Dr. David Banner is on the run from both himself and from an intrepid reporter. Banner’s final season would be an abbreviated one as CBS unceremoniously gave the not-so-jolly green giant the axe.
Dr. David Banner (Bill Bixby) is experimenting with gamma rays when an accidental overdose causes him to transform into a giant, green hulk (Lou Ferrigno). This creature is witnessed by intrepid tabloid reporter Jack McGee (Jack Colvin) and this begins his obsession with tracking down the beast and proving its existence.
The Incredible Hulk television show was a mixture of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Les Miserables, Frankenstein, and a healthy dose of the Fugitive. It featured a melancholy theme and always ended with Banner wandering off alone at the end of each episode. There might be a bit of Highway to Heaven in there since Banner wanders around the country helping folks but that show was a short time after the Hulk left the airwaves.
I always thought the show was incredibly sad since poor Bill Bixby always ended up on the road and alone by the time the credits rolled. CBS would make Banner even lonelier as they cancelled the show unceremoniously in 1981. The production had shot seven episodes for the fifth season when learning that they’d not be returning and were not given a chance to really wrap up the series.
The Phenom: Banner catches a ride with a promising young pitcher, but it will take the strength of the Hulk to protect the young man from the dangers of an unscrupulous agent.
Two Godmothers: A special delivery makes for an amazing escape when Banner is forced to help three prisoners from a women’s institution – including one who is nine months pregnant.
Veteran: Banner’s anonymity is put in jeopardy when he tries to stop a Vietnam veteran from assassinating a prominent politician.
Sanctuary: Banner finds himself on a mission with a higher purpose when he impersonates a clergyman in order to save an immigrant from some greedy smugglers.
Triangle: Romance puts Banner in a shaky situation when he competes with a powerful lumber baron for the attention of a beautiful local girl.
Slaves: Exposing the Hulk may be the only option for an escape when Banner is captured by an embittered ex-convict and imprisoned in an abandoned ghost town.
A Minor Problem: Banner is in a race against time when he arrives in an eerily deserted town that has been contaminated by deadly bacteria.
The Incredible Hulk is presented in fullscreen. Special features include a 6 minute gag reel and the 18 minute “Behind the Success.” The documentary talks with show creator Kenneth Johnson and a selection of writers from the show about the short fifth season.
The show has a tinge of sadness already but what’s even sadder is that the axe came without the show’s staff getting to properly wrap up the show. The abbreviated final season appears to have been puffed up by putting it in a large case even though it only has seven episodes.
The special features are nice and informative but you also wish there was more of them. An interview with Ferrigno or tribute to Bixby would’ve been most welcome. It’s still great to have the last of the show available though and it was fun to take that lonely walk with David Banner once more.
The Incredible Hulk - The Complete Fifth Season is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for this version of the DVD in the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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