MeTV's SuperSci-Fi Saturday Night

[RJDiogenes]

As with Elvis, if you're not feeling it, it's not something that can be explained.

Yeah, Elvis. And Big Foot. And the Rat Pack in general.

I'd say it was understandable coming from somebody inside the industry, who was probably being told he was yesterday's news and/or was being pressured to get with the latest style.

I took it as a response to people who were critical or dismissive of the latest styles.

I had a thing for her for a while close to that era, and that was my favorite song by her.

She did some great stuff as the sweet, girl-next-door type. Her attempts to sex it up just seemed forced and awkward to me.

It was their only Top 40 hit.

Hmm, true. I thought they did a little better than that. Too bad.

It didn't become available on cable or commercial home video until a few years later. You might have appreciated it a bit more if you'd seen it in the theater. There were theatrical re-releases in '81 and '82.

I've never seen it in the theater. My main reasons for disliking it were the aesthetics-- those big gray ships with all the meganooks and hypercrannies just looked like cigarette ash to me-- and I never cared for Mark Hamill or Carrie Fisher. I've slowly developed a mild fondness for it all over the years, though.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Yeah, Elvis. And Big Foot. And the Rat Pack in general.

Now Bigfoot's singing...I could never understand what the fuss was about, either.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

I was camped out on the sidewalk in front of the UA 150 theater in downtown Seattle with pretty much my entire college science fiction club, whom had taken a road trip just to see the movie.

Great memory. There was such a community spirit in line--in addition to just sharing everyday things, everyone had their shot at predicting what would happen in the movie, but none were close. The surprise and shock of audience members leaving the theatre was almost as entertaining as the film.

This is a beautiful song. Possibly the last such that Elton John ever did.

Agreed. The 80s songs to come, such as "I'm Still Standing" were just noise. No heart at all.

I love 70s Olivia Newton-John. I don't love 80s Olivia Newton-John.

Well, "Magic" was composed in 1979, so technically, its 70s Olivia Newton-John, and you should love it.

Not their best, but not bad. They're past their prime, undoubtedly, but they'll do better, briefly, later in the 80s.

Eh. They were self-inflated hacks after 1978's Miss You, and were already in the process of piling on revisionist history about their origins, and who was the creative force in the band.

Meh. Another artist past her prime.

The Rolling Stones say hi.

Did Queen ever do anything that wasn't good? I don't think so.

*cough* "Radio Ga Ga" / "I Want to Break Free" *cough*

 

[mos6507]

*cough* "Radio Ga Ga" / "I Want to Break Free" *cough*

The 80s were kind of a fever dream where every established hard rock artist was pulled like a black hole into the cliche's of that decade's stylings. The 80s therefore function more like a genre than a decade. With that in mind, I happen to like some of these songs that classic rock acts stooped to for the sake of being trendy, but only as part of the larger pool of 80s cheese.

 

[The Old Mixer]

everyone had their shot at predicting what would happen in the movie, but none were close. The surprise and shock of audience members leaving the theatre was almost as entertaining as the film.

Apparently none of them spoiled themselves two weeks in advance by reading the novelization like I did....

 

[JD]

The Wild Wild West was OK, definitely not as much fun as last week's. Am I the only one watching it?
TIH was OK. The fire fighting stuff was a nice change of pace from the usual gangsters and other criminals.
The stuff with Randy was probably loses something today when female fire fighters are fairly common, although her and David bonding over being outsiders was a nice moment.
David and McGee working on the fire together was a nice little close call.

 

[Greg Cox]

Apparently none of them spoiled themselves two weeks in advance by reading the novelization like I did....

I had it worse. An old friend read the novelization and spoiled it for me before I could stop her.

(Yes, we're still speaking.)

 

[Christopher]

Land of the Giants: For some reason, MeTV is breaking with the standard episode order again; this week’s installment was “Chamber of Fear.” This is a pretty dull one. Despite a convoluted story involving a wax museum whose owner and sculptor also happen to be diamond thieves, it’s mostly pretty boring stuff, the usual business with climbing around and trying to rescue Fitzhugh from the home of the sculptor (Christopher Cary, recently seen as the title character in The Time Tunnel’s “Merlin the Magician”) and/or find the stolen diamond hidden somewhere in the wax statues. The sets used to represent the interiors of the waxworks are unconvincing, since they’re clearly just sitting on top of the stage floor and don’t bear any resemblance to a humanoid shape. This is particularly true of the clockwork set representing the motorized “monk” statue. Still, there’s some decent business for the girls as Mark gets knocked out and Valerie has to use all her strength against the gears to keep him from getting crushed, a nice reversal of traditional gender roles -- even if she still needs the other men’s help to finally shut off the mechanism. And Betty gets to go off on her own and make the phone call to the police that ultimately resolves the situation.


The Time Tunnel: “Raiders from Outer Space”: The second-last episode of the series is rather a mess, a hodgepodge of a generic alien-invasion plot with ridiculous bulbous-headed alien makeup (at least they aren’t silver this time) clumsily grafted onto a historical plot built around battle footage from the previous year’s Charlton Heston/Laurence Olivier epic Khartoum (whose Ultra Panavision footage is squashed to fit a 4:3 frame). The episode features Irwin Allen stalwarts Kevin Hagen as the alien prince and John Crawford as a British captain our heroes ally with against the aliens, but it’s kind of an embarrassing turn for them both. Hagen is stuck wearing a ludicrous alien-head prosthetic, and there’s no explanation for why he has a human face while his underlings have the same head shape but more monstrous faces. And Crawford’s character is a total idiot who somehow mistakes Tony and one of the aliens for Arab spies, despite the former’s American accent and the latter’s disappearance right in front of the captain’ eyes. Meanwhile, the Tunnel staff are threatened by a bomb sent by the alien prince, and it takes them until the end of the episode to have the obvious idea of sending the bomb back through the Tunnel. (And why didn’t the prince anticipate that and guard against it somehow?)

Perhaps the biggest problem is the clash between the stock footage-based approach of TTT and the recent turn toward alien-focused sci-fi storytelling. Because the characters’ actions have to fit with the existing footage, the Battle of Khartoum continues to rage despite the imminent alien attack. It would’ve made more sense for Tony and Doug to try to convince both sides to unite against their common enemy. Or they could’ve done an allegorical or satirical take on how the warring sides’ inability to look past their petty conflict was giving the aliens an opening for their conquest. Instead, for a large swath of the episode, Tony, Doug, and the captain just concentrate on fighting Arabs, seeming to forget about the imminent alien missile launch less than an hour away.


And coming up tonight:

Kolchak: “Mr. R.I.N.G.”: This is quite an unusual episode, in a good way. Not only is it just the second time the show has used a science fiction premise instead of a fantasy one (unless you count the immortality potion of the second movie), but it’s the first time the show has given us a sympathetic monster, the first time the death of Kolchak’s quarry was played as a tragedy instead of a victory. It’s also, by the way, the first time the show has had (to paraphrase Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart) a paranormal menace that wasn’t immune to bullets. Plus, because of the sympathetic nature of the robot, it also features by far the smallest death toll in the series so far, with only one confirmed human fatality (the fate of the mailman was left ambiguous).

It’s amusing that the humanoid robot was created by the Tyrell Institute. Is Kolchak: The Night Stalker a prequel to Blade Runner? I was wondering if it was an homage to Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, but in the novel, the androids were created by the Rosen Association. So it must just be a coincidence. I was also half-expecting Dr. Dwyer to turn out to be a more advanced android herself, since she had the tapes and Kolchak mentioned her cold personality.

What is it with Universal TV androids having faces full of circuitry? This aired just a couple of weeks before The Six Million Dollar Man’s second robot episode. Given how far the circuitry mask stuck forward from stuntman Craig Baxley’s face, I’m relieved they didn’t do the usual thing where his head suddenly had normal human proportions when he put a mask on. (It was also just about a year after The Questor Tapes, another Universal production involving an android, but Questor was the exception to the circuitry-face convention.)

 

[RJDiogenes]

Agreed. The 80s songs to come, such as "I'm Still Standing" were just noise. No heart at all.

There were a couple of decent songs (e.g. "Nikita"), but nothing to compare to his earlier work.

Well, "Magic" was composed in 1979, so technically, its 70s Olivia Newton-John, and you should love it.

True, I should have said early 70s. Grease was the Beast that killed the Beauty.

Eh. They were self-inflated hacks after 1978's Miss You, and were already in the process of piling on revisionist history about their origins, and who was the creative force in the band.

Maybe, but they still have Undercover on the way.

*cough* "Radio Ga Ga" / "I Want to Break Free" *cough*

Well, sure, some stuff was better than other stuff....

The Wild Wild West was OK, definitely not as much fun as last week's. Am I the only one watching it?

It's on at a bad time for me, but I've got the DVDs.

 

[The Old Mixer]

I should mention on this end that if anyone's looking for the weekly Batman review, I've moved it back over here.

Maybe, but they still have Undercover on the way.

More immediately (and within the timeframe of the show), Tattoo You.

The Wild Wild West would probably be one more on my 50th anniversary viewing pile, if it hadn't switched hands from H&I back to Me.

 

[HGN2001]

The Time Tunnel: “Raiders from Outer Space

Sharp-eyed Irwin Allen fans will also notice that the set where Tony and Doug were helping to defend the fort was also the SSRN Seaview's secret dock. Just by changing the camera angle and some lighting colors, a wet dock becomes a desert-dry fort.

As a fort in THE TIME TUNNEL:

As the secret dock in VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (from the pilot episode):

 

[Christopher]

It's probably some part of the 20th Century Fox backlot that predated both productions.

 

[RJDiogenes]

More immediately (and within the timeframe of the show), Tattoo You.

That's true. I consider those the last two "classic" Stones albums.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Sharp-eyed Irwin Allen fans will also notice that the set where Tony and Doug were helping to defend the fort was also the SSRN Seaview's secret dock. Just by changing the camera angle and some lighting colors, a wet dock becomes a desert-dry fort.

Good eye; Irwin Allen recycled this and other Fox backlot sets often, probably as much as the surplus consoles seen in every Allen TV vehicle.

 

[The Old Mixer]

This week, on the Season 4 premiere of The Incredible Hulk:

"Prometheus"
Originally aired November 7, 1980

Exposed to radiation from a meteor that has crashed into the Earth, David transforms into a half-Hulk, half-human state.

Preview link.

Events in the news for the Fall of 1980 through the week that the episode aired:

August 31 – Victory of the strike in Gdansk Shipyard, Poland. The Gdansk Agreement is signed, opening a way to start the first in the communist bloc free organization (not controlled by regime) "Solidarnosc" i.e. Solidarity.

September 1 – Terry Fox is forced to end his Marathon of Hope run outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario, after finding out that the cancer has spread to his lungs.
September 2 – Ford Europe launches the Escort MK3, a new front-wheel drive hatchback.
September 3 – Zimbabwe breaks diplomatic and consular relations with South Africa, even though it maintains a commercial mission in Johannesburg.
September 5 – The St. Gotthard Tunnel opens in Switzerland as the world's longest highway tunnel at 10.14 miles (16.32 km), stretching from Göschenen to Airolo.
September 12 – Kenan Evren stages a military coup in Turkey. It stops political gang violence, but begins stronger state violence leading to the execution of many young activists.
September 17

• After weeks of strikes at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdansk, Poland, the nationwide independent trade union Solidarity is established.
• Former Nicaraguan President Anastasio Somoza Debayle is killed in Asunción, Paraguay.

September 21 – Bülent Ulusu, ex admiral, forms the new government of Turkey (44th government, composed mostly of technocrats).
September 22

• The command council of Iraq orders its army to "deliver its fatal blow on Iranian military targets," initiating the Iran–Iraq War.
• Youth riots in Tallinn, the capital of the Estonian SSR, are quickly put down. Similar riots are organized on 1 October.

September 26

• 13 people are killed and 211 injured in the Oktoberfest terror attack.
• The Mariel boatlift officially ends.

September 27 – The Richmond Football Club defeats Collingwood by 81 points in the VFL Grand Final (They have yet to win another premiership since).
September 29 – The Washington Post publishes Janet Cooke's story of Jimmy, an 8-year-old heroin addict (later proven to be fabricated).
September 30 – Digital Equipment Corporation, Intel and Xerox introduce the DIX standard for Ethernet, which is the first implementation outside of Xerox, and the first to support 10 Mbit/s speeds.

October 1 – Associated Newspapers announces that The Evening News will close and merge with the Evening Standard.
October 3

• The Police release their third studio album, Zenyattà Mondatta.
• The main-belt asteroid 2404 Antarctica is discovered by Antonín Mrkos at Klet, South Bohemian Region, Czechoslovakia.

October 5 – British Leyland launches its new Metro, a three-door entry-level hatchback which is designed as the eventual replacement for the Mini. It gives BL a long-awaited modern competitor for the likes of the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Chevette.
October 10

• The 7.1 Mw El Asnam earthquake shakes northern Algeria with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme), killing 2,633–5,000, and injuring 8,369–9,000.
• British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher delivers her famous "The lady's not for turning" speech.

October 14 – The Staggers Rail Act is enacted, deregulating American railroads.
October 15

• James Callaghan announces his resignation as leader of the British Labour Party.
• James Hoskins forces his way into WCPO's television studio in Cincinnati, holding 9 employees hostage for several hours before releasing them and taking his own life.

October 18 – The Fraser Government is re-elected for a third consecutive term in Australia with a reduced majority.
October 20 – In continuous production since 1962, the last MGB roadster rolls off the assembly line at the Abingdon factory, ending production for the MG marque.
October 21 – In Major League Baseball, The Philadelphia Phillies of the National League defeat the Kansas City Royals of the American League 4-1 in Game Six of the World Series to win the championship.
October 22 – The Thomson Corporation says that The Times and all associated supplements will close in March 1981 if no buyer can be found.
October 25 – Proceedings on the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction conclude at The Hague.
October 27 – Six Provisional Irish Republican Army prisoners in Maze prison refuse food and demand status as political prisoners; the hunger strike lasts until December.
October 30

• El Salvador and Honduras sign a peace treaty to put the border dispute fought over in 1969's Football War before the International Court of Justice.
• Costa Rica recognizes the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).

October 31

• The Polish government recognizes Solidarity.
• Reza Pahlavi, eldest son of the Shah of Iran, proclaims himself the rightful successor to the Peacock Throne.

November – Duration of the CESDAP plan is extended indefinitely.

November 4 – United States presidential election, 1980: Republican challenger and former Governor Ronald Reagan of California defeats incumbent Democratic President Jimmy Carter, exactly 1 year after the beginning of the Iran hostage crisis.

Special Bonus Concession Video
Special Bonus Victory Video


New on the U.S. charts in those weeks:

"On the Road Again," Willie Nelson

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(Charted Sept. 6; #20 US; #7 AC; #1 Country; #471 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time)

"Hit Me with You Best Shot," Pat Benatar

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(Charted Oct. 4; #9 US)

"De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da," The Police

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(Charted Oct. 25; #10 US; #5 UK)

"Celebration," Kool & The Gang

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(Charted Oct. 25; #1 US the weeks of Feb. 7 and 14, 1981; #34 AC; #1 Dance; #1 R&B; #7 UK)

"Hungry Heart," Bruce Springsteen

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(Charted Nov. 8; #5 US; #44 UK)

I'll be sprinkling in some additional material from the hiatus of 1980 where there's room for the remainder of that calendar year.

 

[RJDiogenes]

"On the Road Again," Willie Nelson

Eh, it's a song.

"Hit Me with You Best Shot," Pat Benatar

Ah, here we go. I love Pat Benatar and this is one of her best.

"De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da," The Police

Not exactly their best, but part of a long string of great stuff.

"Celebration," Kool & The Gang

Eh, it's a song.

"Hungry Heart," Bruce Springsteen

Ah, I love the Boss, too. This is a great song.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

The Incredible Hulk - Season 4
"Prometheus" (part one) --

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) - the Deep Space Net division--monitors a cylindrical object a quarter of a mile long hurtles toward earth--its atypical shape alarming to Colonel Harry Appling and his Lieutenant monitoring the object's trajectory, and likely impact zone: the Ashley National Forest region of Utah.

Fishing at the base of a nearby dam, David (in self-imposed isolation again) responds to the cries of woman fighting against current from the sudden dam release. Saving the woman, David and Katie Maxwell arrive at her cabin.

Banner notices she's blind--defensively, she blurts out that its a condition she's been dealing with for nearly eight months--the result of a drunk driver, and damage to her optic nerves. Quickly realizing she was rude, the grateful Katie reveals she once lived in New York as a professional pianist, but could not navigate the big city as a sightless woman--preferring the quiet of her cabin. Katie knocks a cup over, and in her bitter state, mocks herself.

In nearby Mill Fork, Jack McGee investigates the recent Hulk destruction of a toy store window. The reporter seems to be confident that he will capture the Hulk.

Back at the Deep Space Net division, Colonel Appling receives a report about the meteor from Palomar Observatory--

Lieutenant: "Says its made up of nickel and magnesium, with lead and iron also. And the highest concentration of uranium I've ever--wait! I've go Goldstone on the line. Now they're reporting something strange. What else? Yes, Goldstone, go on, yes. The Leo object is emitting radiation at high levels, notably the gamma range."

Distressed by this news, Colonel Appling contacts the secretive Prometheus project, with data on the meteor and its estimate time of impact. Its not long before an arm of the U.S. military (under the temporary command of Captain Adam Welsh) and members of the Prometheus project swarm the Mill Fork area in anticipation of the meteor, keeping the North American Aerospace Defense Command aware of their actions. Interrupting field commander Captain Adam Welsh--

McGee: "What's Prometheus?"
Welsh: "Excuse me, who are you??"
McGee: "I'm Jack McGee, what's Prometheus?"
Welsh: "I'm sorry, but this area's restricted! Do you live near here, sir?"
McGee: "No, no, no. I'm just a visitor, like yourself, only you brought more friends who wear strange uniforms. What's going on?"
Welsh: "A training exercise."
McGee: (disbelieving Welsh) "Oh, really?"
Welsh: "Yes!"
McGee: "I thought those usually took place on a military reservation."
Welsh: "Usually, not always, as you see."
McGee: (pointing at a man in non-military jumpsuit) "What kind of uniform is that?"
Welsh: "Civilian."
McGee: "...on a military exercise?"
Welsh: "Yes."
McGee: "And what kind of insignia is that?"
Welsh: "Excuse me, but you're gonna have to go out back the way you came!"
McGee: "Oh, sure. Enjoy your exercise."
Welsh: (on the phone) "Tighten up security right now!"

In his typically rule-breaking manner, McGee steals a Prometheus staff jumpsuit...

Elsewhere, David guides Katie--teaching her to use her senses to determine location, etc. As Katie leads him to the main road (where he will make his exit), the meteor enters earth's atmosphere, with Colonel Appling noted that its flight pattern almost seems as if the object is being piloted. Eventually, the meteor crashes to earth, creating a shockwave knocking David & Katie off their feet. Sending Katie back to her cabin, David locates the meteor impact site, and investigates the object, but is overcome with head pain and confusion. Backing away, David falls into a bee hive and is immediately attacked by the insects, triggering a Hulk out. The Hulk sends the bee hive soaring across the forest, then finds himself strangely drawn to the meteor, still suffering from the effects of its radiation.

At the cabin, Katie plays her piano, angrily stopping in frustration with her life. Hearing a noise outside, she assumes it is David, only to hear a bizarre growl, followed by the front door kicked from its hinges. The terrified woman screams for the intruder to leave, until she detects he--the Hulk--sits resting.Touching his face, Katie feels the Hulk transform not quite back to David, but a "Demi-Hulk"--caught between Banner and the full-on Hulk, with a traumatic impact on his basic intellectual capacity

Katie: "What happened?"
David: "...a rock...no...uh...a rock from the sky..."
Katie: "A rock from the sky...a meteor??"
David: "Yes! Yes!"
Katie: "A meteor that crashed?"
David: "Yes, yes.."
Katie: (feeling David's face) "But you...what's happened to you?"
David: (touching his face) "I don't know. It never...happened...before. Not like this. My God! Something's...wrong. It never was like this!"
Katie: "But I don't understand.."
David: "I've got to have a...a...mirror!"
Katie: "I don't have one."
David: (suddenly angry, then apologetic) "Get me one!! I'm sorry!! I'm sorry!! I won't hurt you! Katie...please believe me...I won't hurt you."
Katie: "I believe you, David."
David: "I've got to see my face..."
Katie: "..but I don't know..."
David: "Wait.."

David uses the bottom of a chrome kettle to see his reflection--

David: (crying, then angry) "My God!! My God!! It's never happened like this! Never before! What's wrong?? WHAT"S WRONG?!? "

Overwhelmed by fear and frustration, Demi-Hulk smashes a table, then catches himself--clasping his hands prayerfully--shaking.

Several helicopters depart for the meteor site; McGee slips into the stolen Prometheus project uniform, steals a jeep and follows the unit...

At the cabin, Demi-Hulk manages explaining his condition and need to avoid his tormentor to Katie--

David: "...and now I go through changes."
Katie: "And it always comes from anger?"
David: "Yes, or pain sometimes."
Katie: "And this man McGee can't find out your identity?"
David: "My..my uh..."
Katie: "You have to keep it secret."
David: "Yes. Yes, a secret. from McGee...and...every...all of them, until..."
Katie: "You find a cure."
David: "Yes, a cure."
Katie: "But what's happening now? You stopped halfway. Was it the meteor?"
David: "Mm-me--"
Katie: "The rock that came down from the sky."
David: "Yes. It made me feel...uh...bad...terrible.
Katie: "All right. We'll--"

A vehicle drives toward the cabin; knowing what's at risk, Katie hides Demi-Hulk in her closet. The Army is evacuating the area--ordering Katie to accompany them. Distracted by a roadblock, the soldiers fail to see Katie disappearing into the woods, using the sense training she learned from David. Returning to the cabin, Katie regroups with David and heads for her brother's home. To their misfortune, their path to Katie's brother's house is blocked by the meteor--at the same time the army helicopters circle the area--

Pilot 1: "This is Niner-Seven. We have found the impact. Over. There are two people on the ground here."
Welsh: "Are they normal?"
Pilot 1: "I can't tell."
Welsh: "Get them clear."
Pilot 1: "We copy. On the ground--attention! You there on the ground. This area's restricted! Do you understand? Restricted! Back up! Back away! Go back the way you came!"

On the other side of the impact area, McGee drives up, using binoculars to observe Demi-Hulk; Katie falls, partially caught under a fallen tree, only to be freed by Demi-Hulk's still incredible strength. In one the helicopters, a cameraman captures the entire scene--

Pilot 1: "This is recon Niner-Seven. Do you read, Prometheus?"
Prometheus Man: "Roger, Niner-Seven."
Pilot 1: "Something really weird is going on down here!"
Prometheus Man: "We'll have a look."

The monitor feed provides a close-up of Demi-Hulk--

Pilot 1: "Look at that! Look at his eyes!!"

As Demi-Hulk growls at the circling vehicles, the larger, Prometheus-run helicopter hoisting a large, half-spherical container moves toward the meteor. In his less than rational state, Demi-Hulk violently waves the helicopters away while trying to shield Katie; the confusion and looming threat finally forces a full Hulk-out..in Katie's arms--

Pilot 1: "Prometheus, there's something happening.."
Katie: "Ohh, David...oh my God!!"
Pilot 1: "My God!! I don't believe it!!"

The Hulk rises--bursting with rage, with McGee watching the transformation--

Pilot 1: "What the Hell is that?!?"
Crewman: "Get a close-up! Get a close-up! Unbelievable!!"
Prometheus Man: "Ground based personnel--attention! Form a cordon--possible ET in the impact area! Utilize all caution Repeat--move with caution!! Keep a watch for hostile action!"

Orders followed, the ground units prevent any escape, but the Hulk has other plans, sending a tree stump soaring into a helicopter's tail rotor--the destruction causing it to spiral to the ground and explode. The Hulk's offensive is short-lived, as his attention turns to protecting the now unconscious Katie--enough time for the Prometheus helicopter's half-spherical container to cover the Hulk & Katie--doors sealing them in. McGee is left feeling powerless that his quarry for nearly 4 years has been captured by powers beyond his control or comprehension. Acting quickly, McGee sneaks aboard one of the unit transports; all present can hear the captive Hulk trying to punch his way out of the container, as it is transported to an unknown destination...

NOTES:

This is condition / cure-related episode, and learn the negative effects of additional gamma radiation exposure. Thinking back to the pilot, if Banner had been exposed to a greater level of the radiation, its possible he would have been trapped in this state after his first Hulk-out.

Katie Maxwell joins the list of characters who learns David's secret and live to not talk about it.

Bixby's well known versatility as an actor shines again in his part as one part of the "Demi-Hulk"--adding a hopeless, groping frustration with his inability to do anything about his condition, or even understand it.

When The Incredible Hulk was announced as a fall 1977 pilot, comic fans wondered if the production would see the same kind of "Monster vs. Military" action so much a part of the Hulk's printed history. While Kenneth Johnson removed the entire General Ross/Major Talbot/missile base plots and over the top super powers from his series, there were brief samples of what the Hulk would do against helicopters (this episode & "Death in the Family") and military vehicles as seen in "Blind Rage"--

--but "Prometheus" was as close as a more realism-based Huk would come, and it all plays to series strengths.

The name "Demi-Hulk" was how the mid-transformation Banner was referred to during production of this two-parter.

Interesting comment on the human mind being willing to assume the Hulk could be a extraterrestrial (something with next to no hard public evidence at the time) instead of a mutated, earth-born creature.

GUEST CAST:

Laurie Prange (Katie Maxwell) returns to TIH--last seen in "Death in the Family"--the second "pilot" movie.

• Rod Serling's Night Gallery (NBC, 1971) - "Brenda"
• The Dark Secret of Harvest Home (Universal TV, 1978) - with Bradford Dillman

Ric Drasin (Demi-Hulk) was inspired casting, successfully selling the middle ground between Bixby & Ferrigno, even sporting wavy hair (dyed from his natural blonde) similar to Bixby's--although he had to dye his naturally blonde hair for this part--

• Ben (Bing Crosby Productions, 1972) - sequel to Willard
• The Man from Atlantis (NBC, 1977) - "The Disappearances"
• Demolition Man (Warner Bros., 1993)
• To the Ends of Time (Imperial Entertainment, 1996)
• The Kid with X-Ray Eyes (Concorde / New Horizons, 1999)
• Slaughter Party (Wild Range Productions, 2006)

 

[Christopher]

“Prometheus”: The first and smaller half of the fourth-season premiere (filmed as the third-season finale) which is as epic and sci-fi as the show ever got. It actually fakes us out pretty hard by making us think we’re about to see the Hulk vs. aliens. Instead, it’s just an asteroid that happens to be highly cylindrical and almost seems piloted in its descent, so that the government will respond as if it’s a UFO when it actually isn’t. That’s a bit of a cheat.

It’s also a reunion between Bill Bixby and Laurie Prange from “A Death in the Family.” This time, instead of a frail and sweet sick girl, she’s a bitter and acerbic blind girl, still not fully adjusted to her recent loss of sight. I guess that keeps it from being condescending when David teaches her how to navigate the wilds. Anyway, I think I like Katie better than her previous character Julie, because she doesn’t seem so fragile.

By the way, Katie is named after writer-director-showrunner Kenneth Johnson’s daughter, and the NORAD colonel, Appling, gets his surname from Johnson’s wife. He often worked their names into his scripts (the lyrics to the Alien Nation theme song are both their names phonetically inverted).

David getting stuck half-transformed is a novel twist, although the execution is a bit awkward -- in the long shots, the half-Hulk is played by uncredited actor-bodybuilder Ric Drasin, and the change from Bixby’s face is rather obvious. (I used to think it was Ferrigno, actually; the face is kind of similar.) Still, this is the closest the show ever came to the comics’ Hulk -- less intelligent than Banner but capable of speech. So it’s appropriate that it’s also the closest the show ever came to a comics-style Hulk storyline, with the military/government capturing the Hulk for study. (I tend to think of the big red dome thing as the Rage Cage, a term I learned from the ‘90s Hulk animated series, though I gather it originated as a toy tie-in in the late ‘70s.)

By the way, the long shots of the dam spill sequence in the first act looked distorted, like they were widescreen movie footage squished to fit a 4:3 frame. Anyone recognize what movie it’s from?

Thinking back to the pilot, if Banner had been exposed to a greater level of the radiation, its possible he would have been trapped in this state after his first Hulk-out.

I don't think so. I've always taken his "trapped" condition here to result from the ongoing proximity of the gamma-emitting meteorite, rather than the intensity of its emissions. For one thing, he finally got back to normal once he was far enough away from it. For another thing, if its radiation level had been higher than David's initial dose, then Katie (who was exposed to it for a fair amount of time) would probably have either died of radiation poisoning or become a She-Hulk herself.

Interesting comment on the human mind being willing to assume the Hulk could be a extraterrestrial (something with next to no hard public evidence at the time) instead of a mutated, earth-born creature.

That's not about "the human mind" in general, it's about these people's specialization. They were a team of xenobiologists called in to investigate the landing of something that might have been an alien spaceship. So what they found at the crash site was filtered through that set of expectations. If your job is hammering, you see every problem as a nail.

 

[The Old Mixer]

David (in self-imposed isolation again)

Or just enjoying the great outdoors. Anyway, no alias this time.

It looks like David got a perm between seasons...though if this was produced as part of Season 3, his temporary change in hairstyle seems all the more conspicuous. Did they alter Bixby's hair so he'd look more like his Demi-Hulk double?

And this two-parter once again gives credence to that production-order list. They changed the opening theme music for Season 4, which is evident starting with "Free Fall" in airdate order; but both parts of "Prometheus" use the Season 3 music.

Lieutenant: "Says its made up of nickel and magnesium, with lead and iron also. And the highest concentration of uranium I've ever--wait! I've go Goldstone on the line. Now they're reporting something strange. What else? Yes, Goldstone, go on, yes. The Leo object is emitting radiation at high levels, notably the gamma range."

Gamma radiation? I don't like the sound of that...!

In his typically rule-breaking manner, McGee steals a Prometheus staff jumpsuit...

How dare he be a nosy investigate reporter? Lois Lane would be appalled!

David locates the meteor impact site, and investigates the object, but is overcome with head pain and confusion. Backing away, David falls into a bee hive and is immediately attacked by the insects, triggering a Hulk out.

-23:51. It would have been interesting if the FHO had been triggered solely by the meteor when it was clearly having an effect on David. The bees feel like an unnecessary and random additional stimulus. Anyway, it's interesting that the Hulk is drawn back toward the meteor when David was trying to get away from it.

At the cabin, Demi-Hulk manages explaining his condition and need to avoid his tormentor to Katie

How convenient that between scenes he managed to successfully convey so much exposition that will prove useful in Part II, despite his impaired articulation....

A vehicle drives toward the cabin; knowing what's at risk, Katie hides Demi-Hulk in her closet.

And aw, isn't that cute? He stayed in the closet the entire time she was gone! He's a good Demi-Hulk! Yes he is! Yes he is!

the confusion and looming threat finally forces a full Hulk-out..in Katie's arms

-04:42, though I was guesstimating at what point the transformation actually started, as it wasn't clear in the editing.

And breaking his usual M.O., the Hulk strips down to his boxers!

but the Hulk has other plans, sending a tree stump soaring into a helicopter's tail rotor--the destruction causing it to spiral to the ground and explode.

It's a TV vehicle, so of course it had to blow up after otherwise coming to a nice, safe-looking emergency landing....

all present can hear the captive Hulk trying to punch his way out of the container, as it is transported to an unknown destination...

Unusual to have a LM while David's the Hulk...and not even onscreen.

This is condition / cure-related episode

Interesting...I haven't been including "condition-related" episodes as part of that category, but I'm willing to entertain the idea. If I were to alter the category, then I'd also count the pilot, which was previously uncounted by me. And while I hadn't intended to bring the subject up again, would everyone agree that "The Psychic" counts as a condition-related episode?

Otherwise, he was Just Fishing Around this time.

Katie Maxwell joins the list of characters who learns David's secret and live to not talk about it.

Well, technically she doesn't join the list until she survives Part II....

When The Incredible Hulk was announced as a fall 1977 pilot, comic fans wondered if the production would see the same kind of "Monster vs. Military" action so much a part of the Hulk's printed history.

This was a tantalizing taste of something more like the comics. It really makes me wish they'd been willing to mix up the formula a bit at this stage to allow for a regular government/military involvement...especially considering some of the weak material ahead....

The name "Demi-Hulk" was how the mid-transformation Banner was referred to during production of this two-parter.

And in advanced publicity for it, I distinctly recall.

David getting stuck half-transformed is a novel twist, although the execution is a bit awkward -- in the long shots, the half-Hulk is played by uncredited actor-bodybuilder Ric Drasin, and the change from Bixby’s face is rather obvious.

The way-too-obvious doubling reminded me of Murphy Anderson drawing Superman and Jimmy's heads over Kirby's art....

I heard at least one recognizable TOS sound effect in this one...think it's one they used when they'd turn on a viewscreen.

 

[Christopher]

Gamma radiation? I don't like the sound of that...!

They didn't do their science homework. Uranium is an alpha emitter, not gamma, and a fairly weak one at that. They should've name-dropped something like cesium-137 or iridium-192. Although gamma emitters tend to have fairly short half-lives -- often just days, minutes, or less, and those two have half-lives of 30 and 241 years, respectively. So there probably wouldn't be any of them left in an asteroid that's probably millions of years old. Although maybe it could have some shorter-lived isotopes created by cosmic ray bombardment.

It would have been interesting if the FHO had been triggered solely by the meteor when it was clearly having an effect on David. The bees feel like an unnecessary and random additional stimulus.

That's a good point. They'd really fallen into a rut about using random sources of pain to trigger Hulk-outs.

Although on the other hand, it's consistent with the pilot. David didn't Hulk out from the radiation overdose itself -- it happened when he was angrily changing a flat tire and crushed his hand. So it takes something more than radiation to do it. There has to be a stimulus that triggers adrenaline and a distress response. Maybe an exploding gas pocket on the meteorite could've done it, though, rather than random bees.

And breaking his usual M.O., the Hulk strips down to his boxers!

Well, since he never fully changed back and got dressed after the first HO, his tattered pants were the only things left to tear off. Just as well he didn't have a third one...