The fourth season of the action-adventure television series The A-Team premiered in the United States on NBC on September 24, 1985, and concluded on May 13, 1986, consisting of 23 episodes.[1]
The A-Team | |
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Season 4 | |
No. of episodes | 23 |
Release | |
Original network | NBC |
Original release | September 24, 1985 May 13, 1986 | –
Season chronology | |
Opening credits
edit- In Season 1's "Mexican Slayride," Hannibal launches the cannon at a pursuing Jeep. As in the previous version, note that Melinda Culea can still be seen briefly behind Hannibal.
- The helicopter chase from Season 2's "The Battle of Bel-Air" is a highlight of the series. It's a classic example of the show's action and excitement.
- In Season 2's "Steel," Hannibal is dressed as the aquamaniac. He has his face door opened, and Face gives him a cigar, just as in the previous version.
- In the third season of "The A-Team," Hannibal Smith goes undercover as an old man playing billiards in the episode "Road Games."
- Hannibal sends a ball crashing down on the villains' car in Season 2's "Steel," similar to what he did in the previous season.
- Face says goodbye to Sister Teresa at the end of Season 2's "The Only Church in Town." This scene is similar to the one in the previous version of this episode.
- In the Season 2 episode "Steel," a cylon walks past a row of cases. The cylon does a double take, just as in the previous version.
- In Season 2's "When You Comin' Back Range Rider?", Face is talking to a guest at the opening of Face's scam film. Face is wearing a disguise, as he did in the previous version of this episode.
- Face fires his gun, looks behind him, and smiles in Season 3's "The Bells of St. Mary's", as in the previous version.
- In this scene from "Steel," Face is trying to con mobster Crazy Tommy T. This is a shot of Face that was not in the previous version.
- In the Season 2 episode "Chopping Spree," Murdock bursts out of a coffin that rises from a hearse and fires his gun, just like in the previous version.
- In the Season 1 episode "Til' Death Do Us Part," Hannibal and Face infiltrate a wedding to rescue the bride, who turns out to be Murdock. This is consistent with the previous version of this episode.
- In Season 2's "When You Comin' Back Range Rider?", Murdock emerged from his disguise as a bush. As in the previous version, notice that the opening credits read "Dwight Schultz as "Howling Mad" Murdock" instead of simply "Dwight Schultz".
- B.A. Baracus makes his memorable entrance in Season 1's two-part pilot episode of The A-Team, "Mexican Slayride." He bursts into a Mexican bar, just as he did in the previous version.
- In Season 2's "Steel," B.A. Baracus uses a modified construction vehicle to crush a car, just as he did in the previous version.
- Season 2 of "The A-Team" ended with the episode "Chopping Spree." In that episode, B.A. gives a wink at the end, just as he did in the previous version.
- In the Season 1 episode "Mexican Slayride," B.A. turns his head to see what Hannibal is doing. This action is consistent with the previous version of this episode.
- In Season 2's "Bad Time on the Border," the armored car bursts out of the back of the truck, just as it did in the previous version. This is a recurring motif in the series.
- In Season 3's "Road Games," Murdock was piloting the helicopter that flies alongside the lorry. Murdock is a skilled pilot, and his flying skills are put to the test in this episode.
- In the Season 1 episode "Mexican Slayride," Hannibal throws a grenade, causing a Jeep to flip over. This is a repeat of an action in a previous version of the episode.
Cast
editEpisodes
editNo. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | ||||||
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63 | 1 | "Judgment Day" | David Hemmings | Frank Lupo | September 24, 1985 | ||||||
64 | 2 | ||||||||||
Travelling to Italy to rescue a judge's daughter from a group of mobsters, the A-Team runs into trouble when they find that the mobsters are quite well prepared on their own territory. Meanwhile, Col. Decker is once again hot on the trail of the team. After The A-Team complete their mission they are followed by the criminals who they rescued the judge's daughter from. They must hold them off till they reach the shores of America, and keep the boat intact while doing so.
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65 | 3 | "Where Is the Monster When You Need Him?" | Michael O'Herlihy | Stephen J. Cannell | October 1, 1985 | ||||||
When Smith's acting career brings the A-Team to a small Mexican town, they find their movie plans blocked by the Argentinian war criminal Major Ramon DeJarro wanted by ten governments hiding out from international authorities. Allowing themselves to be captured, they rely on Murdock's nuttiness to concoct a plan of escape and leave the criminals for the authorities. The A-Team attends the premiere of Hannibal's new movie at the end. | |||||||||||
66 | 4 | "Lease with an Option to Die" | David Hemmings | Bill Nuss | October 22, 1985 | ||||||
Chicago building plans are put on hold as the A-Team defends B.A.'s mother against the new building management. It turns out a developer had been purchasing buildings in the names of people in retirement homes, and had been hiring rude and ignorant thugs to drive the people out with their antics. The A-Team turn the tables on the developer by bringing an elderly man whose name was used to buy the apartment building Mrs. Baracus lives, and exposing him as a crook. At the end, Murdock has accumulated numerous facts and stories about B.A. from his mother, which he has completely memorised to use in future situations. Special Guest Star: Della Reese as Mrs. Baracus. Ray Wise as Phillip Chadway. | |||||||||||
67 | 5 | "The Road to Hope" | David Hemmings | Stephen J. Cannell | October 29, 1985 | ||||||
While avoiding a Decker trap, the A-Team stumble upon an illegal operation that includes knocking off skid-row winos. Hannibal, impersonating a wino calling himself Jim Beam, is abducted. He manages to escape and rejoin the team. Together they set out to expose the secret group by setting up a mission of their own, and run them out of business. What they will find is an operation bigger than they previously imagined. The team needs more help than they realized. | |||||||||||
68 | 6 | "The Heart of Rock N' Roll" | Tony Mordente | Frank Lupo | November 5, 1985 | ||||||
Rick James asks the A-Team to help old rock-and-roll legend C.J. Mack whose life in prison has suddenly become very dangerous. Special Guest Star: Isaac Hayes as C.J. Mack. | |||||||||||
69 | 7 | "Body Slam" | Craig R. Baxley | Bill Nuss | November 12, 1985 | ||||||
Hulk Hogan asks his old friend B.A. for the A-Team's help against a mobster who is out to close down the youth center he's financing for no apparent reason. As it turns out, the mobster's father had robbed a gold truck in 1958 and the gold was buried under the ground the youth center is built on. Ironically, the gold is in the last place they would expect to find it - the chimney. Special Guest Star: Hulk Hogan as himself. | |||||||||||
70 | 8 | "Blood, Sweat, and Cheers" | Sidney Hayers | Tom Blomquist | November 19, 1985 | ||||||
The A-Team is called upon to help a family friend survive his dream of automobile racing. However, in high school, his father and Hannibal were rivals over the family friend's mother. Note: Last appearance of Colonel Decker until the A-Team's trial in the next season. Special Guest Stars: Wings Hauser as Kyle Ludwig and Benedict's future wife Toni Hudson.[3][4] | |||||||||||
71 | 9 | "Mind Games" | Michael O'Herlihy | Stephen J. Cannell | November 26, 1985 | ||||||
Face gets an unexpected presidential pardon and leaves the team. However, Hannibal, B.A. and Murdock (now posing as replacement con artist for Face, Hunker) all believe that the pardon is illegitimate. Soon turns out that Face was used as a bait by a rogue CIA agent (David Hedison) and his team to capture a North Vietnamese general whose daughter Face had once seduced during the Vietnam War. | |||||||||||
72 | 10 | "There Goes the Neighborhood" | Dennis Donnelly | Bill Nuss | December 3, 1985 | ||||||
The A-Team rents a home in a quiet suburban neighborhood while protecting a famous rock starlet. They ruffle the feathers of the local neighborhood watch block captain, an international drug syndicate, and show business moguls. In the end, the A-Team is able to rally the neighborhood watch into helping them with having the moguls and syndicate fight each other; they leave the crooks tied up for the authorities. Guest Stars:
In keeping with the increase in guest stars this season, the rock singer was planned to be played by Cyndi Lauper (Valerie Stevenson played the role). | |||||||||||
73 | 11 | "The Doctor Is Out" | David Hemmings | Richard Christian Matheson & Thomas Szollosi | December 10, 1985 | ||||||
H. M. Murdock's psychiatrist (Richard Anderson) is on the verge of getting him to confess to being a member of the A-Team, when he is kidnapped. Murdock gets the A-Team to follow him to South America to bring him back home. At the same time, a woman is also traveling with the A-team, and it seems she's suffering from an identity crisis with a twist. | |||||||||||
74 | 12 | "Uncle Buckle-Up" | Michael O'Herlihy | Danny Lee Cole | December 17, 1985 | ||||||
Hannibal auditions for the role of Ruff the Bear in the show The Uncle Buckle Up Show. There he finds out that Uncle Buckle is in trouble, since someone is using his toys to smuggle heroin. Hannibal later gives the role back to original actor, thinking he has lived his dream of being on TV. Featuring Arte Johnson as Sydney/Uncle Buckle-Up. | |||||||||||
75 | 13 | "Wheel of Fortune" | David Hemmings | Bill Nuss | January 14, 1986 | ||||||
Murdock's fortunes rise and fall as he uses Face's system to win big on Wheel of Fortune. He wins a trip to Hawaii, but then is kidnapped by impostor agents who claim to be CIA, but turn out to be criminals who know about Murdock's past involvement with the CIA. Hannibal is on holiday in Rio whilst Face and B.A. search for Murdock. Guest starring Pat Sajak, Vanna White, and Jack Clark as themselves. | |||||||||||
76 | 14 | "The A-Team Is Coming, the A-Team Is Coming" | David Hemmings | Steve Beers | January 21, 1986 | ||||||
The A-Team works with an old Russian friend to prevent World War III when a rogue Soviet general, known as "Ivan the Terrible" for atrocities he committed in Vietnam, attempts to steal a top-secret satellite system. | |||||||||||
77 | 15 | "Members Only" | Tony Mordente | Bill Nuss | January 28, 1986 | ||||||
Face joins a trendy country club (The Beverly Bay), only to find there is a counterfeit money operation on the premises. Special Guest Stars: Carole Cook as Mrs. Prescott, Shecky Greene as himself, Kevin McCarthy as Bob McKeever and Jack Ging as General Harlan "Bull" Fullbright. | |||||||||||
78 | 16 | "Cowboy George" | Tony Mordente | Stephen J. Cannell | February 11, 1986 | ||||||
Face books Boy George instead of Cowboy George, to sing at a country and western bar near an oil pipeline; to keep the locals happy, Hannibal pretends to be Cowboy George. Boy George assists the team. Guest Stars: Special Guest Star: Boy George as himself. (Amusingly, the end credits - accompanied by "Karma Chameleon" rather than the series' theme music - list each individual member of Culture Club as playing "Culture Club," e.g. "Jon Moss as Culture Club.") | |||||||||||
79 | 17 | "Waiting for Insane Wayne" | Craig R. Baxley | Stephen J. Cannell & Frank Lupo | February 18, 1986 | ||||||
Through a mix-up, the A-Team learns a homesteader who was a war hero in Vietnam (and knew the A-Team) is being run off his property. The A-Team must fight Insane Wayne and the other mercenaries to help protect the homesteader's young son who is in love with the boss villain daughter. Special Guest Star: Barry Corbin as Kincaid. | |||||||||||
80 | 18 | "The Duke of Whispering Pines" | Sidney Hayers | Jayne C. Ehrlich | February 25, 1986 | ||||||
B.A.'s old high-school flame calls the A-Team to help find her husband, a commodities expert; finding him requires going up against a corrupt sheriff, bankers, and very impolite 'miners'. | |||||||||||
81 | 19 | "Beneath the Surface" | Michael O'Herlihy | Story by : Lloyd J. Schwartz Teleplay by : Danny Lee Cole | March 4, 1986 | ||||||
Face returns to his orphanage for a reunion and meets an old friend's sister, who is worried about her brother's disappearance, and an old girlfriend, who is in cahoots with Fulbright to trap Face for the reward. While running away from the army, they have to find the missing brother. Filming dates: January 22–30, 1986[5] Production Code: #1416 | |||||||||||
82 | 20 | "Mission of Peace" | Craig R. Baxley | Steven L. Sears & Burt Pearl | March 11, 1986 | ||||||
Senior citizens hire the A-Team to protect their historic Texas mission home and tourist attraction from land developers who want to destroy everything and run them off their land. Face later discovers that one of the seniors is his con artist role model, who "sold the Brooklyn bridge to Brooklyn"; he lied about the historic importance of the land to give the other elderly a place to live, and kept denying the others' petitions to find historical value in the land to keep it a secret. Face later uses a con of his own to find true historical importance for the land. | |||||||||||
83 | 21 | "The Trouble with Harry" | David Hemmings | Bull Nuss | March 25, 1986 | ||||||
A washed-up boxer, Harry Sullivan, goes up against old enemies. The A-Team helps his son Jeffery, a regular at B.A.'s youth center, fight off two different troublemakers, Crazy Richie Ifker and fats Styles. Face and Murdock wish they hadn't answered their phone. Special Guest Stars: Hulk Hogan and William Perry as themselves. | |||||||||||
84 | 22 | "A Little Town With an Accent" | Michael O'Herlihy | Richard Christian Matheson & Thomas Szollosi | May 6, 1986 | ||||||
A mafia don, Samuel Marlini, knocks over gasoline stations in a bucolic highway town to keep busy in his old age; the A-Team helps the sheriff lock up half the nation's organized crime bosses. | |||||||||||
85 | 23 | "The Sound of Thunder" | Michael O'Herlihy | Frank Lupo | May 13, 1986 | ||||||
General Fulbright—who has been chasing the team—comes to them for help. He wants the team to find and free a group of Vietnam POWs, that supposedly includes the only officer that can clear their names. During the job Fulbright finds out that Murdock is part of the A-Team, but during their narrow escape under fire Fulbright is killed by Vietnamese troops before telling anyone else about his next move. The team also suffer from Vietnam flashbacks from their time in the military. The episode guest-stars Tia Carrere as Fulbright's heretofore unknown half-Vietnamese daughter. Filming dates: March 4–12, 1986[6] Production Code: #1427 |
References
edit- ^ "The A-Team". TVGuide.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
- ^ The A-Team : Judgment Day (1985), AllMovie, retrieved March 21, 2023
- ^ Marikar, Sheila; Fisher, Luchina (May 27, 2010). "'The A-Team': Where Are They Now?". ABC News. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- ^ The A-Team: Season 4, Episode 8, Rotten Tomatoes, retrieved February 9, 2023
- ^ Shooting schedule imgur.com
- ^ Shooting schedule imgur.com