Beneath the Surface - Episode 79

[amyk]

I just finished this one. I only give it a 3 on the Sidney scale ("of limited quality"). I even had to fast-forward a bit at the ending scene - I hate that scene. I like the stuff about Barry and Ellen, but the rest of the episode is not so great. Much of it doesn't make much sense at all to me. Like why can't Barry just have those guys arrested for kidnapping him, dragging him behind a boat and almost feeding him to sharks? Also, why does Murdock go diving for the cross when Barry is the oceanographer? If they had explained that he had some kind of injury or something, this would have made more sense. Plus, wouldn't that cross weigh a lot? Yet people in the episode just fling it around as though it's made out of plastic (which it may be in reality). And why did they even bring the parrot on the boat with them? Plus, how did the bad guys sneak up on them in the middle of the water like that? Are we to believe that the A-Team is so deficient that they would not have at least one person keeping watch?

[Bert]

An episode where the bad guys are pirates but there's absolutely no swashbuckling. Sometimes I feel like I have to think of everything. Episodes like this make me wish I could travel back in time and force myself into the writing team because sometimes they miss golden opportunities like that. The subplot with the parrot was clever though, I liked that.

[amyk]

And wouldn't it have been fun to have Murdock completely adopt a pirate persona for the entirety of the episode?

[Bert]

Long John Murdock, scourge of the seven seas, slayer of krackens, and customer of the month at Red Lobster 54 times and counting. Turned to piracy after a freak accident resulted in him losing both hands, crushing his dreams of becoming the world's greatest french horn player.

[amyk]

Yeah, Bert! You SHOULD have been the writer for this episode! More of Long John Murdock and less of Rebecca whats-her-name! I especially like the part about him being customer of the month at Long John Silver's 54 times and counting!

[Eclipse139]

I rewatched this one today. It has a few good moments, but it's a disappointing episode overall.

As you've said, it's a wasted opportunity to really play on the pirate theme. Murdock should have bonded with the parrot and it could have spent the rest of the ep on his shoulder, while Murdock went full-on pirate!

This is another ep where they reference Dr Richter - I wonder why they decided to keep mentioning him, but not bring him back on screen?

It was fun to hear how Face behaved when he was a teenager and I liked the character of Barry, although it seemed a bit odd that he was suddenly adopted at the age of 16, but didn't tell Face?  I loved how he had actually benefitted from all of Face's attempts to scam him, though.

I did feel sorry for Face when he realised Rebecca had called the military and was only after the reward. It was quite sad to watch him desperately trying to convince himself that she hadn't done it - he can be so needy for affection sometimes.  

The end scene was awful though and I don't think we can even excuse it by saying attitudes were different in the 80's. I'm sure things had progressed further than that 35 years ago!  I'm not sure what was worse? Fulbright using Rebecca to capture Face and practically ordering her to 'keep him busy', Face making the most of the situation (!), even though he knew Murdock was driving the limo, or Hannibal and Face discussing how good 'the ride' was.   I'm just glad BA didn't offer an opinion.

[amyk]

Reading your last paragraph makes me feel sleezy for even watching this episode!

[Eclipse139]

Nov 6, 2020 21:19:27 GMT -5 amyk said:

Reading your last paragraph makes me feel sleezy for even watching this episode!

Sorry about that!  I know how you feel, though.

I'm even thinking of writing a little scene to try to fix it.  I'll see how I get on.

[amyk]

Oh, if you can fix that, I would like to see it! I've always wanted Face to end up with the meter maid at the end of that episode, spurning Rebecca for her.

[Katia]

Oct 5, 2020 23:53:37 GMT -5 Bert said:

An episode where the bad guys are pirates but there's absolutely no swashbuckling. Sometimes I feel like I have to think of everything. Episodes like this make me wish I could travel back in time and force myself into the writing team because sometimes they miss golden opportunities like that. The subplot with the parrot was clever though, I liked that.

I know.  I mean, it may not be entirely authentic, but this is The A-Team, so authenticity is not necessary...

Oct 6, 2020 0:04:02 GMT -5 amyk said:

And wouldn't it have been fun to have Murdock completely adopt a pirate persona for the entirety of the episode?

Oh... now I want this.