Doctor David Banner: physician, scientist; searching for a way to tap into the hidden strengths that all humans have. Then an accidental overdose of gamma radiation alters his body chemistry. And now, when David Banner grows angry or outraged, a startling metamorphosis occurs.
The Creature is driven by rage, and pursued by an investigative reporter.
The Creature is wanted for a murder he didn't commit. David Banner is believed to be dead; and he must let the world think that he is dead, until he can find a way to control the raging spirit that dwells within him...
The Incredible Hulk is a 1970s-vintage Live-Action Adaptation of the classic Marvel Comicscharacter, laced thoroughly with intentional Adaptation Distillation. It starred Bill Bixby as Banner and bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno as his violent super-powered alter-ego.The series was followed by three Made for TV Movies. The first was a Poorly Disguised Pilot for a Thor series, the second was a Poorly Disguised Pilot for a Daredevil series (neither of which got made), and the last ended with the Hulk being Killed Off for Real, though this was not originally the intention, as the Hulk was going to be resurrected in a fourth film. However Bill Bixby's unfortunate and untimely death put a permanent end to any further stories in this series.Oddly, despite the many radical changes made to the concept — ranging from the character's first name (depending upon who you talk to, either the producers didn't want an "alliterative comic-booky name", or they thought the first name "Bruce" sounded stereotypically gay. Though, it's also quite likely that there was another famous Bruce used as a civilian identity) all the way up to his enemies and locale — it managed to embrace and faithfully support the core idea of the original comic book. It remains one of three superhero adaptations from the 1970s that is remembered fondly to this date, the others being Wonder Woman and Superman.
The Incredible Hulk provides examples of the following tropes:
Adaptation Distillation: The show, while adding original elements and removing some themes from the comics, pretty much introduced a lot of people to the character, and the comics are probably more popular than ever. Most of the film adaptations of the character took cues from the TV Show (including the 2008 ReBoot).
Butt Monkey: David, of course. Some people go their whole lives without getting into a violent confrontation. He can't walk ten feet down the street.
Bullying a Dragon: While most of the mooks that the Hulk dealt usually did not know that David Banner and the hulk were one and the same, there are a few instances, where after it was pretty clear that this rampaging green monster could easily defeat them, these mooks still attacked the Hulk. The most egregious example is during the episode when David marries Carolyn Fields, one mook repeatedly threw several bottles at the Hulk as he was leaving. It did not end well.
Canon Foreigner: Jack McGee, the reporter pursuing the Hulk.
Canon Immigrant: The entire premise. Bruce Jones' long, successful run basically is the show (with some espionage thrown in, but that only adds to the low-key, mundane vibe).
"The Mystery Man Pts. 1 and 2". Though there is some fairly significant plot development: McGee learns that the Hulk transforms into a normal man (though one whose identity he doesn't yet know).
"Stop the Presses" counts as one as well, as it details the whys and wherefores behind Jack's continuing obsession with capturing the Hulk, and actually made him seem somewhat more humanized, as we see him desperately trying to convince the paper's new boss that he has to continue his crusade to bring the creature in. Both to put an end to the creature, and hopefully to cure the man behind the monster, whom he's come to see as an individual who is as much a victim of the creature as the people he believes the Hulk murdered — despite not realizing that one of the people he believes was killed by the Hulk IS the Hulk.
Comic Book Movies Don't Use Codenames: A non-film example. You can count on one hand the amount of times the name "Hulk" is used. Almost Literally. David goes throughout almost the entire series never using the name beyond one or two episodes tops. Presumably, the only reason he even uses it is because the paper Jack McGee works for has more or less popularized the name. Most of the time he refers to the Hulk as "The Creature" while McGee and everyone else who knows of the creature are known to call it The Hulk, though they also sometimes call it The Creature as well.
Criminal Doppelgänger: An episode had David Banner cross paths with a criminal who looked exactly like him (Bill Bixby with a mustache). Despite trying to frame Banner, the criminal was caught by police and attempted to weasel out of it by saying, "There's a guy who looks exactly like me." The police dismissed the idea as inane.
Cursed with Awesome: As much as his hulk condition has made David's life a complete shambles as a fugitive, the only reason he survives his adventures, or recovers from paralysis, is by transforming into the Hulk in times of need.
Dead Person Impersonation: Renee in "Haunted", whose twin sister drowned when they were children; she pretended to be the dead sister because everyone liked her more.
Downer Ending: The Hulk falls out of a plane and transforms back into David, who dies. All of his years of searching for a cure were in vain, the only way he could be free from his condition was to die. To make this already depressing ending even worse, there was a script written for a sequel in which the Hulk would be revived with Banner's mind. However, due to Bill Bixby's declining health and eventual death, it was never made.
Excuse Me Coming Through: Averted due to a mindboggling case of Obfuscating Stupidity. One would tend to think that two mutated giants duking it out on the middle of a crowded area would cause people to clear out in a hurry. Not so much.
Get Thee to a Nunnery: Bruce's name was changed to David, since apparently execs in the '70s thought the former made him sound gay. This is utterly baffling these days.
Healing Factor: While not as dramatic in as the original comic, the Hulk can recover from nearly any injury and with incredible speed. This is most obvious in the episode where Banner was paralyzed and then transforms; you see the Hulk flop around unable to understand why he can't stand while his healing power obviously goes into overdrive repairing his severed spine to enable the Hulk to walk within seconds.
Heroic BSOD: David goes into one in "The Psychic" when he sees that a teenager the Hulk had attacked died in the hospital. David, who had always clung to the belief that the Hulk would not kill anyone, is driven to the brink of suicide until he finds out the Hulk didn't do it.
Hunting the Most Dangerous Game: One classic episode had Banner trapped on an island with a wealthy retired hunter who becomes delighted when he first sees the transformation:
"I saw that beast you turned into David, unbelievable! What was it, how do you do it? It was magnificent, David, magnificent! Make it come back? You hear me, David! Make it come back!"
Intrepid Reporter: Jack McGee is a complicated example. McGee may be chasing a tabloid-like tale of a giant green monster (and gets mocked for it by his colleagues), but he's keen on reporting the truth. On occasion he reports on other breaking news and scandals that deserve coverage. Furthermore, when a hunter offers to kill the Hulk, McGee is the most adamant against that for the sake of the human containing the creature. Other episodes show his fellow journalists in less-than-flattering lights.
Jekyll and Hyde: In "Deathmask," police officer Frank Rhodes is pursuing a man who murders college co-eds, and comes to believe David is the killer, not realizing that it's actually himself.
Mugging the Monster: Very, very, often, as it happens to Banner/Hulk in other media. It's one of the most frequent triggers that causes David's transformation, and what leads many Mooks to the Oh Crap trope mentioned below.
Obfuscating Stupidity: Sometimes David felt it best to hide his education. Not everyone was fooled.
Oh Crap: The usual reaction by the Mooks in each episode when they are beating up on Banner and suddenly a giant green monster appears with a tremendous roar.
The TV movies The Incredible Hulk Returns and Trial of the Incredible Hulk were obvious pilots for undeveloped TV series for Thor and Daredevil respectively.
The episode "The Disciple" was potentially a pilot for a series about the martial artist private detective played by Rick Springfield. It never got off the ground.
Pro Wrestling Is Real: In one episode, David had a job as a trainer/medic at a pro wrestling arena. The wrestlers got along with each other well enough, but inside the ring it was all real.
Punishment Box: In the episode "The Slam". David gets put in one. Strangely enough, he doesn't Hulk Out. Another prisoner in the box next door tells him how to survive: find a rock to suck on, put your head in the least exposed place possible, and don't move around.
Rage Breaking Point: Hilariously used when David was trying to report to the police, and the operator had him go through several operations to reach the police. Of course this happened:
Operator: Please deposit 25 cents for the first three minutes. David:(looking through his change) I don't have 25 cents!!
Bad enough when he hulks out in anger as a result.
Rashomon-Style: In "Of Guilt, Models and Murder", David comes out of a Hulk episode next to a dead body, and subsequently hears several different accounts of how the woman was killed.
Recycled In Space: Many of the people who look back on the show today are quick to point out, favorably, that the show was basically Kung Fuwith superpowers!
Split Personality: Not necessarily. The Hulk is still David Banner, just regressed to an animalistic state. Which is why the Hulk refuses to kill people, and protects and responds to people who are important to David.
Themed Aliases: David Banner always used a last name that started with a B. David Banner to David Bradley, etc. The only time he didn't use that was when he ran in to his Identical Stranger, a mobster named Mike Cassidy, and he tried to use that to get out of a scrape. Banner uses the Mike Cassidy alias when he comes face-to-face with his personal Inspector Javert, Jack McGee, who up until the moment he sees him thinks Banner is dead. Banner uses one of his usual aliases when running into the mobsters looking for Cassidy, but they don't believe him.
Tranquillizer Dart: Intrepid Reporter Jack McGee at one point has a tranq gun to use on the Hulk. Sure enough, the Hulk shows up and McGee shoots him, to seemingly no effect even though he uses several darts. After the Hulk grabs & destroys the gun and runs off, he starts being affected. It manages to avertInstant Sedation. McGee accidentally shoots himself, but he's able to chase the Hulk for a little while before he falls unconscious.
Wicked Stepmother: "Death In the Family" has one. After David finds out the whole family history, the Damsel in Distress of the episode was to die with her father because her stepmother wanted the family fortunte. The girl survives, but was told she cannot walk due to the "accident", and thus, overloading her with medication. After David and the girl manages to report to the authorities, she, alongside with her Mooks, are presumely sent to prison for attempted murder.
Wolverine Publicity: The Hulk also appeared in pilots for Spinoffs based on Daredevil and Thor in an obvious effort to boost their popularity. Neither show ended up being produced.
Wouldn't Hurt a Child: In many instances whenever he Hulks out he never hurts a child. However he does hurt said child's father for attacking him. The mother on the other hand he just either stares or runs away.
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