# The Amazing Spider-Man TV show **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 3, 2019, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454 "2019-07-03T14:45:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/1 "2019-07-03T14:45:38Z")
Did anyone watch the 1977 TV show [The Amazing Spider-Man](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amazing_Spider-Man_(TV_series))? I know I watched every episode, and I can’t remember a single one. I was 16 at the time. Was it any good? What were the effects like? Did adults like it? Probably the fact I can’t remember any plots is probably telling. I watched every Incredible Hulk and Wonder Woman, too, and damned if I know what happened in any of them. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/2 "2019-07-03T15:32:56Z")
I remember watching it and mostly liking it and I was 6 at the time. There were none of Spidey’s rogues gallery in them and the effects were “mid 70s TV” so it was a mixed bag. I thought the wall crawling looked decent but web swinging was weak and when Spidey shot the web, you could see a fishing line pulling it. I also thought that Spider-Man would have an easier time against the heavies but the fights were never so one sided. He was even thrown off the roof of a building as part of a cliffhanger or commercial break, which I thought was silly. I don’t remember all these episodes listed but I do remember parts. I wonder if all of them could be found online. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/3 "2019-07-03T15:38:45Z")
I don’t think I saw it as a TV series but they reedited many of it’s two part episodes into movies and would play them on afternoon TV a lot and those I saw. They were not good. It was like watching a monster movie. I hated the “people scenes” and only wanted the monster/Spider-Man scenes. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/4 "2019-07-03T16:37:43Z")
When he crawled up the side of a building, you could see the rope being winched up and his hands and feet slid all over the place. No snappy dialogue, no interesting villains, nd the origin story was bleached of all human interest. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/5 "2019-07-03T17:00:18Z")
I vaguely remember watching this, along with the much better-remembered _Incredible Hulk_ series from around the same time. Like Hulk, it eschewed any comic-book type villains and had Spider-Man going up against your standard 70s TV villain types. As a comic book fan, I kind of resented that approach. I remember the effects, even by the standards of the time, being laughably bad. As I recall, he never (or almost never) spoke while in costume, so you had none of the typical Spider-Man sarcastic humor that was so much a part of his character in the comics. I actually do remember the plot of one episode: Spider-Man gets cloned. This was, presumably, unrelated to the infamous [Clone Saga](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clone_Saga) that would turn the Spider-Man comics into unreadable shit about 20 years later. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/6 "2019-07-03T17:11:31Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > I vaguely remember watching this, along with the much better-remembered _Incredible Hulk_ series from around the same time. Like Hulk, it eschewed any comic-book type villains and had Spider-Man going up against your standard 70s TV villain types. As a comic book fan, I kind of resented that approach. > > I remember the effects, even by the standards of the time, being laughably bad. As I recall, he never (or almost never) spoke while in costume, so you had none of the typical Spider-Man sarcastic humor that was so much a part of his character in the comics. > > I actually do remember the plot of one episode: Spider-Man gets cloned. This was, presumably, unrelated to the infamous [Clone Saga](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clone_Saga) that would turn the Spider-Man comics into unreadable shit about 20 years later. Picture watching a “porn parody” without the sex scenes and you’ve just about nailed it. One OK episode, a two-parter called “The Deadly Dust”. Oh, look. It’s on YouTube. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jzIaFNrrTY) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/7 "2019-07-03T17:12:24Z")
I don’t recall a series, although Wikipedia says there was one. I do remember the pilot TV movie, though. I only watched bits of it, because the effects were amazingly bad – comic book translation to TV and movies really did need CGI to make them watchable. The web effect was particularly disappointing. The acting and writing weren’t good enough to carry the show. They had better luck with _The Incredible Hulk_ because Loue Ferrigno in green makeup and the use of slowed-down footage actually made it halfway believable. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/8 "2019-07-03T17:13:52Z")
Even at 9, I enjoyed it, but not so much that I watched it faithfully. I was also pretty militantly DC when I collected comics, so I may well have snubbed it on those grounds (although I did watch _The Incredible Hulk_ regularly). It was, however, a huge improvement over the version of Spider-man that showed up on the Electric Company. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/9 "2019-07-03T17:14:21Z")
I watched it when it was on because I was a kid (six) and it was Spider-Man. On reflection, I think I enjoyed Spidey’s appearances on _The Electric Company_ more. ETA: **KneadtoKnow** and I will agree to differ. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/10 "2019-07-03T17:16:21Z")
Fair enough! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/11 "2019-07-03T17:47:28Z")
Watching clips on Youtube now I forgot how Spider-Man runs around kind of hunched over with his arms forward a little, like he’s exaggeratedly sneaking around or something, and how ridiculous it looks. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/12 "2019-07-03T19:07:23Z")
[quote=“E-DUB, post:6, topic:836454”] Picture watching a “porn parody” without the sex scenes and you’ve just about nailed it. One OK episode, a two-parter called “The Deadly Dust”. Oh, look. It’s on YouTube. [/QUOTE] Interesting that this episode guest starred Joanna Cameron, best known for playing [Mighty Isis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secrets_of_Isis) on Saturday mornings. Sadly, she was playing someone else here, so we don’t get to see the Spider-Man/Isis team-up the world was waiting for. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/13 "2019-07-03T19:33:28Z")
[quote=“E-DUB, post:6, topic:836454”] Picture watching a “porn parody” without the sex scenes and you’ve just about nailed it. One OK episode, a two-parter called “The Deadly Dust”. Oh, look. It’s on YouTube. [/QUOTE] Even with a limited budget, they really need more spider webbing. Fighting a guy with nunchucks? Spider web! It wouldn’t have cost that much, and it is the signature move of the character. Lame hand to hand combat? Anyone can do that. Probably even Colombo! And he could disarm a nuclear bomb easier if he’s take off those gloves and mask. Just saying… ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/14 "2019-07-03T20:10:52Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > When he crawled up the side of a building, you could see the rope being winched up and his hands and feet slid all over the place. No snappy dialogue, no interesting villains, nd the origin story was bleached of all human interest. They didn’t do it like Batman, where they built a wall on the floor? ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/15 "2019-07-03T20:13:47Z")
I was 10 or so when it came out. I loved the Spider-Man comics, hated the show. Whoever played Peter Parker was astonishingly boring, and the effects were awful. As said above, The Incredible Hulk was much better. Bill Bixby was a good actor, and it’s much easier to make feats of strength believable than a guy climbing a wall. ---
**Author:** ![Helmut\_Doork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e8c25b/32.png) [@Helmut\_Doork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helmut_Doork)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/16 "2019-07-03T20:17:49Z")
As a child I can recall the effects in this to be not so special- the wall climbing IIRC was especially ridiculous looking. This and Kiss Meets the Phantom (natch) stand out as two examples of the era of special effects so lame even a kid who loved Kiss and Spidey tuned out. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/17 "2019-07-03T20:22:44Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > As said above, The Incredible Hulk was much better. Bill Bixby was a good actor, and it’s much easier to make feats of strength believable than a guy climbing a wall. “You really wouldn’t like me if I became angry.” ---
**Author:** ![CAH66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@CAH66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CAH66)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/18 "2019-07-03T20:34:43Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > I actually do remember the plot of one episode: Spider-Man gets cloned. This was, presumably, unrelated to the infamous [Clone Saga](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clone_Saga) that would turn the Spider-Man comics into unreadable shit about 20 years later. Hey! As a bona-fide Spider-Man fan I take great offense to this characterization of that story arc! It was \*barely \*readable shit. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/19 "2019-07-03T20:49:56Z")
I remember the show existing, and watched every episode, but since none included his Rogues Gallery (which, to be fair, would’ve been tough to film) and the effects weren’t any good, I didn’t enjoy it. Nicholas Hammond, who played Spider-Man, was Friedrich, one of the kids, in the movie _The Sound of Music_. In retrospect, it would’ve been cooler if he’d been the one who (per Liesl) was able to climb into the governesses’ rooms holding an entire jar of spiders in one hand, instead of Louisa. IMDB says he’s still acting–he’s in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, coming out later this year. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454/20 "2019-07-03T21:16:00Z")
I watched it at the time and have only isolated memories if it now, probably of questionable accuracy: 1. The “spider-sense” effect was depicted as Peter’s eyes flashing and him having some kind of psychic vision. 2. There was an episode where people could be mind-controlled by lapel pins the villain had tricked them into wearing. Peter was about to climb over the railing on the observation deck of the World Trade Center and jump to his death when part of the fence caught and tore away his pin, letting him snap out of it. 3. Someone swings a bo-staff at Spider-Man. He dodges by jumping upward and sticking to the ceiling. I’m hesitant to view the episodes to verify these memories, since I expect adult-me will find the footage cringe-inducing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-spider-man-tv-show/836454.md?page=2)