Return Of The Hero

Good Lord.

First it was "The X-Files" that returned to TV.  Next it was "Will and Grace." Soon "Roseanne" returns. Yesterday came the word that CBS had ordered 13 new episodes of "Murphy Brown." And now, "The Greatest American Hero?"

Is Hollywood COMPLETELY out of new ideas?!

Look, at least I *barely* remember this show. And what I do remember had nothing to do with the show itself (more on that in a moment).

The original ABC-TV series ran from 1980-1983. The plot was basically a nerdy teacher (William Katt) who becomes a reluctant superhero after extraterrestrials give him a special suit with powers he can barely understand or control when he loses its instruction manual.

In this new version (freshly ordered to pilot), Indian-American actress, Meera will reportedly be a 30-year-old woman from Cleveland whose spends her time drinking tequila and singing karaoke. Then some aliens give her a super suit to help her protect the world, despite her lack of qualifications.

No word on the theme music for the new show. I bring that up because it is the only thing I remember distinctly from the original series. In fact, from time to time I still hear it on satellite radio (it hit number 2 on the charts in 1981).

Here's the opening to the first series, see if you don't remember the song.