It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

This show did a great deal of changing over it's three year run. Starting as a spring replacement show, it starred relative newcomer William Katz as the tragically named Ralph Hinckley (I'll get to the tragedy in a minute), a high school teacher with lots of troubled kids in his class. Hinckley is in the middle of a custody suit with his exwife, and is falling in love with his lawyer, Pam Davidson (Connie Sellecca).Things are looking OK for Hinckley until one night, in the California desert, he encounters aliens who give him a suit that endows upon him superpowers when he wears it. Then he loses the instruction manual. Nothing can throw a monkey wrench into your divorce/custody/employment plans like running around in what looks like red footie pajamas with a cape claiming you are saving the day. Ralph is instructed by the aliens to work with FBI agent Bill Maxwell (Robert Kulp), and this part is easy because Maxwell is there when the aliens give them the suit in the person of his recently deceased partner, who is going with the aliens but gives Bill the "live long and prosper" hand movement through the car glass window a full year before "The Wrath of Khan". Hmmmmmmm.Thus Bill and Ralph form this sort of good cop/bad cop duo, except Ralph is no cop. Bill is the formal law and order type. Ralph is the give peace a chance type. For all of his super powers, Ralph didn't seem to notice that his son, who brought him and Pam together in the first place, disappears after four episodes, never to be mentioned again. Maybe this invisibility was inherited from the ex-wife, because we never see or hear about her again either.The tragic naming of our protagonist that I mentioned? Well 12 days after this show debuted President Reagan was shot by John Hinckley. In a typical case of overreacting, the show had Ralph renamed "Hanley" or "Mr. H" for the rest of the first season, as though just being named Hinckley somehow made you an untouchable. Then, he magically went back to Ralph "Hinckley" at the beginning of the second season.As for the "bad kids" in Ralph's class, among them there was Michael Pare in his first role, and apparently a role that got him noticed because he was making movies at a pretty frenetic pace for the rest of the 1980's, though he stuck with the show for the rest of its run. There was also Faye Grant as Rhonda, who is supposed to be a troublemaking rather loose girl. Hey, it was 35 years ago and double standards still applied.The first season was a delight, as was part of the second season, but then the network suits wanted to advertise it more as children's fare over producer Steven J. Cannell's objections, and it never could escape that pigeon-holing. Overall though, I remember it fondly.

It's official: the sixties ended in 1983 when "The Greatest American Hero" went off the air. At times it's not clear whether creator Stephen Cannell is skewering or celebrating the foolish idealism of the 60s. A lot of the groovy-speak and idealistic rants of the characters, usually but not always, Hinkley, is so over the top that it seems it's a satire. But the protest music from the 60s and the lessons learned at the end often point to a true belief in at least the ideal of the ideals--helping our fellow human beings--if not some of the more specific forms that those ideals often take, for instance non-violence in the face of extreme violence.At the opposite end of the spectrum, Bill Maxwell embodies the narrower and usually less thoughtful version ideals of law and order. Maxwell's character is so grating that it's obvious Cannell doesn't think much of his personality or his tactics. But Maxwell does seem to have his heart in the right place--helping our fellow man--and his willingness to risk his life despite being without the protection of a special suit. He is presented as a slightly skewed version of our notions of justice and humanity that has always existed as a counterpoint to the naïve idealism that Hinkley represents.What was it that brought this show into being? A reaction to the mercenary idealism of the Reagan years? Perhaps. Whatever the reason, it's interesting that Cannell trots out the naïve, goofy idealism that represented the counter-culture of a decade earlier. Perhaps it was such an iconic and easily identified (and spoofed) pattern that it was just easy pickin's. Overall the show is enjoyable but occasionally heavy-handed with the idealistic romps.

Ralph Hinkley (William Katt) is a novice teacher (and father to a young boy) in Arizona. His high school students are, mostly, uninterested in learning and give him a hard time. To try to break through and change their attitudes, Mr. Hinkley tells them they are going to take a field trip to the desert. Somehow, they end up broken down on the highway coming back to their building and dark has set in. Telling his students he will return as soon as he can fetch gasoline, Mr. Hinkley sets out and meets another driver who just happens to work for the FBI (Robert Culp). As they go back to the bus, aliens land near them and explain that they are giving Mr. Hinkley a space suit that will give him special powers. Wow, oh what a night! Soon after, Ralph puts on the suit and learns how to fly and also gains the ability to see through walls and doors. Ralph's lawyer friend Pam (Connie Selleca) knows something is up but is not certain what it is. But, as Ralph starts to rescue folks trapped in bad situations, will he confide in those closest to him? This television series from the early eighties has a slow start but then picks up energy as it goes along. Yes, the concepts are good and Katt, Selleca, and Culp make a great trio. Also, some of the student actors, like Michael Pare, went on to bigger fame as well. But, examining the show through modern eyes, the effects are probably not that great and the dated look of the shoot has no razzle-dazzle. Therefore, if you were once a fan of the series, by all means, try to find this DVD of the best of beginning episodes. New viewers may be underwhelmed, however.

I'll keep the review simple,10 stars! Loved it! Have nothing bad to say about this show! (Heck,I still have the 45rpm record of the theme song with the original picture sleeve and Joey Scarbury's album!)I wasn't too crazy about the fact (at the time) that I had to watch the debut at a local hospital(visiting my grandmother ). I was still 12 when the show debuted and had looked forward to it's premiere and I certainly wasn't disappointed! William Katt,a dramatic actor who got no respect from critics in the forgotten yet wonderful 1978 dramatic/surfing film "Big Wednesday",didn't get much more respect here but..to all of us who watched this show,he was cool and the "greatest". I'm sure he was just glad to be working...and with "I Spy" vet Robet Culp yet! Not to mention Connie Selleca. (Ralph must've used some smooth line to land her!)Even though the "green screen" effects are obvious,it doesn't take away from the action one bit. I'll never forget watching Ralph stop a nuclear missile from being launched by simply holding it down with his hands! Pretty darn great effect for that time,not to mention just for TV! It makes me glad to see this come out on DVD,despite the fact there's no conclusion to the series.I agree,it was unfair to call this kiddie-TV. This is a kind of satirical look at what would really happen if someone on earth got to be a hero. Wheather they asked to be or not. Not surprisingly,choose an earthling....lose the instruction manual! Get the DVD,you wont be sorry (unless you have no sense of humor.)