Almost thirteen years after he accidentally experimented with himself using Gamma radiation to alter his body chemistry, Dr. David Banner (Bill Bixby) may have finally stumbled upon a cure that will rid him of his Incredible Hulk alter ego (still played after all these years by bodybuilding star Lou Ferrigno) once and for all. Posing as a janitor at Genecore Laboratory, Banner sneaks in at night to guide and correct the research of fellow scientist Ronald Pratt (Philip Sterling) into a possible genetic cure for his anger management problem. Dr. Pratt discovers Banner though, and the two (along with Mrs. Pratt) decide to help the scientist by researching his Hulk alter ego as it’s contained within a laser cage (Ch.10). Unbeknown to them there’s trouble brewing ahead though. A group of Russian industrial spies, led by Kasha (Andreas Katsulas) and his crazy woman sidekick (played with over-the-top Cold War stiffness by Anna Katerina), are planning to steal Dr. Pratt’s research and sell it to the highest bidder.

To that effect they’ve recruited Jasmine (Barbara Tarbuck, who’s channeling "Northern Exposure" star Jeanine Turner), an attractive Russian spy that is been forced against her will to break into Genecore Laboratory to do the spying and data retrieving for Kasha and the other masterminds of the operation. In typical David Banner tradition (i.e. bad luck is this guy’s constant companion) Jasmine breaks into Dr. Pratt’s just as he’s seconds away from curing Banner from his condition. She witnesses David transform into the Hulk just before she (a) attempts to steal the research she was sent to obtain, something she drops at the last second to (b) save Dr. Pratt from been burned alive by an unprovoked fire. Later, with his cure lost forever, Banner just happens to stumble upon Jasmine as she escapes (and kills) some of the goons sent to eliminate her for her failure to deliver Dr. Pratt’s goods to her evil employers. He feels grateful to Jasmine for saving Dr. Pratt from the fire at the lab, and she wants to help him reach Dr. Pratt from the coma in which he’s been in since the accident.

After Jasmine helps Banner infiltrate the hospital and snap Dr. Pratt out of his coma the Russian spies come after them, which angers David enough to let you-know-who come out and save the day. Later that night an undressed and wet Banner (because it’s raining, you pervs!) staggers back to the hideout he shares with Jasmine. They look at each other, kiss and discreetly ‘get it on’ off-camera. David and Jasmine make plans about spending their lives with each other when news reaches them through the media that Dr. Pratt and his wife have been kidnapped. Apparently the Russian heavies that hired Jasmine decide that, if they can’t have Dr. Pratt’s research, they might as well kidnap the man himself and force his research out of him. Jasmine reluctantly helps David find out where they’re holding his friends prisoner, and the two of them set out to release the Pratt’s before they’re flown out of the country.

As you can probably tell by now "The Death of the Incredible Hulk" isn’t leading to a happy ending in which Banner rids himself of the creature that comes out when he gets angry. The title of the piece isn’t metaphorical, and thus yours truly’s interest dropped drastically after the sub-plot about Banner’s cure (Ch.13) is completely abandoned. The movie was shot in late 1989 and aired in February of 1990, which might explain why Gerald DiPego’s teleplay seems to be stuck in Cold War mode. Russian spies stealing genetic research? A little more believable than a Norse God coming back to life or a blind lawyer destroying a criminal syndicate, but still too far-fetched a plot to entertain anyone but the most brain-dead and puerile Incredible Hulk fan. Bill Bixby’s direction is a slight improvement over his disastrous "Trial of the Incredible Hulk" work (i.e. no disappearing beard!), but it’s obvious the man doesn’t have a clue about how to stage action or drama as well as his "Incredible Hulk" mentor Kenneth Johnson.

Don’t believe me? Get yourself a DVD copy of Universal’s recently-released "Incredible Hulk" pilot episode (which we’re also reviewing today), and see the heights of drama and emotion that a good writer/director like Johnson can achieve with as far-fetched a premise as the one that fueled this long-running TV series. If you decide to spring for Anchor Bay’s recently-released 2 Disc Set (also reviewed today) then you might as well spend the $10-15 for this Fox DVD to complete the made-for-TV "Incredible Hulk" set. The movie is just too amateurish-looking, dull (the so-called action scenes with Ferrigno stink) and dramatically bankrupt to be interesting to anyone but the hardcore "Hulk" constituents.