THE INCREDIBLE HULK SEASON 1

The idea of these two beings existing in one body seriously threatens to boggle the mind. It's simply too hot for words.

I have fond memories of watching The Incredible Hulk from my mom's lap as a tiny little kid. I'd do the old I'm-afraid-to-go-to-bed-lemme-fall-asleep-out-here trick, then watch the whole show out of the corner of my eye. I could never decide who I loved more—Bill Bixby as David Banner or Lou Ferrigno as The Hulk, but when you're wrestling with that question, you've got it made either way. The appeal wasn't entirely clear as I watched the movie-length premiere episode, but I knew things were bound to get better as the series progressed. Tiny little kids always have the best taste in television.

The premiere episode kicks off with a dream sequence in which Dr. David Banner remembers life with his wife... how they used to drink wine by the fire... how she used to smile beatifically at kittens... that time she got an upsetting letter in the mail and threw herself into his arms... that other time when they laughed as they whipped up cake batter or pancake batter or something in the kitchen... It was all quite pleasant until the day a tire popped and sent their car careening off the road. David was thrown from the vehicle, but his wife remained trapped inside. He tried with all his might to get her out before the whole thing went up in flames, but alas, he could not.

He arrives at work shaken and flustered, and his faithful colleague Elaina (Susan Sullivan) immediately knows he's been having nightmares. They're that close. Even so, David is eager to get down to business. He and Elaina are busy researching the sort of super-human strength that kicks in when loved ones are in peril—the sort of strength that allows a woman to lift a car to save her son, the same strength that David Banner couldn't muster to save his wife. Obviously this is a horribly painful process for David, and each interview he does brings back a flood of guilt, regret, and grief. In fact, there aren't really words to describe the sort of grief David Banner feels, but it's powerful enough to cause him to do science experiments on himself, and that's where The Hulk comes in.

After zapping himself with megadoses of gamma radiation, David Banner is never quite the same. Any time he gets angry or frustrated, he morphs into this hulking green man with super strength and an amazing ability to recover from injuries. He draws the attention of a nosey investigative reporter (played by Jack Colvin) who accidentally starts a fatal fire while snooping around the lab. Elaina dies from her injuries, and Dr. David Banner is presumed dead. This makes it much easier for David to hide his secret, but The Hulk is blamed for the deaths and will forever be pursued by that pesky reporter.

Poor David must now spend his life as a drifter, wandering from town to town, working odd jobs, helping his new friends, and searching for a way to reverse the effects of his radiation overdose. The possibilities for the series are endless, but David Banner himself is far more compelling than any plotline. Thanks to Bill Bixby's considerable talent, David is a relatable, three-dimensional character whose company never becomes tiresome. He's smart, kind, and capable, and the crinkling of his eyes as he smiles is enough to melt your heart. It's wrong for a man that lovely to be so lonely and tortured, and it's just about impossible not to feel for him. In fact, Bixby is so convincingly ordinary as David Banner that I sometimes forget that he's going to turn into The Hulk at all. Realizing that the transformation is still on its way gives me butterflies every time. Shoot, I even think David Banner looks good when his eyes have turned that weird shade of white-blue and he's starting to morph.

While David Banner's appeal emanates from within, The Hulk's hotness is purely physical, particularly after they upgrade his wig and primordial brow in later episodes. I'm not usually a muscles girl, but Lou Ferrigno easily has the best body I have ever seen. It's like a work of art, and as such, I could stare at it all day. The Hulk is not as bright as David Banner, but he gets along all right, and is essentially a gentle soul. Oh, he may rip through a few walls and break down a few doors, but he would never harm an innocent person or animal. In fact, he spends most of his time carrying people out of harm's way. And then he turns back into David Banner, and he's all exhausted and confused, and he knows he's been The Hulk but he has no memory of what he's done as The Hulk. The idea of these two beings existing in one body seriously threatens to boggle the mind. It's simply too hot for words.

Having said that, I don't think David Banner has any idea how lovable he is. There is, of course, the classic tag line, "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry," and David is always apologizing for hulking out, explaining that he can't control it and that he has to keep moving. Oh, but David, we do like you when you're angry. Don't you just want to give him a playful shove and say in your most teasing voice, "Yeah, whatever you do don't turn all tall and muscley and green and carry me around all day. I *hate* that."? And then maybe he'd laugh, and you'd laugh, and he'd stay, and everyone would live happily ever after... Or not. But a girl can dream, can't she?

As you can see, there's a decidedly romantic quality to The Incredible Hulk, but there's also plenty of action, drama, and suspense to keep you tuning in for more. Some of the episodes are a little dated and the special effects obviously aren't what they would be today, but it's actually quite fun noticing little continuity errors in the filming. Like someone will sit in the dirt, stand up with muddy pants, and the next thing you know, they're all clean again. It's even more fun looking for problems with the green make-up on The Hulk. Sometimes it rubs off on other characters and their clothing, but more often it rubs off and Lou's skin shows through. You've gotta love it when The Hulk goes dashing down the street with the pink soles of his feet flashing. Somehow the imperfections are just as endearing as everything else about the show, and I, for one, cannot wait to delve into Season 2. As for the recent movie versions of The Hulk? Who cares?