About this blog

In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire ... The A-Team.

This was the introduction to one of the great TV series of the eighties. The purpose of this blog is to build up the definitive episode guide to the show across its five seasons which ran from 1983 to 1987. So this isn't too much of a burden, I'm intending to watch a couple of episodes a week and given that there were around 100 episodes made during its run, this will turn into a year-long project!


Sunday, 9 January 2011

Waste 'Em! s3ep21



Co-starrring: Richard Herd as Jonathan Durcell, Joseph Hocher as AJ, Stacey Nelkin as Lisa Perry, John Dennis Johnston as Archer, Mitchell Ryan as Ike Hagen
Written by Stephen Katz, Mark Jones
Directed by Sidney Hayes

The team are hired by the owners of a delivery company who are being pressurised into selling their business to a refuse firm.

Yep, it's that standard plot again! It does not automatically mean a bad episode, of course. Season three opener 'Bullets and Bikinis' and then 'Cup A Joe' both used it to excellent effect. That is not the case here though it what is certainly one of the weakest episodes of the season. There are a few action highlights (including a strong chase sequence at the halfway point) but otherwise this is extremely lethargic, blighted by the effects of a low budget and a bland storyline.

The first Murdock breakout scene in a while doesn't provide much in the way of laughs and although Murdock provides a few bright moments with his out of control hand 'Lefty', the familiar James Mason impression that accompanies it makes it seem a little old hat.

Credit to the episode for having a strong-willed blind character as one of the clients but the villains are very bland and it doesn't help that they have more scenes than in a lot of episodes. Just as you're about to lose all hope, we finally reach what is actually an inventive and well-staged action finale. It certainly saves the episode from being a total washout but it sure is tough staying interested until we get there. 4/10

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