'The Greatest American Hero' TV Series (1981-83) Discussion

We watched the first few episodes with my son as a sort-of introduction to superhero movies. The directing and special effects are a bit uneven, but the writing was on point. I'm guessing Cannell himself wrote the first episodes.

While trying to fly for the first time-
Little Kid: "You're doing it wrong, you have to take three steps and jump with your arms out."
Ralph: "Oh, thanks, I've never done this before."
Little Kid: "My daddy's calling the police..."

 

The melody is slightly different, probably to avoid copyright issues.

 

VHS recordings of the original ABC broadcasts, or mid-80's syndication/mid 90's run on FX?

 

Greatest Theme song ever!

(from 1981)

 

I remember when it premiered and enjoyed the first few episodes. Then it fell off my radar never to return. I even happened upon it this past weekend, but could not bring myself to linger.

Yet I would still say it was a good show. Strange on my part.

 

According to Deadline, Shout Factory now has most of the Cannell library of TV series, sadly it just looks like the same old releases. Was really hoping to see The Quest, and The Rousters finally get a release. Would be nice to have the episodes I'm missing. Would love to see Shout work out a deal to release TGAH with it's cover tunes intact, and the 2nd & 3rd season teasers included (1st season teasers I assume were produced by ABC since they were voiced by Ernie Anderson) and a REAL blu ray release. My Japanese blu rays include all the original music, but are upscales.

Stephen J. Cannell’s TV And Movie Library Rights Acquired By Shout! Factory – Deadline

 

I always liked Ralph's misadventures while flying, bumping into things and saying "Damn!"

 

Now that I think about it; how hasn't this show been brought back on TV in the last 5 years? Superheroes have been THE source for visual entertainment. Very strange not taking advantage with this existing IP.

 

Attempts have been made to bring it back to TV, or as a film since 2002.

2002: My pal the late Paul Hernandez was hired to write the film when Touchstone had the rights. His movie would have acknowledged the TV series. In the film a guy named Charlie was given the suit, I don't know the entire story, but at one point Charlie is told "you think you are the only one ever to be given a suit?" "Before you was a woman named Hathaway, and before that a man named Hinkley." Touchstone passed, and Paul went on to write Sky High which was produced. Sadly Paul died in 2014.

2009: With a new script that reportedly retold the story of Ralph Hinkley, supposedly the guy from NCIS Los Angeles Eric Christian Olsen was going to play Ralph, and the movie directed by Stephen Herek. I have no idea who wrote it, but the money didn't come together to produce it.

2014: Those Lego Movie guys, Phil Lord and Chris Miller tried to reboot the series for FOX Television. It was going to be about an inner-city teacher named Isaac, he's given the suit, and loses the book etc. That never came together either.

2018: The most bizarre attempt in my opinion, was ABC ordering a 30 minute sitcom pilot for the 2018-2019 TV season. Hannah Simone was picked to play Meera, a 30-year-old woman who loves tequila and karaoke and has spent her life searching and failing to find meaning, much to the chagrin of her traditional Indian-American family. An inexplicable event occurs that will change the course of Meera’s life forever: she is entrusted with a super suit to protect the planet. Meera may have finally found a purpose, but the world has never been in more unreliable hands. A pilot was filmed, but ABC passed.

 

I have heard of an attempt or two. Not this detailed, so thanks. Still a head scratcher. Doesn't take a big budget either, it surely didn't in 1981. Look at the Arrowverse on the CW for reference. So much nostalgia resurgence. I know the show was not huge but, that has never stopped producers from trying.

Also K.I.S.S., the 2014 idea would probably still work. I'd change the name back to Ralph Hickley but, that's my nostalgic preference.

 

I do enjoy the electric squid episode, but mostly for the comic relief between the three leads and Ralph becoming magnetized. One episode that made a huge impression on me was "The Beast in the Black." That particular monster episode was truly frightening while guiding the series in a new direction where Ralph discovers the limitations of the suit and helps cement the bond of friendship between himself and Bill. Robert Culp's performance in this episode is definitive proof of what an outstanding actor he was.

 

Indeed, Cannell wrote the first two episodes (the pilot) and three more out of the nine first season episodes. He then wrote six and co-wrote two of the 22 second season episodes. For the final 14 episode season, he only wrote one and co-wrote another.

 

In case you wondered, the show received some Emmy nominations.

• Outstanding Video Tape Editing For A Series - 1982: John Carroll, Mario DiMambro, Dave Goldson, Art Schneider, and Roderic G. Stephens
• Outstanding Achievement in Music and Lyrics - 1982: Stephen Geyer
• Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing For a Series-1981: Christopher Nelson
• Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series-1981: Stephen J. Cannell

 

The criminally underrated Stephen Geyer wrote some truly outstanding original songs for this series.

 

What I remember about William Katt besides this show and his appearances on the early “Perry Mason” tv movies was in the 1990s he was hawking one of these late night rip off tv psychic informercials. Things like “they predicted I would act with my mother (Barbara Hale) and they were right”. Seriously Bill, is that such a hard prediction to make?

As far as “Greatest American Hero” I always thought something was missing. Maybe each episode was too padded. Too much for a 30 minute show but not enough for an hour. And Robert Culp was great.

 

I did not know that, thanks! Haven't seen it in decades!

I also recall him being a singer, under the name Billy Katt.

 

He isn't my favorite singer in the world, but he gives the show a unified musical personality throughout the course of the show. Some of the DVDs retain his songs, but its a shame that some do not.

 

Warner Bros. and DC Comics sued ABC Broadcasting for copyright infringement for supposed similarity between Superman and Ralph Hinkley wearing the suit/cape. ABC won the case, though.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warner_Bros._Inc._v._American_Broadcasting_Companies,_Inc.

 

any word on any Blu-ray releases?

 

No idea, I think there is only a Japanese version on Blu-ray. I just checked back (since it has been a while) and it is no longer free on Prime but listed as "free with ads" via the IMDB app.

 

It's not entirely impossible but I wouldn't hold my breath for a North American release.

 

It's one of my earliest memories of watching anything on TV as a kid. Especially the theme song (of course, LOL). It's up there with the Taxi end credits, Newhart theme, Hulk end credits and St. Elsewhere theme for being able to make me flash right back to childhood. I've seen the show rerun on H&I a little bit in recent years. I think it's pretty well put together for an old show. Robert Culp grates on me after a while. And I notice Connie Sellecca now way more than I did as a kid. William Katt is good in this, but I think Star Wars might've been a disaster if he was cast as Luke.

 

Yeah I don't get the big love for Culp myself in this program.

 

I had what is maybe a typical reaction to this show. Sounded like a fun idea, but I quickly lost interest.

Similar shows that were more successful and more remembered would be Get Smart, Adam West Batman, Bill Bixby Hulk, and Quantum Leap. Quantum Leap in particular has a hero that has limited control over his environment. But the hero's there because of his own actions and takes his part seriously. I think you can mine humor out of that concept and Quantum Leap certainly did.

With this show I don't think Katt or the concept were serious enough. His self aware bumbling gets old. Losing the instruction manual a second time is more irritating than anything else. The show needed to take itself more seriously, and it just couldn't, given the original concept. File this one with Mr. Terrific and Captain Nice.

 

Doubtful, since Cannell died whoever is in control of his series seen to have no interest in bringing his shows into the 21st century and mastering them into HD.

Except for The A-Team which Universal has controlling interest in. It’s available on blu overseas, and El Rey Network ran the HD prints before the channel folded up.

TGAH had a blu release in Japan a few years ago. I bought those, but they are just upscaled at best and are a very tiny improvement over the DVDs. However, all the original music is intact. I’ve slowly been using Topaz A.I. video enhance and converting the episodes to 1920x1080 and my results look better than the Japanese blus. I’ve also recreated the teasers before the opening credits, previews at the end of the episodes, bumpers, and “sponsored by” if applicable.

Even with all the fun I’m having with my project I would like to see a real release in HD.