The Incredible Hulk (1996 TV series)

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This article is about the 1996 Animated TV Series. For other uses, see Hulk (disambiguation).
The Incredible Hulk (1996 TV series)
Genre Animated
Starring Neal McDonough
Lou Ferrigno
Luke Perry
Genie Francis
Cree Summer
Country of origin Flag of United States United States
No. of episodes 21
Production
Running time approx. 22 minutes/episode
Broadcast
Original channel UPN Network
Original run September 8, 1996 – November 23, 1997
Links
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

In 1996, UPN brought Marvel Comics' Hulk back to animated form (his last animated series was in 1982 for NBC). Lou Ferrigno returned to play the Hulk (after portraying him on the live-action TV series), this time as his voice. The series continued the concept of shared Marvel Animated Universe with numerous episodes featuring characters from other Marvel cartoons of the period. In the second season, the show's format (after UPN decided that Season 1 was too dark) was changed, and to give "female viewers a chance", they made She-Hulk a regular co-star. As a result, the series was officially renamed The Incredible Hulk and She-Hulk. The second season also featured the Grey Hulk. Many viewers consider the second season episodes to be greatly inferior in quality. After 21 episodes in total, the series was cancelled. The show was briefly aired on ABC Family following the release of the live-action movie in 2003. So far there are no plans for a DVD release of the series beyond the set released to coincide the Hulk movie in 2003.

Contents

[edit] Season 1

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The first season begins with Banner already established as the Hulk and on the run, captured by the military after another attempt at ridding himself of the beast within goes awry. He eventually escapes, and falls into the hands of The Leader (voiced by Matt Frewer), but the intervention of mutated cave dwelling gamma creatures, Banner's loyal friend Rick Jones, and the love of his life Betty Ross, is enough to liberate The Hulk and he becomes a fugitive again, with a more ruthless General Ross, Betty's father, continuing his pursuit.

Traveling across the nation and beyond, even venturing into the coldest depths of Canada, Banner meets kindred spirits also battling similar problems, fights beings of pure energy, and must endure an alliance with the Gargoyle to provide the antidote to a viral epidemic that nearly takes Betty's life and countless others. Not even his family is safe from the terror his hidden powers bring, as his best friend and cousin Jennifer Walters is cortically injured by the relentless Doctor Doom, forcing Banner to give her a blood transfusion that transforms her into the She-Hulk.

Over the course of the season running sub-plots gradually unfold. centering mostly around several of the supporting cast, the season slowly covers the following:

  • Betty's attempts to construct a Gamma Neutriant Bath that will separate Banner from the Hulk with the aid of Doc Samson.
  • The Leader's fragile association with The Gargoyle slowly breaking down, shattering completely before eventually reforming before the finale.
  • The Leader succeeding in bringing to life obedient mutant Gamma Warriors.
  • General Ross' tempered alliance with Agent Gabriel Jones of S.H.I.E.L.D., a ruthless covert operative whose orders were to destroy the creature completely upon capture.

These plot threads all come together in the three part season finale "Darkness and Light", where Betty's gamble pays off and the Hulk and Banner are separated. However, with this comes a price, the Hulk is now mindless, unrestrained. Banner feels responsible and confronts the creature in an armoured battle suit. The Leader finally gains the power of the Hulk, but the strength drives him mad and renders him a near brute, forcing him to abandon the power and restore it to the creature.

Perhaps the most damaging of the character arcs belonged to General Ross, betrayed by Agent Jones during the finale, Ross slowly showed signs in the third part of breaking down, his sense of trust shattered, coupled with things working out for his most hated enemy as Banner prepared to marry Betty despite being in a critical condition, Ross finally snapped. Interrupting Banner's wedding ceremony, Ross threatened to kill him, until a cardiac arrest took Banner down first, the separation from the Hulk finally taking it's toll, this leads his friends into concluding that he and the Hulk must be merged again, or both will perish

Ross fled as Banner was attended to, but would make his presence felt again just as the attempt to restore the two entities began, attempting to sabotage the experiment, he was interrupted by Rick, whom he hurtles into the vat containing Banner and the Hulk. The experiment malfunctions, and the vat erupts, from it emerges a gamma-powered, hulk-like Jones, who escapes into the night, as the grieving but healthy Banner transforms into a grey variation of his nightmarish inner demon.

[edit] Season 2

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The Incredible Hulk and She-Hulk begins where the first season concluded, with the Grey Hulk on a rampage in the mountains, pursued by the still insane Ross. An altercation between the two results in an avalanche that puts Ross in a coma, and knocks out Banner, when he comes to, he is arrested and placed on trial, whilst Rick Jones, almost an afterthought, continues his own reign of terror.

Banner calls in his cousin Jennifer, the She-Hulk, to help him out in court. After defending the entire court house from an attack by the Leader and successfully locating and restoring Rick to normalcy, both Banner and Jennifer travel together, laying low.

Aside from a small continuation of the premiere episode, the season featured very little ongoing arcs, the only ones of note were the following:

  • General Ross hospitalised.
  • The Gargoyle displaying strong affections for She-Hulk.

The remainder of the season saw Banner and Jennifer either team-up with characters such as Doctor Strange, battle Doctor Doom once more, or participate in a fight during Jennifer's high school reunion party. The Grey Hulk's mob persona of "Mr. Fixit" eventually surfaced for a brief appearance

The series concluded on a heavily rushed and happier note than the previous one, with Ross emerging from his coma and deciding to end his hostility towards Bruce, but little else was resolved, including Banner's inner conflicts with his green and grey Hulk transformations.

This season won an Emmy award for "best audio editing" for the work on the episode "The Lost Village."

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Season One vs. Season Two

The first season was exceptionally dark in storytelling, with endings either bittersweet or complete downers. The Ghost Rider, still a relatively popular seller on the comic stands at the time, appeared in the show during this darker phase of the series, in the episode Innocent Blood. The first season also boasted strong guest performances from the likes of John Rhys-Davies as Thor, and Mark Hamill as The Gargoyle.

The much lighter tone introduced during the second season in the hopes of increasing the appeal of the series ultimately backfired, alienating its core fanbase. Rick Jones and Doc Samson gradually vanished, as did the Gamma cave dwellers. Betty Ross even became less of an important character. The Leader, the series' most prominent adversary, made his final appearance alongside the Gargoyle during "Fashion Warriors", a parody of Die Hard which involved Betty and Jennifer leading a group of near-amazonian female scientists clad in bathing suits to battle The Leader's Gamma Mutant Warriors.

As a result of overwhelmingly poor feedback, the show was swiftly cancelled. No new Hulk series has been attempted, although the character returned to animation during the Ultimate Avengers series of direct-to-DVD movies, and guest starred in episodes of the new Fantastic Four animated series.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Season 1

[edit] Season 2 Additions/Replacements

[edit] Episode list

[edit] Season 1

Image Title Director(s) Writer(s) Original Airdate(s) #
"The Return of the Beast, Part 1" Richard Trueblood Bob Forward September 8, 1996 1
Bruce Banner attempts to cure himself of the Hulk once again, but his experiment is shut down by General Ross and Major Talbot. They capture the Hulk and take him to the Gamma Base. While on the base, Banner recalls his origin. Suddenly, the Abomination arrives on the scene, sent by the Leader and Gargoyle to capture Banner, and it's up to the Hulk to stop him. 
"The Return of the Beast, Part 2" Leo Sullivan Bob Forward September 15, 1996 2
The Hulk and Abomination duke it out until Ross uses his Omega Laser to send off the beast. Hulk runs away from the base and meets the Gamma Mutant Warriors. However, Abomination returns and kidnaps Banner, taking him to the leader. Will Betty and Rick be able to save him before the Leader and Gargoyle steal his gamma juice? 
"Raw Power" Dan Thompson Jess Winfield September 22, 1996 3
The Hulk encounters Mitch McCougthen, a man who absolutely hates his job and yearns for a higher position in life. Later, Bruce befriends him and the two of them try to see if they can get rid of the Hulk. However, their experiment goes awry and McCoughten turns into Zzzazk, a being of pure energy. Can the Hulk stop him before he destroys a dam? 
"Helping Hand, Iron Fist" Ernesto Lopez Stewart St. John September 29, 1996 4
Bruce Banner travels to Los Angeles hoping to reach Tony Stark at Stark Industries, with Rick Jones right behind him. Will Iron Man, War Machine, and HOMER be able to cure Banner before Gabe Jones and his SHIELD boys bring down the house? 
"Innocent Blood" Richard Trueblood Bob Forward October 6, 1996 5
Ghost Rider comes to town, and he's tracking the Hulk! And to make matters worse, Talbot is too, and he's carrying a deadly, infectious blaster! Talbot manages to fire it at the Hulk, and the only way to save Banner's life is to make the Hulk madder than he's ever been before! 
"Man to Man, Beast to Beast" Tom Tataranowicz Len Wein October 27, 1996 6
Bruce Banner travels to Canada, hoping to find his old friend, Dr. Walter Lankowski. He does manage to find him, and the two of them attempt to rid Banner of the Hulk forever! However, Bruce discovers a horrifying secret about his friend, one which may cost him his life! 
"Doomed" Dan Thompson Bob Forward November 3, 1996 7
Bruce Banner travels to Washington D.C. to see his cousin, Jennifer Walters. However, he's being chased by the manical Dr. Doom! As a result of Doom capturing them, Jennifer requires a blood transfusion that only Bruce can administer. Soon enough, the mighty She-Hulk arrives on the scene, and she helps a mind-controlled Hulk mop the floor with Dr. Doom! 
"Fantastic Fortitude" Bob Forward November 10, 1996 8
Banner and She-Hulk go to New York hoping to find Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, so he can help cure Banner of the Hulk. However, the Fantastic Four is on vacation, except for the Thing, who She-Hulk immediately takes a liking to. Will the Thing, Hulk, and She-Hulk be able to take down the Ogress and the Leader's Gamma Warriors? 
"Mortal Bounds" Written by Bruce Reid Schaefer, Story by Greg Blair November 17, 1996 9
A gamma virus has broken out in Chicago, and the only one who can stop it is Bruce Banner! Dr. Don Blake transforms into Thor and brings the Hulk to Chicago, after a big battle. Suddenly, in the hospital, Betty is infected with an extreme dosage of the virus, and the only way the cure can be obtained is if Banner teams up with Gargoyle, the man who unleashed it in the first place. It all results in the climatic battle with Hulk and Thor versus the Abomination. 
"And the Wind Cries...Wendigo!" Meg McLaughlin November 24, 1996 10
Betty hears a report about a creature resembling the Hulk, so she heads out to investigate. However, its not the Hulk she runs into, but the famous monster called the Wendigo. Banner rushes to her aid, but is stopped by Gabe Jones and General Ross. He breaks lose, but is shackled to Ross in the process. So, Thunderbolt Ross and the Hulk have to team up and stop the Wendigo before he kills Betty! Can they do it, or will they kill each other first? 
"Darkness and Light, Part 1" Bob Forward February 2, 1997 11
Betty Ross and Doc Samson have finished their Nutrient Bath, and now all they need is the Hulk. Rick Jones and the Outcasts manage to help smuggle the Hulk onto the Gamma Base and into the lab, but will Glenn Talbot stop the prodcedure before it seperates the Hulk and Banner? Nope. 
"Darkness and Light, Part 2" Steven Granat & Cydnee Clark February 9, 1997 12
The Nutrient Bath was a success, and Banner and the Hulk have been separted. However, the Hulk now suffers from amnesia and has gone on a murderous rampage. He's soon captured by the Leader, and Gargoyle switches the Leader's intellect into the Hulk's body. Leader-Hulk attacks Gamma Base and almost destroys the Gamma Power Core. After the Hulk begins to affect his thinking, Leader returns to his old body, but due to Gargoyle's carelessness, the Hulk destroys their lab. It all ends with Banner and the Hulk ready to rumble in the desert, and only one of them will make it out alive! 
"Darkness and Light, Part 3" Greg Johnson February 16, 1997 13
The Hulk and Banner (equipped with an exo-armor) are fighting in the desert, and it seems as if the Hulk is going to win. Banner comes up with a plan to make him madder than he's ever been before, and it works. Hulk collapses to the ground, and so does Banner! It seems that their bodies can't exist without the other, and the only way to prevent death is to reverse the Nutrient Bath. Will the reconvergence work, or will the insane General Ross put a stop to it? And who's that big grey guy? 

[edit] Season 2

Image Title Writer(s) Original Airdate(s) #
"Hulk of a Different Color" Bob Forward September 21, 1997 14
The Nutrient Bath experiment has turned the gamma-irradiated Rick Jones into a teen Hulk, and changed Bruce Banner into the Gray Hulk. Thunderbolt Ross tries to kill Hulk, then is rescued by him. Later, Bruce Banner is charged with attempted murder, and She-Hulk arrives in town to defend him. Meanwhile, the Leader and the Gargoyle make a deal with Gray Hulk that will cause the capture of Rick Jones, and the suppression of Bruce Banner inside the Gray Hulk. . . forever! 
"Down Memory Lane" Meg McLaughlin September 28, 1997 15
Jennifer Walters attends her high school reunion, but she's getting awfully tired these days as She-Hulk. As Banner tries to diagnose her condition, Leader and Gargoyle attempt to capture Hulk, but Green Hulk defeats them. The Abomination gets involved, Gargoyle declares his love for She-Hulk, and Jennifer Walters finds out that she might become She-Hulk permanently! 
"Mind Over Anti-Matter" John Semper October 5, 1997 16
Dr. Strange guest-stars when a dark entity crosses over into our dimension, seeking a body strong enough to house its energies. Of course, Hulk is the strongest, so it picks Banner to take over. She-Hulk must enlist the aide of Dr. Strange to go inside Banner's mind, where the energy being is destroying the goodness inside Banner. But will they be able to convince both Gray and Green Hulk to help them on the inside of Banner's mind, when in the outside world, Banner has already reverted to the monstrous Dark Hulk? 
"They Call Me Mr. Fixit" Bob Forward October 26, 1997 17
The underworld of Chicago is changing, thanks to the arrival of the super-villainess Allure and her enforcer, Crusher Creel. Into the fray comes mob boss She-Hulk, and her number one enforcer, a Gray Hulk wearing pin-stripe suits and calling himself "Mr. Fixit." 
"Fashion Warriors" John Semper November 2, 1997 18
She-Hulk participates in a Miami charity fashion show, with Bruce cheering her on, when the Leader and Gargoyle attack with their Gamma Warriors. She-Hulk must team up with Betty Ross and a trio of tough models (Hulkie's Angels?) to recapture the skyscraper, Die Hard style. 
"Hollywood Rocks" Diane Fresco November 9, 1997 19
Asteroids are hurtling towards Earth, and Banner is trying to stop them. Unfortunately, Doctor Doom steals his equipment, and Green Hulk must stop him. Meanwhile, She-Hulk becomes a star-in-the-making when she's cast as "Greena, Warrior Princess." But not all is as it seems in Hollywood, and Doctor Doom has some evil plans to get back his kingdom of Latveria. 
"The Lost Village" Ann Knapp Austen & Douglas Sloan November 16, 1997 20
When Green Hulk rescues an elderly Chinese Man from ninjas, he is given a medallion that allows him to immediately change back and forth to Banner. He and She-Hulk travel to Tibet, where they search for the mythical lost valley of Anavrin, in the hopes that they'll finally cure Banner of the Hulk. But they are opposed by Scimitar, who wants to take control over the mythical village at any cost. 
"Mission: Incredible" Meg McLaughlin November 23, 1997 21
A female known as The Hybrid tries to take over General Ross, causing Gray Hulk and She-Hulk to team up with Agent Gabriel Jones and other members of S.H.I.E.L.D. to save an unstable Gamma Power Core at the military installation known as Sea Base. Appearances by Grey Hulk and Green Hulk lead to a resolution of sorts with General Ross and Betty. 

[edit] Fantastic Four Crossover

Main article: Fantastic Four (1994 TV series)
Image Title Writer(s) Original Airdate(s) #
"Nightmare in Green" Glenn Leopold November 25, 1995 22
Bruce Banner, the Incredible Hulk, the alienated super hero, comes to New York. The Thing gets in the way of his destructive streak, and the two duke it out. The rest of the FF comes to Ben's aide, and the Hulk can't help but ask, "Why pretty girl always try to help ugly rock creature?" 

[edit] Iron-Man Crossover

Main article: List of Iron Man episodes
Image Title Director(s) Writer(s) Original Airdate(s) #
"Hulk Buster" Bob Arkwright & Dan Thompson Francis Moss, Ted Pederson, & Greg Johnson February 10, 1996 24
One of the Mandarin's missing rings is in the desert, where it adversely reacts to solar energy, creating rifts in time, one of which snares Julia, who disappears. Iron Man recovers the ring with Dr. Bruce Banner, but they are attacked by robots who steal the ring and deliver it to The Leader. The Leader now has two rings and wants to use them to go back in time to murder the young Bruce Banner and take his place when the Gamma bomb detonates, giving him the Hulk's strength. But Iron Man, Rhodes and Banner have located The Leader's hideaway. In the struggle for one of the rings, Iron Man and Hulk disappear in a time rift. While the Hulk and Iron Man fight, Rhodes and HOMER force the Leader to bring them back. Instead, the Leader leaps through a portal with the other ring and attempts to complete his plan. 

[edit] External links

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