Without Reservations - Episode 94

[amyk]

Well, I really enjoyed this one very much tonight. I'm giving it a 9 on the Sidney scale ("Excellent"). I wanted to give it a 10, but felt that I could not do that only because of the re-used footage at the beginning. So cheesy that they put that other footage of Frankie getting into a completely different plane, too. I wonder if there was any script for the opening scene which just never got filmed or what. I presume there would likely have been a full script before they filmed any of it, but maybe not? In any case, once we get past the beginning, the rest of the episode is for me a 10. I like how different it is from any other A-TEAM episode, and how there is so much tension and multiple surprises, first with Face being shot, then with the cop being in on it. I like all the supporting cast, too. The bad guys seem to be more than just cookie-cutter bad guys, and the other people in the restaurant are also more than just background. Even the married couple has a little back-story going on, with the husband having the affair with his secretary.

[HoudiniDerek]

I was on a Facebook fan page today and they mentioned that some people see this as a Christmas episode because of the decorations in the background. I guess I have never paid attention. Can anyone confirm the Christmas decorations?

[amyk]

I don't remember Christmas decorations! If it was Christmas time, you would think the bad guys would threaten the people in the restaurant with things like "if you want to live until Christmas, you'll do what we say" or something along those lines. But maybe there were Christmas decorations and I've just never noticed.

[HoudiniDerek]

Apparently they are only there momentarily, but I'm going to try and keep my eyes open when I get there.

[amyk]

At the current rate I'm watching episodes, I think it may be about 2029 when I next get around to WITHOUT RESERVATIONS!

[Eclipse139]

So I finally finished my complete rewatch. Season 5 doesn't have many good episodes, but this is one of them. It's a shame it's out of sequence - the previous ep is clearly meant to be the series finale.

The opening sequence confused me - for a moment I thought I'd put the wrong disc in and it was an episode from an earlier season! I see you commented before, Amy, that they re-used footage from a previous episode so no wonder it was all so familiar to me - and I also spotted how they'd cut in a scene of Frankie getting onto a completely different aeroplane - did they really think noe one would notice? All of that notwithstanding it was great to see the team involved in one last old-fashioned A-Team caper, with Murdock actually flying a plane, Face dressed as a priest and Hannibal having to knock out BA.

It's good that there's not much of Stockwell in this one, although the scene at the beginning when Hannibal practically has to beg him to give the team a few days off really grates - it just reminds me that Hannibal is not in control of the team anymore and that's so annoying.

Murdock is, again, out of character for most of this episode, just as he seems to be for a large part of this season which is a real shame. I love that he takes charge of trying to keep Face alive and of course given the seriousness of the situation it's not really appropriate to joke around, but the team has been in life or death situations before and Murdock still manages to behave like, well, like Murdock. It was obviously a creative decision for him to be less 'crazy' throughout Season 5.

I like that this is one of those stories where the team just stumble into trouble. I somehow can't really imagine BA would go to pick up a pizza, but it serves the plot (and I suppose Hannibal made him go so he could get some more alone time with his latest young, blonde "date" - yuck, although at least this one actually had a line of dialogue!)

I loved the end when we find out Face was flirting with the nurses even when he was sedated! Not the best way to end the season, or the series, but it's easy to switch the last two eps around when you watch which solves that problem.

[amyk]

Yeah, I watch this one before the GREY TEAM. It seems kind of funny to me that Hannibal is there with his blonde and also BA. At least that likely means Hannibal isn't getting too cozy with the blonde, although maybe Hannibal was doing that during halftime when BA went to get the pizza.

[Eclipse139]

I'll watch them in the 'correct' order next time. It'll be far more satisfying.

I forgot to say, I didn't notice any obvious Christmas decorations, but I may have just missed them.

[amyk]

I just had gone back and seen the comments about Christmas decorations, which of course I had already completely forgotten about....I don't really think there are Christmas decorations in the episode. I'm not sure if they meant inside the restaurant or out on the streets or what?? I think by now I would have noticed those, but maybe not. I'm glad you didn't notice any because if you had, I may have to go and pop the DVD in right away to look for them. I don't think there is any indication that the episode takes place around Christmas. Except I guess it does take place during football season...and I think football season must go on from fall up until at least the Super Bowl at the end of January or early February. So I guess it is possible it was sometime around Christmas.

[HoudiniDerek]

I'm definitely hoping I remember to look when I get there...in a few years at my family's current pace.

[BlueBo]

Hi! I've been a member here for awhile but haven't posted in forever. Life got in the way.

Anyway, I can assure you there are no Christmas decorations in this episode. It's just lots of fake plants and greenery, ala 80's Italian restaurant theme.

Love this one though. One of my favorites and yes, it's shown out of order, but I'm eternally grateful they caught their mistake and shoved it in the rerun lineup before it was too late!

[amyk]

Welcome back to posting! Yeah, I also don't think that this episode has anything to do with Christmas...

[BlueBo]

Jun 21, 2022 20:15:00 GMT -5 amyk said:

Welcome back to posting! Yeah, I also don't think that this episode has anything to do with Christmas...

Thanks!  Getting used to the format.  Is there an easier way to see what the replies to your comments are? 

[amyk]

I'm not sure how you are seeing them now, but there is a bullet hole that appears when a thread has new comments, if you are using the same color scheme that I'm using. I don't think there is any way to have the forum send you an email or anything like that to alert you that someone has replied.

[HoudiniDerek]

Jun 25, 2022 19:59:01 GMT -5 BlueBo said:

Jun 21, 2022 20:15:00 GMT -5 amyk said:

Welcome back to posting! Yeah, I also don't think that this episode has anything to do with Christmas...

Thanks!  Getting used to the format.  Is there an easier way to see what the replies to your comments are? 

Up in the top right of the main page, you should see a little box that says "Participated." When you have contributed to a thread, it should say NEW beside it. You can click on that and it will take you to the threads that have new replies since you were last there. If you click on the NEW button a second time, it should take you to where you last left off.