Recker's World
The Greatest American Hero
When I was a teenager in the 80s I absolutely loved this show. However now when I watch it many years later, I have to ask myself… just how many times can you laugh at a superhero who can’t figure out how to fly properly? It seemed that this show was pretty much a one-joke wonder. The guy just can’t control his flight and he doesn’t know how to land. Yeah, this is really funny alright. No wonder after 2 and a half seasons of the same joke, they decided to call it quits.
One thing that is particularly enjoyable about this show though, is the banter that goes on between Ralph and Max. Such great chemistry and laughs… a comedy pairing that works well like Boss Hogg and Rosco in "The Dukes of Hazzard". They are forever at odds, with Max pushing his “scenarios” and Ralph not wanting any part of them, yet mysteriously, when it comes to the crunch Ralph remains loyal to Max and won’t work for anyone else unless Max is involved. Strange… but then so are other elements of the show.
For instance, if Ralph is so embarrassed by his suit, then why doesn’t he just wear it under his clothes all the time? We have seen that wearing clothes over top of his suit does not inhibit his powers in anyway. Surely, he can do everything including flying and fighting bad guys with his suit underneath normal clothes? At least try it!
And why is it that everyone who sees him in his suit automatically assumes he’s escaped from a loony bin? Wouldn’t most people first attempt to establish why he is wearing such a suit before they deem him to be a whack job? Surely even in the 80s people could wear ridiculous fashions and not be considered a danger to society. Just look at the mullet for example! Even in the 80s people dressed up for various legitimate reasons. Maybe he’s going to a fancy dress party?
Another annoying factor in this show is the irritating so-called teenagers Ralph has to teach. A group of rebellious under achievers who the school has not been able to assist. I say “so-called” teenagers because they all look like they’re in their 20s (which in reality they were). What’s with that? Are these losers so dumb that they’ve been kept back in high school year after year and even ten years later are still at high school?
And why do they get so many class outings? Ralph is always taking them off on some adventure, which is deemed to be a class trip with educational value. I wish I had that many class trips when I was at high school and I wish they’d been that cool. So here are these dumbass delinquents who are rewarded for their stupidity and bad behaviour by regularly getting to go on cool outings. Give me a bloody break!
No doubts, sitting down and watching a few episodes of “Greatest American Hero” will be a great nostalgia trip if you were a kid in the 80s. However I find it a little too formulaic to go beyond a few episodes these days.
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