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The Hulk has had a rocky relationship on the big screen. His two solo movies fans either love or hate, and he usually takes a back seat in the Avengers movies he appears in. However, from 1977 to 1982, the big green machine was front and center in his own television series. The Incredible Hulk stars Bill Bixby as David Banner (renamed from Bruce) as he struggles to find a cure for the beast within him. As CGI didn’t exist yet, the Hulk is actually played by bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno painted green. This landmark Hulk series redefined the character. Its impact is still felt in the MCU, as the theme has been used more than once. Many modern fans may not know of this show, so here are ten episodes that ensure they get the best the series has to offer.
10. The Incredible Hulk (Pilot Movie)
Before airing as a full series, Hulk’s small screen adventures began in two made-for-TV movies. The first of which showcases the lab accident that would change Dr. Banner’s life forever. This pilot movie set the stage for the rest of the series. The audience spends a good amount of time with David as himself. Throughout the series, he must travel under an alias. The reason he must do so is because of events in this story. The Hulk is framed for murder, and one of his supposed victims is David Banner. This movie also introduces Jack McGee, a reporter obsessed with hunting The Hulk down. This is a brilliant way to start the series, and it isn’t even the best the show has to offer.
9. Stop The Presses (S2, E9)
One thing this Hulk series excels in is thrilling suspense. This is evident in this second season episode. This episode sees David working as a dishwasher at a restaurant. A reporter looking to shut it down takes a picture of David, unaware he is supposed to be dead. In order to protect his secret, David must break into the newspaper office to retrieve the photo before it prints. If this wasn’t bad enough, the Hulk-obsessed Jack McGee happens to work in those very offices. This episode is suspenseful as fans are on the edge of their seat waiting to see if Jack crosses paths with the supposedly dead David. Suspense is what the series is known for and would carry over into Hulk’s MCU solo film, which serves as a very loose remake of the show.
8. Broken Image (S3, E12)
David Banner goes throughout the series hiding in plain sight. Other than a few close calls, he is rather successful. That is until this episode, where David discovers he has a doppelganger. This doppelganger is a criminal, and he is looking to frame David and get away scot-free. Bill Bixby not only plays Banner, but he also plays the criminal named Mark Cassidy. This double role shows just how talented the late Bixby was. He must act as two different people throughout, oftentimes against himself. If this case of mistaken identity wasn’t bad enough, Jack McGee, of course, is hot on the Hulk’s trail. Comic heroes and dramatic tension go hand in hand, and The Incredible Hulk is proof of this.
7. 747 (S1, E7)
It is hard enough for David to keep calm in open spaces. Trying to do so on a hijacked plane is another beast. David is on a plane hoping to fly to Chicago to find a cure for The Hulk. Things turn sour when a group of passengers takes over the plane in an attempt to steal artifacts onboard. Most of this episode takes place on the plane, giving it a claustrophobic and uncomfortable edge. Even after these hijackers are taken care of, the pilots are down for the count, and the plane needs to land. David takes it upon himself to land it; he soon realizes he may need some help from his green friend. The Hulk series is known for thrilling moments, and David’s eyes turning green while at the plane controls is one of the best.
6. Death Mask (S3, E20)
Throughout the series, the Hulk was no stranger to being framed for murder, but this episode has David being framed. Banner is working at a university as a librarian. A mysterious serial killer emerges, targeting the girls at the school. David is the chief suspect, and he must find the killer’s true identity before it is too late. What makes this episode so engaging are the interrogation scenes. While there are certainly some elements of this show that can be seen as cheesy today, the acting is not one of them, especially in this chilling episode.
5. Mystery Man (S2, E15 & 16)
Jack Mcgee was hot on the Hulk’s destructive trail throughout the Incredible Hulk show. Thanks to David’s cunning and a little luck, he has managed to stay one step ahead of the reporter. However, Jack comes closer to discovering the truth than ever before in this exciting two-parter. After a devastating car accident, David is left without his memory and his face heavily bandaged. Jack McGee, unaware of who David is thanks to the bandages, offers to fly him to see a specialist. Because David is without his memory, he accepts. The two crash land in the wilderness, where a pack of wolves and a fire threaten to kill them both. This episode is almost Hitchcockian in its suspense levels and is a prime example of what the show has to offer.
4. A Child In Need (S2, E5)
A major aspect that this Hulk series got right is that the creature is essentially a giant child. This episode is a good example of that, as both David and the Hulk befriend a young boy. David is working as a groundskeeper at an elementary school. He soon comes to discover that one of the boys he befriends is the victim of abuse. The heavy-handed message in this story is handled expertly. The dark subject isn’t silly in the world of the Hulk; it is dealt with in a mature manner. When trying to save the boy, David transforms into the Hulk, who instinctively fights to protect him. This is arguably the most comic-accurate portrayal of the Hulk in terms of personality.
3. Prometheus (S4, E1 & 2)
In another Incredible Hulk two-parter, David helps a blind girl after saving her life. A metro crashes near where they are staying, and David goes through a strange transformation. He begins to turn into the Hulk but stops halfway through. He is now stuck in this odd state of half Banner/half Hulk. A secret government organization soon stumbles across him, believing him to be from outer space. Jack McGee is, of course, not far behind and is dangerously close to discovering Banner’s secret. This episode is filled to the brim with action, drama, and suspense. The makeup in this episode should be heavily applauded, as the creature truly looks like a mix between Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno, even though he is mostly played by a different actor altogether.
2. The Snare (S3, E9)
A wealthy man invites David to play chess on his island. He soon learns the man is actually a hunter who hunts humans for sport. This episode is inspired by the story The Most Dangerous Game, and like that story, it is thrilling and suspenseful. David is struggling to outwit the hunter, and he needs help from the Hulk to get off the island alive. Even though the main part of the story is based on a book, this episode manages to keep it fresh and engaging. The acting is, as always, top-notch, and the suspense will cause the viewer to teeter on the edge of their seat.
1. The First (S4, E12 & 13)
What makes the Incredible Hulk series so heartbreaking is how alone David is. Just when he begins to fit in, he transforms and has to move on. In The First, David discovers he isn’t as alone as he originally thought. Through his research, David learns another man suffered a similar fate as he did, and he found a cure. Banner travels to the man in hopes of curing himself of The Hulk once and for all. He doe find him but quickly learns he isn’t as willing to help as he had hoped. Things take a turn for the worse when the man reawakens his own Hulk, and David must find the cure before the green creatures face off, and all hope for a cure is lost forever.
