The Greatest American Hero (1981)

A high school teacher is handed a superhero suit by aliens and promptly loses the instruction book, so he has to learn its powers by trial and error, and nearly every flight is a crash waiting to happen. William Katt plays Ralph Hinkley as a decent guy out of his depth, and Robert Culp steals scenes as Bill Maxwell, the gruff FBI agent who wants to aim the suit at bad guys. The effects are cheap, which is half the joke, and three seasons stop it from wearing thin. The theme, "Believe It or Not," was a hit single in its own right. One piece of trivia: Ralph's surname was briefly changed to Hanley after John Hinckley Jr. shot at President Reagan in 1981.