The Official 'I Still Love The Hulk TV Show' Thread

[Nivek]

I had almost all the episodes on VHS (that I recorded myself and collected for most of the 90's when Sci-Fi started airing them) and ended up making copies for people. However, I really started to not like it as much when I realized how much the series borrowed from other shows, especially the Fugitive and 6 Million Dollar Man. Kinda deflated the balloon, and made me angry that if they took more from the comic, it probobly would have been so much better by having other Superhumans in it. Instead, we had to deal with the whole "mysterious drifter in a small town" formula for 5 years worth of shows, with a handfull of Memorable individual shows (Married, The First, Prometheus, Death in the Family, ect.) that almost everyone agrees with was the best episodes. Funny though, most of those episodes had more Hulk in them than the others.

 

[Doc Samson]

I had almost all the episodes on VHS (that I recorded myself and collected for most of the 90's when Sci-Fi started airing them) and ended up making copies for people. However, I really started to not like it as much when I realized how much the series borrowed from other shows, especially the Fugitive and 6 Million Dollar Man. Kinda deflated the balloon, and made me angry that if they took more from the comic, it probobly would have been so much better by having other Superhumans in it. Instead, we had to deal with the whole "mysterious drifter in a small town" formula for 5 years worth of shows, with a handfull of Memorable individual shows (Married, The First, Prometheus, Death in the Family, ect.) that almost everyone agrees with was the best episodes. Funny though, most of those episodes had more Hulk in them than the others.

All my complaints exactly. It wasn't so much the Hulk himself (I understand the limitations of the time) but the formula grew old very fast, and because of the limited comic book influence, all he had to go up against was the new bully every week, who got tossed and flexed on, before Hulk promptly jogged around another corner. Those episodes Nivek mentioned were all great, and had the show been more like them, it would've really been fantastic.

 

[Gamma Ra]

I loved the show but, I also agree that it became formula. After watching the Prometheus episode, one can only wonder where the show could have gone had they added a lot more sci-fi elements. In the episode Mr. McGee goes off on the Prometheus scientists, about aliens and advance tech and what not. Being that Banner was pretty much in and out of civilization, they could have easily written him running into all sorts of unknown happenings to the general population. This is something I hope this movie and the sequels capture. Hulk should not be limited to encountering just other gamma spawned monsters. At least in the show, he did run into false voodoo and advanced martial artists.

 

[Dirty Harry]

I was going through my stuff and came accross an old issue of Rampaging Hulk, issue 10 from 1978. It contains a pretty good interview with Bixby. This was in the second season of the show, so it was going really strong at this point. This was the time when Hulk was pretty much Marvel's most popular character. There is an editorial article in the mag titled "Year of the Hulk". In fact, the Rampaging Hulk was pretty much a reaction to make a more adult tone to support the show.

The article with Bixby is below. You can tell he really was proud of the show and took it seriously.

Thanks for upping this article co2. It was a very interesting read. He definitely showed pride not only in his work on TIH, but in Marvel and the source material as well. He didn't slight the comics or talk down about them. Obviously he was very passionate about his work and wasn't simply doing TIH just to pick up a paycheck. Nice.

Thanks again.

 

[co2]

Thanks for upping this article co2. It was a very interesting read. He definitely showed pride not only in his work on TIH, but in Marvel and the source material as well. He didn't slight the comics or talk down about them. Obviously he was very passionate about his work and wasn't simply doing TIH just to pick up a paycheck. Nice.

Thanks again.

No prob.

I didn't collect Rampaging Hulk in it's original run...I was a little too young..but managed to pick up a few issues in later years somewhere along the way. It was a pretty cool mag and had some good stories..particularly that issue that had the interview. They also had a vilains profile gallery, articles and obvisously lots of tips of the hat to the TV show. In the late 70's Marvel was producing stuff for older readers in a magazine form. I know Dracula, Conan and Punisher (the new kid on the block) had short lived mag runs too.

I saw that Marvel is scheduled to release an Essential Rampaging Hulk volume in June which will compile the first half of the series. I doubt it will include the articles and other supplements. It will probably just reprint the comic portion.

http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Ram...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205090378&sr=1-1

 

[Obi-Ron]

I saw that Marvel is scheduled to release an Essential Rampaging Hulk volume in June which will compile the first half of the series. I doubt it will include the articles and other supplements. It will probably just reprint the comic portion.

Whoa, that's pretty cool, thanks for the heads up. The TV article was sweet as well.

I really started to not like it as much when I realized how much the series borrowed from other shows, especially the Fugitive and 6 Million Dollar Man. Kinda deflated the balloon, and made me angry that if they took more from the comic, it probobly would have been so much better by having other Superhumans in it.

One of the things that I like about the new movie is they seem to be taking the core themes of the TV show and adding all those comic elements - Doc Samson, the Rosses, Abomination (and Rick Jones too? Maybe? Please?) - we missed so much. Hopefully it will be an update that all Hulkamaniacs can enjoy.

 

[Dirty Harry]

No prob.

I didn't collect Rampaging Hulk in it's original run...I was a little too young..but managed to pick up a few issues in later years somewhere along the way. It was a pretty cool mag and had some good stories..particularly that issue that had the interview. They also had a vilains profile gallery, articles and obvisously lots of tips of the hat to the TV show. In the late 70's Marvel was producing stuff for older readers in a magazine form. I know Dracula, Conan and Punisher (the new kid on the block) had short lived mag runs too.

I saw that Marvel is scheduled to release an Essential Rampaging Hulk volume in June which will compile the first half of the series. I doubt it will include the articles and other supplements. It will probably just reprint the comic portion.

http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Ram...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205090378&sr=1-1

Regrettably, many of the issues of RH that I had got trashed and /or lost during my move home after college. I still have a few. Maybe I should dig them out and scan the covers? They had some really nice painted ones. I regret that my favorite issue was among the casualties (issue #23). It featured a story written by Marvel's then Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter entitled "A Very Personal Hell." It was a really outstanding story, much on the level of the TV show, but with comic Hulk levels of strength. It would actually have made a damn good episode of the series. With any luck the entire run of the RH mag will see reprint to quick cash-in on the Hulk's popularity while the film's out. I hope so. I'd love to get that story back into my possession again.

The Savage Sword of Conan mag actually had a pretty lengthy run. And like RH, TSSOC had many beautiful painted covers by the likes of Joe Jusko, Bob Larkin and a fav, Earl Norem. He added tons of class to the mag with his stunning covers. I have two or three dozen of those, which I just loved. They got me into the character and subsequently the movies and plethora of paperback novels out on the market at that time. Those were the days!

 

[Nivek]

I'm one of the kids who growing up watching this from 1978-1983 would be scared of the Transformations, but fixed on the Hulk one he started tearing stuff up. After reading the comics for awhile, I felt Incredibly short changed when I watched the show. It got worse as I grew older.

Thats one thing I loved about Ang Lee's movie, if they had him talking and smaller it would've been perfect because they got his power level down right.

 

[Golgo-13]

I'm sorry dude, but declaring your love of the Ang Lee movie discredits everything you just said, imo.

 

[Dirty Harry]

I'm one of the kids who growing up watching this from 1978-1983 would be scared of the Transformations, but fixed on the Hulk one he started tearing stuff up. After reading the comics for awhile, I felt Incredibly short changed when I watched the show. It got worse as I grew older.

Jeez... What's wrong with liking them BOTH? Comic Hulk was one entity, TV Hulk was another. Each different. Both great in their own way. What's the big deal? Superman TV show was the same way. So was Captain Marvel (SHAZAM!) and Batman. Many live-action TV incarnations of comic heroes are different from their four-color counterparts. I personally loved both versions of each - even the Adam West show. As long as you can separate the two I don't see what the problem is. Sounds as though the nit-picking adult in you banished your inner child (who was able to simply enjoy things for what they are) and locked him away in some dark, dismal attic somewhere. Sucks to be you.

 

[Showtime]

Ahhh the Hulk TV Show. That brings back memories.

 

[The Joker_1000]

Yep, I remember I used to wake up early in the morning at times just to catch the marathon. It's too bad that they don't show this show anymore on Sci-Fi.

 

[liverlips]

All my complaints exactly. It wasn't so much the Hulk himself (I understand the limitations of the time) but the formula grew old very fast, and because of the limited comic book influence, all he had to go up against was the new bully every week, who got tossed and flexed on, before Hulk promptly jogged around another corner. Those episodes Nivek mentioned were all great, and had the show been more like them, it would've really been fantastic.

The first few seasons definitely got repetitious until they went for broke (ex. evil Banner, the Army, and papa Hulk). I still think the TV origin is the best as it was very believable (for a comic book movie). I understood Banner's rage, obsession for strength, and willingness to become a guinea pig after he was unable to save his wife from a burning car.

 

[liverlips]

Well in regards to that, here is another piece of trivia...

The first actor cast as the Hulk was actually Richard Keil, who played Jaws in the Bond films with Roger Moore. Scenes were initially shot with Keil in full Hulk make-up. Keil was a very tall man, but Kenneth Johnson decided he needed someone with a more muscular build to play the role and brought in Lou, whom had just been seen on-screen playing opposite Arnold in the documentary Pumping Iron. However...there still exist one shot in the pilot episode that has Keil as Hulk and it is about a 2 second overhead shot....which I have posted below.

If they had kept Kiel, they wouldn't have had to use any prosthetics...that guy had a forehead bigger than Hulk's.

 

[Dirty Harry]

LOL. Well they'd have to do some sort of prosthetics for his muscles! Or else keep him cloaked in the torn shirts to disguise how scrawny he is - at least compared to Lou. Same reason Ted Cassidy didn't get the part: right height, wrong musculature.

I read somewhere (most likely internet B.S.) that Larry Hagman was also considered for the David Banner role. Kenny Johnson say in print and on his commentaries that Bixby was his first and ONLY choice. But still... makes you wonder. Can you imagine the TV show with Hagman as Banner and Kiel as the Hulk? How freaky would that have been!?!?!!?!

 

[The Joker_1000]

I think Lou was perfect as the Hulk. The guy as 6'5 & was in great shape, he was as buff as can be. Kiel may have had the height but didn't have the physique.

 

[co2]

Hey, the Marvel website put up a good tribute to the TV series. It's a nice read. Check it out.

http://www.marvel.com/news/moviestories.2932.Make_Mine_Marvel~colon~_The_Incredible_Hulk_TV_Series

 

[The Joker_1000]

Will do.

Anybody got a website where I can watch some of the episodes? Sci-Fi hasn't aired any in a good while.

 

[Dirty Harry]

Seasons 1 & 2 are out on DVD already. The remaining 3 seasons will hit shelves a week or two before the film opens. Pick them up during the DeepDiscount 20% off sale in late June and enjoy them all whenever you want, uncut and commercial free.

 

[The Joker_1000]

I actually forgot that the episodes were released on DVD. I'm going to start searching for them again pretty soon.

 

[Dirty Harry]

No prob. I can't wait for the rest of the series. Contains "Prometheus" and "The First" which were arguably the two most sci-fi based eps of the entire series. Besides, I read that Kenny Johnson recorded a commentary track for "Prometheus" which I can't wait to hear. His tracks for the pilot and "Married" were so entertaining and info-filled. I wish the writer of "The First" had done a track as well, but you can't have everything with a TV show that's 30+ years old.

You may want to hunt through eBay for S1 & S2. Might be able to snag 'em for cheap there.

 

[The Joker_1000]

Will do.

 

[Tony Stark]

People talk about how Batman Begins did the realistic superhero approach. Well the Hulk TV show did that for Marvel 30 years before anyone knew who Christopher Nolan was.

I loved the show, the tone of it and all. I loved how they showed the inner torment of Banner (even if they renamed him David).

Bill Bixby was a great actor, and was great in the Banner roll. To me he will always be the mark that is measured against. If he didn't pull off the roll of Banner, that show would have been a joke.

It's sad that we lost such a great artist, but he will always be remembered in that roll.

 

[The Joker_1000]

Bill Bixby was the best David/Bruce Banner & still is, I hope that Ed Norton can do as good as him or maybe even top him (I doubt it though).

 

[Bannerless Hulk]

Nice Wall-paper DH!

The only thing of the TV show I have on DVD is the disk that contains the Pilot/"Married" episodes. Both great and arguably the two best so I decided to skip the season box sets. I did consider getting the Ultimate Collection box set as it has pretty much the rest of what I consider the best episodes of the series...but I have yet to pick that up.
For fans that want to skip the season sets, I do highly recommend that you pick up the Pilot/"Married" DVD.

It has a nice little interview with Lou, and some fluff on the '03 film...but the commentary by Johnson on both episodes is priceless. I'm not just saying this as a fan of the show...but it gives you really good insight into the production of mini "movies" on a TV budget. He gives some great stories about Lou and even Stan Lee and a very moving dedication to Bixby on the end of that second episode. It was well worth the money spent to me.

I think Married may be my favorite episode because it really delves into Banner's phychological struggle to purge himself of the Hulk and it is very moving. I also like "Mystery Man", "Prometheus" and of course the Pilot. There was also an episode whose title escapes me, but Banner was paralyzed from the waste down and by way of his transformations, he healed himself. The first transformation, Hulk was so pissed because he couldn't walk.

What is everyone else's favorite episodes?

It also has the trailer for Ang Lee's Hulk. I mention this because a lot of fans were complaining that the movie DVDs didn't have the trailer. If you find yourself in this category, and didn't mind the TV show, then buy yourself a copy at Amazon. And co2, I agree... Johnson's commentary is every bit as good as you say it is.