The Green Hornet

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ABC (ended 1967)
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Show Summary

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Welcome to The Green Hornet guide at TV.com. The Green Hornet debuted shortly after the 1966 Batman TV Series and was produced by the same company. Whereas Batman was known for its heavy camp and semi-comedic storytelling, The Green Hornet took a more serious and realistic approach to masked crimefighting. However, this may have hurt the show as Batman is easily recalled by many for the outlandish villains such as the Joker and the Riddler, but The Green Hornet featured the protagonists battling against various "normal" criminals with no odd gimmicks. Despite only lasting one season, The Green Hornet has amassed a cult following, most likely because of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, who made his American television debut on the show. "Another challenge for the Green Hornet, his aide Kato, and their rolling arsenal, the Black Beauty. On police record, a wanted criminal, The Green Hornet is really Britt Reid, owner/publisher of The Daily Sentinel. His dual identity known only to his secretary and to the District Attorney. And now, to protect the rights and lives of decent citizens rides the Green Hornet!" -Narration from the opening creditsmoreless
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Episode Guide

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S 1 :  Ep 26 Aired 3/17/67
S 1 :  Ep 25 Aired 3/10/67
S 1 :  Ep 24 Aired 3/3/67
S 1 :  Ep 23 Aired 2/24/67
S 1 :  Ep 22 Aired 2/17/67

Cast & Crew

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The Green Hornet News

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Fan Reviews (11)

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  • No one would ever applaud the Green Hornet, unless they knew the truth, and that would defeat the purpose. An edgier cousin to the supreme camp and serial movie antics of the Caped Crusaders, it also had good acting, plenty of style--and Bruce Lee!moreless

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By Gojirob, May 03, 2011
    It's tempting to say at first that the chauffeur/sidekick is cooler than the hero, and he is, but Van Williams' Britt Reid not only behaves more like a vigilante would have to, but more like a millionaire would as well. I'm not going to slam Batman--I have too many childhood memories, and Adam West is a good actor. But rewatching these too-few eps when they come on is a real treat. Bruce Lee kicks butt, because that is what Bruce Lee does. But also, Reid doesn't have them walking into traps without a few of his own on hand. If a new show post-movie wants a basic model for how to run it, allowing for modern touches, then they should look here. I only wish some version of the Hornet could reference his avuncular ancestor - John Reid, The Lone Ranger. But licensing never works that way. A pity.moreless

  • It's Hard To Say But The Green Hornet Is One Of The Oldest Crime Fighter In History Radio Movie Serials Comic Books And Television And He Deserve Respect And Reconition!

    10
    "Perfect"
    By Eaves2042, Jan 15, 2011
    I am A Very Big Fan Of The Green Hornet Television Series And I Recently Recorded The Series On DVD When It Aired On The Encore Action Channel Two Years Ago I Can Say This About The Series It's A Cult Television Classic For It Time But It Should Be Brought Back To The Small Screen Or The Big Screen On An Extrem Level With High Tech Weapons And Stealth Technology To Battle Crime!...And The Green Hornet Get's A Thums Up !!moreless

  • Not a must see...

    5.4
    "Mediocre"
    By da_dunker, May 02, 2007
    Just because the main characters (Notice the plural) are wearing masks doesn't mean that the program is camp. This is the show that introduced the martial arts legend Bruce Lee to the world, and he probably was the first actor that made people think "Gee I didn't know human beings can move like that". I mean seeing Lee for the first time had that much shock value to the audience, and the attraction of the show had much to do with what's Lee going to do this week ? But I'd like to point out the superb acting that was done by Van Williams too. He looked so good as the main character, and he had a chameleon like method acting capability that made his acting fit the scene's mood perfectly every time. If he was British, I wouldn't be surprised if he was recruited to play James Bond after Sean Connery. Keeping in mind that this was a 30 minute show made in the '60s, this series still scores high in its production value. I would say that it's right up there with other '60s popular action show such as Mission Impossible. The only regret is that this show didn't last longer than a season. Audiences wanted more but for some odd reason, it was canned. They should have made at least two more seasons followed by a movie. I would say that it was a monumental blunder on the network's part to not see what a dynamite show they had in hand. Bruce Lee and Van Williams' talent should have been exploited to its max with this show and who knows what other shows they might have stared in.moreless

  • This show deserves to be recognized for more than giving us Bruce Lee (not that I'm not thankful for that).

    9.1
    "Superb"
    By craigmoore, Jan 28, 2007
    This show has been subject to an unfair lack of recognition. The only times I hear anything about it is when some discusses the career of the late, great Bruce Lee.

    I blame the executives at ABC at the time of the show's broadcast. When they approved the show for broadcast, they no doubt expected another light-hearted, camp heavy show, like Batman. What they got was something that was mature, well written, and is not looked upon with contempt or mocking laughter by fans of the original character.

    If they show had gone one for at least one more season, perhaps more, then it would have left a bigger impression on the minds of the viewing public. Instead, it became one of the many shows that lasted one season and gained a cult following that those who have never seen it are unable to understand (like the great Joss Whedon show Firefly).

    If you haven't seen any episodes, track some down and give it a shot. Your fears of Batman like neon-camp will be quickly laid to rest and you will likely find yourself wishing for more adventures of The Green Hornet and Kato.moreless

  • At a time when superheroes wore purple tights, walked on "walls" created by sideways-mounted cameras, and had plots that most 4th graders laughed at, "The Green Hornet" stood alone in attempting to bring realism to the masked vigilantemoreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By lairkenpo, Nov 01, 2006
    This show was definitely ahead of it\'s time. There was no legitimate Martial Arts on TV (except for Ed Parker\'s periodic appearances as a bad guy on \"I Spy\") at this time. It may seem hard to believe, but America was ignorant of such things. Then came \"Kato\" (the late Bruce Lee), and set new standards for fight scenes on TV and in movies. Over the next few years, judo, karate, and gung fu (kung fu) were everywhere. From \"Wild, Wild West\", to \"The Avengers\", and, on the big screen, \"The Manchurian Candidate\" (the original one with Frank Sinatra),and \"You Only Live Twice\", suddenly Asian Martial Arts inundated the entertainment world. Usually misrepresented, the character of \"Kato\" was the first legitimate main-stream Martial Artist. All of this thanks to \"The Green Hornet\". Not to belittle the excellent work of Van Williams as The Green Hornet, who seriously approached the character at a time where all \"superheroes\" were done tongue-in-cheek. It\' a shame America wasn\'t ready in 1966. Bring the characters back now, update them, and sit back ... Maybe it\'s time ...moreless
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