The Greatest American Hero is a show that’s much beloved by folks of a certain generation. If you grew up in the seventies or eighties, the theme song is instantly iconic. In fact, the track “Believe it or Not” by Joey Scarbury actually made it all the way to the number 2 spot on the Billboard Charts. It was actually a bigger hit than the show itself, which only ran for two and a half seasons before being cancelled with five unaired episodes in early 1983. Yet, it remains part of the pop culture, with talk of rebooting it every now and then.

n this episode of Gone But Not Forgotten, which is written by Jessica Dwyer, edited by Cesar Gabriel, and narrated by Travis Hopson, we dig into this classic show. We examine how the show was conceived, how it was an initial hit, and why it was abruptly cancelled. We also dig into failed reboots and sequels, such as the Greatest American Heroine, and how the show also introduced us to the great Michael Paré before Eddie & the Cruisers and Streets of Fire made him a heartthrob.