Post by HoudiniDerek on Jan 27, 2008 19:30:06 GMT -5
MEXICAN SLAYRIDE (parts I and II)
First aired: 1/23/1983 Production Code: 101A
A desperate, but ambitious newspaper reporter, Amy Allen, wants to prove the existence of the A-Team, three ex GIs that help people in need. When she finds them she hires them, because her co-worker Al Massey is missing in Mexico. The A-Team travels to Mexico, where they are searching for Al Massey, but their client wants to come with. With the military police on their tracks the A-Team has to take actions quickly.
Writer: Frank Lupo, Stephen J. Cannell
Director: Rod Holcomb
Guest star: Tim Dunigan (Templeton "Faceman" Peck), Sergio Calderon (Valdez), William Windom (Al Massey), Enrique Lucero (Colonel Flores), Jorge Zepeda (Cortez), Ron Palillo (Reporter), Melody Anderson (Avon - Airplane Salesgirl)
Commentary:
This was a great two-hour episode. SJC and Lupo knew how to sell the action and the character interactions in such a way that they could tell a great story. We get to see some of the background on the A-Team; the first visit to the mental ward; the first time Face would spring Murdock; the hiring of the A-Team for little or no money; and the continuous pursuit of the A-Team by the government. These elements would continue throughout the series, including B.A.'s fear of flying and it was a great way to jampack two hours of television. The only thing that keeps this from being a five bullet episode to me is that Tim Dunigan is NOT the real Face, nor did he portray it the way Dirk later would.
NOTES:
Special Guest stars:
First aired: 1/23/1983 Production Code: 101A
A desperate, but ambitious newspaper reporter, Amy Allen, wants to prove the existence of the A-Team, three ex GIs that help people in need. When she finds them she hires them, because her co-worker Al Massey is missing in Mexico. The A-Team travels to Mexico, where they are searching for Al Massey, but their client wants to come with. With the military police on their tracks the A-Team has to take actions quickly.
Writer: Frank Lupo, Stephen J. Cannell
Director: Rod Holcomb
Guest star: Tim Dunigan (Templeton "Faceman" Peck), Sergio Calderon (Valdez), William Windom (Al Massey), Enrique Lucero (Colonel Flores), Jorge Zepeda (Cortez), Ron Palillo (Reporter), Melody Anderson (Avon - Airplane Salesgirl)
Commentary:
This was a great two-hour episode. SJC and Lupo knew how to sell the action and the character interactions in such a way that they could tell a great story. We get to see some of the background on the A-Team; the first visit to the mental ward; the first time Face would spring Murdock; the hiring of the A-Team for little or no money; and the continuous pursuit of the A-Team by the government. These elements would continue throughout the series, including B.A.'s fear of flying and it was a great way to jampack two hours of television. The only thing that keeps this from being a five bullet episode to me is that Tim Dunigan is NOT the real Face, nor did he portray it the way Dirk later would.
NOTES:
- In syndication, this pilot would be split up into two hour-long episodes. Starting with the second half of the pilot, the font used for the credits would mimic that of another classic SJC show, THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO.
- If you look closely in the pilot, you can see Brandon Williams...also know as Kevin Hinkley from the GREATEST AMERICAN HERO in a scene with B.A. and some other kids at a garage.
- Contrary to popular belief, the A-Team did NOT premiere after the Super Bowl. Instead, the two hour pilot aired the Sunday before the Super Bowl. The CHILDREN OF JAMESTOWN aired after the Super Bowl.
- This is the one and only episode in which we see Tim Dunigan play Face. After the pilot episode he was replaced by Dirk Benedict, who stayed through the duration of the series. Tim Dunigan was fired after the pilot for both being too tall (he towers over Mr. T) and for not being Stephen J. Cannell's first choice for the role (Benedict was). Dunigan maintains, though, that he was replaced because Brandon Tartikoff thought he looked too young for the part.
- This is the one and only time we see Hannibal's disguise of Mr. Lee. He is referenced a lot in the show, but never seen on screen again.
- This is the first time we see the Aquamaniac, Hannibal's trademark monster character.
- This is also the first time we hear of "the jazz," which is a concept that the team uses to describe when Hannibal is really excited about something.
- In the original airing, JUMPIN' JACK FLASH is played as Murdock pilots the jet to Mexico. There is even a scene of Murdock singing along. In the DVD version of the seasons, this scene is gone and is replaced by other music.
- This is the only episode where Hannibal wants a beer after finishing a mission. Usually he has Face tell him how they made out or hand him a cigar.
We learn a lot about Murdock in this episode, including:- His mother died when he was five,
- He has been diagnosed with paranoid delusions and intermittent memory loss, and that
- He was in the Thunderbirds before the Vietnam War
Goof:
During the first chase scene (where the villains chase the reporter) the backdoor of the green pickup falls off. One shot later the backdoor is still on!
Goof:
When Murdock and Face are in the crop duster, you see Murdock singing. You can also see the sound of his singing and the movement of his lips are out of synch - His mother died when he was five,
Special Guest stars:
- Sergio Calderon would guest star as the bad guy Malavita Valdez in the pilot. He would ultimately return and portray a bad guy in the third season two-parter: BEND IN THE RIVER.
- Most would recognize William Windom as Henry Williams in the GREATEST AMERICAN HERO episode: LIVE AT ELEVEN. In the A-TEAM pilot, he played Al Massey, the man the A-TEAM is out to rescue.
- Marianne Muellerleile would play Murdock's mental hospital charge nurse in the pilot for the A-TEAM; but SJC fans would recognize her as Stella from the GREATEST AMERICAN HERO episode: HOG WILD.
- William Marquez guest starred in the pilot as Miguel and interacted a lot with Tim Dunigan. He had previously appeared in two separate GREATEST AMERICAN HERO episodes: THE 200 MPH FASTBALL as Manny Garcia and HEAVEN IS IN YOUR GENES as the owner of the Mexican hotel where Ralph stays.
- Arnold F. Turner would guest star twice in the A-TEAM. In the pilot, he played the assistant director. He would later return and play an unnamed character in the episode IT'S A DESERT OUT THERE. Before that he had guest-starred in two GREATEST AMERICAN HERO episodes: In LILACS, MR. MAXWELL, he played the insurance agent that was happy to see Bill had wrecked another car. In THE HIT CAR, he played Agent Billings.
- Finally, William Lucking would guest star twice in the first season as Colonel Lynch, the man pursuing the A-TEAM and trying to get them back in custody for the crime they didn't commit. He would be better remembered as Robert Alan Klein of the Committee in the GREATEST AMERICAN HERO episode: IT'S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE.