humanoid David turns into when angered.
***
Ted Cassidy
Theodore Crawford Cassidy (July 31, 1932 – January 16, 1979) was an American actor noted for his tall stature at and deep voice. He tended to play unusual characters in offbeat or science-fiction series such as ''Star Trek'' and ''I Dream of ...
as the voice of the Hulk (seasons 1–2; uncredited)
***
Charles Napier as the voice of the Hulk (seasons 2–5; after Cassidy's death in 1979: uncredited
)
*
Jack Colvin
Jack Colvin (October 13, 1934 – December 1, 2005) was an American character actor of theatre, film and TV. He is best known for the role of the tabloid reporter Jack McGee in ''The Incredible Hulk'' television franchise (1977–82).
Ear ...
as
Jack McGee, a reporter tracking Hulk's trail.
Recurring cast
*
Walter Brooke
Walter Brooke (born Gustav William Tweer Jr., October 23, 1914 – August 20, 1986) was an American actor.
Career
Brooke's film career stretched from '' You're in the Army Now'' (1941 to '' Jagged Edge'' (1985). One of his best-remembered roles ...
as Mark Roberts, McGee's boss at the ''National Register'' (seasons 3–4)
Production
Development
In early 1977,
Frank Price
Frank Price (born May 17, 1930) is a television writer and executive during the 1950s to 1970s, and a Hollywood studio chief in the 1980s. He held a number of executive positions including head of Universal TV in the 1970s; president, and later ...
, head of
Universal Television
Universal Television LLC (abbreviated as UTV) is an American television production company that is a subsidiary of Universal Studio Group, a division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It serves as the network television production arm of NBC; a prede ...
(known today as
NBCUniversal Television
NBCUniversal Television and Streaming is the television and streaming arm of NBCUniversal, and the direct descendant and successor of the former division NBCUniversal Television Group, which existed from 2003 to 2019.
History NBC Broadcasting
In ...
), offered producer and writer Kenneth Johnson a deal to develop a television show based on any of several characters they had licensed from the
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
library. Johnson turned down the offer at first, but then, while reading the
Victor Hugo
Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...
novel ''
Les Misérables
''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.
In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
'', he became inspired and began working to develop the Hulk comic into a TV show.
Johnson made several changes from the comic book; this was partly to translate it into a live-action show that was more believable and acceptable to a wide audience, and also because he disliked comics and thus felt it best that the show be as different from the source material as possible.
In the character's origin story, rather than being exposed to
gamma ray
A gamma ray, also known as gamma radiation (symbol γ or \gamma), is a penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation arising from the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei. It consists of the shortest wavelength electromagnetic waves, typically ...
s during a botched atomic testing explosion, Banner is gamma-irradiated in a more low-key laboratory mishap during a test on himself. Another change was Banner's occupation, from
physicist
A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe.
Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate cau ...
to medical researcher/physician. Although the comic book Hulk's degree of speaking ability has varied over the years, the television Hulk did not speak at all—he merely growled and roared. Hulk co-creator
Stan Lee later recounted: "When we started the television show, Ken said to me, 'You know, Stan, I don't think the Hulk should talk'. The minute he said it, I knew he was right.
n the comics I had the Hulk talking like this: 'Hulk crush! Hulk get him!' I could get away with it in a comic, but that would have sounded so silly if he spoke that way in a television show".
The Hulk's strength is far more limited than in the comic book, which Johnson felt was necessary for the show to be taken seriously by viewers.
The Hulk still retained a healing factor, however. For instance, in "The Harder They Fall", Banner is in a serious accident that severs his spinal cord, leaving him paraplegic, but after his next transformation into the Hulk he is able to walk within minutes while in that form, and Banner's spine is completely restored by the end of the episode. In the majority of episodes, the only science-fiction element was the Hulk himself. Johnson also omitted the comic book's supporting characters, instead using original character Jack McGee.
Johnson changed the name of the Hulk's comic book
alter ego, Dr. Bruce Banner, to Dr. David Banner for the television series. This change was made, according to Johnson, because he did not want the series to be perceived as a comic book series, so he wanted to change what he felt was a staple of comic books, and Stan Lee's comics in particular, that major characters frequently had
alliterative
Alliteration is the conspicuous repetition of initial consonant sounds of nearby words in a phrase, often used as a literary device. A familiar example is "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers". Alliteration is used poetically in various ...
names.
[Cronin, Brian]
"Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #62"
Comic Book Resources
''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion.
History
Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
, August 3, 2006. According to both Stan Lee
and Lou Ferrigno, it was also changed because CBS thought the name Bruce sounded "too gay-ish", a rationale that Ferrigno thought was "the most absurd, ridiculous thing
e had
E, or e, is the fifth letter and the second vowel letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''e'' (pronounced ); plur ...
ever heard".
[Keck, William]
"Lou Ferrigno looks back, and luckily, not in anger"
''USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...
'', June 17, 2008, p. 2D. On the DVD commentary of the pilot, Johnson says that it was a way to honor his son David. "Bruce" ultimately became the television Banner's middle name, as it had been in the comics. It is visible on Banner's tombstone at the end of the pilot movie,
and that footage is shown at the beginning of every episode of the series.
In an interview with Kenneth Johnson on the Season 2 DVD, he explains that he had also wanted the Hulk to be colored red rather than green. His reasons given for this were that red, not green, is perceived as the color of rage, and also that red is a "human color", whereas green is not. However, Stan Lee, an executive at Marvel Comics at the time, said that the Hulk's color was not something that could be changed, because of its iconic image.
Stan Lee told Kenneth Plume in a June 26, 2000, interview: "''The Hulk'' was done intelligently. It was done by Ken Johnson, who's a brilliant writer/producer/director, and he made it an intelligent, adult show that kids could enjoy. He took a comic book character and made him somewhat plausible. Women liked it and men liked it and teenagers liked it... It was beautifully done. He changed it quite a bit from the comic book, but every change he made, made sense".
Casting
For the role of Dr. David Banner, Kenneth Johnson cast
Bill Bixby—his first choice for the role.
Jack Colvin
Jack Colvin (October 13, 1934 – December 1, 2005) was an American character actor of theatre, film and TV. He is best known for the role of the tabloid reporter Jack McGee in ''The Incredible Hulk'' television franchise (1977–82).
Ear ...
was cast as "Jack McGee", the cynical tabloid newspaper reporter—modeled after the character of
Javert
Javert (), no first name given in the source novel, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel ''Les Misérables.'' He was presumably born in 1780 and died on June 7, 1832. First a prison guard, and then a polic ...
in ''Les Misérables''
—who pursues the Hulk.
Arnold Schwarzenegger auditioned for the role of the Hulk, but was rejected due to his inadequate height, according to Johnson in his commentary on ''The Incredible Hulk – Original Television Premiere'' DVD release. Actor
Richard Kiel
Richard Dawson Kiel (September 13, 1939 – September 10, 2014) was an American actor. Standing tall, he was known for portraying Jaws in '' The Spy Who Loved Me'' (1977) and '' Moonraker'' (1979). Kiel's next-most-recognized role is the t ...
was hired for the role. During filming, however, Kenneth Johnson's own son pointed out that Kiel's tall-but-underdeveloped physique did not resemble the Hulk's at all. Soon, Kiel was replaced with professional bodybuilder
Lou Ferrigno
Louis Jude Ferrigno Sr. (; born November 9, 1951) is an American actor and retired professional bodybuilder. As a bodybuilder, Ferrigno won an IFBB Mr. America title and two consecutive IFBB Mr. Universe titles; and appeared in the documenta ...
, although a very brief shot of Kiel (as the Hulk) remains in the pilot. According to an interview with Kiel, who saw properly out of only one eye, he reacted badly to the contact lenses used for the role, and also found the green makeup difficult to remove, so he did not mind losing the part.
The opening narration was provided by actor
Ted Cassidy
Theodore Crawford Cassidy (July 31, 1932 – January 16, 1979) was an American actor noted for his tall stature at and deep voice. He tended to play unusual characters in offbeat or science-fiction series such as ''Star Trek'' and ''I Dream of ...
,
who also provided the Hulk's voice-overs (mainly growls and roars) during the first two seasons.
Cassidy died during production of season two in January 1979.
The Hulk's vocalizations for the remainder of the series were provided by actor
Charles Napier, who also made two guest-starring appearances in the series.
Guest stars and cameos
During the series' five-season run, many actors familiar to viewers, or who later became famous for their subsequent works, made appearances on the series, including: future ''
Falcon Crest'' and ''
Castle'' co-star
Susan Sullivan
Susan Michaela Sullivan (born November 18, 1944) is an American actress. Sullivan is best known for her roles as Lenore Curtin Delaney on the NBC daytime soap opera '' Another World'' (1971–76), as Lois Adams on the ABC sitcom '' It's a Livin ...
in the original pilot;
Brett Cullen
Peter Brett Cullen (born August 26, 1956) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Dan Fixx in ''Falcon Crest'' (1986-1988), Sam Cain in '' The Young Riders'' (1989-1990), Governor Ray Sullivan in ''The West Wing'' (2005-2006), Go ...
, also of ''Falcon Crest'';
Kim Cattrall
Kim Victoria Cattrall (; born 21 August 1956) is a British-Canadian actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones on HBO's ''Sex and the City'' (1998–2004), for which she received five Emmy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Awa ...
, of ''
Sex and the City
''Sex and the City'' is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by Darren Star for HBO. An adaptation of Candace Bushnell's newspaper column and 1996 book anthology of the same name, the series premiered in the United Stat ...
'' fame;
Ray Walston
Herman Raymond Walston (November 2, 1914 – January 1, 2001) was an American actor and comedian, well known as the title character on ''My Favorite Martian''. His other major film, television, and stage roles included Luther Billis (''South Paci ...
, co-star of Bixby's first series, ''
My Favorite Martian
''My Favorite Martian'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from September 29, 1963, to May 1, 1966, for 107 episodes. The show stars Ray Walston as "Uncle Martin" (the Martian) and Bill Bixby as Tim O'Hara. The first two seasons, totalin ...
'';
Brandon Cruz
Brandon Edwin Cruz (born May 28, 1962) is an American actor and singer best known for his role as Eddie Corbett, son of widower Tom Corbett (played by Bill Bixby) on the television series ''The Courtship of Eddie's Father''. Cruz is also a pun ...
, co-star of ''
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
''The Courtship of Eddie's Father'' is an American sitcom based on the 1963 film of the same name, which was based on a novel by Mark Toby (edited by Dorothy Wilson).
The series is about a widower, Tom Corbett (played by Bill Bixby), who is a ...
''; Lou Ferrigno, who along with starring as the Hulk, appeared in one episode ("King of the Beach") as a different character; Bixby's ex-wife
Brenda Benet
Brenda Benet (born Brenda Ann Nelson; August 14, 1945 – April 7, 1982) was an American actress. She is best known for her roles on the soap operas ''The Young Marrieds'' (1965–1965) and ''Days of Our Lives'' (1979–1982). She was also fea ...
; and in an uncredited role, the bodybuilder and professional wrestler
Ric Drasin
Richard Alan Drasin (July 12, 1944 – August 30, 2020) was an American bodybuilder, personal trainer, actor, stuntman, author, and professional wrestler. He wrestled professionally and sporadically between 1965 and 2001, while also winning tit ...
as the half-transformed Hulk in "Prometheus" (parts 1 and 2).
Mariette Hartley
Mary Loretta Hartley (born June 21, 1940) is an American film and television actress. She is best known for work with Bill Bixby on ''The Incredible Hulk (1978 TV series), The Incredible Hulk'' (1978) and ''Goodnight, Beantown'' (1983–1984), ...
won the
for her guest appearances as Dr. Carolyn Fields in the episode "Married" (aka "Bride of the Incredible Hulk") in season two.
Stan Lee and
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg; August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was an American comic book artist, writer and editor, widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. He gre ...
, the writer and artist team who created the Hulk for
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
, both made cameo appearances in the series. Kirby's cameo was in the season two episode "No Escape", while Lee appeared as a juror in ''Trial of the Incredible Hulk'' (the 1989 post-series TV movie).
Make-up
Initially the Hulk's facial make-up was quite monstrous, but after both pilots, the first two weekly episodes and New York location shooting for the fourth, the design was toned down. The makeup process used to transform Ferrigno into the Hulk took three hours. The hard contact lenses Ferrigno wore to simulate the Hulk's electric-green eyes had to be removed every 15 minutes because he found wearing them physically painful. The green fright wig he wore as the Hulk was made of dyed yak hair.
Music
Joe Harnell
Joseph Harnell (August 2, 1924 – July 14, 2005) was an American composer, musician, and music arranger.
Early life
His father was a vaudeville performer who also played in jazz and klezmer ensembles. Harnell began playing piano at age six and ...
, one of Kenneth Johnson's favorite composers, composed the music for ''The Incredible Hulk''. He was brought into the production because of his involvement with the series ''
The Bionic Woman
''The Bionic Woman'' is an American science fiction action-adventure television series created by Kenneth Johnson based on the 1972 novel ''Cyborg'' by Martin Caidin, starring Lindsay Wagner that aired from January 14, 1976, to May 13, 1978. ' ...
'', which Johnson had also created and produced. Some of the series' music was collected into an album titled ''
The Incredible Hulk: Original Soundtrack Recording''. The show's main theme, "The Lonely Man"—a sad solo-piano tune—is always heard during the
closing credits
Closing credits or end credits are a list of the cast and crew of a particular motion picture, television program, or video game. Where opening credits appear at the beginning of a work, closing credits appear close to, or at the very end of a ...
, which usually shows Banner
hitchhiking.
Themes
Often Banner's inner struggle is paralleled by the dilemmas of the people he encounters, who find in Dr. Banner a sympathetic helper. Producer
Kenneth Johnson stated: "What we were constantly doing was looking for thematic ways to touch the various ways that the Hulk sort of manifested itself in everyone. In Dr. David Banner, it happened to be anger. In someone else, it might be obsession, or it might be fear, or it might be jealousy or alcoholism! The Hulk comes in many shapes and sizes. That's what we tried to delve into in the individual episodes".
Broadcast history
CBS
*March 1978 – January 1979: Friday, 9p.m. (
ET)
*January 1979: Wednesday, 8p.m.
*February 1979 – November 1981: Friday, 8p.m.
*May – June 1982: Wednesday, 8p.m.
Syndication
The series first went into syndication in September 1982. It has aired as reruns on the
Sci-Fi Channel
Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. ...
and was one of the series that the channel showed at its inception in September 1992. It has also aired on
Retro Television Network
Retro TV (stylized as retrotv), formerly known as Retro Television Network, is an American broadcast television network owned by Get After It Media. The network mainly airs classic television sitcoms and drama series from the 1950s through t ...
, and ran on
Esquire Network
Esquire Network was an American pay television network that was a 50/50 joint venture between NBCUniversal and the Hearst Corporation. The network carried programs aimed at a metrosexual audience centering on travel, cooking, sports and fashion ...
from 2014 to 2015. Series reruns began airing on most
MeTV
MeTV, an acronym for Memorable Entertainment Television, is an American broadcast television network owned by Weigel Broadcasting. Marketed as "The Definitive Destination for Classic TV", the network airs a variety of classic television program ...
affiliates in February 2016. The series began airing on most
H&I affiliates in May 2017.
El Rey Network
El Rey Network (Spanish for ''The King'') is a media brand founded by Robert Rodriguez on December 15, 2013, that is currently owned in a joint venture with FactoryMade Ventures.
Until December 31, 2020, El Rey was a cable and satellite network ...
started airing the series in portrait-form in January 2017.
Made-for-TV movies
Two episodes of the series appeared first as
stand-alone movies, but were later re-edited into one-hour length (two-parters) for
syndication
Syndication may refer to:
* Broadcast syndication, where individual stations buy programs outside the network system
* Print syndication, where individual newspapers or magazines license news articles, columns, or comic strips
* Web syndication, ...
. They were produced as pilots before the series officially began in 1978:
*''The Incredible Hulk'' (1977) (distributed in theaters in some countries)
*''The Return of the Incredible Hulk'' (1977) (also shown overseas as a feature film) – It was retitled ''Death in the Family'' for syndication.
After the cancellation of the television series in 1982, Bill Bixby retained an interest in producing new adventures featuring the Hulk for television. In 1984, just two years after the cancellation of the weekly series, he made a proposal to
Nicholas Hammond
Nicholas Hammond (born May 15, 1950) is an American-born Australian actor and writer who is best known for his roles as Friedrich von Trapp in the film ''The Sound of Music'' and as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the 1970s television series ''The A ...
, who had played
Peter Parker
Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August ...
in the 1977–79 TV series ''
The Amazing Spider-Man
''The Amazing Spider-Man'' is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its main protagonist. Being in the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a bimonthly per ...
'', to develop a new TV movie featuring both the Hulk and
Spider-Man. Although nothing came of this idea, three
television movie
A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...
s were eventually produced with Bixby and Ferrigno reprising their roles. All of these aired on
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
:
*''
The Incredible Hulk Returns
''The Incredible Hulk Returns'' is a 1988 American television superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character the Hulk which serves as a continuation of the 1978–1982 television series ''The Incredible Hulk''.
In ''The Incredible Hulk Retu ...
'' (1988) – This marked the first time that another Marvel Universe character appeared in the milieu of the TV series. David Banner meets a former student (played by
Steve Levitt) who has a magical hammer that summons
Thor
Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, an ...
(played by
Eric Allan Kramer
Eric Allan Kramer (born March 26, 1962) is an American actor and fight choreographer. Kramer has appeared in numerous feature films and television programs including ''True Romance'' and '' Robin Hood: Men in Tights'' and is also known for his ...
), a
Norse god
In Germanic paganism, the indigenous religion of the ancient Germanic peoples who inhabited Germanic Europe, there were a number of different gods and goddesses. Germanic deities are attested from numerous sources, including works of literature ...
who is prevented from entering
Valhalla
In Norse mythology Valhalla (;) is the anglicised name for non, Valhǫll ("hall of the slain").Orchard (1997:171–172) It is described as a majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god Odin. Half of those who die in combat e ...
. It was set up as a
backdoor pilot
A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distri ...
for a live-action television series starring Thor. This project marked Jack Colvin's final appearance as McGee.
*''
The Trial of the Incredible Hulk
''The Trial of the Incredible Hulk'' is a 1989 American television superhero film based on the 1978–1982 television series ''The Incredible Hulk'' featuring both the Hulk and fellow Marvel Comics character Daredevil, who team up to defeat Wilso ...
'' (1989) – David Banner meets a blind lawyer named Matt Murdock and his masked alter ego,
Daredevil. The Incredible Hulk and the Daredevil battle Wilson Fisk (the
Kingpin of Crime). Daredevil was portrayed by
Rex Smith, and
John Rhys-Davies
John Rhys-Davies (born 5 May 1944) is a Welsh actor best known for portraying Sallah in the ''Indiana Jones'' franchise and Gimli in ''The Lord of the Rings'' trilogy. His other roles include Michael Malone in the 1993 series ''The Untouch ...
portrayed Fisk. This was also set up as backdoor pilot for a live-action television series featuring Daredevil.
Stan Lee has a cameo appearance as one of the jury members overlooking Banner's trial.
*''
The Death of the Incredible Hulk
''The Death of the Incredible Hulk'' is a 1990 American television superhero film, the last of three revival films based on the 1978–1982 television series ''The Incredible Hulk''. Bill Bixby reprises his role as Dr. David Banner and Lou Ferrign ...
'' (1990) – David Banner falls in love with an Eastern European spy (played by
Elizabeth Gracen
Elizabeth Ward Gracen (born Elizabeth Grace Ward, April 3, 1961) is an Americans, American actress and beauty pageant contestant who won the title of Miss America in 1982.
Early life and education
Elizabeth Grace Ward was born on April 3, 19 ...
) and saves two kidnapped scientists. The film ends with the Hulk taking a fatal fall from an airplane, reverting to human form just before he dies.
Despite the apparent death of the Hulk in the 1990 film, another Hulk television movie was planned, ''
Revenge of the Incredible Hulk''. It was rumored that in this film the Hulk would be able to talk after being revived with Banner's mind, and that it was abandoned because of
Bill Bixby's death from cancer in November 1993. However,
Gerald Di Pego
Gerald Di Pego (born July 22, 1941) is an American screenwriter and producer.
Feature film screenplays
*'' W'' (also known as ''I Want Her Dead''), Cinerama, 1974
*'' Sharky's Machine'', Orion, 1981
*''Phenomenon'', Buena Vista, 1996
*'' Messag ...
(writer/executive producer of ''The Trial of the Incredible Hulk'', ''The Death of the Incredible Hulk'', and ''Revenge of the Incredible Hulk'') revealed that the film was cancelled before Bixby's health began to decline, owing to disappointing ratings for ''Death of'', and that Banner was to have been revived without the ability to change into the Hulk at all, reverting to (still non-speaking) Hulk form only in the film's final act.
Home media
Universal
Universal is the adjective for universe.
Universal may also refer to:
Companies
* NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company
** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal
** Universal TV, a ...
released all 5 seasons on DVD in Region 1 from 2006 to 2008; a complete series DVD set was also released.
Fabulous Films released ''The Incredible Hulk - The Complete Series'' on DVD in the UK on September 30, 2008. They subsequently released the complete series (not including the three post-series TV movies) on Blu-ray in December 2016.
Reception
Critical response
On review aggregator
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, the two-hour pilot has a score of 57% based on seven reviews, for an average rating of 5.4/10, while the first season has a rating of 75% based on eight reviews, for an average rating of 6.0/10. Writing for the ''
Tallahassee Democrat
The ''Tallahassee Democrat'' is a daily broadsheet newspaper. It covers the area centered on Tallahassee in Leon County, Florida, as well as adjacent Gadsden County, Jefferson County, and Wakulla County. The newspaper is owned by Gannett Co., ...
'', Steve Watkins noted that Lou Ferrigno "did the strong, silent type like nobody’s business", and was "natural" in the titular role.
A retrospective on the TV series reported that the episodes that fans of the show most often cite as the best of the series are "The Incredible Hulk" (pilot), "Married", "Mystery Man", "Homecoming", "The Snare", "Prometheus", "The First" and "Bring Me the Head of the Hulk".
Ratings
* 1977-1978: #26 (tied with ''
Hawaii Five-O
Hawaii Five-O or Hawaii Five-0 may refer to:
* ''Hawaii Five-0'' (2010 TV series), an American action police procedural television series
* ''Hawaii Five-O'' (1968 TV series), an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productio ...
'')
* 1978-1979: #44 (tied with ''Hawaii Five-O'' and ''Dear Detective'')
* 1979-1980: #42
* 1980-1981: #49
* 1981-1982: #34
''The Incredible Hulk'' was a major ratings success, and even became a hit in Europe, despite superheroes generally being much less popular there than in the United States.
Other media
The TV series led to a
syndicated newspaper strip that ran from 1978 to 1982. It used the same background and origin story as the TV series but narrated stories outside the TV series.
In 1979, a Hulk "video novel" in paperback form was released, with pictures and dialog from the pilot.
The show's opening sequence is parodied in the 2022
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by ...
(MCU)
Disney+
Disney+ is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned and operated by the Media and Entertainment Distribution division of The Walt Disney Company. The service primarily distributes films and television se ...
series ''
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law''. In the season one finale, "Whose Show is This?", the opening is recreated to focus on
Jennifer Walters / She-Hulk, portrayed by
Tatiana Maslany
Tatiana Gabriele Maslany ( ; born September 22, 1985) is a Canadian actress. She rose to prominence for playing multiple characters in the science fiction thriller television series ''Orphan Black'' (2013–2017), which won her a Primetime Emmy ...
. Marvel Comics originally created
She-Hulk to ensure CBS did not create a female Hulk first and acquire the rights to the concept.
See also
*
1978 in American television
References
External links
*
* (1977 TV film)
* (1977 sequel)
* Includes episode guide, biographies and th
original 1970s MCA/Universal press releasefor the program
{{DEFAULTSORT:Incredible Hulk, The
The Incredible Hulk (1978 TV series)
1970s American science fiction television series
1978 American television series debuts
1980s American science fiction television series
1982 American television series endings
American superhero television series
CBS original programming
English-language television shows
Hulk (comics) television series
Television series by Universal Television
Television series by New World Television
Television shows based on Marvel Comics