It also shows his ignorance of post-partum pediatrics. Newborns don't have teeth. A report should be doing better research. 
MeTV's SuperSci-Fi Saturday Night
- Thread starter JD
- Start date
Land of the Giants: “The Deadly Dart”: Well, this is a relief. After all the crazy sci-fi exotica that’s characterized so much of this season, we finally get an episode that returns assertively to the core dynamic of the series -- the giants fearing and hunting the Little People, the Earthlings getting caught up in the politics of the giants’ world. And it takes a particularly dark turn. We begin in medias res again, learning that there’s a new SID inspector in town, a vicious, sadistic hunter named Swan (Willard Sage), who we later learn has replaced Kobick while the latter is on “special assignment.” He’s been hunting the LP aggressively and has developed a particular mutual animosity with Mark, whom he’s hunting and tormenting at the start of the episode. But the other LP and the SID men soon find Swan murdered by a tiny curare dart in the ankle, evidently fired from a tiny blowgun with Mark’s initials on it. Things get pretty tense among the Spindrift crew as Fitzhugh voices the suspicion the others are afraid to contemplate, that Mark has become a murderer.
Meanwhile, a sensationalist radio reporter named Bertha Fry (Madlyn Rhue) has been stirring up public fear and hatred against the LP and pushing the SID to get more aggressive. But she’s being resisted by the gruff Inspector Grayson (John Dehner being marvelously John Dehnerish), who’s now in charge with Swan’s death. It reminds me a bit of the first-season episode where the bad guys were staging terrorist attacks to stir up paranoia, albeit on a smaller scale. But it ultimately turns out to be more of a murder mystery. Midway through, we learn that Mark has been captured, and Steve somehow figures out that Swan was the real target and the other murders attributed to Mark are red herrings.
There’s some nice continuity here, quite unusual for this show. The other two murder victims are people who’ve mistreated the LP before -- the carnival guy from “Terror-Go-Round” in season 1 (I think -- he’s not seen, just mentioned) and the robot-maker’s assistant from “The Mechanical Man” (though no longer played by Stuart Margolin). And in general, it’s nice to get an episode that gets back to basics, the Earthlings vs. the SID and giant paranoia (even though it follows the season 2 practice of giving the giant characters Earthly names). And it’s kind of refreshing how somber and intense this episode is, a noir-ish murder mystery with dramatic conflict among the crew, rather than the wacky, way-out Irwin Allenosity we've been getting so often lately.
Meanwhile, a sensationalist radio reporter named Bertha Fry (Madlyn Rhue) has been stirring up public fear and hatred against the LP and pushing the SID to get more aggressive. But she’s being resisted by the gruff Inspector Grayson (John Dehner being marvelously John Dehnerish), who’s now in charge with Swan’s death. It reminds me a bit of the first-season episode where the bad guys were staging terrorist attacks to stir up paranoia, albeit on a smaller scale. But it ultimately turns out to be more of a murder mystery. Midway through, we learn that Mark has been captured, and Steve somehow figures out that Swan was the real target and the other murders attributed to Mark are red herrings.
There’s some nice continuity here, quite unusual for this show. The other two murder victims are people who’ve mistreated the LP before -- the carnival guy from “Terror-Go-Round” in season 1 (I think -- he’s not seen, just mentioned) and the robot-maker’s assistant from “The Mechanical Man” (though no longer played by Stuart Margolin). And in general, it’s nice to get an episode that gets back to basics, the Earthlings vs. the SID and giant paranoia (even though it follows the season 2 practice of giving the giant characters Earthly names). And it’s kind of refreshing how somber and intense this episode is, a noir-ish murder mystery with dramatic conflict among the crew, rather than the wacky, way-out Irwin Allenosity we've been getting so often lately.
It's not on MeTV, but the point is probably moot:
The Incredible Hulk
"Half Nelson"
Originally aired April 17, 1981
Events in the news in the weeks since the previous episode:
New on the charts in those weeks:
"Winning," Santana
(#17 US; #2 Rock)
"Time," The Alan Parsons Project
(#15 US; #10 AC)
_______
The Incredible Hulk
"Half Nelson"
Originally aired April 17, 1981
MeTV said:
Events in the news in the weeks since the previous episode:
(Seriously, a rock band breaking up for a whopping two years makes the timeline...?)
New on the charts in those weeks:
"Winning," Santana
(#17 US; #2 Rock)
"Time," The Alan Parsons Project
(#15 US; #10 AC)
_______
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How many LP there are at this point on the planet..?
This is a good one, and has a strong nostalgic component at this point.
Not a good one. I keep waiting for the intro to end and the real song to begin.
Interesting...the exact opposite of what I expected. I think "Time" is very pretty. "Winning" is pretty weak and generic compared to the likes of "Evil Ways" and "Black Magic Woman".This is a good one, and has a strong nostalgic component at this point.
Not a good one. I keep waiting for the intro to end and the real song to begin.
That's a tricky question. In the first season of Land of the Giants, there were castaways from Earth showing up almost weekly for a while there. But in season 2, the seven from the Spindrift are the only ones in evidence.
Of course, the facts don't matter to someone like Bertha Fry, someone trying to stir up paranoia against an imagined enemy for the sake of ratings or political advantage.
Well, of course. It's Sci-Fi. Nothing similar can happen in real life. That Allen guy, what an imagination!
True, I suppose, but it's catchy and upbeat and it's Santana. I was singing it to myself all day yesterday. "Time," eh, I don't know-- I can't even focus on it. I generally like Alan Parsons Project, especially "I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You."
Difficult to know who the worst actor is in this one : Buster Caldwell, Gregor or Caldwell's perm.
The Incredible Hulk--
"Half Nelson"
David Benley runs to aid a little person (midget, not one of the Land of the Giants castaways) being roughed up by two thugs; one of the criminal holds David back with a switchblade and discovers David has nothing of value. Soon, the thugs run off, but the victim--Buster Caldwell--initially blames David for getting in the way of using his "commando training", only to quickly apologize. Showing his gratitude, Buster offers the penniless/homeless David his apartment to share & a job.
That evening, David is at the Olympic auditorium---watching Buster square off against a wrestling opponent. David scans the crowd, but finds himself enjoying the match. Later, David plays around with the idea that the match is more staged than real, but the good natured Buster rolls with the teasing. Ditzy Mitzi (girlfriend of the large, fellow wrestler Gregor) walks up, kissing Buster and speaking of some shady dealings--
Mitzi: "Listen, Buster, I hear you know those guys. You know, the wrestlers--the ones who ripped off the mob."
Buster: (crossing his fingers) "Know them? We're like this. I taught them everything they know."
Mitzi: "Well, people say they got away with a bundle, you know. Ripped off a high-stakes game. Now, are you gonna remember Mitzi if you get a cut, huh? That old mink of mine, why, it barely keeps my shoulders warm."
Buster: "Well, you just tell your shoulders not to worry, baby."
Mitzi: "All right. For that, you get a real kiss."
As Mitzi kisses Buster, David unsuccessfully tries to warn the two about the angry Gregor running to the scene. Gregor yanks Mitzi away, while Buster taunts the larger man with innuendo about manhood, leading Gregor to threaten Buster and David. Marsha (another little person) waits at Buster's door, asking if he's attending a party set for that evening; Buster begs off, citing new roommate David as the reason. All are unaware of two criminals watching, with a keen interest in Buster as the man tied to their money. At lunch, Buster insists on getting David a job worthy of what he perceives to be a college educated man, and provides some background on himself--
Buster: "I went to college. Good student. And being small never got in my way. I thought I'd go into medicine..."
David: "How'd you get into wrestling?"
Buster: "It was nothing. Just luck. One night I went to the wrestling matches with my friends. It got to me. The sport, the drama, the action. Next day, I went and talked to a trainer. He told me I had an ideal center of gravity."
David: "...oh."
Buster: "Right there, a star was born. Right now, I'm the champ of my division. I bet you didn't know that."
David: "No, I didn't."
Buster: "Hey I hope you've changed your mind about wrestling, David."
David: "I was just thinking what kind of doctor you might have been. Any regrets?"
Buster: "Why should there be? I've done what I wanted. I've always done what I wanted! I'm happy! Can you say the same for yourself?"
David: "........"
While David gets a newspaper, Buster continues telling less than truthful stories to a friend in the diner, this time, the story centers on David "fencing" money, raising the man's interest in Banner--enough to share this information with the two men already following Buster..
Buster decides to go to Marsha's party--with David. David is momentarily surprised to see all attendees are little people, with a man making disparaging remarks. Marsha tries to convince the uncomfortable David to stay, but Buster (in his usually boastful tone of not falling into a category) argues that a midget-exclusive party is a sideshow. Out of earshot, Marsha tells David that Buster's refusal to accept his limitations is unhealthy, and might lead to rougher times ahead--in and out of the ring. David volunteers to buy more ice for the party, and is spotted by the trailing criminals. Forcing Banner into an alley, the hoods demand the return of the mob's money--with encouragement in the form of fists. David breaks away, but is caught, tossed over a railing, and crashes into a row of trashcans, triggering a Hulk-out.
The sight of the creature sends the hoods running, and taking off in their car with their trunk spiked by a flying street sign. On the eve of a big match, David asks Buster for enough money to use to get out of the city, but the ever-boastful Buster (tossing in some story about his corporation & accountants) promises David some of the endorsement money he's expecting that night....the same night the two hoods intend to retrieve the mob's money, and eliminate Buster & David.
McGee is on the scene, and after paying one of Marsha's neighbors $1000 (a down payment on the Register's $10,000 reward money) for providing possible links (through Buster) to John Doe, heads to the Olympic auditorium.
Ditzy Mitzi pays a visit to Buster's locker room, and turns on the fake, flirtatious charm, just as jealous Gregor and the promoter search for her (accosting Banner along the way). Mitzi hurts Buster's feelings when she calls him out on his neverending tall tales of success, etc. Although she apologizes, Buster yells his resentment of being compared to a child, insulting Mitzi as a "doxy" (prostitute), which sends the woman away in a huff. Threats are all around the Olympic: the two criminals show up, heading to the locker rooms, while McGee enters through the arena.
Upstairs, David tries to console the crestfallen Buster, who admits he's been living a life of lies. David wonders if he's ever considered returning to medicine, but buster feels its too late--his life tied to wrestling, and the consequences of the lies he's spread, including knowing the wrestling commissioner, endorsements--and David being a fence, which David explains was the cause for the alleyway beating he received. Promising to help get his money to leave the city, Buster asks David to remain in the locker room until the end of his fight. Moments later, David spots McGee wandering the halls, so he quickly dons the mask and outfit of a wrestler named "Dreadnought", and puts on his best "angry New Yorker" voice to send McGee away--as Gregor bursts in, looking for David. Gregor sees through the disguise and attacks, but the slippery David breaks free and races to the arena--with Gregor and McGee in pursuit.
Buster wins his match, but the cheers are interrupted by Gregor catching David, and tossing him into the ring for a beating. McGee, suspecting the masked man is John Doe, yells for Gregor to stop his assault for obvious reasons. Gregor ignores McGee, Hell-bent on punishing David, eventually trying to pull his mask off--in front of McGee. The thought of being exposed to his enemy triggers a Hulk-out, the scene silencing the once-cheering audience. The Hulk throws Gregor so high, the man has to catch the balcony section railing to avoid falling to a painful end.
The two hoods have caught up with Buster (in his locker room), seconds away from burning his face if he does not hand over the oft-mentioned mob money, when the Hulk bursts in, backhanding one into a row of lockers, and sending the other crashing to the floor. The Hulk stops to study buster, as if he cannot understand the man's small form, then breaks out of the building, just as McGee and the police show up. McGee--as always--watches the Hulk vanish.
The next day, Buster says goodbye to David, along with the news that he's leaving wrestling to try college again...and that he had nothing to say to McGee, since he has no love for reporters.
NOTES:
This is not a cure-related episode.
Buster senses David had a college-level education. Eventually, I will list all of the guest stars who reached the same conclusion about David.
The Incredible Hulk's 1970s origins explains why so many characters were written to express a dislike or distrust for reporters (very different than the average people-to-reporter treatment of 1950s/60s TV), with Buster being the latest to join that list.
While the lazy-minded would try to call this a "Very Special Episode", the Buster plot would work with anyone, as it was his need for self-inflating lies that drives the story, more than his troubles as a little person.
GUEST CAST:
Tommy Madden's (Buster Caldwell) first acting job paired him with Bill Bixby in "Shattered Image", from Bixby's series The Magician (NBC, 1974). As one might imagine, the diminutive actor found many opportunities in fantasy productions--
"Half Nelson"
David Benley runs to aid a little person (midget, not one of the Land of the Giants castaways) being roughed up by two thugs; one of the criminal holds David back with a switchblade and discovers David has nothing of value. Soon, the thugs run off, but the victim--Buster Caldwell--initially blames David for getting in the way of using his "commando training", only to quickly apologize. Showing his gratitude, Buster offers the penniless/homeless David his apartment to share & a job.
That evening, David is at the Olympic auditorium---watching Buster square off against a wrestling opponent. David scans the crowd, but finds himself enjoying the match. Later, David plays around with the idea that the match is more staged than real, but the good natured Buster rolls with the teasing. Ditzy Mitzi (girlfriend of the large, fellow wrestler Gregor) walks up, kissing Buster and speaking of some shady dealings--
Mitzi: "Listen, Buster, I hear you know those guys. You know, the wrestlers--the ones who ripped off the mob."
Buster: (crossing his fingers) "Know them? We're like this. I taught them everything they know."
Mitzi: "Well, people say they got away with a bundle, you know. Ripped off a high-stakes game. Now, are you gonna remember Mitzi if you get a cut, huh? That old mink of mine, why, it barely keeps my shoulders warm."
Buster: "Well, you just tell your shoulders not to worry, baby."
Mitzi: "All right. For that, you get a real kiss."
As Mitzi kisses Buster, David unsuccessfully tries to warn the two about the angry Gregor running to the scene. Gregor yanks Mitzi away, while Buster taunts the larger man with innuendo about manhood, leading Gregor to threaten Buster and David. Marsha (another little person) waits at Buster's door, asking if he's attending a party set for that evening; Buster begs off, citing new roommate David as the reason. All are unaware of two criminals watching, with a keen interest in Buster as the man tied to their money. At lunch, Buster insists on getting David a job worthy of what he perceives to be a college educated man, and provides some background on himself--
Buster: "I went to college. Good student. And being small never got in my way. I thought I'd go into medicine..."
David: "How'd you get into wrestling?"
Buster: "It was nothing. Just luck. One night I went to the wrestling matches with my friends. It got to me. The sport, the drama, the action. Next day, I went and talked to a trainer. He told me I had an ideal center of gravity."
David: "...oh."
Buster: "Right there, a star was born. Right now, I'm the champ of my division. I bet you didn't know that."
David: "No, I didn't."
Buster: "Hey I hope you've changed your mind about wrestling, David."
David: "I was just thinking what kind of doctor you might have been. Any regrets?"
Buster: "Why should there be? I've done what I wanted. I've always done what I wanted! I'm happy! Can you say the same for yourself?"
David: "........"
While David gets a newspaper, Buster continues telling less than truthful stories to a friend in the diner, this time, the story centers on David "fencing" money, raising the man's interest in Banner--enough to share this information with the two men already following Buster..
Buster decides to go to Marsha's party--with David. David is momentarily surprised to see all attendees are little people, with a man making disparaging remarks. Marsha tries to convince the uncomfortable David to stay, but Buster (in his usually boastful tone of not falling into a category) argues that a midget-exclusive party is a sideshow. Out of earshot, Marsha tells David that Buster's refusal to accept his limitations is unhealthy, and might lead to rougher times ahead--in and out of the ring. David volunteers to buy more ice for the party, and is spotted by the trailing criminals. Forcing Banner into an alley, the hoods demand the return of the mob's money--with encouragement in the form of fists. David breaks away, but is caught, tossed over a railing, and crashes into a row of trashcans, triggering a Hulk-out.
The sight of the creature sends the hoods running, and taking off in their car with their trunk spiked by a flying street sign. On the eve of a big match, David asks Buster for enough money to use to get out of the city, but the ever-boastful Buster (tossing in some story about his corporation & accountants) promises David some of the endorsement money he's expecting that night....the same night the two hoods intend to retrieve the mob's money, and eliminate Buster & David.
McGee is on the scene, and after paying one of Marsha's neighbors $1000 (a down payment on the Register's $10,000 reward money) for providing possible links (through Buster) to John Doe, heads to the Olympic auditorium.
Ditzy Mitzi pays a visit to Buster's locker room, and turns on the fake, flirtatious charm, just as jealous Gregor and the promoter search for her (accosting Banner along the way). Mitzi hurts Buster's feelings when she calls him out on his neverending tall tales of success, etc. Although she apologizes, Buster yells his resentment of being compared to a child, insulting Mitzi as a "doxy" (prostitute), which sends the woman away in a huff. Threats are all around the Olympic: the two criminals show up, heading to the locker rooms, while McGee enters through the arena.
Upstairs, David tries to console the crestfallen Buster, who admits he's been living a life of lies. David wonders if he's ever considered returning to medicine, but buster feels its too late--his life tied to wrestling, and the consequences of the lies he's spread, including knowing the wrestling commissioner, endorsements--and David being a fence, which David explains was the cause for the alleyway beating he received. Promising to help get his money to leave the city, Buster asks David to remain in the locker room until the end of his fight. Moments later, David spots McGee wandering the halls, so he quickly dons the mask and outfit of a wrestler named "Dreadnought", and puts on his best "angry New Yorker" voice to send McGee away--as Gregor bursts in, looking for David. Gregor sees through the disguise and attacks, but the slippery David breaks free and races to the arena--with Gregor and McGee in pursuit.
Buster wins his match, but the cheers are interrupted by Gregor catching David, and tossing him into the ring for a beating. McGee, suspecting the masked man is John Doe, yells for Gregor to stop his assault for obvious reasons. Gregor ignores McGee, Hell-bent on punishing David, eventually trying to pull his mask off--in front of McGee. The thought of being exposed to his enemy triggers a Hulk-out, the scene silencing the once-cheering audience. The Hulk throws Gregor so high, the man has to catch the balcony section railing to avoid falling to a painful end.
The two hoods have caught up with Buster (in his locker room), seconds away from burning his face if he does not hand over the oft-mentioned mob money, when the Hulk bursts in, backhanding one into a row of lockers, and sending the other crashing to the floor. The Hulk stops to study buster, as if he cannot understand the man's small form, then breaks out of the building, just as McGee and the police show up. McGee--as always--watches the Hulk vanish.
The next day, Buster says goodbye to David, along with the news that he's leaving wrestling to try college again...and that he had nothing to say to McGee, since he has no love for reporters.
NOTES:
This is not a cure-related episode.
Buster senses David had a college-level education. Eventually, I will list all of the guest stars who reached the same conclusion about David.
The Incredible Hulk's 1970s origins explains why so many characters were written to express a dislike or distrust for reporters (very different than the average people-to-reporter treatment of 1950s/60s TV), with Buster being the latest to join that list.
While the lazy-minded would try to call this a "Very Special Episode", the Buster plot would work with anyone, as it was his need for self-inflating lies that drives the story, more than his troubles as a little person.
GUEST CAST:
Tommy Madden's (Buster Caldwell) first acting job paired him with Bill Bixby in "Shattered Image", from Bixby's series The Magician (NBC, 1974). As one might imagine, the diminutive actor found many opportunities in fantasy productions--
- The Lord of the Rings (United Artists, 1978) - voice actor
- Cliffhangers! - The Secret Empire (NBC, 1979) - "Escape to the Stars"
- The Muppet Movie (Associated Film Distribution, 1979)
- Gepetto's Workshop (1980) - as Figaro the Cat
- Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (NBC, 1981) - "Shgoratchx!"
- Swamp Thing (Embassy Pictures, 1982)
- When Dreams Come True (Lorimar Telepictures, 1985)
- The Twilight Zone (CBS, 1986) - "Personal Demons"
- Spaced Invaders (Buena Vista Pictures, 1990)
- Breakfast of Aliens (1993)
- You Wish (ABC, 1998) - "All in the Family Room"
- Far Out Space Nuts (CBS, 1975) - "Galaxy's Greatest Athlete"
- Monster Squad (NBC, 1976) - "The Ringmaster"
- Electra Woman and Dyna Girl (ABC, 1976) - "The Pharaoh: Part 1"
- Curse of the Black Widow (ABC Circle Films / Dan Curtis Productions, 1977)
- Deathsport (New World Pictures, 1978)
- Cliffhangers! - Stop Susan Williams (NBC, 1979)
- Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (NBC, 1979) - Pilot--as Tigerman #2
- The Muppet Movie (Associated Film Distribution, 1979)
- Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (NBC, 1979/'80) - "Escape from Wedded Bliss" & "Ardala Returns"
- Zorro and Son (CBS, 1983) - "The Butcher of Barcelona"
- Project U.F.O. (NBC, 1978) - "Sighting 4012: The Rock and Hard Place Incident"
- Motel Hell (United Artists, 1980)
- Mr. Merlin (CBS, 1981-82) - series regular as Alexandra
- Trick or Treat (De Laurentis Entertainment Group, 1986)
- The Atomic Kid (Republic Pictures, 1955) with future "The Trouble with Tribbles" guest stars Whit Bissell and Stanley Adams
- Alcoa Theatre (NBC, 1959/'60) - "Small Bouquet" & "You Should Meet My Sister"
- Alcoa Premiere (ABC, 1961) - "People Need People"
- Earthbound (Taft International Pictures, 1981)
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Starting the episode on the road.
The last place that David should be schlepping around is with a hyper-aggressive wrestling crowd.
Adventures of Superman called, it wants its formula back.
One of the thugs bore a passing resemblance to Bixby at a distance from some angles.
Huh--wha--Oh, is this a Hulk episode? -27:06.
A good close call moment, but the mask looked more like an ordinary ski mask than a wrestling mask.
I think the beating had something to do with it. -05:48.
Good lord, are we on the same page for once?
I'm not sure there'd be much of a point to such a list. Even if people don't always express that impression of him, it's something that he pretty much exudes in every situation that he gets into...at least in the series proper (recalling how he posed as a developmentally disabled person as part of his opening cover in the last TV movie).
I found the episode colorful, but painful in parts; it was definitely a bit of a letdown after the run of strong episodes that preceded it.
_______
Next week on Heroes & Icons (H&I):
- "The Slam" (originally aired Oct. 19, 1979)
- "My Favorite Magician" (originally aired Oct. 26, 1979)
- "Jake" (originally aired Nov. 2, 1979)
- "Behind the Wheel" (originally aired Nov. 9, 1979)
- "Homecoming" (originally aired Nov. 30, 1979)
Just behind the Metamorphosis rock concert environment and on the stage (!) for a magic act in My Favourite Magician
The beating went on far too long before the transformation occurred - 2 minutes long... and all the badly-acted assailant receives in reply is a comedy toss. Denny from A Death In The Family received much worse for less.
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Hulk: “Half Nelson”: This feels like a rehash of a lot of things we’ve seen before -- the pugilistic premise of “The Final Round,” the same kind of early-‘80s attempt at Very Special Episode inclusiveness as “The Harder They Fall,” more unfunny comic-relief gangsters like in “Nine Hours,” more of McGee dealing with greedy witnesses right after seeing half an episode devoted to it in “Interview with the Hulk,” and more of McGee being right on hand for a Hulk-out. Granted, it was a nice touch for him to be right there and try to warn David’s assailant about what McGee knew was coming, and I do like it when McGee gets more directly involved in the stories, but it’s become increasingly routine by now and doesn’t stand out the way it used to.
The plot is kind of slapdash; the mechanisms by which David gets in trouble are random and contrived, and Mitzi dropping a truth bomb on Buster after making out with him just comes out of nowhere -- what was motivating her in either case? Plus all of this took place in a Baltimore whose population was somehow overwhelmingly white. All told, not a particularly bad episode, but nothing we haven’t seen before.
Also, why was the Hulk so bewildered by the sight of Little People? He’s supposedly seven feet tall. Most people are diminutive to him. It’s also a pretty major break with the usual assumption that the Hulk’s reactions to people are shaped by David’s affinities and needs. If David was as completely open-minded and accepting of Little People as he was shown to be, it doesn’t seem consistent for the Hulk to be so freaked out by them. Unless David was just doing a very good job of hiding his discomfort, but that’s not the kind of guy he’s supposed to be.
The plot is kind of slapdash; the mechanisms by which David gets in trouble are random and contrived, and Mitzi dropping a truth bomb on Buster after making out with him just comes out of nowhere -- what was motivating her in either case? Plus all of this took place in a Baltimore whose population was somehow overwhelmingly white. All told, not a particularly bad episode, but nothing we haven’t seen before.
Also, why was the Hulk so bewildered by the sight of Little People? He’s supposedly seven feet tall. Most people are diminutive to him. It’s also a pretty major break with the usual assumption that the Hulk’s reactions to people are shaped by David’s affinities and needs. If David was as completely open-minded and accepting of Little People as he was shown to be, it doesn’t seem consistent for the Hulk to be so freaked out by them. Unless David was just doing a very good job of hiding his discomfort, but that’s not the kind of guy he’s supposed to be.
I think this is a case in which they were portraying the Hulk as a separate persona...much like when he sees acid hallucinations of Puny Banner, or gets love light in his eyes for a green mannequin.
He would not be triggered unless he's personally engaged / threatened. The rowdy crowd alone is of no danger to him.
I could say that about many superhero series, past and present (borrowing from other productions).
I noticed that, too.
It was a funny moment, since McGee thought the masked man was the real deal. Apparently, Banner has picked up the ability to act in his years as a fugitive.
]
He was taking the beating, which lasted over a minute. The second Gregor tried to pull off his mask in front of McGee, he transformed.
I think the occasional bump-in-the-quality road is to be expected with this--and every series in TV history. As a first-run viewer, I would have been concerned if the majority of season episodes were on the level of "Half Nelson", which was good, but sort of running in neutral in some areas. Thankfully, the episode was not focusing on Buster's size, but zeroed in on his lies having consequences.
^ This isn't just a bump in the quality road, though (might want to fix that coding)...the series is pretty much finished with memorable, outstanding episodes at this point.
Even so, it's an unpleasant misstep, in an episode that's supposed to be about respecting Little People as just people, to go for a cheap joke about the Hulk -- the Hulk! -- freaking out at them as if they were bizarre alien creatures.
And now, back to the variety of Little People we usually discuss around here:
Land of the Giants: “Doomsday”: Another back-to-basics episode with a first-season feel and a focus on giant crime and SID intrigue. The Little People stumble across a shooting and try to help the victim (Charles Dierkop), only to find that he’s an accomplice of Dr. North (Francine York, whom we know as the Bookworm’s moll Lydia Limpet from Batman ’66), an insurrectionist who’s set up enough bombs to destroy the city in order to provoke a global war. The LP try to find out more about the plot and warn the authorities, but they’re hampered by the fact that Inspector Kobick is back at the SID (I guess his “special assignment” was temporary) and is reluctant to believe their warnings. So it’s up to Steve and the crew to contend with both the ruthless, mass-murdering villainess and the lawman whose obsession with them as the threat blinds him to the real danger. Ultimately, Steve manages to pull a pretty shrewd Mission: Impossible-ish con on Dr. North to make her think she’s trapped in the city with the bombs about to go off (by setting her clock ahead and getting Valerie to pose as an airline receptionist over the phone) so she’ll reveal their locations to Kobick. The Inspector is able to put his vendetta aside enough to let Steve go in exchange for North’s real name and location, but Kobick still takes all the credit for the save.
All in all, a pretty solid one again, like last week’s “The Deadly Dart” -- although they seem to have abandoned or at least glossed over the idea of the giants’ government being an oppressive dictatorship facing resistance from within. It’s another change, along with the use of conventional character names, that makes the second-season giants’ world seem like just the United States writ large rather than a hostile alien society. I wonder if this was a deliberate change in policy or just the result of laziness setting in. Irwin Allen shows had a tendency to get lazy over time, although in many respects, these past two episodes feel like the show is rallying and making an effort to recommit to its relatively serious core premise rather than just tossing out generic Allen-esque sci-fi zaniness. I don’t think that trend will last long, though.
Interestingly, Kevin Hagen is billed in the end credits as “Inspector Turner,” even though he’s addressed as Kobick throughout the episode. That suggests that maybe the episode was written for a new character, yet Hagen became available late in the day and they slotted him in without fully updating the paperwork. I wonder if “Turner” was scripted to be as hostile as Kobick, and who might’ve played him if Hagen hadn’t returned. I imagine if they’d brought back John Dehner’s Inspector Grayson from last week, the LP wouldn’t have had nearly as much trouble convincing him of the threat -- which presumably is why they didn’t bring him back.
This is, however, the last time we will see Inspector Dobbs Kobick. He may have never caught the Little People, but at least he got to go out taking credit for saving the world.
Land of the Giants: “Doomsday”: Another back-to-basics episode with a first-season feel and a focus on giant crime and SID intrigue. The Little People stumble across a shooting and try to help the victim (Charles Dierkop), only to find that he’s an accomplice of Dr. North (Francine York, whom we know as the Bookworm’s moll Lydia Limpet from Batman ’66), an insurrectionist who’s set up enough bombs to destroy the city in order to provoke a global war. The LP try to find out more about the plot and warn the authorities, but they’re hampered by the fact that Inspector Kobick is back at the SID (I guess his “special assignment” was temporary) and is reluctant to believe their warnings. So it’s up to Steve and the crew to contend with both the ruthless, mass-murdering villainess and the lawman whose obsession with them as the threat blinds him to the real danger. Ultimately, Steve manages to pull a pretty shrewd Mission: Impossible-ish con on Dr. North to make her think she’s trapped in the city with the bombs about to go off (by setting her clock ahead and getting Valerie to pose as an airline receptionist over the phone) so she’ll reveal their locations to Kobick. The Inspector is able to put his vendetta aside enough to let Steve go in exchange for North’s real name and location, but Kobick still takes all the credit for the save.
All in all, a pretty solid one again, like last week’s “The Deadly Dart” -- although they seem to have abandoned or at least glossed over the idea of the giants’ government being an oppressive dictatorship facing resistance from within. It’s another change, along with the use of conventional character names, that makes the second-season giants’ world seem like just the United States writ large rather than a hostile alien society. I wonder if this was a deliberate change in policy or just the result of laziness setting in. Irwin Allen shows had a tendency to get lazy over time, although in many respects, these past two episodes feel like the show is rallying and making an effort to recommit to its relatively serious core premise rather than just tossing out generic Allen-esque sci-fi zaniness. I don’t think that trend will last long, though.
Interestingly, Kevin Hagen is billed in the end credits as “Inspector Turner,” even though he’s addressed as Kobick throughout the episode. That suggests that maybe the episode was written for a new character, yet Hagen became available late in the day and they slotted him in without fully updating the paperwork. I wonder if “Turner” was scripted to be as hostile as Kobick, and who might’ve played him if Hagen hadn’t returned. I imagine if they’d brought back John Dehner’s Inspector Grayson from last week, the LP wouldn’t have had nearly as much trouble convincing him of the threat -- which presumably is why they didn’t bring him back.
This is, however, the last time we will see Inspector Dobbs Kobick. He may have never caught the Little People, but at least he got to go out taking credit for saving the world.
This week, in some hypothetical alternate universe in which MeTV kept airing The Incredible Hulk and Lou Ferrigno sports a goatee:
"Danny"
Originally aired May 15, 1981
Events in the news in the weeks since the previous episode:
"No Woman, No Cry," Bob Marley & The Wailers
Bonus Commemorative Link
(Released 1975; #22 UK; #37 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time)
New on the charts in those weeks:
"The Waiting," Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
(#19 US; #1 Rock)
"You Make My Dreams," Daryl Hall & John Oates
(#5 US; #35 Rock)
"Theme from 'Greatest American Hero' (Believe It or Not)," Joey Scarbury
(#2 US; #3 AC)
And because YOU demanded them (it sure as hell wasn't my idea)...
"The One That You Love," Air Supply
(#1 US the week of July 25; #2 AC)
_______
"Danny"
Originally aired May 15, 1981
MeTV said:
Mangled IMDb description said:
Events in the news in the weeks since the previous episode:
"No Woman, No Cry," Bob Marley & The Wailers
Bonus Commemorative Link
(Released 1975; #22 UK; #37 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time)
New on the charts in those weeks:
"The Waiting," Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
(#19 US; #1 Rock)
"You Make My Dreams," Daryl Hall & John Oates
(#5 US; #35 Rock)
"Theme from 'Greatest American Hero' (Believe It or Not)," Joey Scarbury
(#2 US; #3 AC)
And because YOU demanded them (it sure as hell wasn't my idea)...
"The One That You Love," Air Supply
(#1 US the week of July 25; #2 AC)
_______
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