The Beast Within

DVD, The Incredible Hulk (The Beast Within)

Dr. Banner goes somewhere with a specific purpose this time, though we know what's going to happen from the first few seconds, thanks to the teaser flashing up clips from the episode, something I haven't yet got used to! So it wasn't a secret that Carl was going to be a bad guy and David was going to end up Hulking-out, but from the early scenes in the episode I thought this could have deeper characterisation than that - Joe the keeper, whom David is assistant to, has a personality, so what happens? He's not in most of the story. And Carl, with his carefully managed show of dominance when we first meet him (chronologically), heralded more than just another money-driven crook. And he turns into nothing more than a lackey to bully David, and even that's not open. So I would say this was the weakest story so far, and cute animals couldn't save it. I never believe in setting episodes in a zoo (when valuables were exchanged inside the snack, it reminded me of 'The Champions' episode 'To Trap A Rat' which also happened at a zoo!), because they all look so similar, the environment a bit dull, and you're restricted with what you can do with the animals, though it was brave of Bixby to be in a cave habitat with bare feet and a young Tiger cub, even if it was sleepy - look out for a keeper's head when the camera pans over the adult Tiger's lair, you can just see the top, presumably a safety precaution in case the Tiger bounded over to the filming, not approving of a TV career for its little one!).

Restrictions didn't stop them from having a full-sized Gorilla on board! I joke, of course, the guy in the Gorilla suit had to go (see 'Star Trek: Generations'). It was fine when the creature was waddling round inside a cage, or slumped in a chair, the costume was pretty good, like a more realistic version of 'Planet of The Apes,' and that makeup was on a film budget. No, it was in the first Hulk-out where we have a 'fight' between greenie and Elliott the Gorilla which was more like an old-fashioned Godzilla battle, with all of the subtlety. Elliott became laughable, and while it was fun to see Hulk throwing filing cabinets around, I hope it didn't scare all the little monkeys in the cages dotted around! This in no way compared to the fight with the grizzly in 'Death in The Family,' though it had the same unfortunate humour as chucking that creature through the air had. Another thing that bothered me was the flickery image in that scene, coming from the style of showing Hulk in slow motion to give him weight. Usually it's fine, but for some reason, probably the lighting, it gave a faint strobe effect. It was one of two technical problems with the episode, the other being a shimmery line on the left of the scene with the 'dead' Chimpanzee. They were only small things, but added to the uninspired location and character lack, it didn't promote the episode to great heights.

What did work was David meeting someone who, for once, already knew his work, and what's more, had continued his research to try and find an anti-aggression drug, the very reason why he's rolled up and got a job at this zoo, since he'd read Dr. Claudia Baxter's work. Fortunate then, that she hadn't seen a picture of him, despite knowing he'd died! As usual, regardless of social circumstances, this time he being a lowly cage cleaner, and she a research scientist, he hits it off thanks to his easy nature and intelligent conversation. He might have had an able and willing ally this time, much like the woman who was killed in the first pilot, only reporter McGee is hot on the trail as soon as Hulk makes his presence felt. I realised with this that McGee is always going to be late to the episode since it usually takes a while before Banner goes berserk. Not that it's a bad thing, but there's the danger that stories could become too formulaic. What am I talking about, 'could become'? It all happened back in the seventies, a time when episodic, formulaic TV was the rule. I shouldn't expect too much from old series', and usually I don't.

There was some actual suspense when Baxter asks David to get rid of the reporter who's on his way up thanks to the dozy secretary that let him through, and you wonder what he'll do - jump dramatically out of a window; hide; go out and confront his nemesis? It was too early to reveal the truth to McGee, I'm sure it will happen at some point, but not yet. So he uses his persuasive good sense to get Baxter to face up to her problems and deal with the man herself, initiating a lecture about running away, the irony of which I'm sure wasn't lost on Banner (calling himself Bradburn this time). The intellectual nature of this week's friend meant that we actually got some insight into the Hulk for a change: that he has a primitive skull structure, something I'd not considered before. But he is Neanderthal in features and behaviour, always willing to attack other males, but soft, gentle and protective toward females. A good observation from Baxter, well done.

I like seeing how different people react to the Hulk. We'd seen a young girl terrified of this giant man in the first pilot, but there's one in the zoo who's completely unafraid, handing out peanuts to what she thinks is another attraction! Maybe it was the context of meeting him in a place full of wild and dangerous animals, or perhaps she was too young to have developed a fear. Either way, it seems to be whatever a person brings is how they'll react, so someone evil, intent on doing bad things, like Carl, assumes the worst when he sees a huge green monster thumping towards him (I can understand that!), because doing the worst to others is what he expects from his own intentions. That second, and final Hulk-out was okay, with the running through the woods and throwing Carl (though the stunt man appeared to be wearing different clothes to the actor!), but I didn't buy that Dr. Malone was knocked out by the incredible force of… a piece of rope snapping near him! Banner goes green (without Malone noticing), then pulls his bonds apart, and what? The gust of air throws Malone off-balance?

So there were the usual inconsistencies or nitpicks, but that's never the measure of how well an episode works. It's all about story and character - no matter what happens, if you get that right, the audience is sold. That was the case with 'Final Round,' but not here, though by the end there is a small hope for the future: Claudia has been promoted to take Malone's place, so she won't have time to work on the miracle drug that could save Banner, but he does at least leave her with a suggestion of what to do next. He could never have revealed his identity to her at that time, though I entertained the thought of him writing his real name on her cast. With McGee around that would have been a stupid thing to do, but while I didn't think she was as good as his first assistant, she could have, and could be, in future, a valuable ally in his quest. Not sure if they'll ever bring people back as that could undermine the sad, lonely impression we always have at the end, of a man moving on, but knowing how long the series lasted, you never know.

**