The article looks back at Spider-Man's television history, highlighting 1977's The Amazing Spider-Man, a live-action CBS series that opened to strong ratings but lasted only two seasons despite the character's enduring big-screen success, from Sam Raimi's 2002 film to the record-breaking 2026 release Spider-Man: Brand New Day. It notes that live-action portrayals of the hero have been rare compared with animated versions, making this early CBS effort a notable but often overlooked chapter in the character's screen history.

The CBS series starred Nicholas Hammond as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and was produced after the network bought the rights from creator Stan Lee, who reportedly clashed with producer Daniel R. Goodman over the show's tone, saying the comic book version was "more adult and sophisticated" than the TV adaptation. The piece also situates the series among Spider-Man's other live-action appearances: a brief run of skits on PBS's The Electric Company with Danny Seagren, a 1978 Japanese series, and, more recently, 2026's Spider-Noir.