The A-Team: Season Two (1983) DVD Review:

One of the more low-brow attempts at action television in the eighties, The A Team became more known for the ridiculous cast of characters than engaging stories. Still, it has a place in television history, however shameful it may be.

The A Team is about the exploits of a group of men who were framed for a crime during the Vietnam War and escape. They decide to sell themselves as soldiers of fortune to anyone willing to pay the price. This is one of the main elements that make The A Team much different than any other show like it in the eighties. Rather than doing things for the cause, it often seems as if The A Team only do it for the reward.

Col. John "Hannibal" Smith is the leader of this group which also includes Lt. Templeton "Face" Peck (Dirk Benedict), Baracus (Mr. T), and Capt. H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock (Dwight Schultz). Hannibal is played by George Peppard, and often seems to be the only one in the cast with a slight sense of shame to what he is doing.

Season two jumps right into more exploits as the team travels to foreign lands, fighting against evil doers. Much of the show combines humor with action in a way that demands it isn’t taken too seriously. Just watching Mr. T. as B.A. do countless tasks without ever taking off his large assortment of gold jewelry must force you to ask what the creators were thinking. However, the show somehow has a following, and there seems to be a demand for the episodes of the cheesy action/comedy.

The second season of The A Team DVD includes all 22 episodes from the second season. There are no extras such as featurettes but as a bonus the set does include the Knight Rider episode "Brother's Keeper”, which really has nothing to do with The A Team and is shameful to be considered a special feature at all.



Ryan Izay