Is the show really a Hulk adaptation?
I don't think it's an adaptation at all it's more of in name only adaptation and basic concept only.
shareThink more like "An Interpretation"
share
MovieChat Forums > The Incredible Hulk (1977) Discussion > Is the show really a Hulk adaptation?
I got the sense that Kenneth Johnson, the showrunner didn't really like comics. He was one of those people who probably saw it as a juvenile, children's medium. And it was quite understandable because at the time, the only real precedents (at least on television) that we had were the campy Adam West Batman TV series from the '60s and the old George Reeves Superman series. There was also the Wonder Woman TV series with Lynda Carter from around the same time. Johnson on his end, was more inspired by Les Misérables and maybe The Fugitive (the Incredible Hulk actually owes more to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein's monster) than he was on Marvel Comics.
shareBill Bixby is the ONLY Banner for me. This may be because the TV show is more about the pathos of Banner’s search for a cure than about Hulk smashing things. I do not care at all for the Marvel movie versions.
shareWell then you probably would hate that my first intro to Hulk was the 80s Hulk cartoon and when later introduced to this show, I didn't like it as much. I have a soft spot for it since my mom liked it and because they put Thor and Daredevil in the sequel movies. But as an adaptation it does suffer from not adapting it with actual characters from comics. Also I did not like the episode in season 2 where they have him get married and then have his wife die right after. That was a jerk move on the writers.
share“Married”. It earned Mariette Hartley an emmy. I still remember her mostly for her commercials with James Garner. That was a sad episode, 1st of the second season.
shareProbably not, but I didn’t read comic books growing up so my earliest memories of the Hulk are all around this show. I’d guess I’m not alone.
shareProblem is when they change something for the movie or TV show people end up thinking the source material is exactly like it.
shareAnd I admit, it's why neither of the Hulk movies were successful since so many people automatically hated them due to it being nothing like that show. But nothing can change it. My mom does not like the actual story of the comics either since this show introduced her to the character.
shareShows people can never ever get out of the TV show, it's the blueprint of all things Hulk.
share