MovieChat Forums > The A-Team (1983) Discussion > What was so great about this show?

What was so great about this show?

posted 12 years ago by cesarat37
36 replies | jump to latest

I am asking this question not in a critical sense, but as a big fan of the series, as i watched it when i was a child in the 80's. I didn't care much about the violence (which was quite unrealistic) but i liked the "chemistry" between the four characters and their weird sense of humour, and the fact that they didn't take themselves too seriously most of the time. I don't think it was as foolish as some of their "critics" point out, because the Team had a sense of justice and helping the weak which made them likeable and respectable characters in my eyes. I really miss this show and will never see the 2010 movie...

[–] novastar_6 12 years ago

What was great was the same reason it has longevity, it was a show that the whole family could watch, it was a live action cartoon which helps to justify some of Hannibal's cheesy lines and the unrealistic violence. That despite all the gunfire and explosions and fistfights, there was really very little violence on the show, you didn't have to worry about kids seeing something that would be too graphic or too much for them to handle, it was a perfectly safe family show. Also, who wouldn't love an invisible dog?

[–] cjh8504 12 years ago

It's damn entertianing. It's as simple as that, really.

[–] Galagatron 12 years ago

I didn't start watching the show until the 1985 season for some reason, but have been watching on Netflix. It went along with the climate that gave us the GI Joe cartoon and the first Wrestlemania.
The 2010 movie wasn't bad really, and I'm one to scoff at modern remakes of stuff. It just suffered from the kind of modern babbling dialogue that is in so many movies in place of good memorable lines.

[–] novastar_6 12 years ago

It just suffered from the kind of modern babbling dialogue that is in so many movies in place of good memorable lines.

That's one of the things I hate the most about movies today, at least here, Hannibal's speeches were usually corny but they did work.

[–] cjh8504 12 years ago

I thought the movie was pretty good.

[–] flyte-parte 12 years ago

This is my favourite TV Show.

It's just fun.
The boy main guys were likable and it's great just to watch four guys traveling around, smoking, cursing and just being laddish.

The action was non-stop, the jokes were funny and it was nice to see a lack of long-winded romance plots.

[–] novastar_6 12 years ago

Actually it seems they went to a great length to keep most of the language on the show kid-friendly.

[–] landry_john 11 years ago

You never heard foul language on network television at the time.That came about more during the 90's with NYPD Blue.

[–] novastar_6 11 years ago

Now the books were a different story. Many's a time Hannibal referred to the villain of the week as a bastard.

[–] tenement-funster 11 years ago

That's hardly foul language! I agree that the books were darker than the series itself, but 'bastard' wouldn't have raised many eyebrows on TV in 1984. Contemporary shows such as Magnum and Simon & Simon were happy to use language like that, and were only slightly later in the schedules.

Face actually used considerably stronger language anyway! There's one episode (I think it's "Timber!") where he fakes a cockroach infestation as part of a scam. He plants some bugs, and refers to them as 'little buggers'. That's a lot stronger than 'bastard'. Still no idea how they got away with that one!

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[–] dabooneman81 11 years ago

What makes the show great is the chemistry of four guys from different walks of life..The war brought them together. It was a change of pace from what was on at that time..only thing that was comparable on tv..Was Magnum pi..the comraderie of magnum,Tc and Rick bein buddies from the war and still workin together.. The A-team was a multi genre show action,comedy,drama...I loved the fugitive angle..Mr.T was an interesting character and had appeal..But all the characters could play lead in a particular episode and it'd still be good. I started catchin reruns on local station back in 93'..was hooked every since..Its my fav show.. It led me to watchin other old,school shows of its elk from the 80s and 70s era..making me appreciate a classic golden time of tv..cops,crime drama action,detective series

[–] RParmly-3 9 years ago

Now the books were a different story. Many's a time Hannibal referred to the villain of the week as a bastard.

Time out, my friend.

There are BOOKS?????

I MUST get my hands on these.

Fichtre! Voila qu'on me tue mes morts.

[–] cwd-2003 7 years ago

There are 10 books, all but one based one one or two episodes. I believe #6 is an original story. You can find 1-5 pretty easily on Amazon or eBay but #6-10 are harder to find.

[–] jefgg 9 years ago

The A-Team was always portrayed as acting on the side of good and helping the oppressed. The show remains prominent in popular culture for its cartoonish, over the top violence in which people were seldom seriously hurt, formulaic episodes, its characters' ability to form weaponry and vehicles out of old parts, and its distinctive theme tune.

[–] cjh8504 9 years ago

Agreed, Jef.

RIP Roger Rees. AKA Robin Colcord.

[–] RParmly-3 9 years ago

I didn't care much about the violence (which was quite unrealistic) but i liked the "chemistry" between the four characters and their weird sense of humour, and the fact that they didn't take themselves too seriously most of the time.

I think you hit the nail on the head with this. I watched the entire series over the course of a year and a half or so. Oftentimes when I do that, I get bored by the fourth season or so and just stop watching, especially when it's as repetitive as the A-Team was. Not this time, and I think the chemistry had everything to do with it. Even after I'd internalized the plot structure and pretty much knew everything that was going to happen, I still laughed out loud once an episode whenever one of them (usually Hannibal or Murdock) did something hysterically wacky.

Fichtre! Voila qu'on me tue mes morts.

[–] cjh8504 9 years ago

Great chemistry, laughs, action. What more do you want?

RIP Roger Rees. Movies in theater: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 10/10. Vacation 8/10

[–] woodmage 9 years ago

I just never get tired of watching Billy's antics. Seeing that dog sitting there looking at B.A. like he always did, head tilted and tongue half out of his mouth, still cracks me up.

[–] cjh8504 9 years ago

You're as crazy as Murdock , Wood. Lol.

RIP Roger Rees. Movies in theater: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 10/10. Vacation 8/10

[–] woodmage 9 years ago

What do you mean? The dog who played Billy was awesome!

I found a video online of what I guess was his audition for the A-Team... Lassie's got nothing on this pooch!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhKW7b8f2lc&feature=player_detailpage

[–] w22nuschler 8 years ago

The show was great because it had it all. It had action, comedy and four actors that worked so well with each other. It was also clean and a show the family could watch as stated above. They just started showing it on the Encore Classics channel and I had forgotten how great it was. I just saw Bad Day at Bad Rock and it had a rare scene where Murdock was serious. I liked that scene very much. He was worried about BA getting shot. This show was every guy's favorite show when we were young. It also a great theme song and great music.

[–] cjh8504 8 years ago

Agreed entirely, W22.

RIP Wayne 'Trapper John' Rogers. MASH wasn't the same w/o you. Creed 9/10. Star Wars TFA 9/10

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] robocop-37224 7 years ago

Does anyone remember when Billy peed on Murdock's plant? Hmmm? Anyone??

[–] cwd-2003 7 years ago

Lol. I think you're mistaken. Billy actually peed on one of the tires on BA's van.

[–] robocop-37224 7 years ago

How theH ell is "little buggers" an offensive/curse word? Jesus Christ some people need to get out more!

[–] cih8504 7 years ago

Agreed, robocop. I miss the days when you could call a guy an asswhole and he would take it. The last time I did I got punched in the face.

RIP Gene Wilder. RIP Robert Vaughn. RIP Carrie Fisher.RIP William Christopher.2016 is the worst!

[–] pioneergrrrl 7 years ago

It played on both the 'messed up vietnam vet' stereotype and the 'gi joe' imagery of the Reagan era at the same time--and brought both viewers together.

[–] NotoriousRio (12927) 6 years ago

It was great tea-time entertainment, just like Doctor Who originally was too, each character of the A-Team was different and was a specialist in something, with its humour and action it was the kind of show parents could enjoy with their kids.

Fans didn’t care how repetitive it was, that was part of its charm.