The Incredible Hulk (1996 TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Incredible Hulk |
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| Genre | Superhero Action Adventure Drama |
| Developed by | UPN Studios |
| Starring |
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| Narrated by | Richie Johnson (episode 2 opening narration) |
| Composer(s) | Shuki Levy Kussa Mahchi Dean Grinsfelder |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 21 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Avi Arad Stan Lee Rick Ungar |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
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| Release | |
| Original network | UPN |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original release | September 8, 1996 – November 23, 1997 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | The Incredible Hulk (1982 TV series) |
The Incredible Hulk is an American animated TV show about the Marvel Comics character, the Hulk. It aired for two seasons, with 21 episodes, on the UPN network from 1996 to 1997. Lou Ferrigno, who played the Hulk in the live-action TV show from 1978 to 1982, was the voice of the Hulk in this cartoon.
The show often featured other Marvel characters. In the second season, the show's style changed. UPN thought the first season was too dark. To attract more female viewers, they made She-Hulk a regular character. Because of this, the show was renamed The Incredible Hulk and She-Hulk. The second season also showed the Grey Hulk, who had appeared briefly in season one.
Contents
What the Show is About
Season 1: The Green Hulk on the Run
The first season starts with Dr. Robert Bruce Banner already known as the Hulk. He is trying to get rid of his Hulk powers but fails. The military captures him, but he escapes. He then falls into the hands of the evil Leader. The Leader has powerful helpers like Gargoyle and Abomination.
Bruce's friends, Rick Jones and Betty Ross, help him. Betty and Doc Samson are trying to find a cure for Bruce. Bruce turns into the Hulk whenever he gets angry. After escaping the Leader, the Hulk becomes a fugitive again. Betty's father, General Ross, a tough military leader, keeps trying to capture the Hulk. However, in one episode, Hulk and General Ross even work together to save Betty from a monster called the Wendigo.
General Ross is a general who sends his army and special Hulkbusters teams to catch the Hulk. He even fights the Hulk himself. Glenn Talbot is General Ross's assistant and likes Betty Ross, but she doesn't like him because he dislikes Bruce Banner and the Hulk.
As Bruce travels, he meets other super-powered people. He even has to team up with the Gargoyle to find a cure for a sickness that almost harms Betty. Bruce's cousin, Jennifer Walters, gets badly hurt by Doctor Doom. Bruce gives her a blood transfusion, which turns her into the She-Hulk. Jennifer loves her new powers and stays as She-Hulk all the time.
Many characters from other Marvel cartoons appeared. War Machine from the Iron Man cartoon helped Rick Jones find Tony Stark. Sasquatch appeared when Bruce went to Canada seeking a cure. He found his friend, Dr. Walter Langkowski, had also turned into a beast.
Doctor Doom appeared in two episodes, fighting She-Hulk. The Fantastic Four also appeared in an episode. Reed Richards and Ben Grimm from the Fantastic Four cartoon voiced their characters again. She-Hulk even flirted with the Thing!
Thor also appeared, helping Bruce cure a gamma-related sickness.
Throughout the first season, several stories continued:
- Betty and Doc Samson try to create a special bath to separate Bruce from the Hulk.
- The Leader and Gargoyle's friendship keeps changing. Gargoyle, who wants a cure for his own mutation, sometimes helps Bruce.
- The Leader creates powerful mutant Gamma Warriors using the Hulk's DNA.
- General Ross works with Agent Gabriel Jones from S.H.I.E.L.D.. Agent Jones wants to destroy the Hulk.
These stories come together in the three-part season finale, "Darkness and Light." Betty's plan works, and Bruce and the Hulk are separated. The Hulk becomes mindless, and Bruce feels responsible. The Leader tries to take the Hulk's power, but it makes him crazy. He gives the power back to the Hulk.
In the finale, Rick Jones falls into the special bath and gets gamma powers, becoming a young Hulk. He is later cured. General Ross gets very sick after Agent Jones betrays him. Bruce Banner also gets sick because he is separated from the Hulk. His friends realize Bruce and the Hulk must merge again to survive.
Ross tries to stop the re-merge experiment. He throws Rick into the vat with Bruce and the Hulk. The experiment goes wrong. Rick becomes a gamma-powered Hulk-like person and runs away. Bruce Banner suddenly turns into the Grey Hulk.
Season 2: The Grey Hulk and She-Hulk
The Incredible Hulk and She-Hulk starts right after season one. The Grey Hulk is in the mountains, with General Ross still chasing him. They fight, causing an avalanche. Ross falls into a coma, and Bruce Banner is arrested. Rick Jones is still causing trouble as a Hulk-like creature.
Bruce's cousin, Jennifer (She-Hulk), helps him in court. She helps defend the courthouse from the Leader and helps Rick turn back to normal. After this, Bruce and Jennifer travel together, trying to stay hidden.
Season two had fewer long stories. The main things that continued were:
- General Ross is in the hospital.
- Gargoyle shows he likes She-Hulk a lot.
- Betty Ross and Rick Jones are not as involved in the main story.
- Bruce Banner becomes calmer and no longer tries to cure himself of being the Hulk.
- The Grey Hulk and the Green Hulk fight for control inside Bruce's mind.
In this season, Bruce and Jennifer team up with characters like Doctor Strange. They also fight Doctor Doom again. In one episode, She-Hulk temporarily changes back to Jennifer at her high school reunion. In "Mind Over Anti-Matter," She-Hulk and Doctor Strange go into Bruce Banner's mind when he is controlled by an evil alien. She-Hulk makes jokes about Doctor Strange's name. The Grey Hulk's "Mr. Fixit" personality also appeared briefly.
This season won an Emmy Award for "best audio editing" for the episode "The Lost Village."
Characters and Voices
Here are some of the main characters and the actors who voiced them:
- Neal McDonough – Dr. Bruce Banner
- Lou Ferrigno – Green Hulk
- Michael Donovan – Grey Hulk (Season 2)
- Genie Francis – Betty Ross (Season 1)
- Philece Sampler – Betty Ross (Season 2)
- Luke Perry – Rick Jones
- John Vernon – General Thunderbolt Ross
- Kevin Schon – Major Glenn Talbot, Abomination (Season 1), Zzzax (Season 1)
- Matt Frewer – Leader
- Mark Hamill – Yuri Topolov / Gargoyle
- Kathy Ireland – Ogress
- Richard Moll – Abomination (Season 2)
- Thom Barry – Agent Gabriel Jones
- Lisa Zane – Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk (Season 1)
- Cree Summer – Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk (Season 2)
Behind the Scenes
- Stu Rosen - Casting Director
- Tom Tatranowicz - Voice Director (Season 1)
- Jamie Simone - Voice Director (Season 2)
Episodes Guide
Season 1 (1996–1997)
| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
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| 1 | 1 | "Return of the Beast, Part 1" | Richard Trueblood | Bob Forward | September 8, 1996 | |
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Bruce Banner tries to get rid of the Hulk again but is captured. The evil Leader sends Abomination to get Banner.
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| 2 | 2 | "Return of the Beast, Part 2" | Leo Sullivan | Bob Forward | September 15, 1996 | |
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The Hulk escapes and meets gamma-mutated creatures. Abomination finds him and takes him to the Leader.
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| 3 | 3 | "Raw Power" | Dan Thompson | Jess Winfield | September 22, 1996 | |
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Another attempt to get rid of the Hulk turns a friend of Banner's into the electric monster Zzzax.
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| 4 | 4 | "Helping Hand, Iron Fist" | Ernesto Lopez | Stewart St. John | September 29, 1996 | |
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Banner seeks Tony Stark's help, but the Hulk has amnesia. The Hulkbusters and Agent Gabe Jones arrive to capture Banner.
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| 5 | 5 | "Innocent Blood" | Richard Trueblood | Bob Forward | October 6, 1996 | |
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The Hulk is chased by the hero Ghost Rider and Talbot, who has a new weapon.
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| 6 | 6 | "Man to Man, Beast to Beast" | Tom Tataranowicz | Len Wein | October 27, 1996 | |
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In Canada, Banner meets his friend Walter Langkowski, who has a secret: he also turns into a beast, Sasquatch.
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| 7 | 7 | "Doomed" | Dan Thompson | Bob Forward | November 3, 1996 | |
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Bruce visits his cousin Jen Walters. Doctor Doom captures Banner and controls the Hulk. A blood transfusion turns Jen into the She-Hulk.
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| 8 | 8 | "Fantastic Fortitude" | Tom Tataranowicz Ernesto Lopez |
Bob Forward | November 10, 1996 | |
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Banner and Jen try to find the Fantastic Four, but only the Thing is there. They need his help when the Leader and his Gamma Warriors attack.
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| 9 | 9 | "Mortal Bounds" | Ernesto Lopez | Bruce Reid Schaefer (teleplay), Greg Blair (story) | November 17, 1996 | |
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Banner might be the only one to cure a gamma virus that Gargoyle accidentally created. The Hulk needs Thor's help.
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| 10 | 10 | "And the Wind Cries... Wendigo!" | Tom Tataranowicz Richard Trueblood |
Meg McLaughlin | November 24, 1996 | |
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The Hulk and General Ross must work together to save Betty from a supernatural beast called the Wendigo.
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| 11 | 11 | "Darkness and Light, Part 1" | Tom Tataranowicz Ernesto Lopez |
Bob Forward | February 2, 1997 | |
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Betty and Doc Samson separate Banner and the Hulk. But the Hulk becomes mindless, and the Leader wants to control him.
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| 12 | 12 | "Darkness and Light, Part 2" | Ernesto Lopez Richard Trueblood |
Steven Granat & Cydnee Clark | February 9, 1997 | |
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The Leader captures the mindless Hulk and tries to take his power, but his plan goes wrong.
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| 13 | 13 | "Darkness and Light, Part 3" | Ernesto Lopez Dick Sebast |
Greg Johnson | February 16, 1997 | |
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Banner and the Hulk fight, but their separation is harming them. They must rejoin. Ross tries to stop it, causing Rick to become a Teen Hulk and Bruce to become the Gray Hulk.
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Season 2 (1997)
| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
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| 14 | 1 | "Hulk of a Different Color" | Ron Myrick | Bob Forward | September 21, 1997 | |
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Ross fights the new Gray Hulk, leading to Ross falling into a coma and Banner being arrested. She-Hulk helps her cousin.
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| 15 | 2 | "Down Memory Lane" | Ron Myrick | Meg McLaughlin | September 28, 1997 | |
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She-Hulk's high school reunion is interrupted when Gargoyle and Abomination attack.
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| 16 | 3 | "Mind Over Anti-Matter" | Ron Myrick | John Semper | October 5, 1997 | |
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She-Hulk teams up with Dr. Strange when an evil being takes over Banner's mind.
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| 17 | 4 | "They Call Me Mr. Fixit" | Ron Myrick | Bob Forward | October 26, 1997 | |
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In Chicago, Banner falls under the control of a crime lord named Allure.
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| 18 | 5 | "Fashion Warriors" | Ron Myrick | John Semper | November 2, 1997 | |
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She-Hulk and Betty team up with an all-female team to stop the Leader at a fashion show.
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| 19 | 6 | "Hollywood Rocks" | Ron Myrick | Diane Fresco | November 9, 1997 | |
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Doctor Doom returns and steals equipment from Banner. She-Hulk gets a movie role, but things are not as they seem.
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| 20 | 7 | "The Lost Village" | Ron Myrick | Ann Knapp Austen & Douglas Sloan | November 16, 1997 | |
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Banner can now turn into the Hulk at will, but loses strength. He, Betty, and She-Hulk travel to Tibet to find a cure.
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| 21 | 8 | "Mission: Incredible" | Ron Myrick | Meg McLaughlin | November 23, 1997 | |
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A creature called the Hybrid takes over Ross. The Gray Hulk and She-Hulk must team up with Agent Gabe Jones and S.H.I.E.L.D. This is the final episode.
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Where to Watch the Show
The show aired on ABC Family and Toon Disney after the live-action Hulk movie came out in 2003. It was also the last show to air on Toon Disney. Later, it was shown on Disney XD.
Some episodes were released on DVD and VHS. The series is now available to stream on Disney+. On Disney+, the two seasons are listed as one long season, and the episodes are not always in the correct order.
Cool Stuff from the Show
Toys based on The Incredible Hulk animated series were made and sold.
See also
In Spanish: The Incredible Hulk (serie de televisión de 1996) para niños
