MeTV's SuperSci-Fi Saturday Night

[The Old Mixer]

Well, I think I've already adequately covered why I think that they could have at least briefly explored or paid lip service to David pursuing an alternate path. Ultimately, this is a formula-driven weekly TV series that requires you to squint a little to let the premise work...but overall, I've been greatly enjoying that the show holds up to this level of examination and discussion...and will resist the urge to take another potshot at Wonder Woman....

 

[Christopher]

Well, I think I've already adequately covered why I think that they could have at least briefly explored or paid lip service to David pursing an alternate path.

Well, you may get your wish in eight weeks, when we get to "A Solitary Place."

 

[The Old Mixer]

Forgot to mention that with this episode, we're past the point where I left off in my recent attempt at a series rewatch, so going forward, these are episodes that I haven't seen in at least 20 years.

 

[JD]

My schedule at work has changed some, so I might actually be able to start watching this stuff on a regular basis again.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

"A Child in Need"--

David Baxter is working as the school groundskeeper at Lincoln Elementary School. He meets young Mark Hollinger, who was hiding to shield his crying from schoolmates. David notices the boy has multiple contusions on his forearms. He takes Mark to Ms. Walker--the nurse--but she is admittedly one not to get involved when David doubts the boy's stated cause of his injuries.

Later, Mark catches up to David, and while sharing ice cream, David gently prods him to talk about his family ans the bruises. David takes him to his low rent apartment (more on that later), where Mark suggests several people could sleep there, and would be no trouble. David tells him that he cannot help the boy if will not talk. David walks Mark home, where he meets Mark's concerned father, Jack. Mark is clearly jittery explaining and apologizing about his after-school whereabouts.

In the greatest bit of luck for The Incredibly Caring David, Jack invites David in for beer (there's that magic elixir of great fathers again). Wanting to see what goes on behind closed doors, David accepts the invitation. Inside, guzzling Jack tells David that his wife--Margaret--works nights at a pharmacy, and he's a bookkeeper. He complains that it takes a two-income home to "keep the 'ol ranch going these days." and suggests the strain of working--and taking care of Mark & the house may be too much for her.

I guess his resentment of the 2-income home includes the resentment of the 2-parent home, and the (obviously) very negative feelings he has about that.

That evening, David visits the pharmacy, meets Margaret Hollinger, and tosses out the fact that Mark has been in the nurse's office for bruises--often. Margaret angrily rebuffs David's concern and orders him to leave the pharmacy. As he leaves, the rattled Margaret looks at her severely bruised wrist....

The following day, David stops Mark to talk, but recoils at David's touch; David looks beneath Mark's shirt collar to see more bruises. The nurse sends him home, and argues for her job--stating that she once got involved at another school, but between school administrators and parents, she lost her job, and does not intend to lose this one. She tosses the responsibility ball back at David, asking him to speak to Mark's parents.

When Mark arrives at home, boozing Jack (watching TV stock reports--always a pick-me-up) moves into a surly, threatening tone, questioning Mark about his coming home late, worrying his mother, etc (with Margaret's textbook attempt to "ease tension" by supporting the abuser's position) and (in Jack's estimation) being "more and more out of hand every day." Elsewhere, David is on his way to see Mark (as a contrast, he spots a nice father teaching his son to pitch 7 catch a baseball). Simultaneously (and conveniently), Jack watches a news report of a son who braved the elements to save his father (what a heroic, grateful child, Jack!). He orders Mark to bring him another can of beer--snapping at Margaret.

Jack--determined to replicate in Mark the "good son" of the news report, barks at Mark to hand him the beer, but the boy is so frightened (along with Margaret) that he drops it, sending Jack into a violent rage just as David walks up to the door (note the gardening neighbor ignoring the screaming from with the Hollinger home). David pounds on the door--Margaret answers, now with a large bruise on her face (in the background, Jack is yelling, "wait till I get my hands on you!"), until he confronts David, and pushes him over a hedge-bush/railing. David recovers, and asks the neighbor for help, but the man says he's aware of the abuse, but concludes "that Hollinger's crazy!" as he runs inside his home. David get the same reaction from another neighbor, and with that, the fear and outrage triggers a Hulk-out.

Jack corners, then lifts Mark as Margaret screams in protest, yet its the raging Hulk breaking through the Hollinger wall that stops Jack--temporarily. The Hulk picks up Jack, who throws feeble punches at the creater before being sent crashing through kitchen doors. The Hulk picks up Mark, and runs off, with a terrifed Margaret screaming after them.

That night, police cars search the area--for a "muscular man with green-colored skin abducting a 10-year old boy and is considered dangerous." The police corner Mark and the Hulk and order the creature to move away from the child, but the Hulk grabs Mark and runs off, along the way pushing a truck over, leading to one of the police cars to crash into a fire hydrant.

Using a lap dissolve, the production has the Hulk in a walking transformation (with another muscular actor as the form in-between monster & man back to David, with Mark watching the entire process. The following exchange taps into the heart of mark's plight:

Mark (to David about his transformation): "You change?"
David: "Yes."
Mark. "I wish I could. At times, it comes in real handy."

David takes Mark to his apartment, and the next day, invites Ms. Walker to help. Walker is unsure, after the news reported Mark was beaten then:

Walker: "...carried off by some creature. Do you know anything about that?

Smoothly, David spins the story:

David: "Only that the creature was his father. I found him later, wandering around the streets alone, so I uh--brought him here."

After all that's happened, Walker is reluctant to get involved, but David considers going to the police, no matter the personal risk:

Walker: "Alright...now what?"
David: "You have to go to the police."
Walker: "I told you...I already went that route. What happens when the school throws me out? Whose gonna find me a new staff position? You?"
David: "There may be some things in life that are more important than keeping one's job."
Walker: "So then tell me why I don't see you beating down the police department doors. If you're so concerned...and righteous, then why don't you go to them?"
David: "Because I have considerably more to lose than my job."
Walker: "Now what's that supposed to mean? You're wanted?"
David: "Something like that, yes. But, if you won't go, I will. Would it help if I were to find another witness--would you go then?"

Walker nods in agreement.

David is on his way to see Margaret--but is stopped in his tracks by the sight of McGee talking to Margaret about the Hulk, continuing his "killed two people" propaganda. Margaret--ever the abused enabler--lies by blaming the Hulk for beating her son (easily debunked, since Mark was routinely battered long before David arrived in town). David listens carefully, but is clearly irritated by Margaret's free-flowing lies about the Hulk (which in the broad sense, threatens his existence). He confronts her, threatening to tell the police that Mark is being abused. As noted earlier, her responses are classic of the abused enabler--

David: "Mrs. Hollinger, I honestly believe that your life and the life of your son are in serious danger from your husband."
Margaret: "That's ridiculous."
David: "Is it? How many times have you and your son been beaten in the last year? In the last week?"
Margaret: "It only happens every once in awhile when Jack isn't himself...or loses his temper. That doesn't happen very often."
David: "Every once in awhile?? Mark has been beaten so badly, he's had to go to the nurse's office for treatment eight times in the past month--eight times, Mrs. Hollinger! And some of those wounds are so severe, he was sent home with a note telling you to take him to a doctor!"
Margaret: "Stop it! Jack is a good man!"
David: "He's also a child beater, and that makes him very dangerous."
Margaret: "I don't know what's happening to him. Jack and Mark used to be so close. The last couple of years......Jack loves Mark. He loves me...it's just that...he loses control of himself. It tears him apart afterwards..he feels so guilty. He doesn't mean to do it, it just.....happens."
David: "He must have psychiatric help. Now--before he does irreparable damage to either you, or to Mark."
Margaret: "I've lied awake, night after night, thinking about it, and there's nothing I can do--I love him!"
David: "Then help him. Go to the police or Ms. Walker and tell them what's been going on."
Margaret: "H--he'll go to jail!"
David: "Then go to a doctor!"
Margaret: "Dear God, I can't!! I just can't!!"
David: "You've got to go..or I will."
Margaret: "Gimme some time!"
David: "Mrs. Hollinger, I will be in the gymnasium--with Mark--after school...today."

David leaves a crying Margaret.

While shooting hoops in the Lincoln Elementary gymnasium, David explains to Mark the plan to involve the police in the Jack matter; Mark fears Jack will return angrier than ever. David tells him that Jack is not a criminal--and does not want to beat him, but he has a problem that might be addressed by going to the police. At that moment, Jack walks in, enraged at David's interference, and attacks Banner; Mark is pushed to the floor, then races to warn Ms. Walker. In the gym, Jack continues to beat David, then tosses him into another room--concealing the transformation. The Hulk busts into the gym, and manhandles Jack, tossing him like a rag-doll--while a terrified Mark watches. Jack tries to punch the Hulk, but is slapped down, triggering Jack's memories of being whipped by his own father. This leads to a sobbing psychological breakdown in Jack--half begging his father not to hit him, the other half still in the present, begging for Mark's forgiveness.

Father and son embrace as the Hulk--out of sight--transforms back to Banner.

Sometime later at the Hollinger home, David (travel bag in hand) begs off of wanting to hang around to talk to McGee / get his picture in the paper--ya think? Mark nods his understanding. A happy Margaret says Jack--away at a hospital--will be home in less than a month.

Mark watches David walk out of his life.

NOTES PT1: Always a sensitive and alarming reality to add to a work of fiction, "A Child in Need" served many purposes in and out of the story. First, the level of child abuse in the United States was on the rise; according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, reports of suspected abused or neglected children had a threefold spike between 1978 (the year of this episode's development) and 1983, so this was a timely issue to tackle for a series already dealing with some real world issues.
Second, David--a calm man only turning into a raging "monster" during times of extreme duress--served as the contrast to Jack, who shattered the rage meter often, and with no provocation.

Dealing--or not dealing with frustration and/or anger was the undercurrent of the story--one could not help thinking of David--a man possessed of incredible abilities--resists it as much as he can (you could almost read that in his expression as Mark commented on having the Hulk's power), while Jack--with dominance over a frightened wife & child, has no desire other than to use his psychologically / physically abusive power as part of his daily, "normal" life.

During the course of the episode, it would be easy to criticize Margaret with, "Why not leave him!" or "she's so weak--she asked for it!" but marriage. love, family history and other factors are not so easily swept away, or understood by observers. As David warned, she was in a dangerous position: do something, and she fears Jack being punished, when she does not believe he's classically evil. Do nothing, and she's gambling with her own life, and Mark's. The episode handled this disruptive, high-wire walk head on, with no easy, Grey's Anatomy-type accusing finger solution. This time, Jack was as much a victim of abuse as Mark--not uncommon to real life.

Mark's marveling over the Hulk also addressed the feelings of innumerable 1978 child age fans of the series, who were either dealing with schoolyard tormentors, or abuse from some adult, only wishing they had the ability to Hulk-out to end their problems forever. Ah, but Johnson and Company's intent was to illustrate that David would not deliberately resort to super-heroic violence use the Hulk as a final solution, so he--and Mark had to deal with a real problem in realistic ways, like any viewer relating to Mark.

NOTES PT2: With the local police issuing an APB for the sighted Hulk, and so many people reporting the same thing in cities across America, you would think the Hulk's existence should be beginning to move out of the Bigfoot/tabloid realm, and actually legitimize McGee, no matter his employer.

1st season main title theme returns.

David is not seeking a cure in this episode.

The idea of adult David buying ice cream for a kid he barely knows, and taking him to his apartment was a collection of behavior that would have been viewed with suspicion long before the era of this series. That said, considering how seriously screenwriter Frank Dandrige's handled the material, the "nice, trustworthy adult" angle (particularly that David was already suspicious of the nature of Mark's injuries and emotional state) should have been written in a different way--perhaps with David just going the walk 'n' talk way, since he should have been careful about inviting a child to his apartment.

GUEST STARS:

Sally Kirkland (Margaret Hollinger) would become no stranger to sensitive performances--or accolades, as she would be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for Anna (1987), and had appeared in The Sting,(Universal, 1973) two Barbara Streisand films--The Way We Were (Columbia, 1973) & A Star is Born (Warner Brothers, 1976) and a host of well-known TV series--obviously including The Incredible Hulk.

Sandy McPeak (Jack Hollinger) had a career dating back to the early 1960s. He appeared on Surfside 6 opposite then-future Green Hornet Van Williams, would meet him again on The Green Hornet ("Beautiful Dreamer, Part 2"), and was a henchman of the Joker (named Giggler) in the 3rd season Batman episodes, "The Funny Feline Felonies" & "The Joke's on Catwoman." In the 1970s, McPeak (sometimes credited as Sandy Kevin) passed through the short-lived Logan's Run TV series, and the Stanley Ralph Ross-developed Monster Squad. His final fantasy credits were SeaQuest 2032 & "Leap of Faith - August 19, 1963," a 1990 episode of Quantum Leap.

Dennis Dimster (Mark Hollinger) was only a professional actor for two years by the time he landed the role of Mark, but his career checked the box of many of the top series of the 70s, including Charlie's Angels, Little House on the Prairie, Fantasy Island and Chips.

Ms. Walker (Rebecca York) is best known for her recurring role on Newhart (1982-90) and other than TIH has only two fantasy credits: one episode of The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries, and Jack Webb / Harold Jack Bloom 's Project U.F.O.

 

[The Old Mixer]

The Incredible Hulk
"A Child in Need"
Originally aired October 20, 1978

David Baxter

Another new alias.

is working as the school groundskeeper

You'd think this would be exactly the sort of work that David could settle into and avoid Hulk-Out incidents, if not for his weekly TV series trouble magnet status....

1st season main title theme returns.

Supporting info I'd found elsewhere that this one was actually filmed during Season 1.

David is not seeking a cure in this episode.

"Just schlepping around" pulls further ahead....

David takes him to his low rent apartment

I thought it was an improbably nice apartment for a drifter to afford....

The idea of adult David buying ice cream for a kid he barely knows, and taking him to his apartment was a collection of behavior that would have been viewed with suspicion long before the era of this series.

That definitely seemed very flag-raising to me in a modern context, but it didn't strike me as terribly unusual back when the series originally aired. I think that times were still just simple enough (or such simple times were in recent enough memory) that you could manage to get away with that sort of thing with sincerity.

David looks beneath Mark's shirt collar to see more bruises.

Welts, actually, according to the dialogue.

Elsewhere, David is on his way to see Mark (as a contrast, he spots a nice father teaching his son to pitch 7 catch a baseball). Simultaneously (and conveniently), Jack watches a news report of a son who braved the elements to save his father (what a heroic, grateful child, Jack!).

This is where the episode got a little eye-rollingly heavy-handed for my taste.

David get the same reaction from another neighbor, and with that, the fear and outrage triggers a Hulk-out.

At -23:40, in the neighborhood of some of our latest first Hulk-Outs. This one definitely supports that David can transform from emotional duress alone.

That night, police cars search the

backlot.

Using a lap dissolve, the production has the Hulk in a walking transformation (with another muscular actor as the form in-between monster & man back to David, with Mark watching the entire process.

A strikingly novel transformation sequence for the series.

Mark's marveling over the Hulk also addressed the feelings of innumerable 1978 child age fans of the series, who were either dealing with schoolyard tormentors, or abuse from some adult, only wishing they had the ability to Hulk-out to end their problems forever.

I was thinking the exact same thing.

It's also noteworthy how unafraid Mark is of the Hulk right from the beginning. The scenes of Mark and the Hulk together have a strong fantasy quality to them...a boy and his friendly monster.

David: "Something like that, yes. But, if you won't go, I will."

That says a lot about David, that he's willing to expose his true identity as a last resort.

Margaret: "Stop it! Jack is a good man!"
David: "He's also a child beater, and that makes him very dangerous."

For all of the seriousness of this episode, that exchange gave us a hilarious blooper (3:08):

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In the gym, Jack continues to beat David

In contrast to the many times that it seems like David transforms from an insufficient amount of duress, in this instance, he takes quite a prolonged beating before the metamorphosis begins.

then tosses him into another room

Who doesn't? At -6:10, in the neighborhood of some of our latest second Hulk-Outs.

Also note that Mark Hollinger joins our list of people who find out that David's the Hulk and live to not tell about it.

And I have to say that the child actor was pretty solid.

 

[Christopher]

"A Child in Need": Wow, it's our second Very Special Episode in three weeks. I do recall that TV was starting to take note of the child abuse issue around this time; in fact, while watching this, I was confusing it with a Quincy, M.E. episode on the subject, because I was expecting it to have a twist where the abusive parent wasn't the one we thought it was. (In that one, they failed to realize that the abused child often shows more attachment to the abusive parent, as a protective reflex or Stockholm syndrome or something, so they handed the kid off to the abusive parent thinking that the kid would be safe.)

It was a nice try to tackle the issue, but I don't know if a character who's defined by getting really angry and solving problems with violence is really the best fit to a story like this. They were trying too hard to keep David as the saintly '70s do-gooder hero; it might've been more interesting if he'd seen a parallel between himself and the abuser, and if maybe the Hulk's aggressive response had exacerbated the situation, as an illustration that meeting violence with violence just perpetuates the cycle. I also think the ending was way too facile. It's not as easy to "cure" abusive behavior as they suggested.

Speaking of the ending, the end credits were unusually shown over a side angle of David from the beginning of his closing walk-away, instead of the usual rear-view shot from closer to the ending.

The sequence where the Hulk changed back to David as he and Mark walked down the alley was quite clever in concept, but disappointing in execution. They tried to hide the dissolves in the shadows, but the edits weren't timed well enough for the progressively smaller musclemen they used as stand-ins to align, so the transitions were pretty obvious. Too bad -- if they'd had the time to put more care into it, it could've been a really impressive effect.

Another new alias.

And another name with Marvel Universe significance -- the Baxter Building is the headquarters of the Fantastic Four.

You'd think this would be exactly the sort of work that David could settle into and avoid Hulk-Out incidents, if not for his weekly TV series trouble magnet status....

Actually, he got so mad at the kids for trampling his flowers at the start that I was afraid he was going to Hulk out on them.

That definitely seemed very flag-raising to me in a modern context, but it didn't strike me as terribly unusual back when the series originally aired. I think that times were still just simple enough (or such simple times were in recent enough memory) that you could manage to get away with that sort of thing with sincerity.

And of course it's worth keeping in mind that the overwhelming majority of adults would never think of harming or exploiting a kid, and that it would be perfectly safe for a child to be alone in their care. While it's important to be wary of those few people who would exploit a child, I think we tend to forget that most people aren't like that.

At -23:40, in the neighborhood of some of our latest first Hulk-Outs. This one definitely supports that David can transform from emotional duress alone.

Although he was in physical pain from being pushed off the porch. It's generally a combination of pain and emotional distress.

For all of the seriousness of this episode, that exchange gave us a hilarious blooper (3:08):

Interesting blooper reel. I admit, I would not have expected Bill Bixby to have such a blue sense of humor. He always seemed so clean-cut on TV...

In contrast to the many times that it seems like David transforms from an insufficient amount of duress, in this instance, he takes quite a prolonged beating before the metamorphosis begins.

I was actually expecting that he'd be changing already while the camera was on the boy running to the nurse's office. I figured we'd just follow him there and back and then find the Hulk had already emerged offscreen. But I guess the current convention would've required the transformation chorus to be heard in that case.

But yeah, he couldn't really start to transform until he was momentarily out of his assailant's line of sight. Them's the rules!

Also note that Mark Hollinger joins our list of people who find out that David's the Hulk and live to not tell about it.

What are we up to now, four people? Julie and Michael from "A Death in the Family," Thomas Logan last week, and Mark here. Not counting the people who really should've figured it out but didn't, like the cabbie in "Terror in Times Square" and the kid and the stewardess in "747."

 

[The Old Mixer]

^Yep, that's the list so far.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

You'd think this would be exactly the sort of work that David could settle into and avoid Hulk-Out incidents, if not for his weekly TV series trouble magnet status....

David takes many jobs where it would not lead to Hulk-outs, bust as the series established from the pilot, its always external triggers beyond his control that ruin his chance for tranquility.

I thought it was an improbably nice apartment for a drifter to afford....

Talk to low-earning Kara/Supergirl about affording apartments far beyond her means...

That definitely seemed very flag-raising to me in a modern context, but it didn't strike me as terribly unusual back when the series originally aired. I think that times were still just simple enough (or such simple times were in recent enough memory) that you could manage to get away with that sort of thing with sincerity.

But that's the thing i pointed out: long before the 70s, the public was wary of adult strangers becoming too close or giving to children. The cultural awareness of the predatory adult was a problem for law enforcement and social workers for decades, and one of their cardinal warnings was for parents to be aware of children not following adult strangers, or accepting the lure of gifts, food, lies about "your mom's hurt--you have to come with me! / your dad told me to pick you up," etc. So, the screenwriter should have played that one part in a different manner.

backlot.

Universal Bean Counter: "Use 'em if you got 'em!"

A strikingly novel transformation sequence for the series.

Agreed. After an estimated 34 transformations since the pilot, the walking transformation was inventive and effective in developing the trust between Mark and the Hulk, another important contrast between Mark's absolute fear of Jack--a man who truly acts like a monster, and his comfort with a super-powered, green, raging creature who looks like the visual definition of a monster. The script wisely keeps that message running throughout the episode.

That says a lot about David, that he's willing to expose his true identity as a last resort.

He's inherently a high-moral man, while the other episode contrast in the form of Ms. Walker--was self serving, unwilling to risk a staff position, and even throwing the "if you care" back at David.

For all of the seriousness of this episode, that exchange gave us a hilarious blooper (3:08):

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In contrast to the many times that it seems like David transforms from an insufficient amount of duress, in this instance, he takes quite a prolonged beating before the metamorphosis begins.

David already told Mark that Jack was not a criminal, so he did not sense a great threat to himself, and tried to resist with blocking shots as long as possible, until...

Also note that Mark Hollinger joins our list of people who find out that David's the Hulk and live to not tell about it.

It was a nice touch to have characters not instantly wish to blab about such a secret. In this Facebook culture of today, I doubt anyone would have even a moment's struggle with trying to keep a secret--it would be all over for David.

And I have to say that the child actor was pretty solid.

Yes, not just sympathetic because he was a child, but believable as a victim, and one seeking a sold parental/friend figure.

It was a nice try to tackle the issue, but I don't know if a character who's defined by getting really angry and solving problems with violence is really the best fit to a story like this.

David is a reluctant Hulk--he's not running around with a short fuse / anger management issues. As noted earlier, in the alley exchange--

Mark (to David about his transformation): "You change?"
David: "Yes."
Mark. "I wish I could. At times, it comes in real handy."

Johnson and Company's intent was to illustrate that calm, reasonable David would not deliberately resort to super-heroic violence use the Hulk as a final solution, so he--and Mark had to deal with a real problem in realistic ways, like any viewer relating to Mark.

Again, Banner was presented as a calm, reasonable man only turning into a raging "monster" during times of extreme duress beyond his control--serving as the contrast to Jack, who shattered the rage meter often, and with no provocation.

Dealing--or not dealing with frustration and/or anger was the undercurrent of the story--one could not help thinking of David--a man possessed of incredible abilities--resists it as much as he can (you could almost read that in his expression as Mark commented on having the Hulk's power), while Jack--with dominance over a frightened wife & child, has no desire other than to use his psychologically / physically abusive power as part of his daily, "normal" life.

 

[Christopher]

It's interesting to note that the later Hulk comics (and the Ang Lee movie, drawing heavily from them) would establish that Bruce Banner himself had been an abused child, resulting in a "multiple personality" disorder that manifested physically as the various forms of the Hulk. This story might've played out very differently with that version of Banner/Hulk involved.

I take the point about David being the contrast with Jack, but that's the thing about '70s and '80s TV -- the heroes always had to be perfect and noble, and only guest stars got to be troubled or flawed. Even when they're parallels for the hero or have been through the same things, they're still struggling with issues that the hero overcame long ago (e.g. when Monte Markham played "The Seven Million Dollar Man" who let the power of his bionics go to his head and make him dangerous, while perfect, heroic Steve Austin tried to set him straight or get him the help he needed). A lot of '70s heroes would've been more interesting if they'd been allowed to be the ones with the character flaws and unresolved issues.

Although I feel modern shows often go too far in the other direction, making the heroes too screwed-up or amoral. The ideal's probably somewhere in the middle.

 

[JD]

For a message episode, this one actually wasn't as bad as it could have been.
Even if the execution wasn't that great, I thought the idea behind the walking transformation was cool.
I couldn't help but think about how worried people are about child predators when David was spending so much time alone with the kid. Especially when he bought him ice cream and took him to his apartment, which is one of the typical scenarios you're warned about when it comes to people going after kids.
While it was presented as a bit quick and easy, I did like the fact that they were emphasizing getting the father help, rather than just tossing him in jail.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Regarding the potential child predator angle, IIRC, back in the day, there was more emphasis on strangers vs. adults that you knew and trusted. While we know that David had probably just rolled into town the week before, for the purpose of the story, he was being treated as a known and trusted adult.

The walking transformation may not have been perfectly executed, but it beat the hell out another stock close-up of Banner's head with a blobby glow on it--points just for trying something different.

David already told Mark that Jack was not a criminal, so he did not sense a great threat to himself, and tried to resist with blocking shots as long as possible, until...

David thinking: "God, this hurts...will this guy just throw me someplace out of sight already?"

In this Facebook culture of today, I doubt anyone would have even a moment's struggle with trying to keep a secret--it would be all over for David.

Selfies with the Hulk!

 

[Christopher]

I found the Hulk action in the first sequence to be relatively impressive -- he smashed through a wall and wrecked a house, then got chased by the cops and crashed a few cars, complete with a burst fire hydrant. (When I saw that the storefront on that backlot street corner had a sign saying "Spring Sale," my Bennett punning reflexes kicked in and I thought, "Wanna buy a spring?" Then it cut to a shot of the fire hydrant spraying water into the air, and I thought, "Oh, there's one now!") But the climax in the school gym was rather anticlimactic in comparison, with just a few bits of gym equipment flung about. Though I guess the intent was to focus more on the emotional climax.

 

[publiusr]

Loved the gag reel

There was a bit of the old "My ancestors possessed ancient wisdom of medicines and spirits" cliche, but not to an exaggerated degree. And the directing by Kenneth Gilbert (in his swan song on the series) was excellent. The intensity of the sequence where Logan passed the stein of tonic to David was quite effective. The dream sequence, for all that it was put together from stock footage, was cut very effectively, building to a potent climax -- culminating in the relief of a non-Hulk-out. .

He can have his aprtment now. No more hulk-outs while asleep.

Nice to see the Hulk not try to hurt the child's father in this latest episode. Just pushing him back. The Hulk as empathetic as David. Deadpool would just shoot him. Innocent fare, yet not as sappy as Batman. A good mix.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

"Another Path"--

During a nighttime thunderstorm, David Braemer comes across a parked commercial truck, asks for a ride, but is rejected. David tries to sneak in the refrigerated cargo hold, but ends up locked in by the unfriendly driver. David discovers another passenger--a Chinese man named Li Sung, who is deep in a meditative state--but the truck takes off, with its refrigeration unit dropping the temperature.

Surprisingly, as the truck drives on through the night and into the next morning, with a still complaining David yelling about the the conditions, but he did not Hulk-out. That would suggest his ability to endue more BS than usual. However, during the shaky ride, his hand sticks to one of the refrigeration coils, causing agonizing pain when he rips his hand from it--and finally causes a Hulk-out. The not so bright driver hears the pounding, and being a Grade A Dumbass, drops the temperature several degrees. Eventually, the angry driver stops to check on the passengers, but has the cargo doors land on him, thanks to the escaping Hulk.

The creature carries Li Sung to safety in a nearby wooded area, and transforms back to David. Introductions aside, Li Sung gives his impression of the Hulk:

Li Sung: "..you and something else. Something powerful."
David: "What do you mean?"
Li Sung: "A force...strength...anger...like a beast, but different. I felt it..growing! It was very cold then. All of the sudden, we are free. I'm sure no one was hurt."
David: "That's very good to know."

While the duo talk, a large snake approaches; Li Sung hears it's approach (David does not), and whacks it with his stick. It is at this point David learns Li Sung is blind.

Li Sung: "A physical disorder that--fortunately--has little to do with true seeing."
David: "Well, you seem to manage very well....you uh...saw a great deal inside the truck."
Li Sung: "The force you possess--I could see it, in my own way."

...now, the story joins the list of cure related episodes...

David: "You said something about meditation."
Li Sung: "Yes. There are many levels in the mind. I was relaxing in the..'basement,' so to speak. I'm sorry if I caused you concern. I was feeling fine."
David: "You have that kind of control?"

To prove it, Li Sung picks up a red hot piece of wood from their camp fire--but it does not cause him any physical pain--much to David's amazement.

Li Sung: "Besides talking, I also love to show off. I apologize."
David: "No--please, I ah--I've read of similar phenomenon--at least related aspects, like biofeedback which suggests a possibility of controlling the autonomic nervous system, but I've never seen it carried so far!"
David: "Would you mind if look at your hands? That's amazing--there's no burning...the epidermis is totally undamaged! You're quite an impressive man, Li Sung!"
Li Sung: "There are more kinds of technology than you have learned so far, David."
David: "Can you teach this kind of control?"
Li Sung: "I consider the lessons a gift that should be passed on.After war, I left China and traveled to Taiwan. Myself and Wu Chuan, a boyhood friend. In Taiwan, we met Americans for the first time--I heard American Jazz. do you like Jazz, David?"
David: "Yes, I do, very much."
Li Sung: "It fascinated me, like the Americans themselves.Three years ago, I arrived in San Francisco with Wu Chuan, and an American pupil, Steve Silva. We were eager to show hardheaded Yankees the true path."

...continuing...

David: "Li Sung, I have a great need for this kind of control."
Li Sung: "I think I understand."
David: "My wife Caroline and I..we were trying to reverse my....disease, and were almost successful, but ...she died. I've tried to control it many times."
Li Sung: "Using your technology?"
David: "Yes."
Li Sung: "Perhaps you should try mine."
David: "Perhaps I should."
Li Sung: "Good! Good! We will travel together, and talk about life, death, and Dizzy Gillespie!"

So, in-series, and maintaining strong continuity, Caroline and David's approach was considered near-successful, so the theory and application was correct. Of course, a continuing TV drama needed a disaster to prevent that from happening.

At a high rise in San Francisco, and elderly Chinese man pays Steve Silva ransom money in exchange for the release of his son--the latter insisting that they fight Silva, instead of paying him, but the fearful father is having none of that kind of talk.

David and Li Sung arrive in San Francisco. Li Sung's training has to rouse David from a 6 hour meditative state.

While searching for Li Sung's old school building, both men notice the fearful behavior of the locals. Li Sung questions an old friend who tells them the school's new location is the high rise seen earlier. In a martial arts class (called the "main arena") located somewhere within, Silva teaches his students* heavy on negative prodding and disrespect as a means of inspiring progress.

Silva: "I was forced to make my own decisions."
Li Sung: "You seem to have made the right one, Steve."
Silva: "Yes. The school's been successful. The youth in this country crave direction."
Li Sung: "Direction--yes, and so, you emphasize the martial art."
Silva: "The martial arts were always part of your teachings, Li Sung."
Li Sung: "A small part. but America isn't the orient. You should know your own countrymen better than I."
Silva: "Exactly...discipline...discipline is quickly becoming a forgotten word in America. The school, the principals of your teachings, Li Sung, provide an answer--when coupled with my innovations. The school's now built on solid ground. We have other investments...enterprises, insurance. The course will remain intact except...philosophy--a religion, if you will, need not be a losing venture."
Li Sung: "Only the body is lost. The spirit changes, but never ceases....yes"

A moment later, Li Sung senses Silva and his henchman are listening outside the door. Overnight, a worried David finds Li Sung in a stairway--

Li Sung: "David, you're as curious as ever."
David: "I was a little more worried than curious, are you alright?"
Li Sung: "I'm fine. Complacent serenity is useful to a point, but now it's time to use the brain God gave me."
David: "Craftiness is a side of you I hadn't yet seen, Li Sung."
Li Sung: "The less of a threat Steve thinks I am, the more we will learn. I'll need your eye, if you will lend them."
David: "Of course."
Li Sung: "Finding the truth could be very dangerous, and I don't want--"
David: "Li Sung..please."

Li Sung and David make their way to the darkened main arena, when David is attacked by May--Wu Chuan's daughter, but she runs in fear when noticing Li Sung (like the people in the neighborhood). Silva emerges, telling the story of how May vanished after her father died, but is "crazy." David suspects May's violence was directed at Silva--much to the latter's annoyance.

David's lessons are interrupted by his own concerns about May and Silva; at the behest of Li Sung, David finds an angry May, who claims Silva murdered her father when he opposed Silva's actions, taking over the school and the district, while writing it off as "nothing personal. Business."

David: "Then why don't you go to the police, and tell them what you just told me."
May: "The people here are not the kind to trust police--of any country!! ...and neither am I!"
David: "But killing Silva is not the answer."

That evening, May arranges a meeting between Li Sung, David & the group of neighbors victimized by Silva, including those who lost relatives to murder. Li Sung is determined to remove Silva from power, but as David insists on getting real help, Li Sung starts an interesting exchange:

Li Sung: "David, have you done your exercises today?"
David (caught off guard): "My exercises, Li Sung?"
Li Sung: "Great things can be accomplished if make the work a ritual, David. Great strength can be summoned, or controlled in the same way."

At this point in the episode, Li Sung could be referring to the "strength" acquired through his meditative process, but this was a double meaning--hinting that David might be able to control his other side. Interesting, as it presents a certain evolutionary process: with Caroline, he was using hypnotherapy as a means of controlling the emotional roads leading to, and releasing the Hulk as a destructive force within his mind. Now, Li Sung seems to suggest David's inner-being--reached through meditation--might give him the control over the Hulk's appearances and behavior...like any human controls any other part of themselves and actions.

While arguing over pride and the right way to handle Silva (David fearing for Li Sung's life), Li Sung pats David's shoulder..but actually applies pressure to render him unconscious. Vulcans--watch out!

David awakens...tied to a bed in Gramma Loo's house. Loo does not speak English, but tries to give David tea. Outside of Silva's building, Li Sung kneels, facing the building, which Silva sees as an attempt to "psych me out." David--thinking Li Sung is heading toward his death, struggles with the ropes (and Gramma Loo's inability to understand English), but is overwhelmed to the point where he Hulks out. Not at all shocked by the sight of the massive green man, Loo grabs a wooden spoon, admonishing him as he climbs out of the window.

Silva watches as Li Sung moves toward the building; he orders his mean to be ready--without guns. Ultimately, Silva is itching to prove that he--not Li Sung--is the master. While the Hulk tears through the neighborhood, Li Sung enters the Silva building arena--confronted by the students. Li Sung quickly defeats the group, just as the Hulk enters the arena, and continues the thrashing of Silva's men. Meanwhile, Li Sung--or "old man" as Silva describes him--faces off against the criminal, reducing Silva's offense to confused wailing in seconds, topping it off with the "neck / shoulder pinch" just as the Hulk arrives. The Hulk briefly stares at Li Sung, then departs. May and the other victims witness the end of Silva's reign.

Later, Li Sung and a ready-to-travel David discuss a few things. One, May will help Li Sung run the new school, but the sage almost wishes he were going with David, as he genuinely enjoyed the time spent together--

David: "I really have to go, Li Sung. I wish it wasn't this way, but it is. You know how my demon behaves, and now that people's lives and property...now that the creature's shown himself, I think its better for everybody if I just get out of town."
Li Sung: "I understand. Mr. McGee called me this morning from Miami. I play the 'senile old Chinaman' very well. but he's coming anyway. A persistent man, Mr. McGee."
David: "Ohh, yes, he's very persistent."
Li Sung: "I wish we had more time to work on your problem."
David: "I've learned a great deal from you."
Li Sung: "But not enough to be much help. I'm afraid."
David: "Enough to give me hope."
Li Sung: "I'll miss you. You're a friend. They're hard to come by, nowadays. Especially hard-headed Yankees. If we don't have the years necessary to cure you, perhaps we could afford a few hours.We could go someplace, listen to some jazz."
David: "I would like that very much."
Li Sung: "Fine! Its a little place near the docks. Not too far."

An appropriately jazzy rendition of the Lonely Man Theme accompanies the two walking toward their destination.

So, in "Another Path," we only get a slight look into the window of a possible way to control the Hulk; as Li Sung states, they would need years--but considering Banner's constant running, years spent in one place would be worth the risk. Additionally, he would be in training mode during that time, so if he were gaining control over the transformations--possibly being able to trigger it at will, there would be no need to leave, no fear of harming others. The only threat to that would be the arrival of McGee, but as usual, his lead go cold, and he's back to the office.

The episode's story was interesting enough that it did not need a heavy focus on David; we the audience knew the chances of Banner being cured were slim to none, so the attention and care between Li Sung and Banner was a frame-work highlight of the episode. During its first run, I recall some saying this felt like a backdoor pilot, for all of the attention paid to Li Sung/Silva, et al., but unlike obvious, but I disagree. Unlike backdoor pilots where the main characters are either too flummoxed and/or impressed, and/or stupid, and/or squealing cheerleaders all for the guest star/plots (see: Laverne & Shirley, Mayberry R.F.D., The Facts of Life or Torchwood's introductory episodes on the parent series), TIH's story has David trying to help Li Sung, with the long-running continuity matter of his search for a cure a series-natural sub-plot.

As a result, the story did not feel forced, or experimental because of external production interests.

GUEST STARS:

Mako (Li Sung) was a genuine Hollywood icon with more memorable credits that one would imagine. Above all else, he was nominated for the Academy Award & Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor--thanks to his role as the tragic Po-han in Robert Wise's 1966 classic, The Sand Pebbles (also giving star Steve McQueen the only Oscar nomination of his career).
If we play Six Degrees of Separation--Steve McQueen Style...

• As mentioned, Mako co-starred with McQueen in the Wise film.
• McQueen was a friend & student of Bruce Lee.
• Lee was one of the stars of The Green Hornet, where Mako (as gangster Lo Sing) fought Lee's Kato in the 11/18/66 episode, "The Preying Mantis."

For fantasy fans, Mako's most popular role was Akiro the Wizard (and narrator) of the hit Arnold Schwarzenegger adaptation, Conan the Barbarian (Universal, 1982), and its sequel, Conan the Destroyer (Universal, 1984).

Bald Richard Lee-Sung (Simon Ming) is familiar to almost any regular audience member of 60s - 80s TV. He's been used as a heavy, crossing all genres. His fantasy credits include 1982 episodes of James Parriot's Voyagers! and the dreary Indiana Jones wannabe be Bring 'Em Back Alive (despite the source--the real life adventures of Frank Buck--predated the film debut of Indiana Jones by 50+ years), and Glen Larson's thankfully short-lived Manimal.

The career of Irene Yah-Ling (May Chuan) spanned the 70s and lasted until her last cresit in 2004. Her only other fantasy credit is a return to Banner-land, in season four's "East Winds."

Tom Holland (Steve Silva) has a shipload of fantasy credits, including a bit part in / writing the screenplay for Psycho II (Universal, 1983), The Stand mini-series, Masters of Horror, The Langoliers, Twisted Tales, Hatchet II....you get the picture.

NOTES:

At 37:29 in the episode, one of Silva's men jumps up in fear at the sudden entrance of the Hulk, in what has to be one of the best reactions to a "living monster" of the entire series.

Director Joe Pevney's name is tied to numerous legendary hours of TV. Starting with the obvious, Pevney directed 14 episodes of the original Star Trek. Among his credits are some of the series' finest, including "Arena," "The City on the Edge of Forever," "A Taste of Armageddon," "Journey to Babel," "The Devil in the Dark" and "Amok Time." He certainly won the Star Trek Director's Sweepstakes. Other fantasy credits include episodes of The Munsters, Rod Serling's The Loner (well, not fantasy, but its Serling, so...), The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, and countless other TV classics. "Another Path" was the first of two TIH episodes directed by Pevney--the other--"Kindred Spirits"--comes later this season.

For fun, let's see if you can sense something familiar...

We have:

• The antagonist is a younger, abusive, white American martial arts instructor dressed in black, who commonly berates his students, and physically manhandles them as a means of maintaining authority.
• The younger, abusive, white American martial arts instructor has a main enemy--the elderly, Asian master he will (ultimately) try to physically assault.
• The battle between teachers take place at the antagonist's home turf / training facility, etc.
• The elderly, Asian master is dressed in light colored, common work clothes, while the antagonist is dressed in a black martial arts uniform.
  
• The elderly, Asian master not only defeats the antagonist, but uses unusual techniques to render the enemy completely helpless.
  
• The elderly Asian master's student is not involved in this final battle, but is nearby to observe--in a way...

Hmm....

Ideas from "Another Path" seemed to have found their way into The Karate Kid 1 and 3.
Just sayin'

 

[The Old Mixer]

The Incredible Hulk
"Another Path"
Originally aired October 27, 1978

During a nighttime thunderstorm

Note that David has a rain poncho!

That would suggest his ability to endue more BS than usual.

Well, he wasn't in any real danger yet, just uncomfortable.

However, during the shaky ride, his hand sticks to one of the refrigeration coils, causing agonizing pain when he rips his hand from it--and finally causes a Hulk-out.

At -42:25--The needs of the story give us a format-busting very early in-episode Hulk-Out.

The creature carries Li Sung to safety in a nearby wooded area, and transforms back to David.

Now I get the whole schtick about the supernaturally perceptive blind martial arts master, but how the hell did he know to grab David's duffel before the Hulk carried him out?

...now, the story joins the list of cure related episodes...

Gaining on "just schlepping around" again (7 to 8, with 2 lip services).

Li Sung: "It fascinated me, like the Americans themselves.Three years ago, I arrived in San Francisco with Wu Chuan, and an American pupil, Steve Silva. We were eager to show hardheaded Yankees the true path."

Now this episode evokes a Seventies fad that was definitely a bit past its prime at this point...but the story sort of acknowledges that in the bit that follows, when Li Sung indicates that his school became "chic" a couple of years ago.

So, in-series, and maintaining strong continuity, Caroline and David's approach was considered near-successful, so the theory and application was correct.

And another case of using Caroline as a primary background reference rather than Laura or Elaina.

Li Sung and David make their way to the darkened main arena, when David is attacked by May--Wu Chuan's daughter, but she runs in fear when noticing Li Sung (like the people in the neighborhood).

Odd that she sneaks into the school at night wearing the school's uniform. I doubt it was as a disguise, since everyone knew who she was.

Also, the angle of the protection racket being run in Li Sung's name during his absence, causing people to fear him, just seems like story beat filler...it seemed odd in the first place, and it doesn't go anywhere.

While arguing over pride and the right way to handle Silva (David fearing for Li Sung's life), Li Sung pats David's shoulder..but actually applies pressure to render him unconscious. Vulcans--watch out!

So it wasn't just me....

David--thinking Li Sung is heading toward his death, struggles with the ropes (and Gramma Loo's inability to understand English), but is overwhelmed to the point where he Hulks out.

-10:11...our earliest Second Hulk-Out yet, making up a little for the Hulkless middle. As the episode is a format-buster in the first half, I'm not sure if I'll include the 2HO in the average....

Not at all shocked by the sight of the massive green man, Loo grabs a wooden spoon, admonishing him as he climbs out of the window.

The creature's reaction to being hit by the spoon got a good laugh out of me...but was it ever more obvious that Ferrigno's Hulk was nothing more than a big, harmless teddy bear? Not only does he only act amused at the ineffective attack, but he actually goes through the trouble of climbing out the window to the fire escape so as not to damage her wall, quite contrary to his usual MO!

Maybe the show got a little too kid-friendly...it might have been more suspenseful to make the creature seem a little bit scary and dangerous.

Li Sung quickly defeats the group, just as the Hulk enters the arena, and continues the thrashing of Silva's men.

And again, the Hulk seems particularly gentle this time around, engaging in the relatively subtle approach of propping up one of the students on a pole. Maybe that meditation is doing so much good that the creature himself is feeling mellower than usual....

Meanwhile, Li Sung--or "old man" as Silva describes him--faces off against the criminal, reducing Silva's offense to confused wailing in seconds, topping it off with the "neck / shoulder pinch" just as the Hulk arrives.

And Steve's stunt double is very obvious in certain shots during this sequence.

Li Sung: "I understand. Mr. McGee called me this morning from Miami."

Maybe I should have kept a tally of episodes in which McGee is only name-dropped....

An appropriately jazzy rendition of the Lonely Man Theme accompanies the two walking toward their destination.

And Li Sung is added to that list...you know the one.

I wonder if we'll ever catch another mention of David's interest in jazz...?

The episode's story was interesting enough that it did not need a heavy focus on David

I thought the whole thing felt pretty weak. Cliched at best, with the needless filler angle that I mentioned above, and the bad guy being so obvious and two-dimensional.

• As mentioned, Mako co-starred with McQueen in the Wise film.
• McQueen was a friend & student of Bruce Lee.
• Lee was one of the stars of The Green Hornet, where Mako (as gangster Lo Sing) fought Lee's Kato in the 11/18/66 episode, "The Preying Mantis."

If the purpose is to get from Mako to Bruce Lee, you didn't need to go through Steve McQueen.

 

[Christopher]

"Another Path": Man, a lot of people are learning David's secret this season. This is the second time in just a few weeks that we've seen David looking for a cure in non-Western culture. Unfortunately, it's a bit mired in mystical Orientalist cliches, right down to making Li Sung blind yet possessing a sight beyond sight. Yet it manages to avoid being totally stereotyped thanks in large part to Mako's inimitable charm. Li Sung was sort of the prototype for Avatar: The Last Airbender's Uncle Iroh in a way, although his great love was jazz instead of tea. Mako and Bill Bixby also had a pretty good rapport.

Li Sung was also undermined a bit as a character by the fakey white monk's-fringe wig that was pretty clearly applied over Mako's own clean-shaven, black-stubbled head. Mako was only 45 at the time, but supposedly playing an elderly man. It wasn't very convincing.

Another thing that worked against the episode is that Tom Lee Holland (no relation to the current movie Spider-Man, I assume) was totally awful as the villain Silva. Wow, he was bad. Even when he was just standing there, he was acting badly. Irene Yah-Ling Sun was pretty good as May, though. She reminded me a bit of Ming-Na Wen.

It's interesting in an episode like this to see how crude the fight choreography was compared to modern film and TV. We've learned so much from Hong Kong cinema since then. The martial-arts action was very cursory and cut in a way that didn't let us see much -- plus there was the odd '70s obsession with using slow motion in action scenes. They did try to be clever at some points, though, like the bit where the Hulk lifted the guy up into the corner and trapped him there with his own pole. Which wasn't very convincing, though, given the flimsiness of the pole -- and it was a bit out of character for the Hulk to be so clever and controlled about positioning the pole just right.

It was interesting that they let Li Sung defeat the villain and relegated the Hulk to fighting henchmen. I realized while watching the climax that this was the Hulk's first hero team-up, in a way. I don't think there are very many of those prior to the Thor and Daredevil team-up movies. (The latter of which doesn't even include a Hulk-out in its climactic action.)

I couldn't help but laugh at the corniness of the setup for the climax. "No guns -- the fight will be good practice for the men. Yada yada the student has become the master." With Holland's atrocious performance turning the corniness up to 11.

We got a good look at the face of the stuntman that the Hulk fought on the stairway and tossed down the stairs (interesting that we didn't get a cutaway to prove he was okay). I looked him up, and it turns out he was Charlie Picerni, who would later be the stunt coordinator on Die Hard and a director on numerous TV series including T.J. Hooker, Hunter, and Seven Days.

I loved the jazz arrangement of "The Lonely Man Theme."

By the way, in 1994-6, Mako would play another character named Li Sung in Kung Fu: The Legend Continues. IMDb lists them on the same character page, but the latter Li Sung was a crime lord.

The not so bright driver hears the pounding, and being a Grade A Dumbass, drops the temperature several degrees.

Actually he said in voiceover that he needed to warm them up a bit. And that was before he heard the pounding.

So, in-series, and maintaining strong continuity, Caroline and David's approach was considered near-successful, so the theory and application was correct. Of course, a continuing TV drama needed a disaster to prevent that from happening.

Saying it "was correct" is an overstatement. David believed it held enough promise to be worth pursuing something similar.

During its first run, I recall some saying this felt like a backdoor pilot, for all of the attention paid to Li Sung/Silva, et al., but unlike obvious, but I disagree. Unlike backdoor pilots where the main characters are either too flummoxed and/or impressed, and/or stupid, and/or squealing cheerleaders all for the guest star/plots (see: Laverne & Shirley, Mayberry R.F.D., The Facts of Life or Torchwood's introductory episodes on the parent series), TIH's story has David trying to help Li Sung, with the long-running continuity matter of his search for a cure a series-natural sub-plot.

Actually it was the sequel to this one, "The Disciple" later in season 2, that was the backdoor pilot, with Rick Springfield starring as the title character, a student of Li Sung's who was also a cop. I seem to recall David having a very reduced role in that one, but we'll see in 11 weeks.

Now this episode evokes a Seventies fad that was definitely a bit past its prime at this point...but the story sort of acknowledges that in the bit that follows, when Li Sung indicates that his school became "chic" a couple of years ago.

Oh, speaking of '70s fads, I couldn't help but laugh when Li Sung said that he'd gone traveling to "find the real America." I wonder if he ran into Hal Jordan and Oliver Queen on his travels? Or maybe Reb Brown's Captain America?

Also, the angle of the protection racket being run in Li Sung's name during his absence, causing people to fear him, just seems like story beat filler...it seemed odd in the first place, and it doesn't go anywhere.

It makes sense, though. Li Sung was the one who founded the school and was respected by the community, along with May's father. And Silva killed May's father. So he had to use Li Sung's reputation to give himself and his school legitimacy, but his criminal actions tainted that reputation.

And again, the Hulk seems particularly gentle this time around, engaging in the relatively subtle approach of propping up one of the students on a pole. Maybe that meditation is doing so much good that the creature himself is feeling mellower than usual....

Hadn't thought of that...

I thought the whole thing felt pretty weak. Cliched at best, with the needless filler angle that I mentioned above, and the bad guy being so obvious and two-dimensional.

But still worth it for seeing David hang out with Uncle Iroh.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Even when he was just standing there, he was acting badly.

QFT!

 

[Peach Wookiee]

About Grandma Loo... You don't mess with a Chinese grandma! Trust me on this one.
And another role that Mako was famous for was Uncle Iroh in Avatar: The Last Airbender. I love that Uncle Iroh helped the Hulk!

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

"Another Path": Man, a lot of people are learning David's secret this season. This is the second time in just a few weeks that we've seen David looking for a cure in non-Western culture.

The real world 1970s was the breakout decade for seeking non-traditional treatments on a large scale. Before that--even in the experimental 60s, it was treated as "fringe" or dangerous "witch-doctoring" at best. That a physician like David is open to alternate treatments (going against a lifetime of disciplined learning) makes his character pretty revolutionary for TV up to that time.

Li Sung was sort of the prototype for Avatar: The Last Airbender's Uncle Iroh in a way, although his great love was jazz instead of tea. Mako and Bill Bixby also had a pretty good rapport.

Yes, they did get on well together.

It's interesting in an episode like this to see how crude the fight choreography was compared to modern film and TV. We've learned so much from Hong Kong cinema since then.

That depends on what film or TV productions you're looking at. To this day, there's bad use of wirework, or actors simply not trained well, so it hurts the believabilitly of the action.For example, I would not be the first to observe that about the fights in a series like Supergirl. Further, era has little to do with successful / believable fight choreography; many 1970s martial arts films' fight scenes won the that edge of realism--not only from the raw, Hong Kong films, but work from the more well known names such as Lee, Kelly or Norris. It paid of as real, exciting and most importantly, painful to anyone on the receiving end of it--even as a stunt. Some owrk today is too much o mix of wire work, CG stunt doubles, etc., and it lacks realism.

It was interesting that they let Li Sung defeat the villain and relegated the Hulk to fighting henchmen. I realized while watching the climax that this was the Hulk's first hero team-up, in a way. I don't think there are very many of those prior to the Thor and Daredevil team-up movies. (The latter of which doesn't even include a Hulk-out in its climactic action.)

Hero team up? That's an interesting way of looking at it. Considering how effective Li Sung was as a one-man army, and his purpose in the story, I guess he would be a second hero.

We got a good look at the face of the stuntman that the Hulk fought on the stairway and tossed down the stairs (interesting that we didn't get a cutaway to prove he was okay). I looked him up, and it turns out he was Charlie Picerni, who would later be the stunt coordinator on Die Hard and a director on numerous TV series including T.J. Hooker, Hunter, and Seven Days.

Yeah, up-thread, I mentioned Picerni, as he also provided stunts in "The Hulk Breaks Las Vegas," but he was a regular stuntman (playing henchmen) on William Dozier's Batman (TV and the movie) and The Green Hornet.

Oh, speaking of '70s fads, I couldn't help but laugh when Li Sung said that he'd gone traveling to "find the real America." I wonder if he ran into Hal Jordan and Oliver Queen on his travels? Or maybe Reb Brown's Captain America?

Ohh, if only someone adapted the Adams/O'Neil Green Lantern / Green Arrow stories in the 70s!

Since you mentioned Reb Brown, I feel obligated to post the following, just for The Old Mixer's pleasure--