Before there was J.J. Abrams, before there was Joss Whedon and before there was Chris Carter, there was TV titan Kenneth Johnson. “Who?” you mask. Well, in my view, Kenneth Johnson is the underrated wizard behind such TV hits as The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman (original), V: the series and mini-series, Alien Nation, the series and, of course, The Incredible Hulk. He was making sci-fi/action cool on the boob tube long before it was hip to do so. I didn’t know it at the time, but he was the creative genius that forced me to be in front of the idiot box every week at that same time and station, something I rarely do anymore.
Now, ever since The Incredible Hulk began its long road through development there’s been plenty of talk the new movie would take its cues from Johnson’s TV series, nothing new to you, our readers, I’m sure; however, not one person, at least as far as I know, has given Johnson the credit he deserves for helping the green giant permeate the public consciousness. If anything, when the casual movie-goer thinks of the Hulk they think of Johnson’s series before the comic.
As you can see below, not much has changed in terms in crediting Johnson himself for his contributions to the Hulk’s legacy, but it’s nice to see the work he did is being acknowledged by the filmmakers in a casual fashion.
The Incredible Hulk smashes through theaters tomorrow.
Now, Kenneth, about that proposed V theatrical feature you’ve been talking about for years?