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A Child In Need
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Episode
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5 of season 2
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Director
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James D. Parriott
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Writer
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Frank Dandridge
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Original airdate
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October 20, 1978
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Alias
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David Baxter
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Location
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Lincoln, Nebraska
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Preceded by
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Followed by
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A Child In Need is episode seventeen of the live-action TV series The Incredible Hulk. It originally aired on October 20, 1978, on CBS.
Synopsis[]
While working as a groundskeeper for a public school in Lincoln, Nebraska David discovers a young student named Mark who is being abused by his father. Can David remedy the situation before it becomes too late for everyone involved?
Cast[]
- Bill Bixby as David Banner
- Jack Colvin as Jack McGee
- Lou Ferrigno as The Hulk
- Sandy McPeak as Jack Hollinger
- Sally Kirkland as Margaret Hollinger
- Dennis Dimster as Mark Hollinger
- Rebecca York as Mary Walker
- Marguerite De Lain as Reporter
- Thomas H. Middleton as Middle Aged Man
Highlights[]
Ending sequence
- The scene in which the Hulk gives Jack Hollinger a taste of his own medicine, causing Jack to remember when he was abused by his father. He then apologizes to his son.
- The scene where he is walking up the lighted alleyway with Mark as he turns from the Hulk back into Banner.
- Hulk-out 1: Going to all the houses in the neighborhood to tell them that the boy in the house next door is being beaten by his father, only to have everyone close their doors on him rather than help.
- Hulk-out 2: Being caught in the school's gym by Jack, who then beats him up and throws him out into the hallway.
Recap[]
David is working at the Lincoln Elementary School as a groundskeeper. As he finishes his job for the day, he comes across a boy named Mark Hollinger, who has bruises on his arms. He takes him to the nurse, Ms. Walker, who explains to him that he comes here often because he falls down. David then becomes suspicious after hearing this.
Mark and David then meet up later, and walk to David's apartment where they talk about what Mark does. Later in the day, David walks Mark to the Hollinger household, where he meets Mark's father, Jack. Jack tells him about his wife, Margret. David then goes to see Margret at the pharmacy, where she works later that night. While there David notices a bruise on her arm as she tries to cover it up.
The following day, David notices Mark has another bruise, this time on the back of his neck. Mark is sent home for the day. When he comes home, Jack is upset because he is late again and says Margret stayed home from work because she was worried about him. David then walks through the neighborhood later in the day.
Trouble brews inside the Hollinger household as Jack asks Mark to bring him a beer, Mark nervously tries to give an upset Jack a beer, accidentally dropping it. Now infuriated, Jack beats Margret (giving her a black eye) and attempts to be beat Mark, yelling at him to clean it up. David then tries to help, by knocking on the door, Margret tells him he'll make it worse, Jack then pushes him over the house railing. David proceeds to tell the neighbors about the trouble that is going on in the house. But the neighbors tell him that they can't do anything about it, causing David to Hulk-out.
The Hulk smashes his way into the house and pushes Jack through a wall and takes Mark out of the house. The two then make their way downtown where they're trying to get away from the police.
The following day, David, Ms. Walker, and Margret make an arrangement to go down to the police station to help with Jack's abusive behavior. As he tries to tell the plan to Mark in the school's gym, Jack comes in thinking David is interfering with his abusive lifestyle and begins to beat up David, while Mark runs off to tell Ms. Walker what is occurring. Jack beats David by punching him and slamming him on the gym equipment. Jack then throws David out into the hallway, causing David to Hulk-out for the second time. Hulk then beats Jack, causing him to remember when he was abused by own father. In a fit of PTSD, he panics and starts to cry and begs his father not to hit him. He later apologizes to his family, and he has himself admitted to a psychologist. Mark, Margret and Ms. Walker thank David. David then leaves town, as Jack McGee reports on the commotion that had happened in the last two days.
Quotes[]
Jack (to the Hulk, having a PTSD panic): "Please, don't hurt me, Daddy!", "Oh, Daddy, I won't be bad, Daddy."
Trivia[]
This episode was originally filmed for season one but was delayed to season two due to schedule issues.