Review of Incredible Hulk, The: Complete Series 1 Box Set

Introduction

Sometimes a DVD trip down memory lane can be a disappointment. After all, these shows have got a lot of good memories to live up to. With Series 1 of `The Hulk` you have no need to worry. I think I enjoyed this second outing, nearly thirty years on, more than I did first time round.

It`s difficult to fully understand why. I think it may be because, despite it being a relatively formulaic good versus evil show, it mixes high-octane action with a pensive melancholy as David Banner searches for some permanent `anger management`.

Every show (with the exception of the feature length pilot and feature length second episode) follows the same comforting format. The show opens with David Banner (or David BRUCE Banner to be precise.for some reason this was a departure from Stan Lee`s original Bruce Banner) walking along a street, rucksack over his shoulder, on the run as a fugitive. A newspaper reporter (McGee) is never far behind, always looking to do an expose on the green monster known as `The Hulk`. Banner generally meets someone who gets him a job (usually something menial like a zoo-keeper, or working in a slot machine dive). Pretty soon he uncovers some criminal plot and then gets into deep water. Approximately 20 minutes in someone will get him angry. (`Don`t make me angry. You wouldn`t like when I`m angry…`). Then he turns into `The Hulk` for about three or four minutes. Shortly after he changes back into David Banner only to get angry again about ten minutes later, defeating his foes as `The Hulk`. Then there`s a poignant parting of ways, with Banner taking to the road again with a pensive piano piece providing just the right air of hopeless melancholy.
And that`s kind of it.

The show`s not without humour though. Bill Bixby does a fantastic job with his knowing one-liners (like `I don`t want to lose my head over this.`), which just stop short of him winking in a knowing way to the camera or touching the end of his nose ala Alan Partridge. Then there`s the unintentional humour of Lou Ferrigno looking like a demented Bay City Roller on steroids as he roars and apes for the camera as `The Hulk`. But however comical it gets, it`s all infinitely more satisfying than the more recent `Hulk` movie which was (in my opinion) tedious in the extreme.

There are some lovely filmic references too for those who love to spot these things. James Whale`s `Frankenstein` gets more than a knowing nod as `The Hulk` plays with a child at the water`s edge in the pilot episode (as well as in a later episode).

Whilst for me the series provided a welcome nostalgic blast, the series remains entertaining enough in its own right to keep the attention of my teenage daughter who started watching an episode with no prompting from me - and thoroughly enjoyed it.

There are some wonderful cameos too, including a brilliant guest appearance by Jeremy Brett, already betraying signs of that twitchy off-kilter genius that made him such a perfect choice for Sherlock Holmes.


The series first aired in 1977 with two feature length episodes in a row. Following the tremendous success of these there were no less than 5 seasons (some 83 episodes) all following the same general formula.
Bill Bixby was the cerebral side of the man (Banner) whilst body builder Lou Ferrigno played The Incredible Hulk, ably assisted by Ted Cassidy who not only narrated the title sequence but who did the infamous Hulk roars. Jack Colvin played irritating and ever present investigative reporter Jack McGee.
The first season only ran for 10 episodes (plus the pilot movies) though this set generously throws in a bonus episode from season 2.

So here`s what you get:
Here is the episode breakdown by disc, including the running times:
Disc 1
1. Pilot: The Incredible Hulk (1:34:27)
2. The Incredible Hulk: Death in the Family (1:34:20)
Disc 2
3. The Final Round (50:01)
4. The Beast Within (49:58)
5. Of Guilt, Models and Murder (49:39)
6. Terror in Times Square (50:01)
Disc 3
7. 747 (50:01)
8. The Hulk Breaks Las Vegas (50:02)
9. Never Give a Trucker An Even Break (49:19)
10. Life and Death (50:01
Disc 4
11. Earthquakes Happen (50:02)
12. The Waterfront Story (49:01
13. Season 2 Bonus episode: Stop the Presses

Video

The transfers here are just fine for a vintage TV show, though far from perfect. Strangely it`s the title sequence that seems to have suffered most looking positively grainy at times. That said, the transfer is fine and there is little digital artefacting.

Audio

Unsurprisingly a Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono track. It`s a good mix and the score work is very fine indeed. Even the slightly cheesy `Lonely Man` theme that closes the show each time eventually gets under your skin!

Features

There`s a fairly informative (if rather dry) commentary by Writer, Director and Producer Kenneth Johnson on the "Pilot" episode recorded in 2003.

There`s also the bonus episode on Disc 4 from Season 2, and the 3D lenticular packaging (though I didn`t get that with the review discs so am unable to comment).

Conclusion

Marvel maestro Stan Lee really hit a chord with his creation of `The Hulk`. As a metaphor for the loss of control through anger it works well, and also provides the perfect narrative vehicle upon which several hundred comic book stories could rely.

Season 1 of the seventies TV series was created with input from Stan, which is surprising when you consider the many liberties taken with his original vision (not least the name change and the complete seventies makeover of the monster). But it proved to be a roaring success (excuse the pun), eventually running for a full five seasons before losing impetus and being put to rest in 1982.

I thoroughly enjoyed re-watching these episodes despite their repetitive and formulaic structure. Bill Bixby brings a serious actor`s air to the show, which cleverly mixes melancholy with humour and `moderate violence` to create a family programme that is as much fun to watch now as it was then.

These discs house some 13 episodes, including two full-length features.

The only slight disappointment was the relatively modest extras. Bill Bixby passed away 11 years after the series ended (from prostrate cancer) and I guess Lou Ferrigno may have had less to contribute to such an exercise. Who knows…maybe there`ll be something to look forward to on the Season 2 set.