The Heart of Rock and Roll - Episode 66

[amyk]

Just finished this one. I only give it a 3 on the Sidney scale (which means "of limited quality"). I think its alternate title should be "THE A-TEAM: THE MUSICAL." It also really makes no sense to me. And there is not enough good stuff to make up for it making no sense to me. First, I don't even understand why Rick James hires the A-Team. It seems like he is hiring them to get CJ Mack to sing again. But why hire the A-TEAM for a job like that?? He doesn't know that there is some kind of threat on CJ's life, does he? I don't remember him mentioning it.

Second, if CJ did not suspect the warden was in on the plot, why didn't he just tell the warden about the plot and the tapes? And if he did suspect the warden was in on the plot, why didn't he say something about this to the team and his lawyer when he had the chance???

Third, how could the team escape being captured when they are standing up there on a stage in front of prison wardens, the mayor, etc.? Did the mayor just turn a blind eye to them? Did they pull of some quick get-away? But even if they did, then they appear right there at apparently the first concert CJ Mack puts on after he is released from prison, with Murdock up on the stage.

Fourth, I can't really understand many of the words in that song that CJ Mack sings at the end of the episode. It seems like the volume on his voice is muted or something. Is it the same for everyone else on your DVDs?

The two main things I think are funny in this episode are:
1) Hannibal as the Jewish shopkeeper firing his crutch at the bad guys.
2) The scene where Hannibal says "well, BA?" as though BA has failed at getting that door open, and then BA just sort of smiles as the door falls out. I really like that part, and BA looks so cute in that scene.

But all in all, there's way too many musical numbers in this one for me and too preposterous a plot. I also don't like it when they use people portraying themselves, as Rick James did here.

[amyk]

I believe there are actually six songs used in this episode, although not all of them in their entirety:

1) Heart of Rock and Roll
2) That first Rick James song (don't know its name)
3) Jailhouse Rock
4) Superfreak
5) "I'm a steamroller, baby" song
6) Final song by CJ Mack (Isaac Hayes)- the one I can't really understand the words to very well.....

[amyk]

Well, if we're getting down to one-liners of songs, then maybe we also have to include that song that CJ Mack was playing in the prison courtyard! So I guess there were at least parts of 8 songs in this one episode. That must be a record.

[HoudiniDerek]

This is not my favorite episode either, but I do like Murdock imitating the Wolfman.

I also like the scene with B.A. and the door.

[amyk]

I think it is funny that Hannibal momentarily seems to doubt BA's skills, but of course we see that BA did not fail at all.

[HoudiniDerek]

Sept 25, 2018 23:51:10 GMT -5 amyk said:

I think it is funny that Hannibal momentarily seems to doubt BA's skills, but of course we see that BA did not fail at all.

It's one of the few times Hannibal seems uncertain, which is odd for him.

[amyk]

Maybe it's because BA usually doesn't really have that much of a sense of humor, but here he sort of showed a glimpse of that. So maybe Hannibal didn't expect that.

[HoudiniDerek]

Sept 28, 2018 22:42:00 GMT -5 amyk said:

Maybe it's because BA usually doesn't really have that much of a sense of humor, but here he sort of showed a glimpse of that. So maybe Hannibal didn't expect that.

Possibly.

I like when B.A. shows his humor at times when he gets back at the team for knocking him out. Hannibal knows it's there, but it seems to be one of the few things he can never anticipate.

[amyk]

This discussion gives me an idea for a new thread....

[Eclipse139]

I rewatched this one yesterday. I've seen it recently anyway so I knew what to expect... it's not the greatest episode is it! This is the kind of ep I think of when I think about season 4 - with gimmicky guest stars and poorly conceived plots - so I've been very pleasantly surprised by the other eps up until this one.

The plot makes little sense, like you've already mentioned in this thread - why would Rick James be friends with Hannibal in the first place? They didn't even bother with a throwaway line about how maybe they went to the same school or something like that. Hannibal/GP looks really awkward trying to pretend he's enjoying the music anyway, I can't imagine either Hannibal or GP sticking on a Rick James record to wind down after a long day!

It's weird that Rick James is playing himself, but Isaac Hayes is playing another character - on the one hand they wanted us to accept 'real' famous people in the A Team universe, but then we're supposed to pretend it isn't actually Isaac Hayes?

With all the songs there was less time for character scenes, but there were still some great moments, especially the scene with BA and the door (like you've mentioned). I also enjoyed the way CJs lawyer stood up to Face instead of immediately falling for his charms and Murdock was fun throughout. I was confused by the character Face adopted when he and Hannibal were looking for the tapes though - was he supposed to be high? If so it was an odd choice, unless he was just trying to distract the baddies.

All in all, not one I'll watch again often.  But Amy, do you remember which thread you were inspired to create two years ago?

[amyk]

Oh, no I have no idea.....but maybe I can do a search by date....I'll go see what I can find out.

[amyk]

Okay, it's really easy to search for a thread made by one member on a single date! So here's the thread I was inspired to create 2 years ago: theateamforum.proboards.com/thread/5091/bas-sense-humor

[Eclipse139]

Oct 13, 2020 21:43:36 GMT -5 amyk said:

Okay, it's really easy to search for a thread made by one member on a single date! So here's the thread I was inspired to create 2 years ago: theateamforum.proboards.com/thread/5091/bas-sense-humor

Thank you.