Topic: The Greatest American Hero: Season 2

[Dragonfire]

The Greatest American Hero: Season Two William Katt is back as reluctant flying crime fighter Ralph Hinkley, who would know exactly how to use the red superpower suit given to him by aliens if he hadn't lost its instruction manual. In this season, Ralph pitches in the World Series, prevents World War III, suffers amnesia, joins the circus, battles bad bikers, voodoo vengeance, a fast-food mascot and much more, all with the help of his attorney girlfriend Pam Davidson (Connie Selleca) and FBI agent Bill Maxwell (Robert Culp). Who could it be? Believe it or not, he's THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO! This collection features all 22 second season episodes with such guest stars as Markie Post, Joe Mantegna, Barbara Hale, Keenan Wynn, Dixie Carter, Don Drysdale and more, plus all-new extras that include revealing and fun career-retrospective interviews with creator Stephen J. Cannell and music composer Mike Post. 1. The Two-Hundred-Mile-an-Hour Fastball 2. Operation: Spoilsport 3. Don't Mess Around with Jim 4. Hog Wild 5. Classical Gas 6. The Beast in the Black 7. The Lost Diablo 8. Plague 9. Train of Thought 10. Now You See It 11. The Hand-Painted Thai 12. Just Another Three-Ring Circus 13. The Shock Will Kill You 14. A Chicken in Every Plot 15. The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea 16. It's All Downhill from Here 17. Dreams 18. The Good Samaritan 19. There's Just No Accounting... 20. Captain Bellybuster and the Speed Factory 21. Who's Woo in America 22. Lilacs, Mr. Maxwell My Thoughts I watched this show all the time when it was on originally.  I was always entertained by the idea that Ralph gets the suit with all the powers from aliens..but he loses the instructions so he doesn't know how to control anything.  That makes things very entertaining.  I picked up all three seasons last year I think it was when they were on sale at Amazon.  I still really enjoy the show, though mostly all I remember about it is Ralph bad flying.  I don't remember specifics, so it is sort of like seeing the show for the first time again. The episodes mostly stand alone, but I do think it is best to start with season 1..otherwise a lot of stuff won't make much sense.  Ralph and Bill - the FBI agent he ends up working with - deal with a lot of different things over the course of the season from corruption in baseball to killers in the circus.  A lot of what happens is at least somewhat silly, but it works and makes things entertaining when it doesn't go too far.  It does seem like there has been more of a change to sillier stories with the second season.  During one episode, there are even silly sound effects added when Ralph fights someone.  That wasn't needed. The special effects do look dated now, but considering when the show was made, they aren't that bad.  I do think that some of the footage of the Ralph flying is just reused in all the episodes.  I think Ralph was filmed in front of a green screen and then they just changed out the backgrounds for different episodes.  At one point, Ralph has much shorter hair, yet when he is flying, it is longer again.  There is a little bit of minor violence in some scenes, though nothing that extreme.  The characters are entertaining and likable overall.  Ralph and Bill have a really good dynamic together, and that is a big part of what makes the show so entertaining.  Pam also adds to the dynamic.  She is missing from the first several episodes because she was pregnant, and things do seem a bit off in those episodes.  During the first season, Ralph's son is around every so often.  He is never shown in the second season and he's only mentioned once early in the season.  I'm thinking they just wrote him out of the show completely. There are a few interviews with Stephen J. Cannell, the man who created the show and Mark Post, the man who wrote the music.  The interviews are interesting. I still really enjoy this show and think it is still worth watching.  The silliness may turn some viewers off. I did post a longer review on Epinions a few days ago. The Greatest American Hero - Season 2

[Achim]

 

...and I always had wondered about the meaning of T!M's (from the Invelos forum) avatar.

[Dragonfire]

So glad I helped shed light on that.

[addicted2dvd]

One of my favorites from it's time. And a show I got Brittany hooked on... she asks for a set every so often and hear her laugh all the way in the next room. I always got a kick out of how he couldn't fly straight.

[Dragonfire]

Oh me too with the flying problem. 
You would think after so long he would get a bit better even without the instruction book.  Though I suppose that might mess with some of the appeal of the show.

[addicted2dvd]

true... I also got a kick out of the Reunion Movie in with the first season set... Greatest American Heroine... She was able to fly straight from the start. 

[Dragonfire]

I've got to pull that out and watch again sometime.  I've forgotten basically all of it.