ABC Orders Pilot for ‘Greatest American Hero’ Reboot

Potentially next in the endless stream of TV show revivals is a new version of “The Greatest American Hero” on ABC, which originally aired on the network from 1981-83. ABC has given a pilot commitment to the proposed single camera half-hour, which this time will center on Meera, a 30-year-old Indian-American woman from Cleveland who dons a superhero suit to protect the planet after being entrusted by some aliens.

The reboot is being written and produced by Rachna Fruchbom, who co-produced “Fresh off the Boat” and some wrote some episodes of “Parks and Recreation.” Tawnia McKiernan is set to direct.

The original show followed a substitute school teacher, Ralph Hinkley (William Katt) who is given an alien space suit that gives him superpowers like invisibility and super strength. However, because he loses the instruction guide, he ends up having to figure out how the suit works by making mistakes, and teams up with an FBI agent played by Robert Culp to solve crimes. Most memorable from the show, perhaps, was the hit theme song, “Believe it Or Not,” sung by Joey Scarbury.