Greatest American Hero: The Complete Series DVD Review

The Greatest American Hero. If you are a child of the 80s and you were a comic book fan, there’s no doubt that you remember that TV show. This small-screen hero was the first to astound TV audiences since the Superman movie made audiences believe that a man could fly. Now, almost 30 years later, Mill Creek Entertainment and Stephen J. Cannell Productions (the A-Team, 21 Jump Street) have released the entire series (over 35 hours) in one, affordable DVD set.

So, does this show still standup almost 30 years later? The simple answer is yes, it does. The effects haven’t aged well – and probably didn’t look that great to begin with, but the show’s heart still comes across and that’s what made the series so enjoyable. As a kid, I watched it because High School Special Ed teacher Ralph Hinkley received a super-suit from an alien spaceship. i didn’t mid that he only used the suit a few times each episode, it was a superhero on TV. Not since The Incredible Hulk had I been so ready to watch a weekly tv show that wasn’t animated.

With the help of FBI agent Bill Maxwell and the occasional help of attorney Pam Davidson, Ralph and his suit fight everyday human menaces, with a few larger threats thrown in for good measure.

As a kid, I remember being disappointed by the lack of a real villain for Ralph to face. Looking back now, that’s what makes the show special. Realistically, they couldn’t have Ralph fight a super-villain every week. Instead Ralph combats smaller crooks and menaces on a regular basis and constantly saves Agent Maxwell from various thugs.

As I said above, many episodes are simple and the effects don’t hold up – however many episodes are still great, with my favorite one being the creepy episodes from Season Two entitled “The Beast in Black.”

I remember this scary, haunted house story as a kid. The effects of Ralph seeing ghosts and the 4th dimension really creeped me out and they still do a little 30 years later. As with most, the backbone of the story is the friendship between Ralph and Bill. It’s one of those things you don’t notice as a kid, but it’s right there in front of your face. Episode after episode, one looks out for the other, with the greatest example coming in the last episode of Season Two.

“Lilacs, Mr. Maxwell” sees Agent Maxwell falling in love with a female FBI agent. Ralph has his suspicions about her and her quest for knowledge regarding the suit. In the end, he must convince his friend that she truly is up to no good.

I never thought I’d enjoy revisiting this show as much as I did. So often, your childhood favorites are looked at through nostalgia colored glasses and they simply don’t hold up. Well, looking back at The Greatest American Hero, I’m glad to say that it does. It’s a different show than I remember, but none the less a great one.

If you’ve not picked up earlier releases of this series, you should grab The Greatest American Hero: The Complete Series from Mill Creek Entertainment. For less than the price of two new DVD releases, you can get yourself 9 DVDs of television fun from the early 80s. If you have fond memories of this show, you should check it out again. it’s well worth it.