Original Air Date: March 16, 1979 on CBS - Episode 2.18
Starring: Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno
Guest Stars: Rick Springfield, Gerald McRaney, George Loros,  John Fujioka and Mako
Director: Reza S. Badiyi
Rick's Character name: Michael Roark

Synopsis: This was a follow up episode to the last one with the old Chinese teacher, Li Sun, again under attack. While Banner seeks to control his anger from within, he once again helps the old man and a young cop (played by Rick Springfield) . The power of martial arts and self-control are preached.

Note: This is the second time Rick worked for this director.  Reza Badiyi also directed his episode of The Rockford Files.

According to US

This episode opens with what one assumes to be a call girl talking to a cop. She is speaking broken English, and is insisting that she will only speak to Michael. Michael finally shows up, and it's our man-Rick- whose role is also of police officer. (Hubba Hubba-check out them sideburns!) She immediately starts speaking normal English, and the older cop is surprised. Michael introduces the two to each other; she's Joan, an informant, he is Michael's father Tim. Michael's brother Colin (played by Gerald McRaney) also makes an appearance in the scene (another cop) . Joan has information on a fugitive they have been searching for, Joe Lynch. It is established that Michael & Colin are third generation policemen, and Tim talks them into checking out Lynch's whereabouts immediately, without any backup.

The scene now switches to David Banner entering a room in which Li Son is instructing a class of some sort (Tae Kwon Do? Judo? Karate? I have no idea). David & Li are old friends. We are taken back now to Michael & his father Tim, who are about to bust down the door of the room where Joe Lynch is staying. The door is kicked in, Tim runs in first -there is a woman screaming, the window is open -Tim then trips a bomb that is wired at the window sill. There is an explosion, and Tim is down on the floor. Michael cries out to his father, who tells him to go after Lynch. A chase ensues on the street below, and shots are exchanged. (reviewer gasps-Rick is shot!) Michael is lying in the street, Lynch hovers over him and then runs away.

Back to Li Son & David, who are chatting. Li then suddenly hears someone gasping for breath, and turns to the door. Michael enters and nose dives to the floor. David sees that he has been shot by ripping open his shirt (ahem, RIPPING OPEN HIS SHIRT, something we've all secretly hoped to accomplish someday) and Li begins speaking to Michael telling him to work through the pain, that his mind can control his heart and stop the bleeding on it's own. Michael mutters about the explosion and his father, and then makes an OK sign with his thumb & middle finger with each hand. The bleeding stops.

After the commercial, we are shown Tim's funeral, Joe Lynch receiving treatment for his wounds, and Michael is in the hospital. Scenes are flashed showing Rick training with Li Son. The next scene shows Michael wearing jeans and strumming a guitar (much excitement from reviewers here) and Colin walks up and sits next to him. They discuss his coming back to the force to catch Lynch, Michael pleads that he needs more time. We are then shown more scenes of Michael with Li Son, in this one he is bending metal with his hand. (and it's a beautiful hand, we might add).
David is also receiving training from Li Son, and (we have no idea what the device is called that David has his hands stuck into, it's like from the olden days where your hands are stuck out in front of you in holes in-between two boards-anyone?) is trying to remove his hands (from aforementioned device) when Li Son collapses. David begins screaming for Michael, who is just now walking in the door. David turns into the Hulk, breaks the device and picks up Li off the floor. Michael walks in and stares, Li Son mutters that it is David. The Hulk places him gently down on the floor in front of Michael and then crashes through the window to get away. More people now come to Li's aid. Li begs Michael to go after David. Michael watches the Hulk roaring through crowds down the street. The Hulk then ducks into an alley, where Michael follows and watches him turn back into David. Michael takes off his jacket and hands it to David. They go back to see Li Son, who tells him it is only a matter of time before he is dead, and that Michael is to be his successor.

The scene now moves to Colin and Michael who are again arguing about their father's death and Joe Lynch. Michael is insisting that killing Lynch for revenge will not bring their father back. Michael then stalks off. (reviewers note that Rick's butt looks just as good in brown corduroys as it does in jeans) We are then shown a speeding car being pulled over by a cop. Michael is the speeder. The cop recognizes him, Michael apologizes for speeding, the cop tells him to go home. The crowd watching this exchange begins a riot because Michael was not busted. Michael gets out of the car and is surrounded by angry mobsters whom he defends off one by one using his (karate, TKD, judo?) skills. He then goes to see Li Son, who is lying in David's arms. David tells him he is dead. Michael is devastated.

Joan is then shown going to see Michael, and tells him where Lynch is. David hears this information and convinces Michael that he should go along with him. They arrive at the abandoned hotel where Lynch was seen, and the police are already there. Michael convinces Colin to let him go in after Joe. David is detained by the cops however, and they put him in the back of a squad car. Michael finds Joe, who begins shooting at him. The Hulk breaks out of the squad car and runs into the building when an explosion rips. Michael & the Hulk basically save each other, grab an unconscious Joe, and Michael tells the Hulk to run away. Colin then comes in and wants to kill Lynch. Michael will not let him.

After the commercial, Michael is showing walking with David and discussing his new Private Investigator license. He tries to talk David into continuing his training with him. David declines and says goodbye.

The reviewers agree that this is definitely a 4 out of 4 star performance for Rick. Considering this originally aired in March, 1979 - Rick looks very much like he did playing the famous Dr Noah Drake. A must see for any Rick fan. - Michelle P. and Lisa B.
I watched a lot of TV in the 70's and all the cheesy TV shows like Wonder Woman, Six Million Dollar Man, Bionic Women, Charlie's Angels, etc, so I'm pretty sure I saw this back when it aired, but I wouldn't have known who Rick Springfield was at the time. 
This was the juiciest role he got from all the shows he did under his Universal contract. You can just tell it was a pilot for a TV series. Probably another one of the "itsalwaysomething's" that happened in Rick's career. I thought it was really well acted, and you have to wonder if Rick's experience with martial arts helped him get the role. Definitely seems to be a precursor for the 3 seasons he did of High Tide, without the humor. - rlh