The Greatest American Hero (TV Series) The Beast in the Black (1981) User Reviews

Yikes

[deggungombo · 8/10 · 17 January 2024]

I also remember watching this as a kid totally scaring the sh** out of me. But it seems I'm not alone in the comments.

The scenes behind the wall and that damn fireplace are still vivid in my memory after maybe 35 or 40 years.

Incredible how a kid can be impacted by a tv show, and incredible how the impact of this episode transcends across different cultures and throughout different times when the show aired in various nations.

When Ralph decided to go back in there, behind that wall later in the episode, I still remember myself thinking "no way!!!"

Glad I found it and re-watched it today, I had no idea what the episode title could be. I found it by googling something like "greatest American hero Halloween episode", which it appears not to be a Halloween episode, but it was enough to find it.

Creepy - possibly best show of the series...?

[rbright1674 · 10/10 · 13 October 2006]

Back when I was a kid, I was a HUGE fan of this series (still am to this day), and this is the episode that still sticks with me. After having seen Ralph as a near God with the suit on, watching him get tossed around in that "alternate parallel dimension" by something you never really see scared the crap out of me! And tossed around he was...even with all of the powers the suit bestowed on him, he was thrown around like yesterdays garbage with relative ease and actually humbled.

VERY intense episode and it still creeps me out a bit. The fact that it remains predominant in my mind above all other episodes speaks volumes for it.

still remember after 29 years!

[leerict2 · 10/10 · 15 June 2010]

i just saw this show in june 2010 after seeing it once in 1981, 29 years ago. it scared me for years. i always wanted to see it again to see if it was as scary and creepy as i remembered. i have to admit it was still scary. i still got startled. i was still majorly creeped out. now i understand why this scarred me for a long time as a kid. but it was an awesome story. the effects were superb. the use of darkness and imagery as well as old school horror movie tactics make this something that i'll remember for the rest of my life. however, this show should have never made it to public television. it was cool to see that ralph was a teacher and his students were very diversified. i recognize that the setting of the story was probably in pasadena. i only know that because i lived near there a few years ago. it's funny hearing them talk about 1981 prices, they are so inflated now.

a very memorable episode

[asturnut · 10/10 · 8 April 2008]

As a child, the Greatest American Hero was one of my favorite shows. Much like the previous reviewer, this is the one episode that sticks out in my mind. My strong recollection of this episode is the very reason I sought it out on IMDb to see if my memory of the episode 20 years later is still accurate.

This episode, from a child's perspective was EXTREMELY frightening. (By today's TV/media standards, this may not be the case, however.) I had nightmares about this particular episode for years. Whereas most of the episodes from this series had a fair amount of lighthearted bumbling, this episode was very dark and creepy. Scared the bejeebies out of me. Actually, still does. Would love to see it again for the sake of comparison.

One of the best in the series

[kgbarkes · 10/10 · 15 July 2018]

This one terrified my kids when they were young, and it holds up well. What sells the premise is Robert Culp. The real unsung "hero" of the series, his inspired, somewhat unhinged portrayal of Bill Maxwell often saved some of the more mediocre episodes. I vividly recall that what scared my kiddos wasn't the quick "beast" images, but rather seeing Maxwell's appearance and behavior after he was possessed. Hats off also to Dennis "Danger" Madalone's rooftop takeoff, one of the best springboard shots on the show.

This episode scares me 15 years later.

[m-c76 · 2 March 2006]

I saw this episode when I was still a child. In this episode William Katz character has to pass through a "Woodstove" into a dark room. In this dark room is an invisible enemy that flashes in silhouettes of red. To this day the image of it is haunting. Thank goodness for his cop buddy... To tell of the fight between them would not ruin the story, because you couldn't describe it well enough to paint the image of this hidden room. Unfortunately I forget what go them into the home that contains this "portal to an alternate yet parallel universe". I would nominate William Katz for an award if they made "Old TV Shows That Still Disturb You" award.

Teeht!!

[dagacommissions · 10/10 · 10 May 2023]

I saw this as a kid and rewatched it several times since then. Its a wonderful haunted mansion episode that enters into lovecraft type of horror with the fourth dimension theme, I hoped there was more episodes like this one on the series, where Ralph powers become less superheroic and more closer to and closer to a load with which he must deal.

This is the first episode where we see Ralph and Bill hurt and scared, the first episode where Bill is not the fatherly/grumpy figure and become a serious threat to Ralph. Is interesting to see a supernatural entity like the beast or the ghost in opposition to the regular criminals, spies, paramilitary groups or terrorist that are regular in the series. FX are cheap, but enough to become unsettling, the solarized images, flashes, teeth, everything feels uncanny and surreal. My favorite episode along The Resurrection of Carlini, which haves a similar tone.

i agree!

[spectane · 16 September 2011]

i agree with the first poster. this show had some definite nightmare fuel for kids at the time. so did "v". what really bugs me, i cannot seem to find the only episode i want to re-watch where he went into a negative universe/dimension where he fought a shadow (disembodied) person known as eserhauten? ezerhaten? this is the stumbling block for me, i can't remember how it's name was spelled. it had a light saber, and it could cut him. thats about all i remember. i may have to break down and just buy the entire damn series to find out, but i will never be disappointed with the theme :) one of the best!

uhmn, OK. this is weird. this website is telling me i haven't written enough. boy howdy. i usually get accused of talking too much, but whatever. lets see, does anyone really want to know what i remember as a kid? another thing im truly trying to hunt down is the six million dollar man episodes where he fought those tank robots.