'The Incredible Hulk' television series was the inspiration for a long-running joke in the U.K. It went as follows: "why does the Hulk always sound so angry? You would too if your body grew to three times its normal size and yet your trousers stayed the same.". Everyone from Ken Dodd to Eddie Large used it in their act at one time or other. I only mention it because it gives you an idea how popular this series was in the late '70's/early '80's.
Loosely based on the Marvel comic book of the same name, 'T.I.H.' told the story of Dr.David Banner ( Bill Bixby ), a brilliant scientist who got an accidental overdose of gamma radiation during an experiment, and then when stressed out turned into the Hulk - a grotesque, powerful monster with skin the colour of vomit and a tendency towards mindless destruction. This being a family show, of course, he wasn't too violent, and dealt with the bad guys usually by picking them up and hurling them into rivers. He also got through a lot of shirts during the course of the series.
Banner was thought to have perished when his lab blew up, but a nosey reporter by the name of 'McGee' ( Jack Colvin ) was keen to get at the truth and so dogged him every step of the way, a sort of 'Lieutenant Gerard' to Banner's 'Richard Kimble'.
Each week, Banner turned up in a different location, got a job ( altering his surname so that it still began with 'B' ), became involved with a local problem, which he then solved by 'Hulking out'. Perhaps the show should have been retitled 'The Incredible Social Worker'.
The Hulk, as a rule, only made two appearances per episode, with Bixby's 'Banner' carrying the show. The actor was familiar to viewers thanks to 'My Favourite Martian' and 'The Magician'. I always felt that he was an underrated performer who sadly never got the parts he deserved. I'm sure he could not have been too pleased when the script for the 'Hulk' pilot landed on his doormat, but to his credit, he brought a quiet dignity to the role, much as Richard Basehart did with 'Admiral Nelson' in 'Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea'. Jack Colvin ( another underrated actor ) was equally excellent as 'McGee'. One of the best episodes - 'Proof Positive' - had McGee ( Banner did not appear that week ) explaining his motivations for hunting the creature. Muscle-man Lou Ferrigno proved the perfect embodiment of the Hulk. Much better than any C.G.I. rubbish.
Critics in the U.K. reacted with disbelief when 'T.I.H.' first appeared. Margaret Forwood of 'The Sun' said that it was 'even sillier than the Man From Atlantis', while another likened the Hulk to the 'Jolly Green Giant'.
The public ignored the complaints and made the show a hit that ran for five years. I personally found it a refreshing change of pace after the high campery of superhero shows such as 'Batman' and 'Wonder Woman'.
A trio of Hulk T.V. movies cropped up at the end of the '80's, but they were not much good. The first two featured ludicrous versions of two other Marvel characters - 'The Mighty Thor' and 'Daredevil'.
More recently, we have had Ang Lee's 'Hulk' ( 2003 ) and now a new one starring Edward Norton. But for me Dr.Banner will always be wearing flares and keeping an eye out for that guy from 'The National Register'.
Loosely based on the Marvel comic book of the same name, 'T.I.H.' told the story of Dr.David Banner ( Bill Bixby ), a brilliant scientist who got an accidental overdose of gamma radiation during an experiment, and then when stressed out turned into the Hulk - a grotesque, powerful monster with skin the colour of vomit and a tendency towards mindless destruction. This being a family show, of course, he wasn't too violent, and dealt with the bad guys usually by picking them up and hurling them into rivers. He also got through a lot of shirts during the course of the series.
Banner was thought to have perished when his lab blew up, but a nosey reporter by the name of 'McGee' ( Jack Colvin ) was keen to get at the truth and so dogged him every step of the way, a sort of 'Lieutenant Gerard' to Banner's 'Richard Kimble'.
Each week, Banner turned up in a different location, got a job ( altering his surname so that it still began with 'B' ), became involved with a local problem, which he then solved by 'Hulking out'. Perhaps the show should have been retitled 'The Incredible Social Worker'.
The Hulk, as a rule, only made two appearances per episode, with Bixby's 'Banner' carrying the show. The actor was familiar to viewers thanks to 'My Favourite Martian' and 'The Magician'. I always felt that he was an underrated performer who sadly never got the parts he deserved. I'm sure he could not have been too pleased when the script for the 'Hulk' pilot landed on his doormat, but to his credit, he brought a quiet dignity to the role, much as Richard Basehart did with 'Admiral Nelson' in 'Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea'. Jack Colvin ( another underrated actor ) was equally excellent as 'McGee'. One of the best episodes - 'Proof Positive' - had McGee ( Banner did not appear that week ) explaining his motivations for hunting the creature. Muscle-man Lou Ferrigno proved the perfect embodiment of the Hulk. Much better than any C.G.I. rubbish.
Critics in the U.K. reacted with disbelief when 'T.I.H.' first appeared. Margaret Forwood of 'The Sun' said that it was 'even sillier than the Man From Atlantis', while another likened the Hulk to the 'Jolly Green Giant'.
The public ignored the complaints and made the show a hit that ran for five years. I personally found it a refreshing change of pace after the high campery of superhero shows such as 'Batman' and 'Wonder Woman'.
A trio of Hulk T.V. movies cropped up at the end of the '80's, but they were not much good. The first two featured ludicrous versions of two other Marvel characters - 'The Mighty Thor' and 'Daredevil'.
More recently, we have had Ang Lee's 'Hulk' ( 2003 ) and now a new one starring Edward Norton. But for me Dr.Banner will always be wearing flares and keeping an eye out for that guy from 'The National Register'.