Remembering Old Marvel Live-Action TV Shows

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http://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/marve...ction-tv-shows

The Incredible Hulk

CBS: 1977-1982

It might be easy to forget that The Incredible Hulk, despite (or perhaps because of) the liberties it took with the source material, was one of the most successful superhero television shows of all time. Spanning five seasons plus an additional three TV movies (we'll get to those in a minute), the show scaled down the Hulk's powers and science fiction elements in favor of human drama that owed as much to Victor Hugo's Les Miserables and TV's The Fugitive as it did to the works of Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Herb Trimpe, and others.

Why did it work? Primarily because of Bill Bixby's warm and sympathetic portrayal of Dr. David Banner (see? We told you they took liberties...but his middle name is Bruce!), and the spectacle that is bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno in green body paint as The Hulk. Say what you will about the simplicity of this technique, but Ferrigno's physique and screen presence, coupled with the more "believable" power levels that the Hulk displayed (and the fact that he was the only fantastic element on screen...there's nary a supervillain in sight) gave the show a certain gravitas.

Modern audiences raised on CGI spectacle and slavish devotion to the conventions of superhero storytelling may find The Incredible Hulk a little quaint, even repetitive, but it's a nearly perfect example of how a tremendously powerful character could work within the confines of TV.

[Amanda Hugnkiss]

And they're going to continue that CGI that modern audiences like me who watched the pre CGI sci-fi/fantasy shows take for granted in the new series. They call the Hulk a super hero, and he did do heroic things in that sci-fi/fantasy realm, but he's the only one who's alter ego didn't want to have his abilities. I haven't read enough about Amadeus Cho to see if he feels that way.
Take care and God bless