The Incredible Hulk--
"Two Godmothers"
WYOMING-- David (a delivery driver for Corton Linen Supply) drops off a regular shipment at the
Clayfield State Prison for Women. In the infirmary, a trio of inmates--Barbara Davis, Sondra and expectant mother Lannie--take Warden Hackett and her security Captain Grubb hostage, lock them in a storage closet, then manage to hide in David's truck, hold him at knifepoint, and force him to aid in their escape. On the road, Davis explains the plan: drop the son-to-deliver Lannie off at her sister's home in Alpine, while the others head to the border.
Its not long before Hackett & Grubb are free as local law enforcement is on full alert regarding the escape; Grubb warns Hackett that they do not have the manpower for a large posse, but Hackett--with a long, bad history with Davis--barks doubts about David being a true hostage, and--
Hackett: "Barbara Davis has been challenging my authority ever since I got to this institution. There've been two administrations--mine and hers. She's gonna find out once and for all there's only room for one. Mine!!"
Elsewhere, the tire rod of David's van is damaged beyond repair, forcing the group to make the rest of the trip on foot; David reminds Davis that Lannie would risk her life as well as the baby's from the strain of a cross country walk. Sondra considers David's opinion, but Davis rejects it, reminding her companions that the moment Hackett catches up with her, only
one will return to the prison.
Grubb receives the report on David, which reveals he's not only a drifter, but using the ID of a school teacher from New York, just shady enough for Hackett to consider him part of Barbara's group--armed and dangerous...
Cutting through the hills, Lannie is easily fatigued, needing to stop every 20 minutes. Barbara insists on continuing, noting she's no girl scout (a fact Sondra "amens" to Barbara's annoyance). With the temperature rapidly dropping, David convinces the group to rest for the night. The ever-kind Banner brings out the honesty in Lannie, who tells him she was incarcerated thanks to being the getaway driver In her boyfriend's botched liquor store robbery--and not knowing she was pregnant. Sentenced to 16 months, with good behavior, she would have been released in as little as six. David cannot imagine why she would risk early release--everything--on so haphazard a prison break, but Lannie did not want her child to be born in prison, guaranteeing the child would be separated from her until her release.
The next day, Hackett, Grubbs and their me discover the van. When Hackett races to the open door and instantly fires a shot (for no justified reason), her intent is put on display, leading Grubbs to comment--
Grubb: "So much for due process. Whatever your feelings, you're a public official. And public officials can get into a lot of trouble blowing away pregnant girls. Take it easy!"
Hackett: "I heard a click! It was a reflex!"
Grubb: "With you and Barbara Davis, it is reflex. I'm telling you right now, I'm not going to be party to an execution!"
Hackett: "Barbara Davis is an escaped felon. We shall act accordingly!!"
Elsewhere, the object of Hackett's obsession orders the rest to press on, right into an Army Corps of Engineers blasting site. Ignoring David's warning, the group ends up trying to avoid the random blasts, and endless loose boulders falling from above. David rescues Sondra, sending her to press her body against the base of a cliff as he sees Davis nearly crushed. Rushing to free her, David is struck by several boulders (with one breaking his hand) pinning him in a crevice....which triggers a Hulk-out. Smashing through the massive rocks, the Hulk lifts Barbara out of the rubble, than runs off, eventually settling in a clearing, where a dog named Buck--initially apprehensive at the sight of the Hulk--approaches and licks the creature's hand as a friendly gesture. The calm situation leads to his transformation back to David, just in time for the convicts to find him, with questions about "that big, green thing" and how David's injured hand seems somewhat healed.
Lannie is close to giving birth--just as an elderly loner named Phil--and Buck's owner--runs into the group. Barbara manhandles Phil, taking his rifle and forcing him to take the group to his cabin. Meanwhile, Hackett, Grubb and the police have tracked the fugitives to the blast site, where they discover David's work jacket...
At the cabin, Lannie is in full labor, but matters are complicated when Phil takes off in his truck; Barbara has the opportunity to shoot him, but lets the man go. Inside, David begs Barbara & Sondra to stay, since he's still nursing an injured hand. Sondra breaks out of follower mode and agrees to help. Barbara--on the other hand--looks out for number one and leaves. On the road, Phil (on his way back to the cabin) is now accompanied by Hackett & Grubb, giving the impression that David is no hostage, but the ringleader, which fills the hotheaded Hackett with satisfaction about her original instincts. Climbing through the hills, Barbara sees Phil's truck heading back--followed by the police vehicle....
With David talking Sondra through the procedure, Lannie gives birth to a girl. With a slight change of heart, Barbara returns to help, as Lannie is set to give birth to the second child. Unfortunately, the child is coming out feet first--or as a "footling". In order to achieve a natural birth, David has baking flour applied to Lannie's abdomen as a means of giving her more traction so Barbara can move the baby's head toward the birth canal. In the emotion of it all, Lannie expresses her love for her companions, with Barbara responding in kind. Outside, Hackett, Grubb and their men emerge from the woods; Grubb reminds her boss that the fugitives capture has to be by the book. Hackett's response was less than convincing. In the cabin, the second child--a boy--has been successfully delivered; David says his goodbyes, noting he needs to avoid the police. Once outside, he's apprehended by Hackett's men, and is handcuffed--inflicting pain to his partially broken hand.
Fueled by the thought of absolute victory over Barbara and the others, Hackett aims a tear gas gun at the cabin, ignoring David's pleas on behalf of the newborns. Breaking free, David body blocks Hackett to the ground, but its not enough to stop Hackett from aiming her gun, which triggers a Hulk-out. The creature slams a water trough into the other officers, then disarms the frightened Hackett. The Hulk accidentally fires the tear gas at close range to the officers, who are overwhelmed, yet Hackett tries to aim her rifle before succumbing. Phil races up in his truck, intending to run down the Hulk, but the creature skillfully sidesteps the truck, pushing it over. As the Hulk runs off, the hate-consumed Hackett aims her rifle at Barbara, until Grubb snatches it from her before she can commit murder.
Sometime later, Lannie and her two godmothers (Barbara and Sondra) are back in prison, knitting booties for the newborns. Grubb--now the new warden--informs Lannie that her parole will be effective in one month. She tells the others that she's working on their parole--helped by their heroism in delivering the twins--and positive media coverage.
David catches a ride to someplace else....
NOTES:
This is not a cure-related episode.
Jack McGee does not appear in this episode.
TIH was never shy about producing scripts focusing on women in prominent positions and/or influence, but this time around, the focus is on the glamour-free world of prison, with character dynamics different than the run-of-the-mill men's prison tale. While the warden's hatred and corruption could be seen as predictable, Barbara absolutely refusing to live up to Hackett's "my ultimate enemy" fantasy was a nice turnaround from the expected, "once a criminal, always a criminal" character clichés of TV.
David was being as kind as ever in offering Lannie a tuna sandwich, he had it in his pocket all day--and with David's body heat
plus the desert temps, eating a tuna sandwich might risk food poisoning, or a...bad blow out, so to speak.
GUEST CAST:
A
Kolchak: The Night Stalker reunion:
Kathleen Nolan (
Hackett) and
Suzanne Charny (
Barbara Davis) both appeared in the
"The Vampire" (ABC, 1974) with Nolan as Kolchak's eager real estate friend Faye Kruger, and Charny as Catherine Rawlins--the vampire.
Nolan's other fantasy credits--
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (NBC, 1962 / '64) - "Annabel" & "Beast in View"
- The Bionic Woman (ABC, 1976) - "Sister Jaime"
Charny's---
- The Six Million Dollar Man (ABC, 1977) - "The Privacy of the Mind" & "Rollback"
- The Bionic Woman (NBC, 1978) - "The Antidote"
Sandra Kerns (
Sondra) previous guest starred in TIH's
"Jake" from season three. Aside for being best known for the Scott Baio sitcom
Charles in Charge, she is also married to the son of
Hubie Kerns Sr.--the man best known for being Adam West's stunt double for all 120 episodes of the
Batman TV series & the 1966 spin-off movie.
- The Greatest American Hero (ABC, 1982) - "It's All Downhill from Here"
- C.H.U.D. II - Bud of the C.H.U.D. (Vestron, 1989)
- She-Wolf of London (Syndication, 1991) - "Habeas Corpses"
Gloria Gifford (
Grubb)--
- Halloween II (Universal, 1981)
- Vice Versa (Columbia Pictures,1988)
- Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (FOX, 1997) - "The House on Baker Street"
John Steadman (
Phil Giles) makes his second (and final) TIH appearance after
"The Slam" from season three.
- Family Plot (Universal, 1976) - Alfred Hitchcock's final film
- Sherlock Holmes in New York (20th Century Fox Television, 1976)
- Dark Night of the Scarecrow (Wizan Productions, 1981)
Penny Peyser (
Lannie)--
- The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries (ABC, 1977) - "The Mystery of the Flying Courier"
- Knight Rider (NBC, 1982) - "The Final Verdict"
- The Powers of Matthew Star (NBC, 1983) - "36 Hours"
- Amazing Stories (NBC, 1986) - "Secret Cinema"
- Quantum Leap (NBC, 1988) - "Raped - June 20, 1980"
I must not have noticed that...surely I would have included it in my notes!
