Reviewed by Geno McGahee
I’m a huge fan of the Ken Johnson INCREDIBLE HULK television series. I grew up on Lou Ferrigno painted green and throwing around bad guys, and Bill Bixby as the man “David Banner.” It was just an incredible series and a great take on the monster. I know a lot of comic book geeks didn’t like it because it sort of strayed from the comic book story line, and there were no super villains for the hulk to take on. Whatever. Read your fucking comic books if you’re not happy with the series. Sorry. I’m quite touchy about this series. I’ve lost a lot of friends because of their negativity towards the hulk series.
Thus far all attempts at making a good Hulk movie have come up very short. So I shift my focus back to the TV series, which is where the magic is. David Banner, not Bruce Banner, because the network felt that the name “Bruce” was a “homosexual name,” is against the world, trying to solve his problem. Now, I disagree with the network. I’m all for a gay hulk. Doesn’t that give the character a new dimension? Who wouldn’t watch THE INCREDIBLE GAY HULK? Now Banner has to fight not only this problem he has but also the ignorance of part of society. “Get out of here gay hulk,” somebody in a cowboy hat and holding a bible could say. The possibilities are endless and the series would have probably gone on to this day.
One of my favorite episodes, a double episode actually, is called “THE FIRST.” When I was a kid and this originally aired, it scared the living shit out of me. In this episode, we have hulk vs. hulk. We have the nice and lovable Ferrigno Hulk facing off against the asshole, looks like my father Hulk. I think that part of the reason why this bad hulk scared me so much is because he looked like my father. Where was the good Ferrigno Hulk to kick the shit out of my father when I needed him? Maybe it’s not too late. Ferrigno if you’re reading this, email me. I have my father’s address and fifty dollars waiting for you.
Banner, following the story of another Hulk and the possible cure for his problem, heads into town where he is met by a bunch of good old boys that want him to leave. Back in the day, a creature killed a few people and the legend lives on, and with the arrival of Banner and a recent death, many in town believe that there is a connection. Banner will not leave until he finds the cure, but there is a major problem. Dell (Harry Townes), was the creature back in the day but he was cured against his will. He wants to be strong again and thinks that Banner can make him the bad hulk once more…and it happens. So preoccupied with curing himself, Banner accidentally gives Dell what he wants and now we have the bad murderous hulk on the rampage again. Dell, being a worm of a man, revels in the power and now plans to use it to kill the people in town that have picked on him over the years.
I really enjoy how Dell goes to the neighborhood bar and antagonizes the bullies of the town. It’s hilarious, and when the men of the town react and beat him to a pulp, they awaken the hulk, and he goes on a killing spree. There’s only one thing that can stop this asshole hulk and that of course, is the good hulk, but Banner still has to deal with that annoying reporter Jack McGee (Jack Colvin) up his ass. You would figure that all the years that this series was on the air, the hulk would have ripped McGee to shreds. If he just killed McGee, he would have had a lot less headaches. I wouldn’t have minded seeing the Hulk bending McGee over and splitting him like firewood. That would’ve sent a message to all other pushy reporters that want to investigate the hulk.
I think that this episode will satisfy all of the comic book geeks that want super villains. I think that the other hulk is a pretty good bad guy to square off against Banner’s hulk. When they are fighting on screen, it’s magic, and with Ken Johnson behind it, you know it’s going to be a winner. It is a winner. This is one of my favorite episodes of the series and I highly recommend it.
Scared Stiff Rating: 8/10. Dude, you’re getting a Dell.
Dude,
This is such a great article. You also had me laughing for a while with all of the “father” stuff.
Anyway, I also saw this episode when I was a young kid, and I too, was scared crazy. And yet at the same time I thought it was the coolest thing I have ever seen. To this day, I still watch this episode. It’s super underrated and a masterpiece of creativity. I believe that somehow the producers and writers had created gold and not even realized it. I would get into all of the things I love about it, but really, every moment is totally awesome.
There is now a character in Marvel Comics called “Ravage” who is an evil hulk-like creature who is a nemesis of the Hulk. I truly believe the writer who created him made a direct rip-off of Frye’s Creature from this episode. Marvel should have just went with Dell Frye. They could have done so much with this character. I would have loved to have seen him return in a later episode, but of course, the series didn’t last too long after that, and they killed him off, anyway.
Besides that, I would still like more info on this episode. What made them come up the idea, how the character was created, the reception after all of these years, etc… I’m not sure if it’s on any of the dvd’s.
Anyway, great article and I agree with everything.
I’m watching part 2 of this episode right now. I’m enjoying the incredible hulk marathon . Anyway this episode scared the crap out of me too
Yes! It’s one of my favorite episodes and was terrifying as a kid!