Incredible Hulk: Babalao

"Babalao" is the tenth episode of season three of the live-action superhero fantasy series The Incredible Hulk and the forty-fifth regular episode of the series overall (not counting specials). It was directed by Richard Milton with a teleplay written by Craig Buck. It first aired on CBS on Friday, December 14th, 1979 at 8:00 pm.

Synopsis
David Banner is in New Orleans, and its Mardi Gras. He is working as a nurse for a woman named Doctor Renee DuBois, who owns a small private practice. DuBois' methods towards medicine are a little unorthodox. Although she uses conventional treatment, she dresses it in the trappings of voodoo ritualism. David doesn't really approve of this, but DuBois explains that many of the people in the French Quarter fervently believe in voodoo, and propagating their beliefs in the methods of her practice aids them on a psychological and spiritual level as well. David thinks its all nonsense, but tries not to judge too harshly.

In contrast to Doctor DuBois, there is Tony "Antoine" Moray - the Babalao. Tony is a con-man who works with a henchman named Luke and presents himself as a powerful voodoo witch doctor. Many people in the French Quarter come to him for aid, but they are also scared of the powerful dark magics that he supposedly wields. The Babalao knows that Doctor DuBois' practice represents a threat to the con he is running, so he has Luke discourage her patients from seeing her. Through this, they learn about David and recognize him as a threat to their efforts.

During a Mardi Gras parade, the Babalao has one of his henchmen, dressed as a gorilla, attack David, and kick him down to the ground so that he falls underneath one of the moving floats. David transforms into the Hulk and smashes upward through a faux wedding cake. The gorilla man runs and tries to escape by scaling a street light, but the Hulk pushes it down, smashing it into a street side kiosk.

Believing that David is out of the way, the Babalao makes his move against Doctor DuBois. He ransacks her office, and abducts her. He brings her back to his home and administers a drug that temporarily paralyzes her. Many of the locals come to see him, and he demonstrates his power by showing them how the Devil, Papa Labas, is displeased, and has struck Doctor DuBois down.

Banner, again in human form, goes to DuBois' office and sees that it is in a shambles. He tries telephoning the police, but they are of no help. He finds one of DuBois' young patients, Louie, and his grandmother, Selene. Through them, he learns where to find the Babalao.

Meanwhile, investigative reporter Jack McGee comes to New Orleans, on the trail of the Hulk. Interviewing a local dancing woman, he tells her that he is looking for a giant green man. She knows exactly who he is talking about, and brings out her husband, who is dressed like a giant avocado. McGee is once again crest-fallen for missing his chance to find the Hulk.

David arrives at the Babalao's home as he is preparing to ritually sacrifice Doctor DuBois. He calls him out on his nonsense, telling the people in attendance that the Babalao is just a con-man who is trying to manipulate them. He challenges him to use his magic to strike him down. The Babalao pulls off a couple of meager parlor tricks, but David is unimpressed. The crowd begins to lose faith in the Babalao's powers. The Babalao has his henchman (the gorilla man sans costume) beat David up, which invariably prompts a transformation into the Hulk. He throws the man across the room through a curtain. Luke tries to hit the Hulk with a small lamp (as if that would do anything), but the Hulk pitches him through a window. The Babalao takes a star-shaped candelabra and jabs it at the Hulk, which is equally ineffective. The Hulk bends the metal pole backward and the flames extinguish themselves. He then trows the Babalao against the wall. He picks up DuBois' prone body, kicks the sacrificial altar through the wall, then exits through the hall it makes, carrying her to safety. The crowd are astonished, but seeing the Babalao lying defeated, they are no longer afraid of him.

The following day, David helps Doctor DuBois clean up her office. Selene and Louie are in attendance. She tells him that the Tony Moray has been arrested and is being charged with fraud and kidnapping. David, as always, decides its time to leave town, and says goodbye before hitting road.

Notes & Trivia

 * The Incredible Hulk was developed for television by Kenneth Johnson.


 * This episode has been made available on disc three of the Incredible Hulk: The Complete Third Season DVD collection, and disc twelve of the Incredible Hulk: The Complete Series collection.


 * Associate producer Stephen Caldwell is credited as Stephen P. Caldwell in this episode.


 * Actress Morgan Most is credited as Morgan Hart in this episode.


 * Actor John Gowans is credited as John D. Gowans in this episode.


 * This is the only episode of The Incredible Hulk directed by Richard Milton. It is his third and final TV work as a director.


 * This is the second and final episode of The Incredible Hulk written by Craig Buck. He previously directed "Metamorphosis".


 * Exterior city shots were filmed on-location in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana.


 * Featured alias: This is one of the few episodes of the series where David Banner's alias is unrevealed. Per custom, he uses his given name David, but his assumed surname is unknown. It is reasonable to assume however that he is using one, but it is never revealed to the audience.


 * David Banner's only real connection to magic is doing the old "quarter in the ear" trick with Louie. In real life, actor Bill Bixby was actually an accomplished stage magician.

Allusions

 * The Babalau refers to Papa Labas as the Devil. Actually, he means to refer to Papa Legba, who is not the Devil, but is a priest who serves as an intermediary between the spirits of the dead (Loa) and the living.


 * Loa is the term used for spirits in Haitian Voodoo. This episode implies that Loas are "good" spirits.


 * A Mambo is a high priest or priestess in Voodoo culture. In this episode, Doctor Renee DuBois is referred to as a Mambo.


 * Gris-gris is the term used to describe magic in Voodoo culture. It is often employed in the form of a talsiman.

Tropes

 * Brown paper shopping bag: David helps Doctor DuBois with some shopping. She is seen carrying the stereotypical brown paper shopping bag with a bread stick and some leafy greens poking out of the top.


 * Super-heroes vs. Gorillas: The Hulk battles a gorilla. Okay, not a real gorilla, but a guy dressed in a suit. However, he did wrestle with an actual gorilla back in "The Beast Within".

Bloopers

 * When the Hulk kicks the Babalao's altar, it is clearly on a track, which can be seen on the floor of his home.

Quotes

 * David Banner: Is that your power, violence? Is that the curse of the spirits? Because if it is, we have nothing to fear. Because he bought his power as you can buy his power, in a magic store!