MeTV's SuperSci-Fi Saturday Night

[The Old Mixer]

The Incredible Hulk
"The Antowuk Horror"
Originally aired September 29, 1978

After the tour de force that was "Married," the next episode takes the edge off of David's tragedy

...and makes up for McGee's relative absence from that story by getting him involved in this one from the first scene...investigating a pre-episode Hulk incident.

David Barton

His second-ever reuse of an alias, and in as many episodes!

connects with young Samantha Bates, who has an interest in science

I thought that the rapport between the two was generally cute, but she seemed a bit over-acted.

For those keeping track of geography, this one takes place somewhere in Utah. As for David's purpose for being there, "Just schlepping around" slips into the lead. Yet while David's activities aren't the center of the story, it's not quite your standard stock plot for a wandering protagonist to get involved in, as the story plays off of the existence of the Hulk.

Harlen Bates starts off as the beer-loving, education-phobic, jealous father, so it would take much to rehabilitate his standing--even after his sob story about not fitting in the city. Samantha cares for her father, but he earns the Dick of the Year Award for 1978 for faking his woolly alter ego, knowing that trigger-happy hunters would be all over town, not caring every time they shoot at any random noise. Did he really consider what his game might do to an only child with one parent?

I think you're being a little too hard on him...he's in the wrong, but he also brings in a somewhat novel character dynamic for this show...someone who serves as something of an antagonist to David, but is also a somewhat sympathetic (if misguided) protagonist in the larger story...and ultimately learns his lesson...sort of. Nevertheless, it's interesting that when Harlan is taunting David in the basement, David looks unusually tempted to teach his bullying boss a lesson.

Now I thought that this episode's early first onscreen Hulk-Out might make this one a format-breaker, but at -32:46, it's less than a minute earlier than the one in "The Final Round", so it's good for the running tally!

Once the scheme gets going, Brad has a moment of unusual cleverness for a pseudo-heavy in this series, suspecting a link between David and the creature based on David's attitude. I also get the sense that McGee suspects the hoax early, but they don't really give him a beat that clearly establishes that.

Further, Buck is still living off of a single reputation, while McGee is a year into a similar path with his Hulk obsession, not realizing that he's potentially headed toward the same, irrelevant state.

Ah, good catch--I hadn't quite caught the significance of that!

"The Antowuk Horror" returned the series to the lighter human interest / slice of life stories seen in 1st season stories such as "Never Give a Trucker An Even Break,"

Not quite as light-hearted as that episode, but it does give us a fairly trivial excuse for a second Hulk-Out. David's been through a lot worse--being told that he was fired must have been what really set him off! (And at -8:30, it's our second earliest thus far.)

There's a close-up of the Hulk in the woods right after his transformation that looks jarringly like an earlier version of the Hulk makeup...a reuse or late use of footage from one of the pilots, perhaps? There's also a long shot of the Hulk on the top of the cliff when the hunter is taking aim that features an attention-grabbing stunt double (though that probably wasn't quite so obvious in 1978).

Once Samantha is in danger, Harlan seems a little too quick to realize that the Hulk isn't a threat to both of them, treating the presence of the creature a little too casually.

which was a needed moment to pause after the season premiere, with a story ending with Harlan's near loss of his daughter finally making him understand his responsibilities.

And yet (following up on my "sort of" above), while Harlan certainly seems repentant, ultimately his scheme to draw business into the town works, so one has to wonder how much of a lesson he learned here....

I was also a bit taken aback when they revealed that the sheriff wasn't in on the hoax...he was implied to be earlier in the story, when Harlan and the mayor began to hatch their scheme. That does make Harlan's public appearance at the fair seem especially stupid and reckless, as the sheriff and his men might have actually shot at him.

Lucking would return to TIH as a father facing a chemically-induced, "evil" David Banner in season four's "Dark Side."

I knew I'd seem him in at least one other Hulk episode. I thought "Brad" might have been in another one as well...I've certainly seen and heard him around elsewhere. FWIW, browsing IMDb credits, I stumbled across the fact that both he and Lucking had played colonels on The A-Team.

There should be some sort of penalty for posting a pic of that cheesy-ass version of Cap, but I'll leave that for the mods of this forum to decide.

Dennis Patrick (Buck) was [...] best known for his 1967 run as the conniving Jason McGuire on the original Dark Shadows

A fact that I was extremely surprised to happen upon when browsing the actors' credits on IMDb! I thought the actor seemed a bit familiar from somewhere...and I've recently been watching some DS that I'd recorded when it was last on DECADES...but I never in a million years would have placed that crazy old hunter as McGuire!

 

[Christopher]

The Incredible Hulk
"The Antowuk Horror"

The first association between writer/producer Nicholas Corea and William Lucking, but not the last. Lucking would co-star with The Time Machine's Rod Taylor in Corea's short-lived 1986 series Outlaws, a vaguely sci-fi show about a team of Old West lawmen falling through a time warp and becoming present-day detectives. Lucking co-starred with two other recurring Hulk guests, Charles Napier and Christine Belford, as well as Richard Roundtree.

This is one of the few times we've seen the Hulk lash out at someone just for being a jerk to David, rather than against someone who physically attacked him or endangered someone else (or against an inanimate object that made him angry, like a phone booth). Even so, the Hulk was clearly pulling his punches, since Harlan wasn't injured by the blow. But it was a tense situation, seeing Harlan's abusive behavior and David's difficulty keeping his cool. There was a moment there in which David actually looked tempted to let the Hulk come out and teach this guy a lesson.

It gives the episode kind of an inconsistent tone, really -- starting out with a scene this tense and abusive, then taking the rest of the story in a more humorous direction.

I thought that the rapport between the two was generally cute, but she seemed a bit over-acted.

Funny, I would've said just the opposite. She was very well-spoken and polished, but she hardly acted at all, just recited the lines with little emotion.

For those keeping track of geography, this one takes place somewhere in Utah.

Hm. When I think of Utah, I expect someplace arid and flat. But it turns out it has six national forests. I guess I don't know my Western state geography that well.

Yet while David's activities aren't the center of the story, it's not quite your standard stock plot for a wandering protagonist to get involved in, as the story plays off of the existence of the Hulk.

There is that, but unfortunately, the show has abandoned the minor thread from the first season about the public and the authorities being aware of the Hulk, launching highly publicized manhunts for it and the like. Here, it's like nobody's ever heard of the creature except McGee and Buck. By now, the Hulk should be as big an urban legend as Bigfoot -- bigger, since the authorities have actually taken his existence seriously in the past. (Besides, Bigfoot's off on another network or two, hanging out with Steve Austin and Jaime Sommers.)

There's a close-up of the Hulk in the woods right after his transformation that looks jarringly like an earlier version of the Hulk makeup...a reuse or late use of footage from one of the pilots, perhaps?

It did look a little odd, but it didn't look quite like the pilot makeup either. Taking another look at it, I think the wig is just positioned wrong in that shot, so a lot more of his forehead is visible than usual.

There's also a long shot of the Hulk on the top of the cliff when the hunter is taking aim that features an attention-grabbing stunt double (though that probably wasn't quite so obvious in 1978).

I missed the stunt double, but I did notice the very obvious wires connecting the Hulk, Harlan, and Sam while the latter was being pulled to safety.

Once Samantha is in danger, Harlan seems a little too quick to realize that the Hulk isn't a threat to both of them, treating the presence of the creature a little too casually.

He was a father whose daughter was in danger. No doubt his mind was operating faster than normal, and he saw that the creature was not attacking. At that point, he would've accepted help from the Devil himself.

I was also a bit taken aback when they revealed that the sheriff wasn't in on the hoax...he was implied to be earlier in the story, when Harlan and the mayor began to hatch their scheme.

They were in on the idea of playing up the story of the monster for publicity, but they weren't in on the part involving faking the monster.

There should be some sort of penalty for posting a pic of that cheesy-ass version of Cap, but I'll leave that for the mods of this forum to decide.

Actually, I felt the Captain America costume in the second movie was surprisingly faithful to the source, allowing for the motorcycle-helmet modification. Heck, it's closer to the original design than anything Chris Evans has worn in the movies (not counting his USO-tour costume).

A fact that I was extremely surprised to happen upon when browsing the actors' credits on IMDb! I thought the actor seemed a bit familiar from somewhere...and I've recently been watching some DS that I'd recorded when it was last on DECADES...but I never in a million years would have placed that crazy old hunter as McGuire!

I never saw Dark Shadows, but I knew I recognized Patrick from somewhere -- turns out it was from his role as Jaime Sommers's nemesis.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Funny, I would've said just the opposite. She was very well-spoken and polished, but she hardly acted at all, just recited the lines with little emotion.

That's exactly what I was describing as "over-acted," though maybe that's not quite the right term. She came off to me like she was trying too hard to sound like an adult instead of letting herself be a kid. Maybe a deliberate acting/directing choice given her relationship with her father, but the end result was a tad obnoxious. Bixby saved it by playing off of her so well.

Hm. When I think of Utah, I expect someplace arid and flat. But it turns out it has six national forests. I guess I don't know my Western state geography that well.

Definitely not flat , but I'd tend to associate it with more arid regions as well, even though I've been through one of those more forested regions of the state (the northeastern part).

They were in on the idea of playing up the story of the monster for publicity, but they weren't in on the part involving faking the monster.

I definitely still think that the mayor was in on it.

Actually, I felt the Captain America costume in the second movie was surprisingly faithful to the source

Which isn't helping it to not look silly.

 

[The Old Mixer]

I never saw Dark Shadows,

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(The guy he's beating is working for the vampire.)

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

I thought that the rapport between the two was generally cute, but she seemed a bit over-acted.

Since we have to assume David had been working for Miller Beer for awhile, the scenes with David and Samantha were meant to show how comfortable they were with each other.

For those keeping track of geography, this one takes place somewhere in Utah. As for David's purpose for being there, "Just schlepping around" slips into the lead. Yet while David's activities aren't the center of the story, it's not quite your standard stock plot for a wandering protagonist to get involved in, as the story plays off of the existence of the Hulk.

It makes sense that David was just looking to live and not tax his mind with a cure search so soon after a situation that was all about the cure--but tied to emotional heartbreak & chaos. Consider Antowuk a long-needed vacation for David.

I think you're being a little too hard on him...he's in the wrong, but he also brings in a somewhat novel character dynamic for this show...someone who serves as something of an antagonist to David, but is also a somewhat sympathetic (if misguided) protagonist in the larger story...and ultimately learns his lesson...sort of.

He was marginally sympathetic in telling David how he tried to fucntion in the city, but he's still motivated by class envy (of David), and anger. Add his elixir from that magical land of Anheuser-Busch, and he becomes a single-minded ass.

Nevertheless, it's interesting that when Harlan is taunting David in the basement, David looks unusually tempted to teach his bullying boss a lesson.

Yes! The expression on David's face said it all--a "just keep pushing me--I want you to" look. Maybe David--after leaving Hawaii--was quick to be fed up with "asskicker" types always threatening him.

Ah, good catch--I hadn't quite caught the significance of that!

Yeah, McGee's arrogance with Buck was interesting since he could not see he could end up the same way.

There's a close-up of the Hulk in the woods right after his transformation that looks jarringly like an earlier version of the Hulk makeup...a reuse or late use of footage from one of the pilots, perhaps?

I will assume this was some transformation make-up / shot from the pilot / 2nd movie period. Johnson already established that it was difficult/time consuming to use several make-up applications for the transformation, so I doubt a new transformation was created just for this episode. The brow and teeth clearly look like that developed at the start of this series.

Once Samantha is in danger, Harlan seems a little too quick to realize that the Hulk isn't a threat to both of them, treating the presence of the creature a little too casually.

Agreed--even if he's a fraud as the woolly monster, the Hulk is a sight that would catch most off guard, but I'm guessing the Hulk's inherently helpful nature was sensed by Harlen, so he did not spend time screaming in fear.

I knew I'd seem him in at least one other Hulk episode. I thought "Brad" might have been in another one as well...I've certainly seen and heard him around elsewhere. FWIW, browsing IMDb credits, I stumbled across the fact that both he and Lucking had played colonels on The A-Team.

That makes sense--Lucking played rough and/or military types for a long time, or mercenary-minded guys, as in the Cap TV movie.

There should be some sort of penalty for posting a pic of that cheesy-ass version of Cap, but I'll leave that for the mods of this forum to decide.

You mean THIS version?

A fact that I was extremely surprised to happen upon when browsing the actors' credits on IMDb! I thought the actor seemed a bit familiar from somewhere...and I've recently been watching some DS that I'd recorded when it was last on DECADES...but I never in a million years would have placed that crazy old hunter as McGuire!

Dennis Patrick was a very versatile actor, so he could believably sell Buck as much as perfected the calculating, threatening Jason McGuire. Certainly not from the "headshot only" generation of performers.

(Besides, Bigfoot's off on another network or two, hanging out with Steve Austin and Jaime Sommers.)

Yeah, Bigfoot made the rounds in those years, including looking like an early Chewbacca in the Sid & Marty Krofft TV series, Bigfioot and Wildboy--

Actually, I felt the Captain America costume in the second movie was surprisingly faithful to the source, allowing for the motorcycle-helmet modification. Heck, it's closer to the original design than anything Chris Evans has worn in the movies (not counting his USO-tour costume).

Well, the costume has been modified in the comics over the past two decades, adding more military style to it, so the MCU versions are not entirely off the mark.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Since we have to assume David had been working for Miller Beer for awhile

Add his elixir from that magical land of Anheuser-Busch

Now, you know that Harlan's preferred brand was Conspicuously Fake Label TV Beer (TM).

Consider Antowuk a long-needed vacation for David.

Lots to see in Utah...the cellar of Harlan's shop wouldn't be high on my list.

The expression on David's face said it all--a "just keep pushing me--I want you to" look.

Not just that, but the way the camera kept taking us back to a close-up of David clenching his already injured hand into a fist. David doesn't usually seem so ready to get into a fight.

Agreed--even if he's a fraud as the woolly monster, the Hulk is a sight that would catch most off guard, but I'm guessing the Hulk's inherently helpful nature was sensed by Harlen, so he did not spend time screaming in fear.

It makes me think of the pilot, when the Hulk's trying to help the hunter's daughter and being shot at by the hunter. That's the sort of reaction I'd expect from people who are face-to-face with the Hulk. This was just a bit awkward the way it played...it could have used a brief beat of Harlan reacting to the Hulk and then realizing that the creature was trying to help them, instead of Harlan all but shoving the Hulk aside.

You mean THIS version?

Ay-YUHP!

The interesting (and slightly frustrating) thing about both that and the USO costume in the film is that they did away with the most practical-looking feature of the classic costume, the mail armoring on his upper torso.

Well, that's mind-soap for the Cap image, anyway.

 

[Christopher]

Oh, Bigfoot and Wild Boy, yes. I actually still remember the theme music from that show, though hardly anything else about it.

 

[Silvercrest]

I'd hope that you don't need armor while on a USO tour ... unless your routine is bad enough ....

 

[The Old Mixer]

You'll recall that his shield came in handy.

 

[Silvercrest]

Like I said ....

 

[publiusr]

Oh, Bigfoot and Wild Boy, yes. I actually still remember the theme music from that show, though hardly anything else about it.

That's a blast from the past. Lance LeGault should have been the hunter though.

I remember watching this as a kid--and when I saw "the Horror" (shout-out to Dunwich) turn over the vehicle--it fooled me for a bit. I was hoping for two "monsters." That's to come

 

[Christopher]

By the way, if Harlen is so fond of Antowuk, how come he keeps pronouncing it "Antowock"?

Hey, you know how I mentioned that William Lucking would later star in Nicholas Corea's Outlaws? Well, his character here was Harlen, and his character there was Harland. (And then on Enterprise, he played an Orion named Harrad-Sar...)

Anyway, it goes to show how much times have changed -- even though Harlen resents the bond that's formed between David and Sam, he doesn't see any potential danger in leaving this relative stranger (who might be on the run from the law) alone with his daughter. After all, who could possibly want to harm a child? I'm not sure whether that's more naive than modern attitudes or just less paranoid. Probably a bit of both.

 

[publiusr]

Bixby did have the face of an angel.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Bixby did have the face of an angel.

..or a face only sleazy swingers, mobsters and a beer-guzzling mountain-man could hate.

 

[RJDiogenes]

You mean THIS version?

Aside from the stupid-ass motorcycle helmet, that looks fine. He must have been suffering from Thor envy that day.

 

[Christopher]

By the way, at the library this morning, I came across a trade-paperback collection of the digital Wonder Woman '77 comic -- in the vein of Batman '66, it's supposedly a comic in the continuity and style of the Lynda Carter TV series, specifically the later seasons set in the '70s. But I'm afraid it doesn't do nearly as good a job as Batman '66 of capturing the flavor of the TV show. Honestly, I'm not sure that flavor is something to aspire to capture, since it was generally a pretty lame show; but I could see the potential in doing a comic that was true to its setting and style but told better stories. However, it falls short of authenticity in some major ways. It shows Diana using superpowers at one point, when on the show, she needed to be in costume (specifically wearing her magic belt) to have powers. It has Wonder Woman flying, something she definitely couldn't do on the show. It retains more of the Amazonian personality and attitudes that the show completely ignored for most of its last two seasons, and focuses more on Wonder Woman than on Diana. It barely uses IRAC, doesn't include Rover at all, and doesn't feature any of the variant costumes other than the formal cape. It doesn't bring back any of the show's villains or supporting guest characters (aside from a cameo by that alien that looked like a bad Darth Vader cosplay, but it was an illusion) and instead focuses on comics villains like Cheetah, Dr. Psycho, Silver Swan, and Solomon Grundy. And most of them aren't adapted to feel like they belonged in the cheesy universe of the show. Overall, it doesn't feel like a bigger-budget version of the show in the way Batman '66 does; it just feels like generic Wonder Woman comics with some token '70s elements and the likenesses of Lynda Carter and Lyle Waggoner. It's really pretty halfhearted on the writing side, like writer Marc Andreyko didn't really know the show that well.

But the art is very good, and it's clear that the various artists working on the series really, really love drawing Lynda Carter. She is just beautifully rendered throughout.

 

[publiusr]

I can just see her punching Solomon Grundy.out at a Trump rally. I don't know why that image popped into my head. Must have been the Ms. Tree comics.

 

[Christopher]

I can just see her punching Solomon Grundy.out at a Trump rally. I don't know why that image popped into my head. Must have been the Ms. Tree comics.

Grundy and Trump kind of resemble each other, don't they? Although Grundy has better language skills.

 

[Greg Cox]

I think we have to take a moment to enjoy the title of tonight's Inner Sanctum movie on SVENGOOLIE: "Pillow of Death."

One has to wonder who at the Universal thought that pillows were scary.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

"Ricky"--

Week three of season two moves into human interest territory more than last week's drunken fake bigfoot tale, with a story about the challenges--and manipulation of a man suffering from mental retardation (or today, some alternate that with intellectual disability).

David is at the Firewind Race Track in New Mexico, as part of the staff of what used to known as stock car racing in some circuits, but not on the level of NASCAR. Driver Buzz Deter wins the current race, while on the sidelines, his retarded brother Ricky eagerly tries to assist the competition--the Roberts brothers--Sam and Ted but is rudely brushed off.

David helps bandage Ricky's hand, while meeting Buzz--and hearing his complaints about the business, and an upcoming sponsor meeting, which could lead to racing at Daytona.

The Roberts brothers bicker over losing to Buzz--and by being outclassed by a "woman mechanic"-- his girlfriend Irene.

While Buzz and Irene are away, Ricky hops into the race car, fantasizes that he's driving, but flips the ignition switch, causing the garage to fill with exhaust fumes; David (working on a malfunctioning soda vending machine) sees the garage, and tries to break in, triggering a Hulk-out. He rescues Ricky, but smashes the car. Ricky revives, but in what could be a series first, the Hulk grunts some sort of direct response to Ricky's questions--and knows how to open a soda can.

Not a shocker, but the police investigate, but an angry Buzz completely rejects Ricky's sort about "the big green man," blaming Ricky for the damage, but presses on to fix the car in time for the race.

David talks to Ricky about the Hulk--and in keeping with continuity established in the pilot--he's concerned, then relieved that the Hulk dd not hurt him. David takes Ricky to the Harris School for Special Education, trying to inspire bigger things for him. Ricky explores the grounds, fascinated by the art, and David shares this with Buzz, who fills in some details from the family's past.

Meanwhile, Ted Roberts tells brother Sam that Allied Tires is interested in their crew as PR reps, and will meet after the the next race...but they like winners. No evil twirl of the mustache needed to know what Ted is thinking at this point.

Later, them Duke boys...I mean Roberts brothers feed epoxy into the carburetor of Buzz Deter's car, but after a night of work, Irene's great mechanical skill comes through again--just in time for race day.

The Roberts brothers knock David out, convince Ricky to drive the car (on the promise of winning a new vehicle), with the innocent Ricky falling into the trap, with Sam Roberts trying his best to crush him. Irene returns and mentions that without the coupler for the gas line (which Buzz left to purchase), and if it leaks, the car will turn into a torch.

David steals the Roberts' Camaro and enters the field, trying to stop Ricky; David and Ricky are eventually trapped, as the broken gas line ignites a fire--and Banner's anger. The Hulk flips Sam's car over, rescues Ricky, then runs off. Ricky is vindicated by all witnessing the Hulk.

Mac kicks the Roberts brothers out of his arena.

Buzz and Irene enroll Ricky at the Harris School; David promises to visit, but not for "a long time." As always, David walks away to his next chapter.

Jack McGee does not appear in this episode, and as in last week's story, David is not seeking a cure during the events of the episode.

Guest stars--

Mickey Jones (Ricky) made his first of three TIH appearances (including "Long Run Home" & "Triangle"), one episode shy of a tie with this episode's other returning actor, Gerald McRaney. Jones' fantasy credits include the pilot for the Glen Larson schlock Automan (1983), and working for Kenneth Johnson in the 80s, appearing as Chris Farber in V: The Final Battle (1984) and V the TV series (1984-85). In between dealing with the Visitors, Jones landed a role in John Carpenter's acclaimed Starman (Columbia, 1984).

James Daughton (Buzz) was a busy actor in the 70s & 80s, with fantasy credits ranging from Rod Serling's Night Gallery ("Class of '99"), The Sixth Sense ("Coffin, Coffin in the Sky"), the Planet of the Apes TV series ("The Tyrant"), Filmation's Shazam! ("Ripcord") to the pilot for the Ernest Borgnine android/cop series Future Cop. Outside of fantasy, he made a mark as the ultimate uptight college rich class a-hole student Greg Marmalard in Animal House.

Robin Mattson (Irene) ended up becoming a soap opera "lifer," with recurring roles on As the World Turns, General Hospital, Santa Barbara, Ryan's Hope, All My Children, Guiding Light, The Bold and the Beautiful, and The Days of our Lives. Whew! She guest starred on The Six Million Dollar Man ("The Lost Island"), but not long after her TIH appearance, she moved to Captain America (1979), the first of CBS'/Marvel's TV movies starring Reb Brown.

Gordon Jump (Mac) came to know Kenneth Johnson from guest starring on The Bionic Woman ("Welcome Hone, Jamie: Part Two"), and has additional fantasy credits, such as Caesar's auctioneer in Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (Fox, 1972), the Krofft's Dr. Shrinker ("Sand Doucment Part 1") and in the 1976 pilot for Archie--the second live action adaptation of the once-big time comic book character. Undoubtedly, Jump is best remembered as WKRP in Cincinnati's Arthur Carlson, making him--after Loni Anderson (season one's "Of Guilt, Models and Murder") the second WKRP actor to appear on TIH.

NOTE: Ricky is watching a scene from Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (Universal, 1943) of another victim of unwanted transformations--Larry Talbot. Universal and other studios taking advantage of its classic horror films as TV fare within productions became common--in part thanks to two generations of filmmakers and producers who grew up watching Universal, AIP, Republic, and other studio's horror catalog which burst on the TV scene in once-prolific horror host programming blocks starting in the 1950s.
For example, would see characters watching scenes from The Wolf Man in The Howling (Avco-Embassy, 1981), The Thing from Another World and Night of the Living Dead in Halloween & Halloween 2, respectively. Though minor in the various films' plots, it was a big nod to just how much old horror on TV had become part of the cultural landscape--especially in North America.