This American action/adventure TV series was probably my favourite as a child and 24 years after it was axed I have to say that I still love it. While a lot of TV shows from one’s childhood are often not as good as you remember I’m happy to say that that is not true (in my opinion) for this programme. This was essential teatime viewing in the 1980’s and was known for it’s simple stories with the bad guys being easy to spot as our four Robin Hood-type heroes beat them using a range of weaponry and explosives that never killed anyone or even did them too much injury. The plots were written to be easily understandable to the typical child-like brain which is probably why it still appeals!

With knowledge that an A-Team movie was on the way I bought (or got bought) the complete five season A-Team box sets when I was back in England last Christmas and spent the first half of this year working my way through all 98 episodes.

 

Of course one of the best things about the A-Team was the theme tune including the military style narrative introduction which I never grow tired of hearing. The iconic black van played a huge role in the status of the series and is still something I’d love to see with my own eyes. I had hoped to see it when I went to Universal Studio’s in Hollywood in 2002 as I’d heard it was rusting away on the backlot but sadly it was nowhere to be seen. The ‘Cars of the Stars’ Museum in Keswick in the north of England may be the solution as I think that is home to one of the GMC van’s used throughout the five seasons.

Needless to say that the main reason for its success were the four main characters; Colonel John Hannibal Smith, Lieutenant Templeton Face-man Peck, Captain Howling Mad Murdock and Sergeant BA Baracus played by the main star of the show Mr T. The fact that he was the star supposedly upset George Peppard who was the real proper Hollywood actor which lead to a lot of tension on the set as was explored in detail in the Channel 4 show ‘Bring Back The A-Team‘ show a few years ago.

 

Here are some of the formulaic parts of an episode:

* Cars flying through the air and turning upside down having collided with some obstacle such as a car.

* B.A. Baracus throwing somone over his head.

* One of the A-Team diving on top of somone from above.

* Weaponry and vehicles being formed out of some leftover cr*p in a warehouse which they got locked in.

* The team escaping in a car and driving through a gate or barrier as a couple of guys dived out of the way.

* No-one ever really getting hurt. After a huge car-crash the cameras would always later cut-back to the enemy dusting themselves down or coming out of the wreckage unhurt.

* One of the team hurling a grenade in the direction of the enemy who then dived for survival.

* Being caught by Colonel Lynch, Colonel Decker or General Fullbright many times but always escaping.

* Murdock having to escape from his mental ward in may episodes.

* The catchphrases: “I love it when a plan come’s together”, “Hannibal’s on the jazz”, “I pity the fool” and “I ain’t getting on no plane!”.

* B.A. being drugged to get him on a plane.

* Murdock & B.A. nearly coming to blows in most episodes.

* Face scamming a vehicle or other object with relative ease.

* Hannibal seemingly chain-smoking his cigar’s.

* Hannibal saying “You’ve just hired the A-Team” whilst usually in disguise having lead the potential client through a series of tests to see if they were legitimate.

The series ran for five seasons with the first four being pretty much of the same formula. Having just watched all of them this year I can see why the ratings did fall as the fourth season kicked in. The already-simple plots became ever more lame or increasingly stupid with ridiculous guest appearances from the likes of Boy George and Hulk Hogan. However, the season four finale did include a death and was notable for some truly serious dramatic moments with the A-Team members privately reminiscing on their Vietnam war experiences

The final season’s changes in style were not popular with a fifth member of the team added and having been captured they were now working for a guy in a style similar to the Mission Impossible TV series. The show was axed mid-way through this season and brought the curtain down on one of the most man-driven shows and its taken a while but only now has an A-Team movie been made but will it be any good?