History Recap / TheIncredibleHulk1977Pilot

'''David:''' (''agitated'') ''Mr. [=McGee=]!'' (''beat'', ''manages to calm down'') Mr. [=McGee=].... don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.

* EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference: While not as jarring as some other examples, the Hulk looks noticeably different than he does later in the series, as his hair is slightly longer, his eyebrows are bigger and stick out further, and his skin has a bit darker tone of green. His look was subtly toned down after the second pilot and became more or less set in stone in the series proper, with the fourth episode bring the final time remnants of the original design are present.

* EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference: While not as jarring as some other examples, the Hulk looks noticeably different than he does later in the series, as his hair is slightly longer, his eyebrows are bigger and stick out further, and his skin has a bit darker tone of green. His look was subtly toned down in the second pilot and became more or less set in stone in the series proper, with the fourth episode bring the final time remnants of the original design are present.

* EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference: While not as jarring as some other examples, the Hulk looks noticeably different than he does later in the series, as his hair is slightly longer, his eyebrows are bigger and stick out further, and his skin has a bit darker tone of green. His look was subtly toned down in the second pilot and became more or less set in stone in the series proper.

->- A proverb from the opening title card

** Likewise, the scene where the injured Hulk looks at his reflection is an homage to ''Film/BrideOfFrankenstein''.

Research scientist David Banner (Creator/BillBixby), haunted by the loss of his wife Laura in a automobile accident, studies alongside fellow researcher Elaina Marks (Creator/SusanSullivan) the phenomenon of regular humans suddenly becoming capable of great strength during duress. Upon learning that gamma radiation emitted in sunspots had affected his cases' DNA structure, David decides to subject himself with a concentrated dose of gamma rays to help increase his capacity of strength. Unbeknownst to him, the machine he uses had been re-calibrated and it ends up giving him a much higher dose than expected.

'''David Banner:''' You're letting your imagination run away with you. Now, I have never ''seen'' this creature that you're talking about.\\

'''David:''' (''agitated'') Mr. [=McGee=]! (''beat'', ''manages to calm down'') Mr. [=McGee=].... don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.

* MirrorReveal: After his first transformation into the Hulk and back again, David sees his reflection in the edge of a stream and notices something different about himself for a brief moment. Later recounting the event to Dr. Marks, he says, "My eyes were white." Little did he know...

** The scene where the Hulk meets the little girl is a homage to the first Universal Film/Frankenstein1931 movie.
** Likewise, the scene where the injuried Hulk looks at his reflection is an homage to Film/BrideOfFrankenstein.

** Likewise, the scene where the injuried Hulk looks at his reflection is an homage to Film/TheBrideOfFrankenstein.

Research scientist David Banner, haunted by the loss of his wife Laura in a automobile accident, studies alongside fellow researcher Elaina Marks the phenomenon of regular humans suddenly becoming capable of great strength during duress. Upon learning that gamma radiation emitted in sunspots had affected his cases' DNA structure, David decides to subject himself with a concentrated dose of gamma rays to help increase his capacity of strength. Unbeknownst to him, the machine he uses had been re-calibrated and it ends up giving him a much higher dose than expected.

When it seems like nothing had changed, a frustrated David heads to his car to return home, in the middle of a torrential thunderstorm. However, his tire blows and he has to fix it. The increasing anger over his (seemingly) failed experiment and inability to replace his tire amidst an unrelenting downpour ends up boiling over and it causes a strange transformation. David morphs into a muscular, primitive green-skinned giant driven by pure rage and is inhumanly strong. The creature that was once David Banner demolishes the car and wanders into the woods.

Now learning that a strong emotional reaction (usually anger) is what causes the transformation, David and Elaina debate whether or not the creature can be a threat; David believes that the creature has little to no emotional control and could kill someone while Elaina believes that, despite his destructive nature, he is still David in some way and won't kill anyone. They soon attempt to find a way to cure him of his condition. Jack [=McGee=], a tabloid reporter the scientists have encountered before, comes to the institute with a state trooper. He relates a story told by the hunter and his daughter of a "big hulk" who terrorized them and wonders if they know anything about it, which they deny. However, [=McGee=] grows suspicious of the two and sneaks into their lab. Hiding in the closet, he overhears David and Elaina talking about leaving the Institute and experiment in a safer place, with Dr. Banner suggesting creating a fortified radiation vault to hold their "friend" if he ends up coming out. The scientists quickly catch [=McGee=] eavesdropping and David escorts him out of the building, but not before the snooping reporter accidentally knocks some dangerous chemicals over.

As David and [=McGee=] almost have a tense discussion, which is quickly ended by the former cryptically warning him to not make him angry, the chemicals leak into a pile of sacks labelled "DANGER". As soon as Elaina notices this, the building ''explodes'' and knocks the two men down. David rushes to the burning building to rescue Elaina, but the fires are too strong and intense. The fires triggers his transformation into the creature, who notices Elaina unconscious and trapped in rubble. He leaps into the building, lifts the rubble off her and carries her out of the building. As the two wander in the forest, Elaina soon dies from her injuries in the fire, but not before admitting to David's other half that she had always loved the man and always will. The creature howls in anguish before leaving her body behind.

Days later, an injured Jack attends the funerals for Drs. Marks and Banner. Upon witnessing the creature, that he now dubs the "Incredible Hulk" carry Elaina out of the fire earlier, he assumes that he is responsible for their deaths and wrote a story about it for his paper. He even admits to a co-worker of theirs that he gave the Hulk's description to various law enforcement agencies and that, once captured, he will be considered the biggest story in the century. As everyone leaves the proceedings, David soon walks up to Elaina's gravestone, telling her that he loved her as well....even though she never said the same (he doesn't remember that Elaina ''did'' say it to him, but only when he was the Hulk). Carrying nothing but a dufflebag, David walks away, beginning his years-long trek to find a cure for his terrible condition.

* PilotMovie: It originally aired as a two hour TV film, along with ''[[Recap/TheIncredibleHulkDeathInTheFamily Death in the Family]]''.