Page "The Greatest American Hero" Paragraph 13

Cannell was trying to avoid save-the-day type episodes, a la the original Adventures of Superman TV series, but according to Cannell on the DVD set, when Carsey and Werner left ABC ( shortly after the show was picked up by the network ) the new network executives wanted the show to be more like a kid's show than an adult's show.

So they pushed for the exact types of shows that Cannell did not want, shows that involved Ralph trying to stop some sort of calamity from happening, including nuclear war (" Operation Spoilsport ") and even a Loch Ness Monster-type of creature (" The Devil in the Deep Blue Sea ").

For the second season finale, a serious and appropriate for the time ( the Cold War was in full bloom in 1982 ) episode was produced ; " Lilacs, Mr. Maxwell ", written and directed by Robert Culp.

The episode story line revolves around a KGB mole ( played by guest star Dixie Carter ) placed into the FBI with the sole purpose of discovering the methods used by agent Bill Maxwell in catching spies and other assorted bad guys.

Cannell gave Culp free rein to make the episode as he saw fit.