The Incredible Hulk (Pt 2) The TV Movies. Post Hulk Ergo Propter Hulk

#hulk #shehulk #80s #90s #70stv
Stam Fine Reviews looks at a trio of TV Movies following on from (and wrapping up) the story of Dr David Banner and his little green friend.
These three movies saw David Banner try to cure his condition, team up with first Thor and then Daredevil, before finding love one last time.
There's an air of cheapness to these productions but it's always nice Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno doing their thing- ripping up the joint and later saying "did I do that?"
The Incredible Hulk returns saw David Banner trying to solve his little problem when Donald Blake shows up with this Hammer that summons Thor. Trial of the Incredible Hulk (1989) saw David Banner falsely accused of a crime to protect the thugs of Kingpin, while his lawyer Matt Murdock also has a secret. In The Death of the Incredible Hulk (1990), well, you can guess what happens...
0:00 Introduction
1:57 The Incredible Hulk Returns
7:23 Trial of the Incredible Hulk
10:22 Death of the Incredible Hulk

[@evanjazzista]

Every Hulk of these last 20 years was CGI made. Lou Ferrigno was the real deal.

[@paulpouliot9355]

I loved the series. I wish it had gone longer. I'm a fan of the comics, especially during the mid 70's, but the realism of the tv show and how it was addressed made it a cut above the comics. It made the show totally believable. Rest in piece Bill Bixby, you made millions of people's childhoods.

[@ericmangels4917]

I loved the tv series more than the tv movies,although the first 2 were great,of course I didn't care for the last one,but I was looking fwrd to the next tv movie but of course that was canceled because of Bixbeys passing. Even though there were some episodes that I didn't care for,I still loved the tv series,it wss totally awesome ! 😎👍

[@user-ou5hz2sp3s]

My favorite Hulk movie was the trial of the Hulk. David learns Daredevils secret and Daredevil learns who the Hulk turns into.

[@cbl1984]

The "beard" on the Incredible Hulk was the equivalent of the "mustache" on the Six Million Dollar Man!

[@thevfxmancolorizationvfxex4051]

The trial dream sequence from Trial of The Incredible Hulk is absolutely hilarious

[@AquamentusLives]

As a kid of the 80s I loved these Hulk TV Movies. Bill Bixby is one of the true greats!

[@stevelomas4356]

Hulk was the most scariest TV show I was only a child but what an incredible series

[@ivane5110]

A great series and enjoyable movies. I just wish one of those spin-offs had actually gone through. Even more so, I wish Nicholas Hammond's Spider-Man had finally gotten to do the team-up we had all been expecting/hoping for since the 70s. With the Multiverse trend going on I really hope we get at least one more (respectful) trip back to the Bixby-verse (even if its just animated, in the way 1960s Batman returned).

[@carter358]

Bill Bixby was such a good actor. Gone too soon.

[@salliewagenblatt5188]

With the final hulk movie being called death of the incredible hulk I thought it was a metaphor of banner finally finding a cure and ridding himself of the hulk not meaning that banner actually dying in the end.

[@madmanmark8387]

very true and I was wondering if the title was going to be deceiving the fans.

[@KennethBlum-sl6rx]

Was going to be a 4th movie A Rebirth Of The Incredible Hulk picking up where the last one left off.

[@TheBeird]

Now these I remember watching as a kid. Probably my first exposure to Daredevil. Always remembered Hulk's fall from the plane, and my brother watching with me as he pointed out his green paint was flaking off before the landing

[@DavidDedrick70]

I was six or seven when it first premiered and always cried at the end when no one would pick him up in the end. To this day, The Incredible Hulk tv show is something I continue to love and Billl Bixby...nough said!

[@neilgodwin6531]

'Nuff said! Stan spelled it that way on his Bullpen Bulletins in the 60's comic books. Yes, I'm that old!

[@thevfxmancolorizationvfxex4051]

Honestly, the TV movies could have been better if they tried to focus more on topical everyday issues like most episodes of the show did, rather than trying to be action packed and forcefully integrating certain Marvel heroes that don't belong in a world as grounded as that of the 70s Hulk show like Thor. The Trail of The Incredible Hulk is probably the best of the 3 films

[@francismalbunka5640]

Use

[@grumpygremlin2379]

I wish they'd stuck with the hulkout music they used for most of the series too.

[@nayaasahai9522]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHumq3Ruq61miZI हल्क हमेशा हल्क 💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪

[@patrickmaruniak5987]

There weren't too many hulkouts in the Trial of The Incredible Hulk. The only really good scene in the Trial of the Incredible Hulk is the courtroom scene. So I'm sorry you would wrong. The Incredible Hulk Returns and the death of the Incredible Hulk were the better movies.

[@tomciura8360]

I've always loved watching the incredible hulk when I was a kid especially when Bill Bixby played in the show

[@mhoppy6639]

I loved his inexhaustible supply of check shirts. Did he carry them in that duffel bag did he buy them from charity chops (thrift stores for our US friends? ) who knew? Kenneth Johnson of course who brought the original V mini series to wonderful life!

[@mr.timebombman2230]

Fun fact: Eric Kramer, who played Thor in "Return of the Incredible Hulk", played Bear, the huge gay dude that did the dance off with Stifler in American Wedding.

[@TheJedwardo]

the incredible hulk pilot and the death of the incredible hulk were the only two episodes i had as a kid on dvd and i rewatched them incessantly, i grew such a connection with that banner that i would cry at the end of every viewing of death, it was very interesting for me for finally seeing the full series.

[@carlrood4457]

Probably more people would recognize Andreas Katsulas from The Fugitive. He play the "one armed man".

[@anthonyjenkins2001]

Or in Babylon 5

[@ajclements4627]

Or ST:TNG as Tomalok.

[@sheikhadnan5054]

Yup😊

[@theguitarjohnshow]

He also played in next of kin

[@zzz007zzz]

The hulk movies were a huge letdown to a lot of fans who were waiting for a climax of sorts to the McGee / Banner storyline, which sadly never happened. If Kenneth Johnson were involved, maybe things would have been different. Who knows... They were misguided by mostly focusing on other superhero characters, rather than the star of the show, who has been missing in action for 6 years. On the other hand, they did have their moments. Kind of a mixed bag of the good, bad and ugly.

[@KennethBlum-sl6rx]

And they actually had finished scripts where McGee actually finds out who the Hulk is. And in one him and Banner team up.

[@zzz007zzz]

@@KennethBlum-sl6rx The only other unfilmed Season 5 McGee script I'm aware of is "The Trial of Jack McGee", which I've read. I did talk to Kenneth Johnson years ago on the Internet, and he said that there were plans for a finale to the series, had Season 5 played out, and if they were given a chance to finish the series, that the finale would have likely involved resolving the McGee Banner story to everyone's liking, which likely would have involved a court case, clearing Banner's name.

[@KennethBlum-sl6rx]

@@zzz007zzz I actually had a copy of that script. And another one called "David Banner, R.I.P." which I never got around to reading.

[@shaggycan]

11:00 Andreas Katsulas for this win

[@seeingsights]

I remember when I heard on the radio that Bill Bixby died, in the early 1990s. Rest In Peace.

[@davidsmith5523]

Smashing.

[@travishiltz4750]

Love the show and thought the movies were a lot of fun. Shame we never got more of the 70's MCU. Would have liked to see what the rumored Iron man and She-Hulk looked like.

[@pjgathergood6987]

'The Incredible Hulk' was, as well pointed out in Pt 1 of these two (great) videos, was a strange TV series for it's premise yet it somehow worked. I remember watching these three movies when they first aired here in the UK (still have the recordings somewhere) but never fully got into them - with that "odd premise that works" of the TV series, it did always take me a few episodes to really get into it properly. As such it's easy to go into these movies feeling rather 'distant' and unengaged from the events, especially as the first two are basically focus on being back-door pilots for other superhero shows as much as featuring Banner/the Hulk himself. What's more, as with so many action/adventure shows of the period, I always felt things worked best when in a tighter hour-long format. 'Return' I never really cared for; the videotape look really cheapens the appearance of an already cheap production, and not being much of a comics fan I had no knowledge or interest in Thor back then, so mostly sat wishing he'd get out of the way and we'd see some more of the Hulk in action. 'Trial' was slightly better in terms of production, not looking AS cheap and maybe a slightly more confident feel to it, but again a bit too much focus on trying to be a back-door pilot; didn't know who Daredevil was either, only that "It's Jesse Mach out of Street Hawk playing him". 'Death' is the best of the three for various reasons. More room for the actual bloody Hulk over "here's another superhero you might also enjoy watching", although a rather flawed and compromised (and not always that interesting) plot, but production-wise probably the best. A fourth movie, revealing the Hulk was not actually dead, was being considered, but Bill Bixby's sadly early death saw it never happen. All three are probably interesting curiosities for those who have seen all of the TV series, but none match the simple yet effective "cursed-but-kind wandering man helps people and stops baddies" premise of the best TV episodes, IMO. However I do feel they serve the proceeding better far better than the (IMO weak and misguided) 'Knight Rider 2000' which many of us pulled apart in last week's video. Also, coming from the later 1980s, they all somehow feel a bit halfhearted in terms of not having such a big market for them. Pretty much all of the classic action/adventure shows noticeably came to an end in 1985/6/7 ('Dukes', 'Knight Rider', 'The A-Team', 'Airwolf'.... so many) as supposedly "audience tastes were changing" (for that also ready: cheap and lazy studio sit-coms were far cheaper to produce, elsewhere things just felt so much more 'deadly serious' in tone), so something like the return of the 'Hulk', though very welcome, just had an odd "dying gasps" air about them - cheaply made, unavoidable half-hearted "no matter how hard they try" feel to them... I do recall that late '80s period and into the earlier '90s being a rather bland and empty period after so many of those beloved shows had bit the dust, with only occasionally repeat showings to live on.

[@DenkyManner]

The premise is The Fugitive TV series, except Dr Kimble can turn into a giant green man.

[@DavidNicholson101]

12:35 always unnerved me a little. He bends that thing in two and throws it down and then looks at the camera. I can’t help but think oh no I’m next.😳😳😳

[@spews1973]

The reference to The Big Lebowski is the main reason I'm giving this a like.

[@Neil070]

I think they tried to use the movies as pilots to test out other potential series. Thor was awful, Daredevil less so, but lacklustre. Thor seemed a bit dim, not the great warrior King, but a thug, a teenager on a rampage after getting drunk. Blake wasn't the cultured physician but a nerd. Most disappointing

[@shawnvines2514]

Thank you for reviewing things, I forgot I watched until you reviewed them.

[@lordofbats3601]

Another entertaining video, thanks Stam

[@denial987]

Well in the cancelled fourth Hulk tv movie, Banner would be resurrected via cloning and a new Hulk (Doctor Hulk, David Banner in Hulk's body played by Lou Ferrigno) would be introduced as well as Jennifer Walters who would receive a blood transfusion from Doctor Hulk to save her life after getting shot. She-Hulk in this tv movie would not be green skinned and green haired like her cousin but in fact, due to a mutation, would golden in skin colour and have bright red hair.

[@freebird0147]

Yea no

[@nayaasahai9522]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHumq3Ruq61miZI हल्क हमेशा हल्क 💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪

[@neilgodwin6531]

And whine that she had to control her temper 'infinately more' than David?

[@williamewing5509]

I have got a double feature movie DVDS of Bill Bixby in The Trial Of The Incredible Hulk featuring Daredevil and in The Incredible Hulk Returns featuring Thor I am dedicating these movie DVDS to my old school friends who are both sisters and I hope to see them both again very soon to Chris Marie and Hester Brand from Billyxxx

[@heartofthunder1440]

If David Banner has a beard, so should the Hulk.

[@Cafeman_2D]

This video is Incredible.

[@Ideo7Z]

It's come full circle with the goofy drunk that Thor became in Avengers Endgame and goofball in Thor Ragnarok and Love and Thunder...

[@dafrog491]

i always preferred the one with DareDevil. Rex Smith will always be my favorite DareDevil.

[@andrewblanchard2398]

imagine a SHE HULK series where DAVID & JASMINE'S DAUGHTER born in 1990 becomes the new HULK

[@neilgodwin6531]

Well, it would certainly have been better than the abomination (sorry) that Disney and Marvel Studios served up 😢

[@55555711]

i miss this show so much

[@zaphod5660]

loved the show as a kid bill bixby was fantastic as banner love ya vids as a fellow aussie i salute you.

[@TheZXKUQYB]

Is there anything better than Stam Fine, when you don't expect it? I don't know but he is like K.I.T.T to Knight Rider. He could not be Hasselhoff cause he isn't German.

[@StamFine]

ja

[@michaelccopelandsr7120]

WE NEED A "MR. FIX-IT" MOVIE! The Grey Hulk, at night, in a suit. It fits perfectly into the blip years. Trying to fix the deal with Green Hulk's arm, Banner creates the Grey Hulk. He thinks he heals and cures himself. Except, unknowingly at night, he turns into MR. FIX-IT. Who leaves Banner cryptic messages on the mirror. It's even a story Disney execs want. Have him fight whomever while having to deal with his "mental health." To win, he must meld Banner, Green Hulk and Grey Hulk into the Hulk he is now. It writes itself! GIVE US "MR. FIX-IT!" Pass it on, please and thank you!

[@kyleolson8977]

"Usually, you don't give away the ending of a movie it it's title. That's why it's called King Kong and not Giant Ape Falls Off Building." And, in fact, King Kong dies at the end of "King Kong Lives"

[@madmanmark8387]

yes he does die but you have to remember that when he fell off the Twin Towers he seemed quite dead,so the title for the second movie is fairly accurate.

[@telavivkunz8479]

Bill Bixby played enormous part , I think He was the one to act as David Banner, Lou Ferrigno also played the Hulk good, to bad that they both could due another movie!!!!!

[@jaquelinegermano1498]

Eu gostava muito desse seriado!

[@tombstoneharrystudios584]

Can't remember where I read it, but the ending was supposed to be that, as The Hulk dies, McGee runs over to try and save Banner/Hulk As he frantically fights to save his life, McGee says "I spent my life trying to save the world from the Hulk, until I found out there was a man trapped inside...and I tried to save The Hulk from the world. If only you'd known! Please forgive me!" Then Banner looks up and said "I knew, old friend, I knew!" and dies in McGee's arms. Sadly, Jack Colvin was in very poor health and wasn't well enough to work on the production. Can you imagine though...two top character actors delivering lines like that?

[@traciemarsh1611]

brilliant series. the real reason they didnt do the revenge is because bill died and lou refused to do it without him

[@rossydv]

@3:23 Genius!!!🤣

[@rumblebars]

On first airing , I watched the original show all the way through. So of course I was going to watch the TV movies. They were pretty good, the first two rather watered down by the tie-ins though. And it annoyed me that much of the music and sound design wasn't quite right. The third movie was the best because it actually felt like it could have been a two-parter of the original show.

[@nepntzerZer]

I watched this and it gave me nightmares. I'm suing.

[@giovannigandara6375]

The hulk should have lived

[@brianmccarthy8541]

The Retro Crowd music on your videos is brilliant, I've been replaying the end of this video for the their version of the hulk theme. Anywhere we can get longer versions and more of their stuff?

[@i-craftsdesign3175]

Must've been a pain to use those contacts over and over.

[@andrewblanchard2398]

I watched them on TV back when they came out

[@peterwyetzner5276]

I understand that Thor's hammer would pull him off....... the ground.

[@RighteousBrother]

Ha ha Big Lebowski reference!

[@juliojuliocesar8577]

Parabens pelo canal. Sou novo inscrito. Gosto muito dos seriados dos anos 80..🇧🇷😊💯🏁

[@thebaccathatchews]

I thought I was the only one who called him El Hulkerino.

[@chasestucki629]

2:25 hulk wears jacket 😂😂😂

[@madmanmark8387]

I own the DVD television series and telefilms. I had looked forward to these back in the day and was sad that the title of the last film was a give away and I guess they were blunt to have the title. It's sad of what happened to Bill Bixby and the possible projects of a She Hulk but now she finally has a show albeit from the MCU. The possible shows from the 2 telefilms would've been interesting but it most likely would have been canceled in its first season. Of course Donald Blake was never around when he turned into Thor and Kingpin was bald,so the characters were loosely adapted. The fact that Thor and Hulk could not bring the helicopter down was so ridiculous and made Hulk and Thor pathetically weak. Either one could have brought it down with just one hand.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

@StamFine >>> 👍👍

[@Vicki_Benji]

Lou's wig changed in the movies to hide his larger hearing aid.

[@StephenBates_IT]

Do you have a link to the version of the theme played at the end of the video? It was awesome.

[@carlrood4457]

Rumor was the reason for the changes to Thor (not a god) and Daredevil (black costume, no horns) was to avoid problems with religious groups. I remember a convention panel where the comic guys discussed the blindfold on Daredevil's costume with the TV writers. The TV guys said it was there because he's blind, but the comic writers pointed out that no one is supposed to know that.

[@PulpVision]

Hulk in a Tracksuit! 😆😆

[@marieodu3149]

The Incredible Hulk was awesome the moves the shows as a kid who cares if it felt cheap it was more like omg The Incredible Hulk - Lou Ferrigno physique was beyond awesome. Now with CGI and stuff like that yeah it’s slick and nice looking but dang back then you had to improvise.

[@arktomorphos]

I will never understand why they didn't give the Hulk a beard in Trial. I mean Banner had one!! Did it just retract during Transformation. Bearded Hulk would have been Badass! But let's be honest, the TV movies were all pretty bad.

[@SonicAlpha]

Rex Smith was good as Daredevil, but I'll always see him as Jesse Mach from Street Hawk.

[@rogerrambo4172]

He came very close to being cast as Bruce Wayne/Batman in the 89 Tim Burton movie & casting him in the role of Matt Murdock/Daredevil after that was seen as a real coup for Marvel. 3 of the music executives who had managed his records & concerts: Neil Canton, Peter Bogart & Chris Kenny of Casablanca Records found themselves working together as producers on Batman & Warner Bros/DC were keen to recreate the success of casting an unknown actor, Christopher Reeve as Superman by doing the same on Batman. Smith was very close to being cast untill it was decided that a different approach was needed following Jack Nicholson's casting as The Joker.

[@neilgodwin6531]

Remembering the 'wardrobe issues' Burt Ward apparently had as Robin, I'm surprised this (poor) Daredevil costume didn't give execs and old ladies in the Bible Belt apoplexy. The Incredible Hulk and the Massive Bulge

[@dafrog491]

With all due respect the death of the incredible hulk does have a marvel character: Black Widow. If im not mistaken thats the influence.

[@richardwilliams473]

Lou Ferrigno was the real deal. He was as big or bigger that Arnold S

[@crush41gb]

The inconsistencies in these movies like Banner saying he's never seen the beast when at least 3 times in the series he did and even did a scene with him lol! The beard on Banner and not Hulk and ofcourse that death that he'd survived multiple times in the series.

[@robd1329]

...i always thought with the Death of Incredible Hulk...they should have done a sequel series 25+yrs later with 'Son' of the Incredible Hulk. I say that because he slept with that one nice female in the movie....and his son could have inherited the Hulk gene. Only this time around he lets the world know his father was a victim of his own experiment and reveals to all who he is now. It sure worked out ok for Iron Man revealing himself

[@madmanmark8387]

that could have been a possibility. Kind of like The Fly 2 movie how in that 1980's movie the son of the fly was born. I don't know much of the original movie from even further back in time.

[@Jericho8131]

Instead of doing the lame movie that was Death in 1990, I think they should've done a 2 part sequel to Trial. The movie was a lot of fun and had potential to be greater than what it was but ultimately was limited due to time restraints. Part 1 could've ended with the trial scene actually happening as opposed to a dream. The part 2 sequel could've revolved around David/Hulk being hunted across the country, wanted not only by police for the assault on Ellie Mendez and the courtroom attack, but by McGee looking to finally bring justice for the death of Elaina and "Banner"

[@dinogoldie9716]

As for Hulk/Marvel villains appearing in TIH: Wasn't there an episode of the series centring around an unnamed version of John Kraven The Hunter?

[@Regin314]

I am presuming your thinking about Season 3x09 The Snare ... and though I can see some Kraven the hunter trait , I really don't think so ..

[@giovannigandara6375]

Directors messed up on the ending

[@raybearoz]

Always look forward to your reviews... are we going to get She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Season One when it's done?

[@StamFine]

would love to, but unless it gets a dvd release, it would just be stills and slowed down shots from trailers repeated over and over. It's the same issue with most streaming shows that aren't released elsewhere

[@toddnolastname4485]

I never understood why he turned back into Banner when he hit the ground. Hulk might have survived that drop. Banner wouldn't. I didn't know they actually started filming the She-Hulk movie. After hearing of Bixby's death, I assumed the Hulk and Banner were killed off because Bixby was sick and didn't think he would be able to do another movie.

[@mhoppy6639]

Andreas Katsulos’s false arm is missing !! Somebody tell Harrison Ford.

[@srstriker6420]

Well at least Banner can rest in peace and be free forever, but I think could have brought in Hulk villains like Abomination, Leader, Xemnu the living Hulk etc and have a crossover with Captain America and Spider-Man. Also is it just me or does the Kingpin look like King Henry the 8th?

[@TheDukeofMadness]

So Mitzi Kapture couldn't helm her own series. I know Silk Stalkings was no Homicide: Life On The Street but that idea from NBC was rubbish. Like the idea to retool The John Larroquette Show and put Michael Michele in the aforementioned Homicide. NBC seems to have a habit of screwing the pooch.

[@mlight6275]

weirdly, bannner never used bixby as a pseudonym surname

[@andrewblanchard2398]

there was supposed to be a THOR spinoff & a DAREDEVIL spinoff

[@HowardChegwyn]

Roger Cormans Fantastic Four next?

[@StamFine]

that would be great but also a bit of a minefield

[@mr.timebombman2230]

I like it better when the Hulk doesn't speak. The character loses some mystique and intensity otherwise

[@ryansullivan4298]

Am I the only one who thinks Bill Bixby looks like Robert Downey Jr?

[@silverhaze_2121]

Umm maybe, I just don't see it.

[@redwaldcuthberting7195]

Nah, David is my old man.

[@christopherbusby1726]

Without The Guidance and input of Kenneth Johnson The TV Movies were poor whereas The TV Series were so successful.

[@andrewblanchard2398]

the 1988 tv movie was called THE INCREDIBLE HULK RETURNS or THE RETURN OF THE INCREDIBLE HULK depending if you watched it on TV ORIGINAL VHS TAPE DVD

[@roguetrooper5288]

These 3 films were never canon to me...

[@darkwoods1954]

I always found the series boring and repetitive but these movies were a lot of fun seeing Hulk finally battle with and along side other super powered characters and not just the thug of the week.

[@nayaasahai9522]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHumq3Ruq61miZI हल्क हमेशा हल्क 💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪

[@giovannigandara6375]

Didn't like the ending

[@SalvableRuin]

You clearly know nothing about Canada. Vancouver is hot in summer, warm in spring and autumn and even its winters aren't that cold. Just because it is in Canada doesn't mean it is cold. Canada is the second largest country in the world and spans multiple time zones and climates.

[@robatkinson2125]

Poor movies

[@kennybacchus669]

Look retun. The. Incredile. Hulk. Movie. 1988

[@charlesmento5968]

The first movie with Thor was horribly miscast, horribly written, and had no merit, certainly not the merit of the original TV series. The She Hulk was also a bad idea. Mitzi was in Silk Stalkings I believe and did well. The Hulk series was one of the best made but the these three movies are a BAD ending to that series and I tend to ignore them as they focus on banal events, other heroes, and not the social issues the original series did. Shame they even made those. AND can a fall from a plane really kill the Hulk? Probably not because they planned on the Hulk coming back. Awful three movies.

[@abouteverything2654]

Those 3 made for tv movies were terrible..Poor acting and it looked so low budget.

[@JoeShopper]

After the Hulk therefore because of the Hulk. Deep AF.

[@dbentertainment9148]

It would be fun if someone would take the clips from Infinity Wars Hulk and place that into clips with Bill Bixby turning into the Hulk from this show.

[@StamFine]

somebody did a fake trailer for Avengers Age of Ultron years ago putting all the 70s/80s version of marvel characters together

[@dbentertainment9148]

@@StamFine Yeah, that was pretty good with 80s style video.