The Incredible Hulk--
"The Harder They Fall"
When a car's blown tire loses control, David
Blackwell is struck, sending him slamming into parked cars, unconscious. Transported to a hospital, David endures surgery at the hands of Dr. Hart, who immobilizes David's spine thanks to severity of his injuries. David is stunned to discover he has no feeling anywhere below the center of his chest....
Three weeks later, Dr. Hart observes David had some sensory improvement, but not much else where nerve regeneration is concerned, leading to the terrible conclusion that Banner will remain paralyzed.
Dr. Hart: "You're gonna be crippled, David. I'm sorry. Are you sure there isn't anybody that you want me to contact? Your friends? Your family?"
David: "No."
Understandably, David is bitter at the idea of being confined to beds and wheelchairs for the rest of his life, and dismisses any cheery encouragement from his nurse. Later, David is moved to Ward 4-- a rehabilitation area for amputees, paraplegics, and others in similar conditions. Banner closes himself off from everyone, taking on a cold, snarky attitude with Dr. Hart & his therapist nurse, Judy. A patient named Paul Corton wheels over to David, trying to support him in this time of adjustment. David--still resistant--needs more time. During therapy, David struggles just to move his upper body, becomes angry, then snaps at Judy, demanding to return to his room.
In a moment of self-pity, Banner thinks of the freedom he once had to run, but has an epiphany of sorts: remembering his conversations with Elaina Marks about the advanced healing of his bullet wound, and explaining to Katie Maxwell (during his "Demi-Hulk" phase) how his transformations are triggered, David breaks his drinking glass, reasoning that a forced Hulk-out will take advantage of his system's amazing regenerative, healing properties. Just as he's about to slam his hand on the broken glass, his ever-solid conscience forces him to recall the Hulk's many acts of destruction, including a radio report mentioning how fortunate it was that no one was killed. The Hulk's violent unpredictability cannot be used to heal his body. David has to resign himself to being paralyzed.
Paul Corton visits David again, giving him a little backstory--that despite losing his girlfriend, he is still set to turn his dream (expecting a federal loan to re-open his sporting goods store) into reality. In other words, disability does not need to stop David from living. That evening, as the others in his ward play basketball, David tries to move his body to a wheelchair, but falls to the floor, injuring his shoulder. Soon, Paul returns and instead of assuming David welcomes help, he asks, with David finally accepting it. Paul guides David through the task of managing the "extra" weight as he pulls himself up and to the bed. For the first time since his injury, David cracks a smile.
Over time, David makes progress with physical therapy and the support of Paul & Julie, even to the point of protecting himself if his wheelchair rolled without his control, and building his upper body strength enough to climb rope. Paul shows David his few belongings from his athletic past, including a starter pistol used to kick off a wheelchair race with David & two others. Banner loses, but his mindset has improved to a considerable degree.
That evening, Paul & David relax at a bar, where Paul explains that he was disabled from a fall after rescuing a child from the apartment above his burning sporting goods store. Before he can finish, a few drunken patrons spot the men and laugh at what Paul calls
their "freak show." One walks over offering to buy them drinks (thinking David & Paul are disabled veterans). Paul bristles at one of the men tossing a wad of money on the table as an act of charity. Unable to ignore what he sees as disrespectful "charity", Paul stuffs the money in the man's pocket, and insults him, leading the man to become aggressive, but held back by the bartender. A fight breaks out, with the commotion knocking David down a flight of stairs--triggering a Hulk-out. Failing to comprehend why he cannot stand, the frustrated creature pounds on his useless legs, until his rapidly regenerating system begins to heal his spine, allowing him to shamble upstairs to the bar. The sight of the Hulk sends the drunks running, except Paul--frightened at what has happened to David. The Hulk falls--his spine not completely healed--which cranks up his anger, as he destroys the rest of the bar before stumbling out of a shattered door...
The following day, Dr. Hart studies a new X-Ray of David's spine and cannot understand the evidence of advance healing; David skirts by this by suggesting his tumble (at the bar) had something to do with it, but Hart is unsure. David has regained some movement in his legs and feet, leading Hart to He wonder if there's something about his regeneration that could help other disabled patients...
Catching up with David, Paul canot help but feel great about what's happening to David.
At the bar, McGee learns the man who was in the basement with the Hulk was accompanied by Paul--a resident of a local hospital...
Paul receives the government letter, only it is not the loan he so desired--its a rejection letter--
"Due to the recent tax cut, our funds have been greatly reduced. We regret that we are unable to grant your loan request."
Paul retreats to the gym, fighting through his frustrations with an agressive workout. David tries to ease his mind, but Paul is already looking at options--of returning to East Valley Savings--the bank responsible for his original loan. As he dresses for his appointment, McGee calls, making the usual offer of $10,000 in exchange for you-know-what. Paul scribbles down McGee's number, but heads to the bank, where he is--in what is now tradition--rejected. Paul accuses the bank of discriminating against him because he's disabled, wheels himself to the door, only to be disgusted by his own reflection. Returning to the hospital, Paul flings his belongings around the room, until he comes across the note with McGee's contact information....
Paul: "Yeah, Mr. McGee, I was in that bar--"
McGee: "And you saw what happened?"
Paul: "Listen...I got a story for you."
McGee: "Yeah, I was hoping you would. Now, the man that you were with..."
Paul: "Mr. McGee, I'm giving you MY story."
McGee: "Yeah, fine...okay...what happened in the bar?"
Paul: "
I'm talking about something else. I'm talking about people. People who get the short end of the stick just because they sit in wheelchairs or walk with braces! Do you have any idea what that means?!?"
McGee: "Uh...yeah, I think I do, and I'm very sorry. But what I really need to know about is the other night."
Paul: (not appreciating the brush off)
"Mr. McGee, don't give me a song and dance. Just because a person's legs are crippled doesn't mean his mind is, or his feelings! People gotta learn that!!"
McGee: "Yeah--I'm sure you're right, Mr. Corton, uh, look, maybe I could get somebody on my paper to do a-a feature on this."
Paul: "I'm tired of maybes! I want someone to listen now!!"
McGee: "W-well fine, good. I could be over there in a couple of minutes! You tell me what I need to know, and I'll do everything I can to get your story printed. "
Paul: "My story first, Mr. McGee! "
McGee: "Well I'm not in the position to make that kind of a promise!"
Paul: "Of course not."
Paul hangs up on McGee. Feeling he has no options, he places the starter gun in his briefcase and leaves, passing David (walking with braces) along the way--
David: "The bank turned you down."
Paul: "Good guess."
David: "I'm really sorry. Where are you going?"
Paul: "Back to reapply. I've got something that might persuade them."
David: "What do you mean?"
Paul: "I've been fooling myself, David. Government, banks...people don't want to know about me. About cripples. Even my old girlfriend--what I told you was bull. We never would have broken up if it hadn't have been for this! And you know something else? I'm getting tired of the whole deal. I'm gonna turn some heads around. You watch the news tonight. "
David: "Paul, what's in the briefcase?"
Paul: "They say I'm not qualified for a loan. They'll see how qualified I am when I rob their bank."
David: "Oh, come on, Paul, that's not going to help!"
Paul: "I'm gonna give the money back on local TV. All I want is the publicity."
David: "But its not worth the risk!"
Paul: "Hey, its just a starter's gun--nobody's gonna get hurt."
David: "Really? Well, bank guards don't happen to use starter's guns!"
Paul: "I'll take my chances. Either way, people'll listen."
David: "Paul, this isn't the way to do it!"
Paul: "You gonna tell me the way? You're on your feet, man, and I'm still in this chair! You gonna tell me what to do??"
David: "Oh, come on, Paul! Paul!"
David is stopped cold as he sees McGee drive up, parking in the handicapped space. Trying to blow off the complaints of the orderly, McGee leaves his keys in the ignition. David (hiding behind an ambulance) waits for McGee to enter the hospital, then strains to walk to McGee's car, using his cane to control the gas & brake pedals. Banner carefully drives off, in pursuit of Paul, but it is slow going, with his attention split between the road and the makeshift control. An irate driver tailgates David's car, relentlessly blowing his horn; David tries to drive off, but his compromised skills lead to a near miss with another car, forcing him to hit the brakes--and suffer a rear-end collision courtesy of the angry driver. David's head snaps violently, triggering a Hulk-out. The Hulk kicks the door away, knowing he's regained full control of his legs. Not forgetting the angry driver, the Hulk delivers an overhead blow to the driver's truck, with a force that smashes the car to the ground, while tearing the wheels from the axle.
At East Valley Savings, Paul is seconds away from pulling his starter's pistol, when the Hulk crashes in, sending Paul's briefcase out of a window, and carrying Paul away, ending his would-be bank robbing.
Sometime later, a fully recovered David is back on the road, stopping at a phone booth to bid farewell to Paul--
Paul: "Yeah, that McGee's really been on my tail. You know, David, it doesn't take a genius to figure out you're tied in with that creature. What's it all about?"
David: "I wish I could tell you, but I can't"
Paul: "That's cool. I won't put you or that green thing on the spot. Stopped me from doing something pretty stupid."
David: "So, what's your plan?"
Paul: "Oh, work here till I get the money together. What about you?"
David: "Not sure."
Paul: "You're a lucky man, walking again. I won't deny I'm jealous...well, envious, anyway. But at least my shoes last a long time. Will you keep in touch?"
David: "I'll try."
McGee walks in Paul's room, with the most sour look on his face, as if he's been cheated out of something.
David moves on...
NOTES:
A fairly significant condition-related episode.
The series was great with its own continuity legitimately supporting stories going forward, as seen with Banner seeking the keys to recovery by recalling conversations from the pilot and "Prometheus".
This is one of the few episodes where David spent a good amount of time in one location, aside from the pilot,
"Married" and
"Homecoming".
"The Harder They Fall" was anything other than a so-called "Very Special Episode". Anyone making such a claim--and let's just say (for the sake of example) he or she dives head-first in support of certain present-day fantasy series where every episode is (in one way or another) yelling from the PSA soapbox (in the most immature manner), then I suggest...well, to modify a line from Luke Skywalker:
"If truth is the center of the universe, that person's on the planet that it's farthest from."
The story--and Bixby--effectively illustrated the process of grief, self-pity, denial and struggle for one losing any control of their body as well as any actor
not suffering from a disability could. Bixby was never coming up short on the range of mature emotions for any given circumstance, so he's not groping for the right feeling, or applying certain emotions which would not naturally fit the character and his plight. Never a wasted Bixby moment.
Dr. Hart imagines whatever is responsible for David's miraculous regenerative system might help others, but David--being an
ethical man (not to mention doctor)--would not be so foolish as to ever use any part of his system (whether in the form of another strength/regeneration experiment using radiation or not) to test on others in any way, as one, its patently dangerous and more importantly, his condition was the result of a massive gamma radiation overdose--that level, one that makes a Hulk possible at all, is the only reason the series has David heal from otherwise dangerous or life-threatening injuries. However, if Banner himself cannot fully understand the cause and process of all things Hulk, there's no way he would ever experiment on others.
Additionally, if we look at the case of another kind of strength/regeneration experiment using radiation, Dr. Clive's sun chart did not seem to match anything comparable to what David was exposed to at the Culver Institute, but the results were disastrous enough with the creation of another Hulk-like monster. In
"Married", when Carolyn thought she could somehow use Banner's regenerative properties to save herself, David was naturally hesitant, for every reason listed here, as he would be if faced with that idea at any other time.
GUEST CAST:
Denny Miller (
Paul Corton) returns to TIH. Previously, he was the main guest of
"Killer Instinct" from TIH's second season. Miller is also remembered for being cinema's first blonde Tarzan in
Tarzan, the Ape Man (MGM, 1959) and his send up as an actor fooling the
Gilligan's Island castaways into thinking he was Tongo, the Ape Man, in the 1967 episode
"Our Vines Have Tender Apes"--
Other Miller roles--
- The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. (NBC, 1966) - "The Atlantis Affair"
- The Island at the Top of the World (Walt Disney Productions, 1974)
- Six Million Dollar Man (ABC, 1974/1975) "The Pal-Mir Escort" and "Target in the Sky"
- Wonder Woman (CBS, 1977) "The Pied Piper"
- Battlestar Galactica (ABC, 1978) - "Gun on Ice Planet Zero" (two parts),
- Beyond Westworld (CBS, 1980) - "My Brother's Keeper"
- Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (NBC, 1981) - "The Dorian Secret"
- Voyagers! (NBC, 1982) - "An Arrow Pointing East"
- V (NBC, 1984) - appearing in all episodes of the miniseries
- Werewolf (FOX, 1987) - "Nightwatch"
Peter Hobbs (
Dr. Hart)--
- Out There (CBS, 1951) - "The Man"
- Suspense (CBS, 1953) - "The Kiss-Off"
- The Web (CBS, 1952) - "The Brass Ring" & "RX Death"
- The Invaders (ABC, 1967) - "Summit Meeting: Part 1"
- The Andromeda Strain (Universal, 1971)
- Sleeper (United Artists, 1973)
- The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat (AIP, 1974) - voices
- Wizards (20th Century Fox, 1977) - voices
- Salvage 1 (ABC, 1979) - "Harry's Doll"
- The Man with Two Brains (Warner Brothers, 1983)
- The Twilight Zone (CBS, 1986) - "To See the Invisible Man"
