The A-Team
In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them....maybe you can hire The A-Team.
— Opening monologue
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The A-Team is an American action-adventure television series that ran on NBC from 1983 to 1987 about former members of a fictitious United States Army Special Forces unit. The members, after being court-martialed "for a crime they didn't commit".
Summary
Four Vietnam vets who are framed for a crime they didn't commit help innocent civilians while on the run from the military.
Why It Gets an A
- A very original plot line and story to tell for a 1980s television show.
- The actors give amazing performances, especially from Dwight Schultz, George Peppard, Dick Benedict, and Mr. T who together play the A-Team.
- The show has very unforgettable theme music and an awesome monologue (as shown above) that plays before it.
- It's become one of the most popular television shows in the early to mid 1980s-era.
- Interesting and likable characters, such as the A-Team members ("Faceman" Templeton Peck, B.A. Baracus, Howling Mad Murdock and John "Hannibal" Smith).
- It had a movie adaptation in 2010 that was somewhat pretty decent and loyal towards the show.
- Decent character and story development for most of the episodes.
- The A-Team's van (and it’s design) is one of the more memorable and iconic things about this show.
- The scenes can be awesome, action-filled, thrilling, serious and well-executed all at the same time.
- A lot of the more comedic moments felt spontaneous because they were usually ad-libs from Dwight Schultz.
Bad Qualities
- The final season (which involved the A-Team being forced to work for the government in order to earn their freedom, as well as gain a fifth member in Frankie Santana) while not bad, is considered the weakest out of all, along with the addition of Robert Vaughn as Hunt Stockwell.
- As the series went on, a lot of the plots and guest stars for older episodes were recycled and it became obvious that there was more and more stock footage being used as scripts became less cohesive.
Trivia
- The show was popular in South Africa during its run.