The A-Team: The Bend in the River
episode number: season 3, episode 2 (1984)
viewing setting: home DVD, 2/2/06
episode synopsis: Tawnia's fiance got lost in the Amazon, so she convinces the team to go find him.
impressions: Well, Tawnia's back (for a single episode, I suspect) and so is Face's Corvette. This was a two-hour episode, which I suspect was intended to be the third season pilot. It had some good "dangerous lost jungle pirate" action but it got a little silly near the end, as another plot was revealed.
notable guest star: Richard Moll, who played a giant guy in Night Court, is a hulking bad guy here. Mike Preston, perhaps best known in movies as the leader of the not-bad-guys in The Road Warrior, is a bad guy here.
what the team builds in this episode: Nothing. It's relieving to see that once in a while, the writers choose not to overuse this plot device again.
Hannibal wisecrack highlight: Taunts just about everyone who threatens or captures him, including the Richard Moll bad-guy goon, who Hannibal beats up.
B.A. toughness highlight: Pushes aside a gigantic stone idol.
Murdock insanity highlight: Thinks he's an old-time Hollywood filmmaker. This role was particularly annoying, since his fantasy got in the way of his usefulness in life-and-death situations.
Face scam highlight: None that I could see, though he did flirt a bit with a competent, dangerous female riverboat captain.
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