MovieChat Forums > The Incredible Hulk (1978) Discussion > The series finale episode speculation an...

The series finale episode speculation and analysis?

posted 8 years ago by hgohari73
15 replies | jump to latest

Hi all! When Kenneth Johnson wanted a proper series finale, exactly what did he envision how the series would end? Would it be a 2 parter like the first, prometheus etc..? And would it have been something cool like prometheus banner stuck in mid transformation or the first another hulk. How do you all think the series finale would have played out? An in depth analysis would really be welcomed and appreciated! Since Kenneth Johnston haden't had the details at that point before the series got rudely cancelled!

[–] glynis23-282-577521 8 years ago

Think it would've been Banner caught, proven he's not a killer and cured.

[–] AutoexecBatman 8 years ago

Did he want a definitive series finale?

That wasn't common in the 70's, and when the producers of the MASH TV series wanted to make a final episode that would end the Korean war and send everyone home, they had to fight the network because the network didn't want it, they argued that having a definitive finale harmed the show's prospects in syndication. The classic example was The Fugitive, which was one of the most successful TV series of all time up to that point, and the series finale brought the story to an end with the mystery being solved and Richard Kimble cleared of his wife's murder, and then it failed to get big ratings in syndication. So the networks took away from that the message 'never give a definitive conclusion to a TV series because it will hurt the show's prospects in syndication.'

[–] stephdumas 7 years ago

I heard another rumor about the Fugitive, the last season rating was less stellar and ABC decided to not renew it, so they go with a proper finale.

[–] AutoexecBatman 7 years ago

The ratings in the fourth season were still strong, and in fact, the final episode was, until the MASH finale in 1982, the highest rated program of all time, but there is no doubt that the show was starting to run out of gas, the fourth season of The Fugitive is like the third season of the original Star Trek, there are some really good episodes, some really hideously bad episodes, and a whole lot of mediocre ones. I don't think there was ever a threat of cancellation, but bringing the show to a conclusion at that point was clearly the right thing to do.

[–] mcdemuth 7 years ago

they had to fight the network because the network didn't want it, they argued that having a definitive finale harmed the show's prospects in syndication.

I don't understand how knowing the show has an ending could hurt "Sydication".

Most people would know the show is being re-run... or information from fans or newspapers would get out... It really wouldn't be a secret that there is a finale.

Take Star Trek Voyager. A ship stranded on the other side of the Galaxy trying to get home. In the final episode, OF SEASON 7, it gets home.

If you are watching an episode from SEASON 3, knowing that the ship will eventually get home, doesn't change anything about the story you are watching that took place 4 years earlier...

If fact, I would think syndication would hurt a show, even if there was no ending...

Watching any episode of Voyager, or even the Incredible Hulk, we know there is no solution to the main plot, because we are only in SEASON 3 of "X" Seasons...

David Banner CAN'T be cured or the show would have come to an end, right there... and yet, there are still 2 more seasons of shows...

So, why watch and episode like "The First" in syndication? When we know all that talk about a cure, won't cure David. Because there is more episodes in the series.

In Star Trek Voyager... Even if the ship is about to be destroyed in a Season Cliffhanger... You know it can't be, because there are more episodes and another season. So how can anyone really is in any danger?

When a show first airs, you go from episode to episode, never knowing when it will end, or what will happen a few years later. Things are different.

[–] AutoexecBatman 7 years ago

I think the reason why there were concerns about a definitive finale hurting the series prospects in syndication is similar to the bias against serialization, they worry about having to show episodes in a particular order.

Today, series shown in syndication are almost always shown in broadcast order, so the old bias against doing so seems odd. But in the 70's, shows were often shown in syndication in a random or apparently random order. You might get an episode from the first season on Monday and an episode from the fourth season on Tuesday, and it wouldn't matter because there was no serialization and the basic premise of the show never changed from one season to the next, so no one would notice, and local stations liked to have the freedom to show whatever episode they wanted, whenever they wanted.

The assumption was that people didn't necessarily watch a syndicated show every day, if a shown had to be shown in a particular order, then people who don't watch every day might not be able to understand what is going.

Having a definitive final episode creates the problem that there is an episode that they can't just show any episode whenever they want, they would have to show the episodes in a particular order.

Of course, today, most TV series, even sitcoms, are serialized, so the bias against having to watch episodes in a certain order seems weird to us today.

[–] hgohari73 8 years ago

Actually if memory serves Kenneth Johnson in one of his interviews did want to do a series finale having Banner found, on trial regarding the death of Eliana Marks, and been cured. I guess my question is since the tv station rudely cancelled the TV show, how do you all thing Kenneth Johnson's series finale story would play out? I mean the hows. How would Banner be found? How would he be cured, how would it play out withMcgee finding Banner alive and well? Lets get some good opinoins form the boards!

[–] AaronCapenBanner 8 years ago

Kenneth Johnson tried to convince the network(CBS)to let him produce a final 5 or 7 episodes to wrap the series up, but was turned down.

If allowed to produce those episodes, they may have formed a story arc of some kind(like the military resuming their pursuit of the Hulk after the events of 'Prometheus') David could have been captured and persuaded to cooperate with the goal of finding a cure/learning to control the Hulk, but an informant in the military decides to cash in on the reward and calls Mr. McGee who brings in the police, which forces a standoff between the two sides which is resolved by David agreeing to go on trial for the death of Elaina Marks.

When McGee finally learns that David Banner is indeed the Hulk, he is guilt stricken when he either remembers that he inadvertently caused the accident, or that fact is learned some other way. A scientist working with David finds the means of reversing the metamorphosis, but one final danger nearly ruins things, though this time the cure is not lost, and David is finally cured, resolving to put his wandering days behind him so that he can work within the scientific/military community in order to study(and prevent) a re-emergence of the Hulk.

The last scene would have Mr. McGee asking David to forgive him after his five-year pursuit, and David of course accepts his apology, and offers his hand in friendship, though Jack adds with a knowing smile, "I'll still have to remember to not make you angry...why take a chance!" David laughs and says, "Good idea."

The Lonely man theme then plays, though in a more upbeat manner, signifying the happy resolution to the series.

[–] donnymckinnon-98722 8 years ago

Yeah such a shame they couldn't have some kind of a ending or series finale where he finds a cure but I think a lot of shows never had series finales back then, they never ended the way they should have, the Brady Bunch is another one that didn't have a series finale, same thing with Gilligins Island, they got cancelled, but if any show needed a proper ending its definitely this one, I desperately wanted him to find a cure so bad, it would have been such a satisfying conclusion, this was my favorite show when I was a little kid but I've come to appreciate it more now as an adult, it really was one of a kind, they will never make another show like this ever ever again, a true classic.

[–] packtherac 7 years ago

I saw some episode sheet on some Hulk website a few years back and, according to this particular website, THE FIRST I/II was supposed to the series finale and the show would end with no cure found.

Again, take it with a grain of salt.

[–] johnnybear (146) 5 years ago

The First parts 1 and 2 were the final episodes to be shot production wise so I guess that part of it is true! ;)

[–] AutoexecBatman 7 years ago

The Brady Bunch actually did have a series finale of sorts: Greg graduates from high school and announces plans to move out of the house and go to college. With the family thus broken up, it seems clear that there was nowhere else for the series to go and it can be regarded as a finale to the series.

[–] 7 years ago

[deleted]

[–] millsey72 (9636) a year ago

We got a finale in a made for TV movie titled The Death of the Incredible Hulk

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7449) a year ago

I hadn't seen a lot of the series. As a kid my first intro to it was funnily enough Death of the Incredible Hulk. Then a few years after that my mom bought me a VHS of the pilot. Then later I saw Incredible Hulk Returns and Trial of the Incredible Hulk.