Episode Mini-Reviews
Created Friday 15th January 2010
Last updated Sunday 21st March 2010
Eventually, I hope to do complete episode review capsules for each and every episode. In the meantime, here is a run-down of mini-reviews for each episode. I should stress two points:
1) These are my own personal views, and not definitive coverage of the series ( I know many will disagree with my thoughts on 'Family Reunion' and 'The Crystal Skull', for example); although I've aimed to give a fair overview of the episodes, others' opinions well may differ to mine
2) Although I'll try and keep reviews generally consistent, my ratings of particular episodes often changes, and so may be updated from time-to-time, particularly as I cover episodes in the review capsules.
The ratings go from 1 to 10, with 10 being the best.
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1st Season
1983 (early episodes produced 1982); Pilot and 12 episodes
The first season can maybe be considered the show's strongest, especially in terms of story. It is by far by personal favourite season. It is scripted by just four writers - creators Stephen J. Cannell and Frank Lupo, with first season producer Patrick Hasburgh, and one of Cannell writing staff, Babs Greyhosky. This tighter writing staff could be considered to make things tighter than later seasons, where episodes were dished out to a wider array of writing staff, leading to a more variable quality in the episode run.
1/2 
(feature-length
/ 2 part)
Sun 23rd Jan 1983 #1100 (2-part: #1198 & #1199)
Written by FRANK LUPO & STEPHEN J. CANNELL
Directed by ROD HOLCOMB
9 GREAT EXAMPLE
The series kicks off with this reasonable if not perfectly paced Pilot (titled 'Mexican Slayride' when broken into two parts in later years for syndication). The most immediately noticeable difference from the regular series, is a different actor, Tim Dunigan, playing Face (for more on this, see the series synopsis and the episode review capsule). Beyond that, the first half of this Pilot introduces the team and looks at the way they work - the most detailed study of this that we see in the series (the second season's feature-length "When You Comin' Back, Range Rider?", being the only other real example of this). The second half is a decent enough adventure, iwth some very good sequences, although maybe not as well paced as we would become accustomed to in most of the first and second season episodes.
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3. CHILDREN OF JAMESTOWN Sun 30th Jan 1983 #1105
Written by STEPHEN J. CANNELL
Directed by CHRISTIAN I. NYBY, JR.
9 GREAT EXAMPLE
The third hour-long episode produced, 'Children of Jamestown' was selected to air as the first regular episode after the Pilot. It has much darker undertones (an evil religious cult brainwashing youths) than many later stories, although this is only lightly delved into, as most of the story is of the standard A-Team action-and-wisecracks fare. A very good episode, and one of my favourites, although the series still seems to be finding its footing with this one - although it must be said, has already found it's footing than many other shows do in their initial couple of episodes. Also notable for barely featuring Murdock, after he was initially planned to be written out of the series by 'the powers that be', until the character proved to be a hit with preview audiences of the Pilot, and was quickly "written back in" again as a result.
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4.
Tue 8th Feb 1983 #1102
Written by STEPHEN J. CANNELL
Directed by RON SATLOF
10 SERIES CLASSIC
The first hour-long episode to be produced after the Pilot, in my opinion, the first real classic of the series - I love this episode. The script is classic Cannell, with lots of eccentricities and wise-cracks. Although a prison setting might on paper seem to be a bit limiting for an 'A-Team' adventure, it actually works perfectly. I also like that this episode has a more mature feel to it (as did several of the very early episodes), before things became more family friendly, to appeal to the masses of younger fans. This is one of my top three all-time favourite 'A-Team' episodes (the other two being 'One More Time' from later this season, and the third season's fan favourite 'Bounty'). I never tire of this episode.
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5. A SMALL AND DEADLY WAR Tue 15th Feb 1983 #1106
Written by FRANK LUPO
Directed by RON SATLOF
8.5 GOOD EPISODE
A favourite with some, I like this one, although I wouldn't say that it is necessarily one of my favourites of season one (but much of that is due to most of the other episodes of the season being of such a high quality) - I never felt that the whole "Police officers working as hit men" concept was used to it's full potential. Even so, this is still a decent story.
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6. BLACK DAY AT BAD ROCK Tue 22nd Feb 1983 #1107
Written by PATRICK HASBURGH
Directed by CHRISTIAN I. NYBY, JR.
10 SERIES CLASSIC
This is another top-notch episode, but in a more unexpected way. It is wonderfully simple (even by 'A-Team' standards), but still manages to be an extremely likable and fun story. It is the first of a handful of stories written by first season joint producer Patrick Hasburgh; he came up with a number of quality episodes, and it's a real shame that he didn't pen more for the series.
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7. THE RABBIT WHO ATE LAS VEGAS Tue 1st Mar 1983 #1103
Written by FRANK LUPO
Directed by BRUCE KESSLER
7.5 ABOVE AVERAGE
This episode (the second hour-long one produced, between 'Pros and Cons' and 'Children of Jamestown') is arguably the weakest of the first season, and does have feel of the show fully finding it's footing, but that's not to say it is no good. I find it a bit confined, with the bulk of it being set within a Las Vegas casino. But it still is a very good story, with a wonderfully fresh feel, and is far better than some of the show's later efforts.
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8. HOLIDAY IN THE HILLS Tue 15th Mar 1983 #1108
Written by BABS GREYHOSKY
Directed by ARNOLD LAVEN
9 GREAT EXAMPLE
This episode is unique amongst the Amy-era episodes, in that Amy does not come into direct contact with the team for the entire story, instead having her own b-plot, about a new colleague who is actually a plant by the Military. This episode on the whole is a very good adventure, although does at points again have feel of the series still finding it's feet.
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9. THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS Tue 22nd Mar 1983 #1109
Written by FRANK LUPO
Directed by CHUCK BOWMAN
8.5 GOOD EPISODE
Another enjoyable first season outing, and one of the last episodes that I needed to complete my collection in the days before DVD box sets (possibly due to the amount of explosive action at the climax; I certainly never saw this repeated in any region near me). It's a very enjoyable story, and by this point the template was firmly falling into place for many future episodes. However, at time of writing (January 2010), it currently ranks in 8th in the top ten highest rated (from user votes) on TV.com; As good an episode as it is, I personally wouldn't rank it in my top ten, and there are several first season episodes I would choose over it. That's not to say it's no good, though - I like this one.
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10. WEST COAST TURNAROUND Tue 5th Apr 1983 #1110
Teleplay by STEPHEN J. CANNELL & PATRICK HASBURGH Story by BABS GREYHOSKY
Directed by GUY MAGAR
9.5 EXCELLENT EPISODE
This high quality of the first season continues with this extremely enjoyable escapade. As a child, as well as having many episodes on VHS from off-air recordings (until my father taped over them - but that's another story!), I also recorded this episode, along with a few others, onto cassette tape to listen to - and as a result, even at a quite young age, I knew every word of this story! The 'ruthless land developer' plot device is one that would be re-used a number of times over the course of the show's life; here, used for the first time, it is at it's most enjoyable. Throw in some typical A-Team fun and wisecracks, and you've got an excellent first season tale.
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11. ONE MORE TIME Tue 12th Apr 1983 #1111
Teleplay by FRANK LUPO & PATRICK HASBURGH Story by BABS GREYHOSKY
Directed by ARNOLD LAVEN
10 SERIES CLASSIC
In my opinion, one of the series greats, and one of my top three all-time favourite 'A-Team' episodes. The sequence of Hannibal, dressed up as an old lady, racing along on a motorcycle chased by Colonel Lynch, with Face hanging on for dear life on the back, is one of my favourite A-Team sequences. The second half of the episode, is a great adventure, and the climatic escape - with Face hanging off the helicopter skid - is a classic A-Team moment.
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12. TILL DEATH DO US PART Tue 19th Apr 1983 #1112
Written by BABS GREYHOSKY & FRANK LUPO
Directed by GUY MAGAR
9 GREAT EXAMPLE
Another first season great (and, for the record, my late grandmother's favourite episode, as she loved Murdock running along dressed up as a bride). That sequence, with bride Murdock, and B.A. bursting out of the wedding cake, is another classic A-Team sequence. The climatic helicopter chase is also very good. ...The first season really did have some great episodes, didn't it!
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13. THE BEAST FROM THE BELLY OF A BOEING Tue 3rd May 1983 #1113
Written by PATRICK HASBURGH
Directed by GUY MAGAR
9.5 EXCELLENT EPISODE
Yet another solid story, this time as the team rescue a hijacked 747. Compared to the many generic episodes of subsequent seasons, especially mid-run, this is a very polished, unpredictable tale. As funny as Murdock being released from the V.A. hospital is, the first few minutes of this story are maybe a bit slow, but it doesn't matter, because as soon as the team are on-board the hi-jacked plane, things really warm up.
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14. A NICE PLACE TO VISIT Tue 10th May 1983 #1114
Written by FRANK LUPO
Directed by BERNARD MCEVEETY
9.5 EXCELLENT EPISODE
'A Nice Place to Visit', and a nice end to the season. A good script from Frank Lupo, this one is a bit more cartoony in places than some of the more 'serious' (if 'The A-Team' can ever be called serious!) first season instalments, this is none-the-less another enjoyable outing, as the team free a small town from the grip of the murderous Watkins brothers (I've always thought of the Watkins brothers being in a way, an anti-A-Team (see here for more)).
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2nd Season
(1983-84; 22 episodes, including one feature-length episode)
The second season still had a number of good episodes, although maybe not as varied as the first season, and some started to comment on the repetitive, slightly generic stories that would often be used. However, as Cannell has said "We pretty much told the same story every week; It's how we told the story that changed". And this is indeed true - the second season offers enough enjoyable elements in nearly all of it's episodes to still keep things bobbing along nicely. After the tight writing staff of Cannell, Lupo, Hasburgh and Greyhosky in the first season, the second season saw a wider variety of writers being brought in, with varying success.
15. DIAMONDS 'N DUST Tue 20th Sep 1983 #1201
Written by PATRICK HASBURGH
Directed by RON SATLOF
7 AVERAGE
The second season kicks off, both production-wise and broadcast-wise, with this fair to middling episode. I really like that the second season (in it's initial episodes anyway) sent the team to more exotic locations (even if it was all filmed on the usual Hollywood-based studios), and this story starts off with a lot of promise, but sadly, this episode ultimately never comes off as more than average in my eyes. As such, I always felt that any one of the subsequent episodes ('Recipe For Heavy Bread', 'The Only Church In Town', or 'Bad Time on the Border') would have made a much better start to the season. This is also the last episode to be written by first season producer Patrick Hasburgh; of his handful of scripts for the series, this is by far his weakest, but even so I wish he had contributed more. It's an interesting premise - the team must deliver explosives to a Zimbabwe diamond mine while battling thugs who want to open it as themselves, and there are some good moments, but sadly things ultimately never quite rise above the 'average' bar. All-in-all... There are much worse episodes (particularly from later in the show's life), but there are also much better, especially in the first couple of seasons.
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16. RECIPE FOR HEAVY BREAD Tue 27th Sep 1983 #1206
Written by STEPHEN J. CANNELL
Directed by BERNARD MCEVEETY
9 GREAT EXAMPLE
After the watchable but slightly disappointing season opener, 'Diamonds 'N Dust', things pick up here with a far better episode, and (as mentioned on my review for 'Diamonds...'), part of me wonders why this one wasn't chosen to start the season with. Maybe it's not surprising that this one is written by Cannell, who typically wrote many of the best episodes (the fourth season's terrible 'Mind Games' aside). It is a little over-convenient, even by 'A-Team' standards, that the team arrive at the plush restaurant to glimpse old P.O.W. cook Lin Du Coo (a nice turn by veteran guest star Mako) just moments before he is snatched away by heavies, but overlooking that one plot convenience, this is a very good adventure.
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17. THE ONLY CHURCH IN TOWN Tue 11th Oct 1983 #1204
Written by BABS GREYHOSKY
Directed by CHRISTIAN I. NYBY II
8.5 GOOD
Another early second season instalment that is very good, and perfectly enjoyable, but, like a few other second season episodes, feels like it doesn't quite have that edge to make it a complete series classic. For example, the scene where Hannibal deliberately gets all of the bandits drunk and the ensuing fight... so much more fun could have been had with that. Even so, there are some nice moments in this story (Murdock and Face dressed up as nuns) that save this one from falling flat.
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18. BAD TIME ON THE BORDER Tue 18th Oct 1983 #1203
Written by RICHARD CHRISTIAN MATHESON & THOMAS SZOLLOSI
Directed by BRUCE KESSLER
9.5 EXCELLENT EPISODE
One that doesn't often get picked out as a particularly good episode, but I've always really liked this one. It is the first to be written by Richard Christian Matheson and Thomas Szollosi, TV script stalwarts for many years, and who would act as script editors for the second season, as well as turning in a number of decent stories. The story itself is an exciting one (Hannibal goes undercover to break an slave trading ring, only to be captured himself), and has a nice rounded, polished feel to it. Probably wouldn't make my personal top 10 these days (it would have a few years ago), but likely still in my top 20.
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19/20. "WHEN YOU COMIN' BACK, RANGE RIDER?" (feature-length / 2 parts)
Tue 25th Oct 1983 #1207 (2-part: #1298 & #1299)
Written by FRANK LUPO
Directed by CHRISTIAN I. NYBY II
9.5 EXCELLENT EPISODE(S)
Arguably the best of the show's feature-length / two-part outings in many respects. The first half is the most detailed examination of how the team operate and stake out potential clients after the Pilot. It also introduces Lance LeGault as new Army nemesis, Colonel Roderick Decker, proving to be much more of a threat than Lynch ever was. The story moves along nicely, only verging on becoming slightly "bitty" at the climax, but not enough to damage the overall enjoyment.
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21. THE TAXICAB WARS Tue 1st Nov 1983 #1213
Written by STEPHEN J. CANNELL
Directed by GILBERT SHILTON
7.5 AVERAGE
A fairly enjoyable episode, but one that ultimately isn't particularly stand out from the series, or the season, as a whole. Surprisingly, it is penned by Stephen J. Cannell, who typically offers some of the show's more noteworthy storylines, but here we have a much more run-of-the-mill, by-the-numbers plot. Thankfully, the episode is saved by a number of enjoyable elements, most notably Murdock, who both has Socki the sock puppet, and an alter-ego as Captain Cab, in this story. It is also the first time that Face's Corvette is seen, and the last episode that Melinda Culea (Amy) filmed for the series.
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22. LABOR PAINS Tue 8th Nov 1983 #1208
Written by THOMAS SZOLLISI & RICHARD CHRISTIAN MATHESON
Directed by ARNOLD LAVEN
9 GREAT EXAMPLE
Probably a much higher rating than some would give this one, but I've always liked this easy going episode. It's hardly one of the show's greatest plots, but it just has a really nice feel to it. It is also notable for being the infamous episode where the team use a cabbage-firing machine (!) to battle the episode's bad guys.
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23. THERE'S ALWAYS A CATCH Tue 15th Nov 1983 #1212
Written by RICHARD CHRISTIAN MATHESON & THOMAS SZOLLOSI
Directed by RON SATLOF
9 GREAT EXAMPLE
An archetypal second season outing, in that it hardly has a ground-breaking plot, but is (yet) another nicely rounded, enjoyable feel to it. B.A. hurts his leg (again!), the team just happen to arrive in town as a local fisher family need help, things backfire when they're caught by Decker... it's all standard 'A-Team' stuff, but it bobs along nicely, making for another enjoyable, easy going instalment.
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24. WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE Tue 22nd Nov 1983 #1205
Teleplay by SIDNEY ELLIS and JO SWERLING, JR.
Story by SIDNEY ELLIS
Directed by RON SATLOF
8.5 GOOD
Maybe I'm being over-simplistic, but this one has always felt like 'Labor Pains' with hosepipes in place of fired cabbages to me (even though this episode was actually produced before 'Labor Pains'). But either way, it's still good enough - although I prefer 'Labor Pains' personally. I also thought that Murdock's weekly "obsession" in this episode, 'the wee people', was a bit silly and not up to his usual comic standard, although I have met others who love the wee people!
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25. STEEL Tue 29th Nov 1983 #1214
Written by FRANK LUPO
Directed by GILBERT SHILTON
7.5 ABOVE AVERAGE
This episode feels awkward for the sudden departure of Melinda Culea as Amy, with no mention of her during the story (though she will be seen on-screen one more time in the next broadcast episode, 'The White Ballot'). And beyond that, by this point the somewhat generic limitations of plots stars to become apparent even to the more forgiving, hard-core audience. That said, this is still a reasonable story in it's own right; it sags a bit in the middle, but picks up at the end, with the construction ground battle at the climax being a highlight (several shots from which went on to be used on the third and fourth season opening credits).
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26. THE WHITE BALLOT Tue 6th Dec 1983 #1202
Written by JEFF RAY
Directed by DENNIS DONNELLY
7 AVERAGE
The broadcast order of this patch of episodes noticeably seems a bit jumpy - after the Amy-free previous episode, 'Steel' (complete with updated second season opening credits), suddenly we have the return of Amy for one last time, making the episode feel noticably out of sequence. Anyway, this episode starts out with great promise - Face running for Sheriff in a small backwater town, as the team employ a series of publicity stunts to oust the corrupt current lawman. It starts off well, but sadly, by halfway through, it has fallen into a standard story. Perfectly watchable, but a bit of a disappointment that it never lives up to it's promising initial concept.
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27. THE MALTESE COW Tue 13th Dec 1983 #1216
Written by THOMAS SZOLLOSI & RICHARD CHRISTIAN MATHESON
Directed by DENNIS DONNELLY
9.5 EXCELLENT EPISODE
With regard to the broadcast order, this episode seems to sit a bit awkwardly after 'The White Ballot'. '...Ballot' was filmed much earlier in the season (in fact, the second produced episode of the season), whereas 'The Maltese Cow' has definite feel of being produced a while later. Either way, I consider this episode to be the best of the three "in-between Amy and Tawnia episodes" by far. The explanation of the Tong gang using the protection racket to finance a drug lord's return into the country, doesn't fully work and could have come from any number of episodes, but the overall plot of The A-Team doing battle with a gang of martial arts warriors is great fun.
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28. IN PLANE SIGHT Tue 3rd Jan 1984 #1217
Written by BABS GREYHOSKY
Directed by TONY MORDENTE
7 AVERAGE
A very odd, strange feeling episode, and probably the weakest of the three episodes set between Amy's and Tawnia's time on the show. To me, it has a feel of being slightly thrown together, maybe at the last minute due to Melinda Culea's abrupt departure. It's not a bad story (and would have definitely been one of the better outings if placed amongst the later episodes), but feels too uneven to be one of the second season's greats, and not up to Babs Greyhosky's usual quality of script for the series (though this was the last entry she penned for the show, which is a shame, as generally I really enjoy her stories).
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29. THE BATTLE OF BEL-AIR Tue 10th Jan 1984 #1220
Written by FRANK LUPO
Directed by GILBERT SHILTON
9 GREAT EXAMPLE
Following the abrupt departure of Amy (Melinda Culea), this episode introduces her replacement, Tawnia Baker (Marla Heasley) (although Heasley's first filmed episode in the role was 'Pure-Dee Poison', broadcast in two episode's time). With the greatest of respect to Heasley, it is hard to fully warm to the character; she reminds me in many ways of the infamous 'replacement Duke boys' Coy and Vance in the fifth season (1982-3) of 'The Dukes of Hazzard', who suddenly appeared out of nowhere and were mere clones of original Duke boys Bo and Luke, in both looks and mannerisms. Likewise, Tawnia to me always feels like a poor Amy duplicate, with little individual personality to interest the audience. By this point, George Peppard was making his feelings well known that he felt the series didn't need a female co-star, and - maybe either agreeing with Peppard or simply giving in to him - the producers seemingly felt the same way, as Tawnia was never added to the opening credits (and, with a few exceptions, featured less in episodes than Amy did). All that aside, 'The Battle of Bel-Air' itself is a decent enough episode, with some good moments, and a great helicopter duel at the climax.
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30. SAY IT WITH BULLETS Tue 17th Jan 1984 #1218
Written by RICHARD CHRISTIAN MATHESON & THOMAS SZOLLOSI
Directed by DENNIS DONNELLY
10 (OVERLOOKED) SERIES CLASSIC
I'm amazed that so many people seem to overlook this great episode - in my opinion, it is one of the series classics. It has everything - a client who turns out to be working for Decker, infiltrating an Army base, driving around in a tank... there's so much good about this one. And although she was never really a favourite of mine, this is at least one of Tawnia's better episodes, giving her something to do (I would still have much preferred that it was Amy though!).
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31. PURE-DEE POISON Tue 31st Jan 1984 #1215
Written by CHRIS BUNCH & ALLAN COLE
Directed by DENNIS DONNELLY
7 AVERAGE
After one of my all-time favourite episodes, comes a much more take-it-or-leave-it fare with 'Pure-Dee Poison'. It's not quite bottom of the (moonshine) barrel, but there's not much to particularly grab the attention with this one. The only series entry written by Chris Bunch & Allan Cole, so maybe they never really got a feel for the show.
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32. IT'S A DESERT OUT THERE Tue 7th Feb 1984 #1219
Written by BRUCE CERVI
Directed by ARNOLD LAVEN
7 AVERAGE
I want to like this episode, I really want to. On paper, it sounds terrific - a bunch of criminals racing around in the desert in off-road buggies. Sadly, this one comes off as just an average episode. As with 'Pure-Dee Poison' before it, 'It's a Desert Out There' is also an only series entry by a writer - this time, Bruce Cervi, so maybe he never really got to have a full grasp of the characters; I can't help but wonder if this one had come off better written by one of the more regular writers.
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33. CHOPPING SPREE Tue 14th Feb 1984 #1222
Written by STEPHEN KATZ
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
7.5 SLIGHTLY ABOVE AVERAGE
Notable for being the one where B.A.'s beloved van is stolen, this is the first episode of the series to be penned by Stephen Katz, who would offer a number of stories in the third season. I like this one better than the previous two broadcast episodes ('Pure-Dee Poison' and 'It's a Desert Out There'), this one has much more going for it. It still doesn't feel to be the series on vintage form, but has a number of fun elements - most memorably at the climax, with Murdock rising in the coffin the back of a Hurse, firing his rifle at the villains (a sequence that was immortalised in the third and fourth season opening credits).
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34. HARDER THAN IT LOOKS Tue 21st Feb 1984 #1224
Written by FRANK LUPO
Directed by IVAN DIXON
9.5 EXCELLENT
After a run of middling episodes in 'Pure-Dee Poison', 'It's a Desert Out There' and 'Chopping Spree' (though 'Chopping Spree' had it's moments), the season gets it's second wind, as this episode starts a run of quality episodes that will last until the end of the season. Compared to some of the almost trivial episodes elsewhere, this one sees the A-Team battling a terrorist movement. The series always performed best when it felt like the team were up against a genuinely tough opponent, and this is a prime example of that. The episode is also notable for not featuring Tawnia (personally I didn't miss her that much).
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35. DEADLY MANEUVERS Tue 28th Feb 1984 #1225
Written by RICHARD CHRISTIAN MATHESON & THOMAS SZOLLOSI
Directed by MIKE VEJAR
10 SERIES CLASSIC
A second season favourite with many fans, this great adventure sees a syndicate of foiled criminals hiring a mercenary squad to take The A-Team out once-and-for-all. My one real gripe is that we never really get properly introduced to all of the four-man squad, but even so, they prove to be a real threat to the team, once again proving that real challenge or danger to the A-Team generally prove to be the best stories (see my review for 'Harder Than It Looks' for similar thoughts). Also of note is a rare return of a guest character - Tricia O'Neal as Dr. Maggie Sullivan, from the first season's great 'Black Day at Bad Rock' - although interestingly, Ed Lauter, who played Sheriff Thompson in that story, here plays the head of the mercenary group, Douglas Kyle. Of the episodes I've rated 'Series Classic', I consider this to be a lower end 10, but still a great episode of the series.
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36. SEMI-FRIENDLY PERSUASION Tue 8th May 1984 #1211
Written by DANNY LEE COLE
Directed by CRAIG R. BAXLEY
10 SERIES CLASSIC
As a child, this one never really stood out to me; not enough action and explosions for my young mind. However, over the last decade or so, it has become one of my favourites of the second season. The A-Team working for a peace-loving community, on the condition that they don't use violence (a condition that they don't fully meet), is a great concept. This is the first, and by far the best, of Danny Lee Cole's three stories for the series (the other two being in the fourth season, with the embarrassing 'Uncle Buckle-Up', as well as 'Beneath the Surface'). There are also contradictions as to just when this episode was produced - the production number indicates that it came from Melinda Culea (Amy)'s time on the series (indeed, it doesn't feature Tawnia), but it carries a 1984 copyright, and there are several other tell-tale signs that it was produced later in the season. Maybe it was initially began earlier, but due to whatever problems (maybe Culea's abrupt departure?) was put on hold until a little bit later.
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37. CURTAIN CALL Tue 15th May 1984 #1226
Written by STEPHEN KATZ
Directed by DENNIS DONNELLY
10 SERIES CLASSIC
The second season rounds off with this top-notch story. With Murdock wounded, much of the time is taken up with flashbacks to some vintage 'Murdock moments'. However, unlike 'clip shows' from various other series of the era, which were very often just an excuse to recycle old clips, 'Curtain Call' actually has a very decent story asides from the clips. It is also just about the only time, outside of the fifth season's 'Trial By Fire' and 'Firing Line', that the team have to deal solely with the Military. Having Murdock the one wounded is a great idea, as it allows many of the show's classic clips to be used; and also makes for some classic scenes between himself and B.A. Heck, even Tawnia does okay in this one! The only thing that lets this one down for me, is that Amy is awkwardly edited out of the teams flashbacks. Bit petty really, and the only thing that works against this wonderful season finale.
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3rd Season
(1984-85; 24 episodes,. including one feature-length episode)
Although a huge hit, by the end of the show's second season, one of the critics biggest gripes was what they considered "repetitive plots". The third season sees a selection of well produced episodes (certainly in the first half of the season), but also does include a number of very similar storylines - many of which see the team employed in various professions by the people they are hired to help; after which a very similar plotline would be played out through a great many episodes. One of the strengths of the show was not it's plotlines, but the character details and sense of fun that went with episodes. This was enough to save a number of third season episodes, but by the end of the season, quality was noticeably starting to drop.
38. BULLETS AND BIKINIS Tue 18th Sep 1984 #1305
Written by MARK JONES
Directed by DENNIS DONNELLY
6 NOT THE BEST EXAMPLE
The third season kicks off with this rather generic feeling episode, that would sadly set the template for many instalments this season. There's nothing outstandingly BAD about 'Bullets and Bikinis' as such, but it can hardly be classed as a classic example of the series, nor is it one of the most memorable. It is the first of a number of third season stories penned by Mark Jones (a former 'Scooby Doo' writer!), and I can't help but note that many of his other entries are also rather generic offerings - although when paired with Stephen Katz, he did co-write one of the season's classics, 'Breakout!'. For a season opener, though, 'Bullets and Bikinis' is somewhat of a damp squib. It has been suggested that 'Bullets and Bikinis' was chosen to begin the season due to the large amount of girls in swimming costumes features, hoping to pull in young male viewers - a similar tactic was used with 'Riptide's second season opener, 'Where the Girls Are' (which aired a couple of weeks after 'Bullets and Bikinis' in the original US broadcasts).
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39/40. THE BEND IN THE RIVER (feature-length / 2 parts) Tue 25th Sep 1984
#1309 (2-part: #1398 & #1399)
Written by FRANK LUPO & STEPHEN J. CANNELL
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERIHY
9 GREAT EXAMPLE
I always thought this one was originally designed to kick off the third season (with it's feature-length status, and Tawnia already being gone in 'Bullets and Bikinis'). Not as good as the second season's "When You Comin' Back, Range Rider?", but this one has definitely grown on me over the years (and it's far better than the fourth season's terrible 'Judgement Day' - but then, what isn't!!). After the Pilot, this is only one of two entries in the series jointly written by creators Lupo and Cannell (the other being the fourth season episode 'Waiting For Insane Wayne'), and sees the team in the Amazon. There are some good action sequences and character moments, but this one is most notable for marrying Tawnia off at the end, leaving the team to be an all-male foursome for the third and fourth seasons.
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41. FIRE Tue 2nd Oct 1984 #1304
Written by STEPHEN KATZ
Directed by TONY MORDENTE
7 AVERAGE
'Fire' is an archetypal early third season episode, well rounded and well executed, even if the plots are a little samey and predictable. This was also the beginning of many single word titles that would appear on a number of third season episodes. This one sees the team becoming firemen, and plots that would see the team take on a new 'job' each week would be an oft-used concept during the season. This episode also "introduces" Charles Napier as supposedly new Military pursuer, Colonel Briggs - except, it is the only episode that he ever appears or is mentioned in. He seems on hindsight just to be a temporary Decker replacement - he even acts and looks like him! Anyway, 'Fire' is a fair episode, but not stand out.
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42. TIMBER! Tue 16th October 1984 #1302
Written by JEFF RAY
Directed by DAVID HEMMINGS
7 AVERAGE
I've always considered 'Timber!' and the previous episode, 'Fire', to be very much in the same mould - they are well rounded and well executed, even if at this point the actual plots are beginning to become very much the same (just as the team took on firemen duties in 'Fire', here they become lumberjacks). One of just two scripts for the series contributed by Jeff Ray (his other is the second season episode 'The White Ballot'), both of his entries are perfectly watchable 'A-Team' instalments, but at the same time aren't exactly classic examples of the series. It is also the first of a number of third and fourth season episodes directed by British actor / director David Hemmings, who might be known to 1980s action-adventure fans as Dr. Charles Henry Moffett, the twisted genius creator of Airwolf.
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43. DOUBLE HEAT Tue 23rd Oct 1984 #1310
Written by STEPHEN KATZ
Directed by CRAIG R. BAXLEY
7.5 SLIGHTLY ABOVE AVERAGE
Much the same here; this one comes off slightly better than the previous couple of stories, but the whole concept of the team becoming caught up in a feud between two warring mobsters, which has considerable potential, winds up as a rather routine shootout. Oh, and Face suddenly has a moustache in this episode, though it is never commented on as to why, and it is gone again by the next episode ('Trouble on Wheels', both produced and aired directly after this one).
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44. TROUBLE ON WHEELS Tue 30th Oct 1984 #1311
Written by MARK JONES
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
8.5 GOOD EPISODE
Don't ask me why this one gets a slightly higher rating from me - although hardly the show's finest hour and yet another '"team take on a new jobs" (this time in the auto industry), I've always really liked this episode. Yes it's a typical third season plot with little surprises, penned by that master of generic third season stories, Mark Jones, but here it is fun enough to work. They could get away with it at this point, but sadly, as the season progressed, there would be many more generic such stories, which would eventually start to take their toll on the series.
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45. THE ISLAND Tue 13th Nov 1984 #1308
Written by MARK JONES
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
8.5 GOOD EPISODE
Another standard but reasonable third season episode, this one gets a slightly higher than 'average' rating for a least being a bit more adventurous. The plot, of pirate-like thugs taking over a remote island, at least adds a slightly more exotic setting than normal, and there are a few decent action sequences.
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46. SHOWDOWN! Tue 20th Nov 1984 #1307
Written by MILT ROSEN
Directed by JAMES FARGO
9 GOOD EPISODE
One of the third season's most memorable instalments, where The A-Team fight a "B-team" of imposters. The reason behind all the trouble - a record promoter wants to take over a travelling rodeo in order to smuggle drugs - is one of the lamest of the series, but this is easy to forgive as it leads to such an enjoyable and memorable story. Adding to the excitement is the sudden return of Bill Lucking as Colonel Lynch, who has been given one last chance at capturing the real A-Team.
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47. SHERIFFS OF RIVERTOWN Tue 27th Nov 1984 #1314
Written by MARK JONES
Directed by DENNIS DONNELLY
7 AVERAGE
Another "job" (as in career) for the team - this time as Sheriffs for a small construction town. This is another, neither outstandingly good nor bad story - but I've always felt there was much more potential to be tapped with this one. The team - soldiers of fortune - taking on duties as lawmen, and the adventures that could go with that, I just feel there is so much scope, to the extent it could have even stretched to a feature-length / two-parter.
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48. THE BELLS OF ST. MARY'S Tue 4th Dec 1984 #1303
Written by STEPHEN J. CANNELL
Directed by DENNIS DONNELLY
7 FAIR
This episode has feel of an earlier third season episode, and it was indeed only the third to be produced, and originally to be broadcast between 'Fire' and 'Timber!', but was postponed until December. For unknown reasons, this used to be one of my favourite third season episodes when I was young. I've always thought that either the exact spelling of the episode title was an error, or they missed a trick - it would be clever if it had been 'The Belles of St. Mary's', the belles referring to the all-female singing group that the team help in this story. Either way, watchable, mostly for the character moments over the actual plot (in this episode, B.A. decides maybe Murdock isn't so bad after all), but about this point, even when penned by the master, Cannell, the plots themselves are maybe letting the series down a little bit.
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49. HOT STYLES Tue 11th Dec 1984 #1312
Written by STEPHEN KATZ
Directed by TONY MORDENTE
6.5 BELOW AVERAGE
The first of just three episodes where one of the team only appears in cameo - B.A. only appears at the tail end of this story. And of those three (the others being the very next broadcast episode, 'Breakout!', where Face is absent, and 'Wheel of Fortune' in the fourth season, in which Hannibal only appears in a cameo), I would definitely say that 'Hot Styles' is the weakest of the bunch. For all he is derided, maybe it proves that Mister T was key to an episode succeeding. The story itself is pretty dull, involving Face's latest flame being mixed up with the mob, and the fashion world. The only thing of note with this one, is Murdock dressed up as B.A. in the Baracian one's absence, dressed up in jewellery and driving the van (probably why I actually liked this one as a child!). The amusing end sequence has Murdock driving B.A. along, only to take his eyes off of the road and crash into the ocean (in footage recycled from the second season's feature-length / two-part "When You Comin' Back, Range Rider?").
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50. BREAKOUT! Tue 18th Dec 1984 #1315
Written by MARK JONES & STEPHEN KATZ
Directed by DENNIS DONNELLY
10 SERIES CLASSIC
After B.A. was away for most of the previous episode, 'Hot Styles', here it is Face's turn to be absent, only appearing in a couple of cameo scenes. And that's the only thing that has ever really bugged me about this otherwise great episode - with B.A. and Murdock in such a predicament, I can't believe he wouldn't come and help just for sake of spending time by a swimming pool with some pretty young women. But that aside, this is a classic instalment, the perfect B.A. / Murdock showcase, and a terrific adventure, one of my favourites. By far the best of the three episodes where one of the team only appears in cameo (the third example being the fourth season episode 'Wheel of Fortune').
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51. CUP A' JOE Tue 8th Jan 1985 #1301
Written by DENNIS O'KEEFE
Directed by CRAIG R. BAXLEY
7 AVERAGE
Although shown mid-season, 'Cup A' Joe' was actually the first episode to be produced for the third season; maybe it was held back as the producers felt that it wasn't strong enough to open with (but saying that, they picked 'Bullets and Bikinis' as the season premiere, which wasn't exactly a great episode, so who knows...). Either way, very much more of the same here - this time, the team are hired to protect a family run trucker's diner from a greedy business rival. Watchable, but not particularly outstanding nor memorable.
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52. THE BIG SQUEEZE Tue 15th Jan 1985 #1316
Written by STEPHEN J. CANNELL
Directed by ARNOLD LAVEN
9 GREAT EXAMPLE
'The Big Squeeze' is a strange sort of episode; in many respects, it reminds me very much of some of the more off-beat offerings of the fourth season. But, I actually like it, and consider it to be one of the better, and more distinct, episodes from third season. I really like Hannibal posing as eccentric bar owner Shaun O'Shea - it's just a pity that the character disappears about two thirds through, as I would have liked to have seen his character rounded off more pleasingly. But that aside, this is a decent story, and Cannell turns would could have been a routine plot into one of the season's more enjoyable tales.
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53. CHAMP! Tue 22nd Jan 1985 #1317
Written by STEPHEN KATZ
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
5.5 WEAK
Watching the series each week as a child, before the fourth and fifth seasons were even conceived (or at least, before they reached U.K. shores), I remember watching 'Champ!' (often billed as 'The Champ') and thinking to myself that the series had definitely peaked. A story that involves B.A. having to enter the boxing ring could be interesting - heck, it should be interesting, but this one sadly has a very thrown-together feel to it, and feels very "bitty" at times. Although there was worse yet to come, this definitely ranks as much least-favourite episode of the show's run up to this point.
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54. SKINS Tue 29th January 1985 #1318
Written by MARK JONES
Directed by DENNIS DONNELLY
6.5 BELOW AVERAGE
The team head overseas again, this time to Kenya (though of course all still filmed in Hollywood) to help a game warden catch poachers. Another adventurous plot script-wise, but the final result does have a slightly 'thrown together' feel that leaves it as an ultimately average episode.
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55. ROAD GAMES Tue 5th Feb 1985 #1319
Written by STEPHEN KATZ
Directed by NICHOLAS SGARRO
6.5 BELOW AVERAGE
If the plot of 'Road Games' seems familiar, then maybe it's not surprising, as 'Starsky & Hutch' ('The Action', season three), 'The Dukes of Hazzard' ('Route 7-11', first season), and 'T.J. Hooker' ('Raw Deal', season two), and probably a number more examples, all use similar stories of crooked casinos in the back of trucks. I've used the phrase in several reviews of this phase of the show, but by now, things are really starting to feel more 'thrown together', and less polished than early episodes, where a story such as this would have doubtlessly faired better. As with many third season episodes, particularly mid-season onwards, 'Road Games', is perfectly watchable, but feels as if it should be much better than it actually is.
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56. MOVING TARGETS Tue 12th Feb 1985 #1320
Written by MARK JONES
Directed by DENNIS DONNELLY
6.5 BELOW AVERAGE
Another episode (this one is sometimes listed as 'Prey') with a lot of potential. It starts off with a lot of (Eastern) promise, with the team infiltrating a palace in the Middle East. One of Mark Jones' slightly more adventurous plots, I always felt excited when the team headed off across seas (although, as noted previously, it was produced on the same filming lot as most of the episodes!); but this ends up as another middling, rather muddled episode. I like the setting and the concept, but once again things don't seem as tight as they should be.
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57. KNIGHTS OF THE ROAD Tue 26th Feb 1985 #1321
Written by STEVEN L. SEARS & BURT PEARL
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
5.5 WEAK
Sadly, by this point, the series was slowly starting to take a nose-dive, thanks to weak stories such as this one. Another dull plot, and one that contributes to the latter end of the third season defiantly taking a downturn. Steven L. Sears and Burt Pearl's first story for the series; their next one, 'Trouble Brewing', in just a few episodes time, would be as equally as poor.
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58. WASTE 'EM! Tue 5th Mar 1985 #1323
Written by STEVEN KATZ
Directed by SIDNEY HAYERS
5.5 WEAK
One of the most generic-feeling and least memorable instalments of the season (and maybe even the series as a whole), this one has little to note, other than maybe the blind sister (who naturally, Face shares a kiss with). One of my least watched episodes.
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59. BOUNTY Tue 2nd Apr 1985 #1322
Written by STEPHEN KATZ
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
10 SERIES CLASSIC
As reviews for the previous couple of episodes reflect, the series was starting to show wear and tear around this point, but thankfully, a classic episode such as 'Bounty' showed that there was still life in the old dog yet. Probably the best episode (and my personal favourite) of the third season, this fan-favourite story is deservedly popular. Guest star Wendy Faulton, Dwight Schultz's real-life wife, has great chemistry with Schultz, and it is such a shame we never see or hear of the character again. The only slight minus points of the story are the recycled van jump, from the second season's 'Labor Pains' (also seen in flashback in 'Curtain Call'), and the needless 'make', modifying the van, at the climax of the story. But they are minor niggles, and those points aside, this ranks alongside the first season episodes 'Pros and Cons' and 'One More Time' as my three all-time favourite episodes of 'The A-Team'. Stephen Katz could occasionally be responsible for rather generic, unimaginative stories (though not as bad as Mark Jones!), but proved with 'Bounty' that he could sometimes come up trumps too.
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60. BEVERLY HILLS ASSAULT Tue 9th Apr 1985 #1326
Written by PAUL BERNBAUM
Directed by CRAIG R. BAXLEY
5.5 WEAK
Actually the last episode to be produced for the third season, thankfully the producers / schedulers decided not to finish on this disappointing episode, going out on a much higher note with 'Incident at Crystal Lake' instead. After such a likable classic as 'Bounty', I find 'Beverly Hills Assault' such a comedown, and the fact that it consists of another rather boring plot (young artists being bullied into making fake paintings, which a security company is swapping with the real thing) doesn't help much. Even touches such as Murdock becoming an artist do little to save this one.
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61. TROUBLE BREWING Tue 7th May 1985 #1325
Written by STEVEN L. SEARS & BURT PEARL
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
5.5 WEAK
Another generic, unmemorable helping - much of this one and 'Waste 'Em!' from a couple of episodes prior to this, blur into one for me. Sears and Pearl's second script for the show (after the equally as poor 'Knights of the Road' a few episode previously), thankfully their following offerings would make some of the slightly better fourth and fifth season episodes. But with 'Trouble Brewing', the story is very forced and unengaging, and it's very by-the-numbers and has little of real surprise; another of my least watched episodes.
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62. INCIDENT AT CRYSTAL LAKE Tue 14th May 1985 #1306
Written by FRANK LUPO
Directed by TONY MORDENTE
10 SERIES CLASSIC
The latter end of the third season, with the exception of fan-favourite 'Bounty', saw a number of rather samey, generic, and not overly memorable instalments. Thankfully, things pick up with this season finale - and actually, it was produced much earlier in the season (in fact, sixth, directly after 'Bullets and Bikinis' which opened the season) - maybe one reason as to why it feels much more rounded and better produced, and more enjoyable as a result. Probably my favourite Frank Lupo script for the series. As with many of the show's best stories, the plot is simple - in this case, the team retreat to a quiet forest fishing spot, only to find themselves up against a group of armed robbers, and Decker. But as is oft the case with 'The A-Team', the simpler plots work best, and are the basis for many good character-based moments.
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4th Season
(1985-86; 22 episodes, including one feature-length episode)
Although starting off reasonably, by the end of the third season (bar a couple of standout episodes such as 'Bounty' and 'Incident at Crystal Lake'), the quality of the series was noticeably starting to drop. Sadly, this would become even worse in the fourth season. While on one hand, the writers - after criticisms even from more hard core fans during the third season about repetitive, generic plots - decided to try and employ a wider range of storylines. And while in theory this is to be applauded, sadly most of the episodes by now had a very half hearted, almost production line feel to them. Some episodes were better than other, but it was hardly 'The A-Team's best year.
Warning: I use the words "half hearted", "thrown together" and "production line feel" a lot in this season's reviews!
63/64. JUDGEMENT DAY (feature-length / 2 part) Tue 24th Sep 1985 #1404 (2-part: #1498 & #1499)
Written by FRANK LUPO
Directed by DAVID HEMMINGS
6 NOT THE BEST EXAMPLE
This is definitely the weakest of the show's feature-length / two-part outings by far. Ignore the exciting sounding title - this has nothing to do with The A-Team's pardon. Even after the weaker episodes of the later third season, 'Judgement Day' is noticeably a drop down in overall quality of the series. Sadly, this was not just a blip - it marks the decline that, with a couple of exceptions, would sadly continue throughout the fourth season. Part of this story sees George Peppard doubling up as both Hannibal, and a mobster. Whereas other show's of the time, such as 'The Dukes of Hazzard' (which had recently ended it's seven season run when this episode first aired) and 'Knight Rider' (where I loved David Hasselhoff doubling up as the evil Garthe Knight) could get away with the 'one actor playing two parts' concept, in 'The A-Team', it just doesn't work at all. The second half, set aboard the luxury liner, tries to pass itself off as a farce - now I love comedy in 'The A-Team', it's one of they key ingredients, but at least throw in a semi-decent plot! Also, I don't know if it was due to the behind-the-scenes upsets that Mr. T had with the filming conditions, but the liner section of the story seems to "bitty". Another thing I don't like with this one - the very abrupt ending, like they simply ran out of time! One of Lupo's weakest stories for the series.
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65. WHERE IS THE MONSTER WHEN YOU NEED HIM? Tue 1st Oct 1985
#1407
Written by STEPHEN J. CANNELL
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
6 NOT THE BEST EXAMPLE
Even the master, Cannell, didn't seem to be so on form this season (although he has commented in interviews that he was splitting his time producing and writing for a number of his shows, maybe at the neglect of 'The A-Team's later seasons). This is one of those that does have a section of people who absolutely love it, but I remember when I first saw this (in the UK, at least in the London region, season opener 'Judgement Day' wasn't shown until a few episodes in to the fifth season run as a 'Christmas special'!), I just felt that the series was in a nosedive. This one has never really had any real appeal to me; the team heading to Mexico to film a monster movie may sound promising, but this story is just so silly, and has the 'half hearted' feel that sadly much of the fourth season would suffer from.
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66. LEASE WITH AN OPTION TO DIE Tue 22nd Oct 1985 #1410
Written by BILL NUSS
Directed by DAVID HEMMINGS
7 AVERAGE
One of the most memorable episodes of the fourth season (though that's maybe not saying much!), this one sticks in many people's memories as the one where we get to see B.A.'s mother (played by special guest star Della Reese). Of course, the best scenes are those featuring her (and especially how we learn that her nickname for B.A. is "Scooter"), but beyond that, the plot itself is sadly disappointing - yet another tired yarn about a crooked land developer. As of January 2010, this episode ranks 9th on TV.com's top ten episodes as rated by viewers; Although the episode has some nice moments with Mrs. Baracus, I definitely would not regard it as one of the show's best episodes, not by a long shot. Mrs. B.A. is the only saving grace - her scenes are great - and sadly the only thing that makes this one of any real note.
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67. THE ROAD TO HOPE Tue 29th Oct 1985 #1403
Written by STEPHEN J. CANNELL
Directed by DAVID HEMMINGS
8 PRETTY GOOD
The idea of Hannibal, disguised as a vagrant, uncovering a plot that involves bumping off winos and stealing their identities, has some darker undertones that were present in some of the first season stories, and it's a welcome return to grimmer story matter. Still suffering from the 'by-the-numbers' feel that would dominate fourth season production, this one none-the-less is one of the season's better stories, and maybe David Hemmings' s best directorial work on the series. Sadly, the climax, of Murdock rallying together the down-and-outs to rescue the rest of the team doesn't have the clout that it should, coming off as a rather standard 'A-Team' shootout.
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68. THE HEART OF ROCK N' ROLL Tue 5th Nov 1985 #1412
Written by FRANK LUPO
Directed by TONY MORDENTE
7.5 (SLIGHTLY) ABOVE AVERAGE
Hardly a classic example of the series, but this one is slightly raised by Isaac Hayes's role as soul singer C.J. Mack. The story itself is pretty daft, and maybe even has an element of "so bad it's good", but there's something entertaining about this one that saves it from total disaster. Also, Mr. T was rumoured to be planning to leave the series during the fourth season for various reasons, and I always wondered if Isaac Hayes was introduced as C.J. as a possible replacement.
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69. BODY SLAM Tue 12th Nov 1985 #1414
Written by BILL NUSS
Directed by CRAIG R. BAXLEY
3 BOTTOM OF THE BARREL
'Body Slam' generally ties with the dull 'The A-Team Is Coming, The A-Team Is Coming' later in the season as my all-time least favourite episode of the series. The only thing of note is that Hulk Hogan makes his first of two guest appearances (the other being down the end of the season, in 'The Trouble With Harry'). It probably doesn't help that I was never a wrestling fan (WWF was only shown on $ky in the U.K., which I didn't have nor want), but even past Hulk Hogan's guest starring role, this episode is just so weak - uninteresting plot, poorly paced, severely suffering from the fourth season's 'half hearted' feel, virtually none of the show's trademark wisecracks and flair... it has very little going for it.
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70. BLOOD, SWEAT AND CHEERS Tue Nov 19th 1985 #1408
Written by TOM BLOMQUIST
Directed by SIDNEY HAYERS
7 AVERAGE
A so-so episode; setting the action around a race car championship is a nice idea, and one well suited to the series, but I think this one would have fared much better if it had been produced as part of the more rounded third season. As it is, it comes off as one of the season's slightly better episodes, but still suffering from the half hearted feel which blights so many fourth season stories.
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71. MIND GAMES Tue 26th Nov 1985 #1418
Written by STEPHEN J. CANNELL
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
3 BOTTOM OF THE BARREL
'Mind Games'... Not only one of my least favourite (and thus least watched) episodes of the entire show's run, but by far the most disappointing in terms of missed potential. Face suddenly getting a government pardon sounds like a very interesting plot, but sadly it just doesn't work on-screen, and ends up rather a muddled mess. I definitely consider it to be the usually excellent Cannell's weakest script for the series by far, and the fourth season's half-hearted, production line, almost "thrown together" feel - which is at it's height in this episode - doesn't help matters any. The only thing of vague note is Murdock taking over as the team's Face, and the amusing ending of Face, posing as Murdock, being dragged away to the V.A. hospital, but these nice moments are few and far between, and unable to save this, one of the weakest - and yes, most disappointing - instalments.
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72. THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD Tue 3rd Dec 1985 #1402
Written by BILL NUSS
Directed by DENNIS DONNELLY
10 SERIES CLASSIC
After one of the season's (and the show's overall) weakest episodes, 'Mind Games', things turnaround with 'There Goes The Neighborhood', one of the season's best offerings. Arguably Bill Nuss's best work for the series (he was very hit and miss - he also penned the abysmal 'Body Slam', one of the worst episodes of the entire run, for example). 'There Goes...' is just a fun, easygoing outing that in a way captures the fun of earlier seasons.
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73. THE DOCTOR IS OUT Tue 10th Dec 1985 #1406
Written by RICHARD CHRISTIAN MATHESON & THOMAS SZOLLOSI
Directed by DAVID HEMMINGS
7 AVERAGE (SADLY)
On paper, this episode has all the hallmarks of being a series classic - Murdock going to the rescue of his kidnapped psychiatrist, proving that the tales of his adventures with The A-Team are not make believe. But by now, the series had such a half hearted production line feel to most episodes that 'The Doctor Is Out' only turned out as an average instalment - and maybe even that rating is being generous. Although great in concept, definitely not as sharp as many of Matheson and Szollosi's earlier works for the series.
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74. UNCLE BUCKLE-UP Tue 17th Dec 1985 #1415
Written by DANNY LEE COLE
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
5 WEAK
Episodes such as 'Body Slam' and 'The A-Team Is Coming, The A-Team Is Coming' take get my vote as weakest episodes of both the season, and the series overall, but 'Uncle Buckle-Up' isn't far behind. Yes, I know the episode is based around a children's television show, but even so, this episode just seems so childish to the extent that it's embarrassing. The plot concept of the bad guys wanting to use toys to smuggle drugs is ridiculous. Writer Danny Lee Cole offered up one of the second season's best stories, 'Semi-Friendly Persuasion', but here he comes up with one of the show's weakest, and silliest (and not in a good way).
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75. WHEEL OF FORTUNE Tue 14th Jan 1986 #1419
Written by BILL NUSS
Directed by DAVID HEMMINGS
9 GREAT EXAMPLE
The third of three episodes where one of the team is absent except for a brief cameo, in this case Hannibal (B.A. had been absent in the third season's 'Hot Styles', and Face was absent in 'Breakout!' also in the third season). This in a way makes Murdock the only member of the main team to appear prominently in every single episode - although it should be noted that, early on (as covered in the series synopsis), the character was due to be written out, but quickly written back in after he proved popular with test audiences; He was, however, notably absent from much of 'Children of Jamestown' as a result. Anyway... 'Wheel of Fortune' is actually quite a good tale, definitely one of the fourth season's better offerings, even if it does seem very reminiscent of the third season's fan favourite 'Bounty' - both involve Murdock being on the run, and being saved by an attractive stranger. Such a retread of such a popular episode may notch it down a few marks in some people's books, but let's face it, 'The A-Team' often recycled plot ideas - and put fresh spins on them, as is the case here. On hindsight, I'd actually say that this is one of the best episodes from the shaky fourth season. (It also proves that Hannibal isn't needed for the rest of the team to have a good adventure - TV execs take note; surely some kind of TV reunion update story of the team could be considered?!)
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76. THE A-TEAM IS COMING THE A-TEAM IS COMING Tue 21st Jan 1986
#1411
Written by STEVE BEERS
Directed by DAVID HEMMINGS
3 BOTTOM OF THE BARREL
Some people may consider the fifth season's 'The Crystal Skull' to be the single worst entry of the series (unfairly in my opinion - see that episode review for more), but I personally tie this episode with the dire 'Body Slam' earlier in the fourth season, as the worst ever episodes of the show. Come on, think of the plot. You can't? Not surprising, as it is so unmemorable. In a series that usually came up with novel elements on even the most recycled of plots, this episode is uncommonly dull. The only thing of note is that the mansion from 'Knight Rider' is used again (it appeared previously in the season, in 'The Heart of Rock 'N Roll'), but beyond that, this weak episode has little of interest, even for the hardcore fans such as myself. I think 'The Crystal Skull' is often picked out as being the worst episode in that it is ridiculously far fetched (even by 'A-Team' standards), but I personally rank 'The A-Team Is Coming...' even lower, in that it is simply so uninteresting; I think it gets overlooked as being such a weak episode simply because it's so dull.
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77. MEMBERS ONLY Tue 28th Jan 1986 #1420
Written by BILL NUSS
Directed by TONY MORDENTE
7.5 (SLIGHTLY) ABOVE AVERAGE
I wasn't too keen on this episode when I first saw it as a child - I missed the team's more explosive (and more polished) adventures from earlier episodes, and didn't see an exclusive country club as a particularly interesting setting for an 'A-Team' caper. In fairness, it has grown on me - albeit slightly - over the years, and plays more as a comedy farce, but even so, I think this one is definitely one for fans only; To any newcomers to the show, there are many, far superior episodes that I would point them too first.
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78. COWBOY GEORGE Tue 11th Feb 1986 #1422
Written by STEPHEN J. CANNELL
Directed by TONY MORDENTE
7 AVERAGE ... No wait, make that 10 SERIES CLASSIC
'Cowboy George' is the one single most episode of 'The A-Team' that I have come to re-evaluate. I remember when it first aired, there was such a hubbub about it - especially here in the United Kingdom, where Boy George hails from. And when I saw it... what a disappointment. BUT... in the years since, I've come to re-evaluate it. Yes it's got a weak, stretched plot. No, Boy George can barely act to save his life. But it's just such a spectacle, such a piece of 1980s nostalgia, that I can't help but warm to it. I particularly like when George and Culture Club first step on to stage and break into song with the crowd booing madly, but within a couple of verses of 'God Thank You Woman' (one of their great tracks that is often overlooked in my opinion) have calmed and won over the ferocious crowd, while the team foil the armored car robbery, almost a mini-A-Team adventure in itself! One interesting point regarding this episode is costume: both Boy George and Mr. T are well known for dressing flamboyantly, yet both are dressed surprisingly neutral during this story (Mr. T doesn't even wear his gold). Also to note: the series was very male-driven, especially after Melinda Culea and subsequently Marla Heasley left; but this is the only episode with an entirely male cast. Other than a few very brief shots of waitresses in the Floor 'Em, there is no female presence in this episode. Anyway, hardly Cannell's best ever script... but as I say, I've actually come to like it (even if some of that is due to "so bad it's good" value)!
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79. WAITING FOR INSANE WAYNE Tue 18th Feb 1986 #1421
Written by STEPHEN J. CANNELL & FRANK LUPO
Directed by CRAIG R. BAXLEY
7.5 (SLIGHTLY) ABOVE AVERAGE (but should have been a series classic!)
'This one should have been a series classic. It is the only standard-length episode jointly penned by creators Stephen J. Cannell and Frank Lupo (their only other joint works on the series being the Pilot and the third season's feature-length / two-part 'The Bend In The River'). I love the concept of The A-Team being mistaken for a band of cut-throat mercenaries called in to deal with some underhanded business, but sadly, as with many other fourth season episodes, it just doesn't happen on-screen. One of my big gripes with the story is that "young" Bobby (Moosie Dryer) is badly miscast. Many episodes of other shows of the era - 'The Dukes of Hazzard', 'Knight Rider', 'Airwolf' et al - all had particular episodes that focused on young teenage guest characters, some of which worked better than others - but Moosie Dryer is far too old and unconvincing to play the teenage Bobby, leaving it impossible for the audience to warm to him as a result. If he was done properly, he should really have been a character that the teen and pre-teen audience really warmed too, but that character just doesn't work in the finished episode. I have a bit more time for this than some other fourth season episodes, and it gets a (slightly) above average rating for concept, but more than anything with 'Waiting For Insane Wayne' I just get the feeling of disappointment... this one should have been a classic!
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80. THE DUKE OF WHISPERING PINES Tue 25th Feb 1986 #1417
Written by JAYNE C. EHRLICH
Directed by SIDNEY HAYERS
7 AVERAGE
At first, 'The Duke of Whispering Pines' looks to be what many fans had longed for - a purely B.A. and Murdock based story. And indeed, that is how the first act plays; until Hannibal and Face are suddenly also bought into the action. The rest of the story is a watchable but not outstanding story about a stolen gold bullion truck that has been hidden in the mountains. Character-wise, Jayne C. Ehrlich seems to have slightly more of a handle of the characters than some of the show's other one-shot writers, but at the end of the day, this just comes off as a take-it-or-leave it, slightly tired feeling fourth season entry.
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81. BENEATH THE SURFACE Tue 3rd Mar 1986 #1416
Teleplay by DANNY LEE COLE Story by LLOYD J. SCHWARTZ
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
7 AVERAGE
One that splits the vote - I know people who absolutely hate 'Beneath The Surface'. And while it is certain that by this point the series was feeling very worn out and in desperate need of a shake up (even if it hadn't been in the form of the controversial fifth season revamp), at the same time this story has a few humorous elements; as with many later episodes, it is the character moments that save it (mildly), as the plot here is hardly anything to write home about - and even a little unclear in places.
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82. MISSION OF PEACE Tue 11th 1986 #1425
Written by STEVEN L. SEARS & BURT PEARL
Directed by CRAIG R. BAXLEY
9 GREAT EXAMPLE
One of the much more fun and more memorable instalments of the fourth season, this one sees the team helping a group of old folks protect their Texas tourist attraction. Once again, the tired old land developer plot chestnut is used (this time by a retired Colonel who wants to sell the land to the Army), but this one has enough fun that it is forgivable. Star turn is Nedra Volz (from 'Diff'rent Strokes', 'The Dukes of Hazzard', 'The Fall Guy' et al) as feisty little old woman Babbette. The concept of senior citizens being the basis for an A-Team adventure would be revisited in the "proper" final fifth season episode, 'The Grey Team'.
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83. THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY Tue 25th Mar 1986 #1424
Written by BILL NUSS
Directed by DAVID HEMMINGS
6 NOT THE BEST EXAMPLE
In my opinion, very marginally better than Hulk Hogan's first guest starring role, in 'Body Slam' earlier in the season, but not by much. A very thrown together, un-'A-Team'-like story, things feel very tired by now. The only thing of real note with this one is the cameo appearance of William "The Refrigerator" Perry", who was several times rumoured in the press to be a candidate to replace B.A. when Mr. T was said to be leaving the series.
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84. A LITTLE TOWN WITH AN ACCENT Tue 6th May 1986 #1423
Written by THOMAS SZOLLOSI & RICHARD CHRISTIAN MATHESON
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
5 WEAK
Szollosi and Matheson turned in a number of very good episodes for the series during the second season (see 'The Maltese Cow', 'Say It With Bullets' and 'Deadly Maneuvers' amongst others), but 'A Little Town With an Accent' - their second of two fourth season scripts (the other being 'The Doctor Is Out') is by far their weakest for the show. Director Michael O'Herlihy adds little flair, and this episode has barely anything at all of interest; the story feels worn out and has a "seen it all before" feel to it. The only semi-decent moments are with B.A. and the child-like Calvin, and for continuity fans, Murdock's red pick-up that he won in 'Wheel of Fortune' makes a return here, but the show was definitely feeling very tired by this time; As much as many people didn't like it, this episode is an example of why a revamp for the fifth season was required to keep the show on air.
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85. THE SOUND OF THUNDER Tue 13th May 1986 #1427
Written by FRANK LUPO
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
9.5 EXCELLENT EPISODE
After a decidedly mixed (and in many respects disappointing) season, amazingly things turn around and go out in real style. This doesn't feel much like a typical 'A-Team' episode, but is all the better for it. It is much more violent, and has several deaths - General Fulbright being one of them! Ratings had taken a nosedive this season, and it was unsure whether the series would be renewed (Murdock's t-shirt 'Everything Comes To An End' reflects this); if it was to continue, it was planned that Tia Carrere, who plays Fulbright long-lost daughter Tia in this episode, was to have joined the team. But both due to a contract dispute, and the fifth season overhaul, this turned out to be the only episode in which the character is ever seen.
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5th Season
(1986*; 13 episodes; * - final episode not shown until 1987)
The infamous fifth season revamp. After ratings had plummeted in the fourth season (and I have to say, the overall quality of stories didn't help matters any), a radical revamp of the series was instigated to try and win back viewers and keep the series on air for an extra season (or as it turned out, half season). It had mixed results - it can be argued that the scripts themselves are more adventurous than many of the previous season's offerings; but many fans did not take well to the team's new circumstances of working for the mysterious General Stockwell, and new addition Frankie was not well received by many viewers.
86. DISHPAN MAN (part 1 of 3) Fri 26th Sep 1986 #1506
Written by STEPHEN J. CANNELL
Directed by TONY MORDENTE
9.5 EXCELLENT EPISODE
With the quality of this opening episode - which feels as polished as some of the first season classics - I've heard more than a few fans ask why the revamp was even necessary; Here, before the team wind up working for General Stockwell, we are treated to a slick, exciting tale (with Cannell back on form after a couple of dodgy fourth season entries), as they rescue a hijacked plane (from terrorists who seem much more threatening and life-like than some of the previous villains) through aid of special effects. If the season had kept up this quality alone, it may have fared better than the previous year. But it wasn't to be - it set about the events of the radical show overhaul, with Hannibal, Face and B.A. tricked by Stockwell and taken off to prison at the end of this first part. This is the last episode to be written by co-creator Stephen J. Cannell, who I consider to be the show's best writer by far; maybe if more fifth season episodes had been penned by him, they would have fared better, and got a more positive reaction from fans?
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87. TRIAL BY FIRE (part 2 of 3) Fri 3rd Oct 1986 #1507
Written by TOM BLOMQUIST
Directed by LES SHELDON
9 GREAT EXAMPLE
With Hannibal, Face and B.A. being captured at the end of 'Dishpan Man', it sets about the full series of motions for the show's revamp. This episode plays pretty well, even serving as a courtroom drama for some of the story.
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88. FIRING LINE (part 3 of 3) Fri 10th Oct 1986 #1508
Written by FRANK LUPO
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
9.5 EXCELLENT EPISODE
The final episode of the 'Court Martial' trilogy is again a good instalment, even if it does mean that the series would never be quite the same again. There are some good action sequences, even if most of them do turn out to be dreams, and I suppose it does set up the scenario for the season reasonably well.
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89. QUARTERBACK SNEAK Fri 17th Oct 1986 #1509
Written by PAUL BERNBAUM
Directed by CRAIG R. BAXLEY
8 PRETTY GOOD
Just how much you like episodes such as 'Quarterback Sneak', and indeed many subsequent episodes of the fifth season, depends very much on just how well you have taken to the revamp; a lot of it is about adapting. No, the show isn't as exciting as when the team were on the run from the Military, but at the same time, I feel episodes such as this are in some cases better than much of what we saw in the fourth season.
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90. THE THEORY OF REVOLUTION Fri 24th Oct 1986 #1510
Written by STEVEN L. SEARS & BURT PEARL
Directed by SIDNEY HAYERS
7.5 ABOVE AVERAGE
I echo many of my thoughts from 'Quarterback Sneak' here; it's very much about adapting. And with this one, for the bulk of the episode, the team are away from Stockwell, to the extent that in some respects, you can almost pretend that it's one of the pre-fifth season episodes.
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91. "THE SAY UNCLE AFFAIR" Fri 31st Oct 1986 #1512
Written by TERRY D. NELSON
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
9 GREAT EXAMPLE
From 'The Theory of Revolution', where you could almost pretend it to be an earlier episode in many ways, in "The Say UNCLE Affair" we are firmly in fifth season-feeling territory (if that makes sense), with a story revolving around Stockwell's disappearance. It is, of course, notable for guest starring Robert Vaughn's old 'Man from UNCLE' co-star David McCallum, as the agent gone bad who captures Stockwell. While not a patch on the earlier seasons, I actually quite like this one; it at least has a decent adventure plot, and again, is better some of the embarrassing offering we saw during the fourth season. The only episode to be penned by Terry D. Nelson, he is another of the slightly more successful one-shot writers for the series.
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92. ALIVE AT FIVE Fri 7th Nov 1986 #1511
Written by BILL NUSS
Directed by CRAIG R. BAXLEY
8.5 GOOD EPISODE
In fairness, another pretty good story, where the team must stop a paranoid mobster assassinating a political candidate. On top of that, Face plans to leave the team and try his luck on his own, leading to some good character moments. The plot has some decent adventure to it - something that was often missing in the previous season - and again, if you can adjust to the controversial fifth season revamp, there is a decent episode here.
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93. FAMILY REUNION Fri 14th Nov 1986 #1514
Written by STEVEN L. SEARS
Directed by JAMES DARREN
7 AVERAGE (sorry, 'Family Reunion' fans!)
A fan favourite with many, I'll admit something that some may find sacrilegious.... I always thought this one was a little overrated (gasp)! It was an attempt at a ratings booster, with viewers on the original broadcast able to vote on one of two filmed outcomes (whether the man claiming to be Face's father was indeed his father or not). It's nice to see an episode that concentrates more on character than adventure and explosions and suchlike; But I have to confess that personally I find the story, dare I say it, slightly dull. The proceedings have a very tired feel by now, with the end of the series definitely in sight at this point. I know many will disagree - I'll leave this one to be debated on the forums!
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94. POINT OF NO RETURN Fri 21st November 1986 #1515
Written by BURT PEARL
Directed by ROBERT BRALVER
9 GREAT EXAMPLE
Can it be? Another 9 rating for a fifth season episode? This one is strange, in that Hannibal is barely in it (he's gone missing in Hong Kong), and, production-wise, there seems to have been some behind-the-scenes happenings, as Mr. T only appears in a few scenes, mostly interior, and is explained away from much of the plot. On top of that, there is a lot of Stockwell and Frankie... BUT... I actually like this one. Part of this I think is because it gives Face and Murdock a lot to do. And again, to be fair, it has some decent adventure written in. Even watching the first time around, it was easy to tell that the series was very near the end now, but even so, this one isn't too bad at all.
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95. THE CRYSTAL SKULL Fri 28th Nov 1986 #1517
Written by BILL NUSS
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
Okay, wait for this.... 8 PRETTY GOOD - there, I said it!
Many fans consider this to be the single worst episode of 'The A-Team's run. Well, I've already dropped a bombshell in admitting that I find 'Family Reunion' a little dull and overrated, and here's my second shocker - I actually don't mind 'The Crystal Skull' that much! Granted, it is far from the show's heyday, but I find it an enjoyably daft comic-book adventure. It would have been better if it had been made while Murdock was still (officially) insane, allowing for much more comic scope, but even so, I've never found this one particularly bad, and at least it has some decent adventure, something which was missing from many fourth and fifth season stories. Were the natives singing "Who wrote this?" at the end? Personally I always thought that they were saying "Blue roses", but who knows...
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96. THE SPY WHO MUGGED ME Fri 12th Dec 1986 #1516
Written by PAUL BERNBAUM
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
6.5 BELOW AVERAGE
Some like this story, mostly for Murdock's posing as the James Bond-like Logan Ross. But after Murdock was declared 'sane' in the fifth season, such antics never really seemed as funny anymore in the eyes of many. And beyond that... well, I like that this story has a few twists and turns, but personally I find this one to have a really tired feel to it, as if they knew they were in their final few episodes, and were really just going through the motions just to bump up the episode count by this point. Much of this episode I frankly find quite boring - and that's not something I often say about 'The A-Team', even on it's weaker days! (By the way, at least as far as the LWT broadcasts went in the UK, and where episodes were often shown out of sequence, I seem to recall this being the final first-run episode to be broadcast).
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97. THE GREY TEAM Tue 30th Dec 1986 #1519
Written by TOM BLOMQUIST
Directed by MICHAEL O'HERLIHY
6.5 BELOW AVERAGE
The last episode proper (though "missing" episode 'Without Reservations' appeared a while later), the series goes out on a rather average note instead of an explosive, action-packed finale as some may have hoped. The plot, involving a sprightly group of old folks, may seem slightly familiar - 'The A-Team' had previously helped a group of old folks in the fourth season episode 'Mission of Peace'. In this episode, after Stockwell misleads the team one time too many, Hannibal says that the team will no-longer work for him (seemingly at odds over their worry of their arrangement with Stockwell falling through in "The Say UNCLE Affair"), and at the end of the story, with Frankie being dragged away by the old folks (some may hope forever), the team discuss their future.
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98. WITHOUT RESERVATIONS Sun 8th Mar 1987 #1521
Written by BILL NUSS
Directed by JOHN PETER KOUSAKIS
6.5 BELOW AVERAGE
This episode turned up during the 1987 re-runs in the US as a sort of "missing" episode (see here for more). 'The A-Team', while often having many similar plots of it's own, seldom borrowed from other shows - which is why this episode, a direct reworking of 'Starsky & Hutch's first season episode 'Shootout' (1975) seems so strange. The stories, although being adapted to fit each show, are very much the same - in 'Shootout', during a restaurant hijacking Starsky is injured from a gunshot, whereas in 'Without Reservations', it is Face who is injured. It's almost as if one final script was needed at the end of production, and they borrowed 'Shootout'. And as with several fourth and fifth season episodes, this one has a large group of fans... but I have to say I'm not really one of them. I just find the story so tedious and unengaging, and even looking past the fifth season revamp, this just isn't 'The A-Team' that we know and love. The series was clearly, sadly, in it's death throws, and it's a shame that a show that started so spectacularly, goes out on such a whimper.
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For the record, my (current) top 10 (it changes regularly) is:
(season in brackets)
6. INCIDENT AT CRYSTAL LAKE (3)
8. THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD (4)
9. SEMI-FRIENDLY PERSUASION (2)
...and yes, I do have a soft spot for COWBOY GEORGE (4)!!!
This episode guide has been put together following years of original research (and viewing!). While it is intended as a comprehensive guide for other fans, please ask me before replicating it, in part or whole, elsewhere.
DISCLAIMER / LEGAL STUFF
'The A-Team' was created by Frank Lupo & Stephen J. Cannell,
Copyright 1982-86, Universal / Stephen J. Cannell Productions
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Please do not reproduce any material from this site, in whole or in part, without
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