The A-Team: Breakout!
episode number: season 3, episode 12 (1984)
viewing setting: home DVD, 2/12/06
episode synopsis: B.A. and Murdock are in the wrong place at the wrong time, and end up arrested and sent to a prison chain gang; it's up to Hannibal to find and rescue them before the Army realizes that the local police have members of the A-Team in custody.
impressions: Good episode, despite some minor plot flaws. Colonel Decker's back in pursuit of the team, and the writers seemed to be trying to lessen the bickering between B.A. and Murdock. One plot point that I liked was at the end, when the local police chief was trying to get the woman to tell him where the A-Team might be; she basically says "no way - we owe them out lives, and there's no way I'll give them up." It was also neat how Hannibal was a one-man rescue team this time (Face was at a beach somewhere and only appeared a couple of times as he talked to Hannibal on the phone.) Now for the glaring plot hole: the robbers rob the store, then come out, then B.A. goes in to buy his milk, then comes out with the milk, smiling. Obviosuly nothing went wrong inside...so why did the store clerk presumably name him to the police as a robber? And why didn't B.A. know that the store had just been robbed? Another thing, during the shootout at the house, Hannibal only had a handful of shells for the shotgun and one magazine for his pistol...yet he seemed to waste all the ammo pretty quickly. If it was me, I'd wait until I saw an enemy, and then shoot him in the face. That's how you beat superior numbers with a limited amount of ammunition.
notable guest star: None.
what the team builds in this episode: With just two of them, and the tools/parts found in an ambulance, they rig a sail to an old rusted-out car chassis to create a wind-powered steer-able vehicle.
Hannibal wisecrack highlight: Impersonates Decker at the police station, thinks up ways to stall for time until the others can come to help him beat the bad guys.
B.A. toughness highlight: When confronted by an assailant wielding an axe handle, he rips a 4x4 out of the ground for his own weapon..
Murdock insanity highlight: General nonchalance about being captured by the police, also obsesses about his lucky rabbit's foot.
Face scam highlight: None.
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