A Little Town with an Accent s4ep22

Co-starring: Noble Willingham as Zack, Robert Viharo as Sonny Marlini, Mark Lawrence as Sam Marlini, Kathryn Leigh Scott as Sheriff Annie Plummer, Joseph Burke as McMahon, Rex Ryan as Kelvin
Written by Thomas Szollosi, Richard C Matheson
Directed by Michael O’Herlihy

The team help a man who is being pressurised into selling his gas station by the mob.

Almost representing something of a flashback, this penultimate entry in season four is the closest to the traditional A-Team plot than any other episode this season. The ‘rival having ulterior motives for wanting to buy small company’ plot was the staple diet of season three but was completely dropped at the beginning of four to move away from the standard plotline.

There’s a certain tiredness in the writing which means you’re unlikely to remember much that happens during the course of its 45 minutes, even if you’ve seen it before. Gangster episodes had been done before and done better. Murdock inevitably gets to pose as a mobster but these impressions were becoming rather familiar, even if ‘Trouble on Wheels’ was a season ago.

There’s a funny gag involving a villain wrapped in tape if you’re familiar with the James Cagney gangster classic ‘Public Enemy’ but there aren’t enough similarly clever moments to maintain the interest. This is one of the rare episodes to refer to a previous one as it includes the truck Murdock won on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ (and is very protective of).

As much as the A-Team formula contributed to some great episodes, this one demonstrates why the show needed a revamp in season five. The meet-the-client scene, construction montage, car flip are other familiar elements just weren’t enough any more if there was no attempt to try to be original. 5/10

The Trouble with Harry s4ep21

Co-starring: Hulk Hogan as Himself, Paul Gleason as Harry Sullivan, Billy Jacoby as Jeffrey Sullivan, William Perry as Himself, John Hancock as Styles, Carl Strano as Richie
Written by Bill Nuss
Directed by David Hemmings

The team help a former boxer whose decision to take a dive many years before has come back to haunt him.

Although the presence of Hulk Hogan as guest star suggests this could be as bad as ‘Body Slam’, that thankfully isn’t the case. The Hulkster has much more of a background role this time rather than the episode being built around him. In fact, there really isn’t any reason for him to be around at all

The story divides the team into two groups with Hannibal, BA and the Hulkster doing most of the fighting against the villains threatening Harry (Gleason from ‘Fire’) and son Jeffrey (Jacoby from ‘The Out-of-Towners). As a grouping, they miss the humour provided by Face & Murdock, though BA does have a great line when he remarks, “we always go through the front door, I’m sick and tired of going through the front door”.

Elsewhere, Murdock and Face spend most of the episode captured and tied up. It works as a running gag and delivers some funny moments but is also rather restrictive given that they never escape for very long. Along the way, there’s a running gag about the two of them being late for the dinner with twins that they were about to attend when they were called upon by Hannibal to assist.

Despite some interesting story elements (including opening the episode with a black and white flashback), the story itself isn’t a grabber. There are a lot of confrontational scenes that never quite come to anything but the final battle is basically solid with Hulkster pitching grenades at the bad guys. Ultimately, it’s ok but also completely forgettable. 5/10

Mission of Peace s4ep20

Co-starring: David White as Rudy, Ann Doran as Nora, Jason Evers as Taggart, Nedra Volz as Babbette, Ric Mancini as Ashton, Jack Ging as General Fulbright
Written by Steven L Sears, Burt Pearl
Directed by Craig R Baxley

The team help a group of pensioners who run a historical mission that a gang wants to take over for its own reasons.

A reasonable but over-talky and somewhat silly episode, one based around the idea that the old people can con and fight as well as the team (albeit in their own way).

We get the first meet-the-client scene in a while and overall, there is something rather flat and old hat about the whole thing. There are some interesting plot elements, particularly one of the group of old folks wanting to tag along with Face and join in his scams. There’s more time spent with the clients here than in most episodes but the majority aren’t all that interesting so you do begin to wonder when things are going to pick up a little.

A chase sequence is thrown in at the halfway point, seemingly to ensure that the final fight is not the only action in the entire episode. Murdock’s Daniel Boone impression is enjoyable but rather over-used. It’s another episode that seems like a lower-grade season three leftover and the final confrontation (using a hose among other practical weapons) doesn’t offer anything original.

When you were little, you probably thought history was dull and this episode does little to make you want to visit your local library to learn more about the period. It may be better than season five’s ‘The Grey Team’ but that’s hardly a recommendation is it? 6/10

Beneath the Surface s4ep19

Co-starring: Paxton Whitehead as Morgan, Tom Villard as Barry Green, Kim Ulrich as Elaine, Nancy Everhard as Rebecca Piper, Jack Ging as General Fulbright
Written by Danny Lee Cole
Directed by Michael O’Herlihy

At his high school reunion, a woman asks Face to track down her missing brother.

While not quite as polished an episode as ‘Duke’, this is still a solid entry in the fourth season. Matters get off to an excellent start as Face attends his orphanage reunion, intending to hook-up with a would-be old flame. Murdock is driving him, acting as chauffeur having “borrowed” his doctor’s limo. General Fulbright has laid a trap of course, so the team have to come to Face’s rescue. They do so to the accompaniment of the Animals’ classic sixties hit ‘We gotta get out of this place’ (with Hannibal disguised as a nun).

The rest of the episode never quite lives up to this start but it remains a good watch. What at first seems to be a missing person story soon turns into a treasure hunt, certainly something different for an A-Team episode. Many sea-faring staples are thrown in along the way, right down to the smart parrot and threat from sharks.

There’s a good running gag about Face thinking he had conned his old friend numerous times in the past but the friend actually came out better. The episode mostly takes place outdoors (which is certainly an asset) but some loose scripting means there seems to be a lot of milling around until the team set out to find the treasure.

The well-shot underwater scenes are certainly something different (accompanied by a suitably mysterious music score) and there’s a great moment when Murdock emerges from the water, relic in hand. The return of Fulbright adds to the action towards the end, though the final battle itself is one of the briefest in any episode.

Overall, it is very much a fun episode that remains light and enjoyable without getting as silly as some episodes did this season. And is it me or is the final scene a bit risqué by A-Team standards? 8/10

The Duke of Whispering Pines s4ep18

Co-starring: Sheila DeWindt as Deborah Duke, Jack Starrett as Wade, Michael Bowen as Rusty, Don Hood as Wells, Gary Grubbs as Sheriff Hopkins, Rick Fitts as Jason Duke
Written by Jayne C Ehrlich
Directed by Sidney Hayes

BA goes to his hometown to visit a former girlfriend whose husband has disappeared.

One of the best entries in an underwhelming season, this is the first episode to be written by a woman since ‘In Plane Sight’ way back in season two. It’s a good script as well, built around an intriguing plot that takes time to unravel but is always interesting as it does.

Although the opening third features only BA and Murdock, it works very well, recalling their previous teaming in the season three classic ‘Breakout’. Murdock gets to tease BA about his relationship with Deborah and also poses as a computer specialist with a heavy cold (assisted by BA who carries the computers and wants to know when they break for lunch).

After a run-in with the local police, BA and Murdock end up in jail and the story then takes a darker turn, culminating in a near-lynching that represents a rare moment of one of the team being in genuine jeopardy. Hannibal and Face then arrive and attempt to make their own progress, leaving Murdock to pursue the villain on a BMX and BA to talk to his old flame.

Credit certainly goes to writer Ehrlich for keeping the story interesting and for coming up with dialogue that doesn’t make BA’s relationship scenes as embarrassing as they have been in the past. Indeed, given how absent BA had been at times this season, this is one of his best episodes as he shoulders large parts of the plot and takes on more of the dialogue than just passing comments.

Although driven by character, the story also features some strong individual set-pieces beyond the usual fistfights, notably a chase sequence with Murdock on the aforementioned BMX. There may be a ‘Diamonds and Dust’ feel to the final third but given that the overall quality is up there with episodes from season two, it really doesn’t matter.

There are a couple of construction montages along the way (well, one construction, one de-construction) but they are very much plot-driven and the final battle is suitably explosive. With the cast all on good form, what this episode goes to prove is that the show wasn’t a lost cause by this point in season four, it was just that the writing wasn’t always as strong as it is here. 9/10

Waiting for Insane Wayne s4ep17

Co-starring: Barry Corbin as Kincaid, Jesse Vint as Insane Wayne, Moosie Drier as Bobby Sherman, Red West as Red, Anthony James as Three-Finger Harry, Gillian Grant as Julie
Written by Stephen J Cannell, Frank Lupo
Directed by Craig R Baxley

Murdock is mistaken for a crazed South American General which gets the team mixed up in a dispute over oil rights

A fair but forgettable episode, not really what you’d expect from the writing combination of show co-creators Cannell and Lupo. The opening is interesting, having the team roll into town and meet the villain when they are mistaken for the gang they will eventually fight. They manage to con Kincaid (well-played by Corbin, who may be familiar from his army role in ‘WarGames’) and break out with the gang’s fee.

Unfortunately, after hooking up with Bobby Sherman (the target for Kincaid’s gang), it becomes clear that this is going to be a rather straight-forward story. It all starts to feel like something of a throwback, resembling a weak entry in the third season that passes the time without being anything memorable. The various complications (trying to delay the arrival of the real gang, Bobby being in love with Kincaid’s stepdaughter) don’t spark much life into the episode as a whole

There’s a clever camera shot which tracks the team walking side-by-side as they discuss their next move but it only goes to show how flat the episode is when a camera move is one of the highlights. The plot isn’t light on incident but is light on variety as it basically just moves from one meeting with Kincaid to another. BA does get shot in the shoulder at one point, a rare example of a bullet making contact in an episode.

Director Baxley (who did second unit action on the show before graduating to main director) knows how to stage a good battle sequence and does so at the finale but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. Overall, this isn’t a terrible episode by any means but it is one that feels like you’ve seen it before, even if you haven’t. 5/10

Cowboy George s4ep16

Co-starring: Boy George as himself, L.Q. Jones as Chuck Danford, Taylor Lacher as Miller, Ben Lack as Herm, Jim Boeke as Butch
Written by Stephen J Cannell
Directed by Tony Mordente

Face books a country and western singer Cowboy George for an Arizona gig but his plans are scuppered when Boy George turns up instead.

If ‘Curtain Call’ (the one where Murdock is shot) is the most famous A-Team episode, then this is the most infamous. Celebrity appearances came thick and fast in season four but none were quite as incongruous as the appearance here by British pop star Boy George.

Quite how the A-Team and Culture Club (incorrectly referred to as ‘The Culture Club’ by Face) were thought to be compatible is anyone’s guess. If you’re going to have pop stars on the show, at least choose ones that fit the audience demographic. Huey Lewis and the News anyone?

As with the Hulk Hogan episodes, the main entertainment value here comes from the squirming embarrassment you feel for all involved. Boy George can’t even play himself convincingly and comes close to fluffing his lines at various points. The attempts at camaraderie between BA and Boy George are particularly excruciating.

Elsewhere, Hannibal poses as Cowboy George and Murdock gets a Lennon Sisters song stuck in his head (not particularly amusing). Murdock then poses as a DJ to promote Face’s concert but simply plays the same Lennon Sisters track over and over again as the infuriated station owner tries to break into the studio (more amusing).

At the concert, Boy George begins performing to a hostile redneck crowd who come to enjoy the song, a scene far more ridiculous than any in which hundreds of rounds are fired without anyone every being shot. Part of the way through the song, the episode starts intercutting between the performance and an action scene but the two don’t mix at all. Matters then grind to a complete halt for another song and you begin to wonder how the episode ever made it past the ideas stage.

Away from Boy George, things don't improve much. Murdock appears in drag towards the end, which is admittedly funny but also a sign of very lazy writing. The final action scene isn’t actually that bad but still doesn’t generate much excitement and there’s yet another song to sit through before the end credits.

There is an inevitable curiosity value at work here but it’s not an episode most fans would want to watch very often, if ever again. The fact that it comes from the pen of series co-creator Stephen J Cannell is particularly surprising. Was he over-ruled by the network or was he a Boy George fan? Whatever the reasons, the result is all fairly hopeless, the answer to a question no-one asked. 4/10