The Greatest American Hero

1981

Seasons & Episodes

  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
  • 0
7.3| TV-14| en| More Info
Released: 18 March 1981 Ended
Producted By:
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

The chronicles of  teacher Ralph Hinkley's adventures after a group of aliens gives him a red suit that gives him superhuman abilities. Unfortunately, Ralph, who hates wearing the suit, immediately loses its instruction booklet, and thus has to learn how to use its powers by trial and error, often with comical results.

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The Greatest American Hero Audience Reviews

Linbeymusol Wonderful character development!
Colibel Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.
Protraph Lack of good storyline.
Konterr Brilliant and touching
Aaron1375 Well if he did get the instructions the show would not have been as funny as it was and it would have been a action drama type television show instead. I can not believe there were only 44 episodes of this show and it was on from 1981-1986. That is like maybe ten episodes per season. The show was a favorite of mine as a child though looking at the episode dispersal I can see why I remember seeing it randomly. The show is about an ordinary guy who has an alien encounter that leaves him with a suit, a superhero suit to be precise. Unfortunately, the suit was supposed to come with instructions on how to use it and those instructions were missing. So we get a guy whose powers work some of the times and sometimes leave our hero in very precarious situations. William Katt and Robert Culp made a rather good team and the show had some very memorable episodes during its stretch. I remember one that as a child it scared the crap out of me involving Culp's character getting possessed and Katt's character having to go through this wall that had this creepy monster or something that struck at him from the darkness. Granted, if I saw it now I would probably wonder why it chilled me so as a kid, but back then it was creepy. I also remember one where they had a mystery in like the Bermuda triangle that had an interesting ending to it too. Most of the humor involved the suit not working properly as I do not think he ever got the hang of flying. He would also occasionally have a really bad impact on a wall when trying to go through them. Yes, a funny show that had some action and was a favorite of mine during my younger days.
craigclay Other than the red suite and the curly blonde hair, all I remember was that he couldn't land to save his life and every time was a wipe out. The girls at school used to call me "Ralph" due to my curly hair thus you see the popularity of the show with 5th graders.I was 10 years old when this came out and watched every episode yet I can't remember the plot of a single one. I believe it was on during the Friday night line-up, somewhere around Fantasy Island and Loveboat.The theme song was a huge hit. To this day, it comes to me now and again for now apparent reason.This was a great 80's show and a lot of fun. Defintitely one of the top memorable shows (conceptually anyway) of the 80's.
J J Brannon The most prominent clue is that Bill Maxwell is playing a turn on his "I Spy" Kelly Robinson fifteen years down a dead-end road, where his Cold War battles have apparently led him to be mired in eroded ruts.The very opening sequence implies the murder of his long-time black partner.In fact, the entire series -- from the pilot movie -- onward is a witty investigation of the uses and abuses of power, from the roles and capabilities of women (contrast/compare Connie Sellaca's attorney with Rhonda's confused teenager struggling for esteem) to the limits of American adventurism against the continuing threats of the Cold war. Here is a man of conscience chosen by Higher Powers to right wrong who struggles to be a decent father, lover, friend, and inspire kids by his "ordinary" example.My favorite episode is "Lilacs, Mr. Maxwell", where Emmy-winning writer Robert Culp reveals in the Season 2 finale the depths and intelligence of the Bill Maxwell character.Cannell wrote the pilot in an atmosphere of the Iran US Embassy hostage situation and a cultural dearth of idealism. Many viewers saw the red suit comedy and missed the morally ambiguous complexity lying beneath.
happipuppi13 I'll keep the review simple,10 stars! Loved it! Have nothing bad to say about this show! (Heck,I still have the 45rpm record of the theme song with the original picture sleeve and Joey Scarbury's album!)I wasn't too crazy about the fact (at the time) that I had to watch the debut at a local hospital(visiting my grandmother ). I was still 12 when the show debuted and had looked forward to it's premiere and I certainly wasn't disappointed! William Katt,a dramatic actor who got no respect from critics in the forgotten yet wonderful 1978 dramatic/surfing film "Big Wednesday",didn't get much more respect here but..to all of us who watched this show,he was cool and the "greatest". I'm sure he was just glad to be working...and with "I Spy" vet Robet Culp yet! Not to mention Connie Selleca. (Ralph must've used some smooth line to land her!)Even though the "green screen" effects are obvious,it doesn't take away from the action one bit. I'll never forget watching Ralph stop a nuclear missile from being launched by simply holding it down with his hands! Pretty darn great effect for that time,not to mention just for TV! It makes me glad to see this come out on DVD,despite the fact there's no conclusion to the series.I agree,it was unfair to call this kiddie-TV. This is a kind of satirical look at what would really happen if someone on earth got to be a hero. Wheather they asked to be or not. Not surprisingly,choose an earthling....lose the instruction manual! Get the DVD,you wont be sorry (unless you have no sense of humor.)

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