The Incredible Hulk
Tags: violence

Plot synopsis:
At Culver University in Virginia, General Thunderbolt Ross meets with Dr. Bruce Banner, the colleague and boyfriend of his daughter Betty, regarding an experiment that Ross claims is meant to make humans immune to gamma radiation. The experiment — part of a World War II era "super soldier" program that Ross hopes to recreate — fails, and the exposure to gamma radiation causes Banner to transform into the Hulk for brief periods of time, whenever his heart rate rises above 200. The Hulk destroys the lab and injures or kills the people inside. Banner becomes a fugitive from the U.S. military and Ross in particular, who wants to weaponize the Hulk process.
Five years later, Banner works at a bottling factory in Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, while searching for a cure for his condition. On the Internet, he collaborates with a colleague he knows only as "Mr. Blue", and to whom he is "Mr. Green". He is also learning meditative breathing techniques to help keep control, and has not transformed in five months. After Banner cuts his finger, a drop of his blood falls into a bottle, and is eventually ingested by an elderly consumer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, giving him gamma sickness. Using the bottle to track down Banner, Ross sends a SWAT team, led by Russian-born British Royal Marine Emil Blonsky, to capture him. Banner transforms into the Hulk and defeats Blonsky's team. After Ross explains how Banner became the Hulk, Blonsky agrees to be injected with a small amount of a similar serum, which gives him enhanced speed, strength, agility, and healing, but also begins to deform his skeleton and impair his judgment.
Banner returns to Culver University and reunites with Betty, who is dating psychiatrist Leonard Samson. Banner is attacked a second time by Ross and Blonsky's forces, tipped off by the suspicious Samson, causing him to again transform into the Hulk. The ensuing battle outside the university proves to be futile for Ross' forces and they eventually retreat, though Blonsky, whose sanity is starting to falter, boldly attacks and mocks the Hulk. The Hulk seemingly kills Blonsky and flees with Betty. After the Hulk reverts to Banner, he and Betty go on the run, and Banner contacts Mr. Blue, who urges them to meet him in New York City. Mr. Blue is actually cellular biologist Dr. Samuel Sterns, who tells Banner he has developed a possible antidote to Banner's condition. After a successful test, he warns Banner that the antidote may only reverse each individual transformation. Sterns reveals he has synthesized Banner's blood samples, which Banner sent from Brazil, into a large supply, with the intention of applying its "limitless potential" to medicine. Fearful of the Hulk's power falling into the military's hands, Banner wishes to destroy the blood supply.
Meanwhile, Blonsky is revealed to have survived the battle and has completely healed. He joins Ross' forces for a third attempt to take Banner into custody. They succeed and Banner, along with Betty, are taken away in a helicopter. Blonsky stays behind and orders Sterns to inject him with Banner's blood, as he covets the Hulk's power. Sterns warns that the combination of the super-soldier formula and Banner's blood may cause him to become an "abomination", but Blonsky insists. The experiment mutates Blonsky into a creature with size and strength surpassing that of the Hulk, but drives him mad. He attacks Sterns, who gets some of Banner's blood in a cut on his forehead, causing him to begin mutating as well. Blonsky then rampages through Harlem. Realizing that the Hulk is the only one who can stop Blonsky, Banner convinces Ross to release him. He jumps from Ross' helicopter and transforms after hitting the ground. After a long and brutal battle through Harlem, the Hulk defeats Blonsky. After having a small, peaceful moment with Betty, the Hulk flees from New York.
A month later, Banner is in Bella Coola, British Columbia. Instead of trying to suppress his transformation, he successfully transforms in a controlled manner. In a final scene, Tony Stark approaches Ross at a local bar and informs him a team is being put together.

Review: I remember watching this series growing up, and feeling so bad for poor David Banner, who was played to perfection by the late Bill Bixby; without him, this series would not have worked, and would likely be forgotten.
The sight of David walking away alone on another road, duffel bag over his shoulder, as he hitchhikes or walks into the next episode is so powerful it can make the viewer cry, yet Bixby portrayed David with dignity and respect to balance out the pathos.It should be mentioned that Hulk actor Lou Ferrigno was highly effective in his performance and huge body made him perfect casting.
The Hulk performed physical feats in the comic that would have been impossible to duplicate when this series was running, and comic books are so simplistic and often violent, they never would have allowed it on prime time TV.That said, the Incredible Hulk was a good TV show with strong acting by Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno that was, mostly, harmless fun for the whole family.
He was gentle with animals and young people as well as old.The story is a very sad one: Bixby, playing scientist David Banner, is stuck in a life on the run from an obsessed reporter who wants to become famous by photographing the Hulk.
Banner and the Hulk represent the ultimate misunderstood hero/antihero: someone who is a better person than most of us are, yet is persecuted because of other people's misunderstandings.Harmless fun for the whole family, and some good lessons for youngsters about kindness and not judging others for their appearance..
I am not sure if any other long running TV drama ever had a smaller cast.Interestingly, Bill Bixby's COURTSHIP OF EDDIE'S FATHER co-star Brandon Cruz appeared in the first season of the HULK in the episode "747."Bixby oozed charm and charisma, and made believable the idea that he could so easily win trust and find employment in a new town each and every week.The music was exceptional.
I did a review for the original pilot episode of this drama and I put down my thoughts about the Hulk and Banner as characters and how the themes in the original movie gave us things to think about.
He was pursued by ambitious reporter Jack McGee who wanted to capture the Hulk in order to become a star reporter.Throughout the series Banner would encounter various characters who were having trouble in their lives.
In fact, McGee believed that the Hulk had killed Elaina Marks and David Banner in the original movie.
Simply the show took itself seriously, David Banner was cursed after an experiment goes awry, now whenever he gets mad, he becomes a 7 foot green monster, with incredible strength, and he is on the run hoping to find cure for his transformation, and not be captured by Jack McGee, the reporter who is obsessed with capturing him.
The Incredible HulkThe first episode "Pilot" and "Death in the Family" and "747" and "Never Give A Trucker An Even Break" are the best hulk out of all time.Top 10 Episodes for me is : 1- Pilot 2- Death in the Family 3- 747 4- Never Give A Trucker An Even Break 5- Terror in Times Square 6- Final Round 7- The Waterfront Story 8- Escape from Los Santos 9- Deathmask 10- A Minor ProblemI remember this Quote :David Banner: Mr. McGee, don't make me angry.
Seeing Bill Bixby hitchhike away from another town the Hulk smashed was always dramatic.Okay, sure this show is like "The Fugitive", but I don't see Richard Kimble turning into a green monster every week.
Bill Bixby turns in the performance of a lifetime, and even Jack McGee (the reporter who's after him) is shown in a few episodes to be a decent guy at heart.Every week, David Banner would search desperately for a cure, and every week he'd help some person in need (similar to other traveling angel shows like "Quantum Leap" and "The Pretender").
What could have been laughable television show about a giant green monster strutting around smashing things, instantly became a classic hit when it was deemed a serious and realistic drama for the time.The show follows the compassionate and likable character Dr. David Banner who had been attempting to discover the secrets of human strength after his wife died in a car explosion.
Whenever Banner becomes angry or outraged he transforms into massive green monster which we all know and love as the incredible hulk.After the hulk is discovered and pursued by an investigative reporter named Jack McGee, Banner goes on the run hoping to stay hidden until he can find a way to cure himself from his dreadful manifestation I first discovered "The Incredible Hulk" In my teens when I was greatly entertained by comic books.
My other favorite episodes include: "The First," "Married," "Mystery Man," "The Snare," "The Psychic," "Equinox," "The Harder They Fall," and "Interview With The Hulk."  In addition, The 1977 pre-series pilot (simply titled "The Incredible Hulk") was a perfect way to start off the saga.Another significant episode is "Proof Positive" because the Hulk's nemesis, newspaper reporter Jack McGee, is the primary focus.
To add to Banner's problems is the character who is a constant thorn in his side - journalist Jack McGee. From the opening feature length pilot episode, McGee is convinced by the existence of the Hulk after seeing him in person.
The Lonely Man Piano by Joe Harnell is The Incredible Hulk Ending Theme.The show ran on CBS from 1978 to 1982, and starred Bill Bixby as Dr. David Banner and Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk.
In the TV series,David Banner played by the late Bill Bixby was a man traumatized by the death of his lovely wife Laura.
Now that could be because we saw the episodes in first run for four years and Bixby got to know David Banner inside out and his insights were shared with the audience.
No modern gadgetry involved, this could have been set at any time, it could be explained as a Frankenstein type experiment gone wrong.When he was pushed the dark side of the hulk emerged and the late Bill Bixby certainly had a lot of tragedy and darkness to draw from for his Banner persona to fear the results of anger.
A series of events causes everyone to believe that the Hulk has killed Dr. Banner, and now ruthless journalist (and, in comic books, those are the only types of journalists) Jack McGee (John Colvin) is hell-bent on capturing this unpredictable monster.
The late Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno thrilled for 5 wonderful seasons as Dr. Bruce Banner and his alter ego the Hulk.
The pilot episode explains, of course, how and why Dr. David Banner (played expertly by Bill Bixby) became the Hulk (Lou Ferrigno), a 7ft musclebound man-monster into whom Banner would automatically transform when made angry, scared or frustrated.
After taking an overdose of gamma radiation and losing his best friend, Dr. Elaina Marks in a fire which was accidentally caused by inquisitive reporter Jack McGee, Banner is believed to be dead so he spends the rest of the series searching for a cure.
Along the way, he has rescued and helped many people, only to change into the Hulk when angered by stressful situations and mainly some villains who stand in his way.I remember back in '89 when ITV repeated the third series of the Hulk, every Saturday evenings, and there were some great episodes such as The Snare, in which David was invited to a man's island, only to discover to his horror that his new 'friend' liked hunting humans as well as animals.Captive Night and Nine Hours were both good, exciting thriller episodes where David had to pit his wits against dangerous criminals, winning out at the end thanks to the strength and brute force of the Hulk.
A young woman (played by Bixby's wife) who can see into the future when having close contact with people knows that David is the Hulk and she believes him to be involved in the assault of a teenager.
Despite the fact that this classic television programme made virtually no attempt to remain faithful to the Marvel comic book from whence it spawned (the producers changed Banner's name from Bruce), it was one of the best genre shows of it's era, mainly because of the exceptional performance by the late, great Bill Bixby as the tortured scientist struggling in vain to 'find a way to control the raging spirit that dwells within him' i.e. former Mr Universe Lou Ferrigno, painted green and wearing a shocking wig and contact lenses.Bixby's performance was extremely sympathetic, and even though the prospect of him discovering a cure for his 'Hulkism' would signal an end to the show, viewers couldn't help but feel sorry for his rather tragic predicament.
You wouldn't like him when he's angry.)Each week, Banner would arrive in another small town, looking for a place to lie low and using an alias, perhaps find some part-time work that he would obviously be ridiculously over-qualified for.Meanwhile, McGee the persistent investigative reporter would be pursuing him in the hope of getting the elusive big scoop he's always dreamt of.Being such a nice guy, David would invariably befriend some poor kid or lonely woman who was in some kind of local trouble with the town bullies, and despite his best efforts to control his raging anger, would always Hulk-out on the bad guys at least twice an episode.This basic formula was to a certain degree borrowed from The Fugitive - a man wanted for a murder he didn't commit, unable to ever really settle down, hunted by the authorities, but also encompassing such classic horror themes as metamorphosis (Jekyll & Hyde) and the sympathetic monster (Frankenstein).
I found the story line very intriguing and I really liked the way Bill Bixby portrayed Dr. Banner, and although at first I found the effects from when Banner would transform to and from the hulk a bit cringy, mostly because I've grown up with movies and shows with more advanced animation, but after awhile I got used to it and honestly it's a bit impressive for the 70's.
Also loved a traumatic dream sequence triggering the Hulk.And then once again walking down the empty road while the sad music plays.How can a CGI ever match Ferrigno's tenderness?A TV series or comic book will (almost) never complete their character's story.
Born in 1978 and growing up on TV in the late 70's and early 80's I remember watching this on CBS I think on Friday nights with mom and I loved it as a kid wow I thought of it as a Green Monster, instead it was "The Incredible Hulk"!
Well anyway this series ran on Friday nights I believe and it involved the stories of one Dr. David Banner(the wonderful Bill Bixbey)who as a scientist worked in his lab trying to do good and fight for a better place, yet fueled by stress and social and environmental problems Banner would often turn into a green monster when angry and would be known as "The Incredible Hulk"(Lou Ferrigno).
Overall this was the best screen and picture time of "The Hulk" much better than those latter CGI and computer graphic films they tried to make of him, so if you can find some episodes please watch as you will have an angry green time!.
David Banner (Beautifully played by the late Bill Bixby)says this line to the annoying as hell McGee (Jack Colvin) and you know Banner means it: he's the Incredible Hulk (Mean, green Lou Ferrigno).
The narration during the opening credits of The Incredible Hulk claims that this show will present a serious context and an epic, story-based, developing struggle with David Banner searching for a cure to his condition of transforming into the Hulk beast involuntarily.Yet, that is *not actually* what the content of the show presents.
The formula of this show is: 90% "David Banner: Self-Help Guru" and 10% "The Hulk appears and uses the environment in some way to 'boff' the bad guys (Ie: pulling the rug out from under them) or throws them around a bit (the Hulk never actually punches anyone with his fists in this show) and then runs away just in time to avoid being captured." All that self-help content is *completely irrelevant* to the premise of "The Incredible Hulk", therefore the amount of screen-time it gets is *ludicrous*.This show has no on-going story whatsoever, it is 'episodic.' Which means that by the limitations of this primitive storytelling-killing formula, there is no way they could have developed Banner, Hulk, or his quest for a cure even if they wanted to, unless they *first* had the fortitude to discard this primitive formula completely.
There's no reason to *care* about the Hulk presented in this series since he's just a big dumb green ape with no potential to change in any subsequent episodes.Banner's quest for the cure is almost completely ignored.
After the pilot, he's *exactly* the same character from the first episode to the last.If they *did* make the show into an epic story where Banner, the Hulk, and the search for a cure, all got developed in a new and continual way in each and every episode -making every episode truly *matter*- it *could* have been one of the best shows ever made: a work of art rather than merely entertainment.
the series came out in the seventies and i was a huge hulk fan, we would run home on Saturday to watch te next episode, there were never any supervillans but what did u expect for the budget, it was funny and occasionally the hulk would smash stuff.problem was i had a black and white TV so i never saw the green hulk he was always grey, this was after my mum and dad split up o we weren't that well off at the time..but my father had to be the first to have everything so he had already bought a colour TV come watch the hulk at my house he said, he has pink gums and everything for a kid growing up it was a cool show other than that the shows only use anymore is for nostalgia.
"He was green with rage!"Considering that this late-1970s, live-action, superhero, TV series came out prior to the wonders of CGI wizardry - I really did try to cut it some serious slack.But, the truth is - "The Incredible Hulk" was pretty corny stuff and muscleman, Lou Ferrigno (as the Hulk incarnation) looked utterly laughable and, yes, downright silly in that horrible fright-wig of his.Anyway - Judging by how marginally entertaining the episodes of this program's first season were - I do find it truly baffling that "The Hulk" actually endured for 5 seasons in all..
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.
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.
We were spoiled back in the 70's and 80's with American Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Drama series with gems such as The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman and many more but my favorite has to be The Incredible Hulk.I remember watching this many years ago and when i saw the whole series was available in a DVD box set i had to have it.When you watch them all on DVD you soon notice how many actors and actresses re-appear throughout the series in different parts and most i decided to check out on IMDb to what else they have been in and most go through all of the TV series i mentioned above and more.The 1st season stand-out is the 1st for obvious reasons, add the 2nd episode and you are all sorted and ready for this monster of a journey.
A Minor Problem was the final episode of The Incredible Hulk, it was a good one but certainly not a series ender.
The "green monster" is only a small part of the show, and when the "hulk" DOES surface--he ALWAYS changes something for the better, albeit causing a lot of destruction in the process.NO person or persons who got to "know" David "Banner"(or the MANY "B" aliases he used) during the course of the show, came out not being touched, for the better--and often had their business, family or even lives saved.
Bill Bixby played an amazing role as the emotion, intelligent, involved fugitive David Banner, who always knew how to handle a situation, and if he didn't, he turned the stage over to his dark half, Lou Ferrigno (who'se almost completely deaf, by the way), The Incredible Hulk, who knew exactly what to do.
its a sad life for Banner who just wants to be left alone and searches for a cure but each time is unsuccessful.The saga is over five seasons and i would like to pick out some of the best episodes from them: season 1: 747, the hulk breaks las Vegas and earthquakes happen.
Amazing that both the film that set the stage for big screen superheros and the show that set it for the small screen came out at the same time and are to this day getting their due on their respective influences of the modern superhero genre."The Incredible Hulk" tells the story of genetic scientist Dr. David 'Bruce' Banner, (brilliantly played by the legendary Bill Bixby in an iconic TV performance).
The Incredible Hulk aired from 1978 until 1982 in the UK and was about a Doctor called David Banner.
I was more than a little disappointed by the pilot episode: Bill Bixby as Bruce Banner isn't ACCIDENTALLY transformed into The Hulk, he actually irradiates himself...