Proof Positive

This is a very good episode that brings Jack McGee (Jack Colvin) to center stage and centers around his obsession with finding the Hulk. It's also an episode where McGee shows admiration for the Hulk and doesn't always refer to him as a killer. This was also the only episode that Bill Bixby was not in for the entire 5 season run. They used "flashback" sequences to include Bixby's character and used a disguised stand-in for the one time you see David Banner in the steel mill (no close-up and wearing welding goggles). All in all, the episode is very good due to how it opens up the McGee character the most of any of them.

From a real life perspective, this episode is kind of sad because it marks the beginning of a tragic series of events in Bill Bixby's life. Bixby wasn't available for filming of the episode due to his divorce proceedings with his first wife, Brenda Benet. Bixby and Benet had one son, Christopher. Later in season 3, after the divorce was final, Bixby and Benet did a TIH episode together, The Psychic. They did it for the sake of Christopher to show to him that his mom and dad could still get along. Both this episode and The Psychic aired in 1980. In the winter of 1981, Christopher died while on vacation with Brenda. He was only 6 years old. Then, in early 1982, Brenda Benet took her own life, unable to cope with the loss of her son.

It's been said that Bill Bixby never really fully recovered from these tragic events that happened in relatively short order. I guess that would be understandable.

When Patricia Steinhauer (Smith) is appointed publisher of her father's newspaper, she quickly discovers that resident Hulk-chaser Jack McGee's (Colvin) one-eyed obsession with uncovering the Hulk's origins are costing the paper its rank and file stories, and his antics have ostracised him from his peers at the paper. McGee is painted here as a man possessed by the Hulk, akin to an alcoholic whose life ambition has deteriorated to a single-minded mission to uncover the Hulk's origin.

It's an interesting premise focusing exclusively on the Jack McGee character to the extent that Bill Bixby doesn't appear in the episode, albeit through a couple of brief flashbacks. Caroline Smith playing the feisty publishing exec is an attractive and engaging actress, and so it surprised me to learn that her filmography had been so limited. Colvin is given his only opportunity at centre stage in the series, and gives his character some much needed depth, even hinting at a romantic interlude.

Might not appeal to those who tune in exclusively to see the green man show up for his two set-destroying scenes, but a useful character diversion in the context of the series.

Unusual episode in which star Bill Bixby does not appear, as instead Jack McGee(Jack Colvin) takes center stage as the National Register is temporarily taken over by the publishers daughter(played by Caroline Smith) whose first change is to remove Jack from the Hulk story, which she considers a waste of time. Jack, who is obsessed with the Hulk at the exclusion of all else, tries to change her mind as he ignores his new assignment to track down the latest lead on the Hulk. Walter Brooke makes his first appearance as his editor friend Mark Roberts. Interesting episode that does work without Bill this time, as Colvin proves up to the challenge here, though Bixby is still missed!

It's a pretty good and reasonable premise, but ultimately severely lacking. It just goes in such repetitive circles between the boss and McGee. It probably would have been better if they had trimmed that and put in more clips.

There is a funny shot in the plant where the Hulk just goes bounding by. I think it's funny because it's pretty far out of the blue compared to how we usually witness the Hulk.

There's a stand in for Bixby as Banner that is surprisingly bad. He jumps frantically around in ways Bixby never does. He was probably directed to do this, as a standard TV double technique, but it's way too much. I suppose we can wank it as McGee or his boss's perception of Banner.

Obsessed with finding out the Hulk's true identity, National Register reporter Jack McGee may even loose his job due to his relentless pursuit of every possible clue that delivers nothing in the end. Now he must convince his new editor that the pursuit is worth it or else...his ass is grass.

You gotta feel bad for Jack McGee. Although his motives are somewhat selfish, he's the only one who really really wants to discover the truth about the Hulk's human alter ego. On his endless quest for a cure, David Banner has revealed his true identity to a number of people but the one who's most interested is always in the dark. Granted, McGee's investigative intelligence is somewhat limited as most viewers agree he really should have figured this out by now.

Well, discussing this particular episode "Proof Positive" is an oddity in "The Incredible Hulk" as it's the only episode of the entire series not to feature Bill Bixby. Instead we get to follow Jack McGee and see just how much his pursuit of the Hulk has affected his life.

It's a solid episode which really gives the excellent Jack Colvin a chance to shine. He's a first rate actor and you really couldn't imagine the series being complete without him. Now, as most people know, the series had an open ending (that is; it was canceled) and McGee never found out the truth about David Banner being the Hulk.

"Proof Positive" is an interesting episode, not one of the best but a definite must-see for a fan 'cause this is the only episode that focuses exclusively on McGee.