By Geno McGahee
I know that there is a big difference from the comic book Hulk and the Hulk that we see on the TV series. I often listen to these cellar dwellers that own every comic book that has ever featured the Hulk and they will go on and on about how the show wasn’t true to the character, but I don’t care. I watched THE AVENGERS and it was OK, but that CGI Hulk has nothing on Lou Ferrigno. If you want a superhero, you get a muscular dude and paint him from head to toe.
What made THE INCREDIBLE HULK TV series so special was the way that many of the episodes sent a message. David Banner (Bill Bixby) was searching for a cure for his problem, but he always ends up helping somebody else. This is the case in the second season episode “A CHILD IN NEED.” Mark Hollinger (Dennis Dimster) is a young child that keeps coming to school with bruises but they are ignored by everyone, including the nurse. Banner notices and wants something done, but he’s going to have to do it himself.
Banner befriends Mark and tries to reason with his mother, Margaret (Sally Kirkland), but she keeps defending his actions and lying to protect him. When Mark brings his father, Jack (Sandy McPeak), a beer and accidentally drops it, he goes into a rage. He starts roughing up his son and his wife when David walks by to hear the ruckus. David knocks on the door, but Jack had had enough of his meddling. He throws David off the staircase. Bad move.
David transforms into Hulk and breaks through the wall. He throws Jack through a wall and takes the young boy with him. The mother tells the press that the Hulk hurt her son…like he needs that. He has Jack McGee (Jack Colvin) up his ass every episode and he’s suspected in two murders, but this dipshit has to throw him under the bus after he saved her ass? That is as low as you can get.
Another plea is made to Margaret and she comes around but when Jack gets wind of it, he confronts David with ferocity but, once again, the Hulk emerges and shows the bully the what-for. As Jack tries to beat up the Hulk, the Hulk just pushes him over and over again, showing him what his child feels. Jack begins to have flashbacks to his father and the abuse he had to contend with. He begins to say “don’t hurt me daddy” and the Hulk looks confused. He didn’t remember having sex with Jack’s mother, but maybe Jack was just using prison talk. With his behavior, he was bound for prison and you have to call Bubba daddy when you go there….or it’s possible he was stuck in the flashback and talking to his dad as he remembered it. I like to think he was referring to the Hulk as his daddy. Who’s your daddy?
Despite the father needing to have his ass handed to him and then thrown in prison, he finds redemption. He seeks help and his son forgives him for the beatings. He was just doing what his dad taught him. He knew not what he did. David leaves before McGee shows up and begins his walk. He helped another person, but he’s still fucked for now. I wonder how Banner afforded to pay for all the new pants he had to buy. The jobs that he gets are always menial jobs that are either volunteer or low-paying. I guess he could go to the Salvation Army, but still, that adds up too. In the 80’s, ripped pants were the thing. Had he only been the Hulk earlier, he would have just been considered righteous when they found him wearing shredded pants.
When I was a kid, this was one of my favorite episodes. Every kid that has an asshole for a father wanted to see the Hulk desperately kick his ass. I watched the wall every day, hoping that Hulk would break through and beat up my dad…corn hole him…whatever. It didn’t happen, or if it did, I must have been at school.
A CHILD IN NEED is a great episode. It sends a great message: Beat a kid and you will get your ass handed to you. I highly recommend it.
Rating: 8/10
HI I’m Mike Zonner
I watched Incredible HulK re-runs in 1985-86 in my home in Syracuse,New York,I would have
been a Hulk fan at the time.I watched the Child In Need episode last weekend on the Hulk show Memorial day Weekend marathon.
I was emotirional in the Jack Hollinger
child flashback scence. Plus him forgiving
his Som mark for the abuse.
Sincery,Mike Zonner
Thanks Mike! It was a very touching episode my friend, and showed where the abuse came from.
Hi MR.Ferringo
It’s Mike Zonner again. Thank you for your June 7th reply to my June 3rd comment message.I always am a little emotional about the Child In Need Episode.
I have opened/watched 5 internet UTuBE Child In Need Hulk Out #1 & 2 vidoeos at seperate times.Especaily #2 and the Jack Hollinger & Hulk School gym fight scene.Plus Jack bringing out his anger & sadness from years before from his Dad,Mark’s Grandpa Hollinger
It is ccmpassionate devotion That Bill Bixby as David banner in his travels could help certian pepole.Either as himslef or as the Hulk.
Sincerly,Mike
Hi Nr.Mcgahee
It’s Mike aaain.Did you recevie my July 28th
comment message about my emotions of the Child In Need episode.
Plus thano you for reply ing to my June 3rd message.I mistakenly wrote it to Hulk show co-star
Lou Ferringo I apologize for that since you typed in the TV episode article.I expressed how David Banner becomes the Hulk to help desparate peolpe.Plus letting his anger until he
changes back.
Sinaerly,Mike
Totally agree Mike. Banner’s ailment is to the benefit of so many, which made this show so powerful.
Hi Mr Macghee
It’s Mike again.I have mentioned as
I need to about the Hulk show Child
In Need episode.
I have to comment on the fitnes building
episode name unknowm where co-star Lou Ferringo guest starred as a fitness
instructer.The questtion is did they have a
new guest star actor to play the Hulk.
Even the scene when hee and the intstructer were standing side by side I guess not.
Sincerly Nike