Happy Murdoctober! RD80s Celebrates The 30th Anniversary of The A-Team!

Welcome to a very special month of celebration on RD80s, the blog that's always 'on the jazz' but never dares to board any airplanes. While other sites and blogs are paying homage to All Hallow's Eve, your two RD80s soldiers of fortune Jason & Wyatt decided instead to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the A-Team!
On January 23, 1983, one of the most beloved and entertaining television shows aired for the first time. The opening credits to the series is some of the most recognizable footage in television history along with narrator John Ashley uttering those famous words...
In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit.  These men promptly escaped from a maximum-security stockade to the Los Angeles underground.  Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune.  If you have a problem...if no one else can help...and if you can find them...maybe you can hire...The A- Team.

"Hannibal," "Faceman," "B.A.," and Murdock were saviors to those who could not seek reprieve from their adversaries. These four men who were occasionally aided by other civilians along the way, but their relentless quest to squash the enemy and rescue those who sought their aid continues to ring out through television history.

Though the show debuted on January 23rd, its first real splash came a week later following Superbowl XVII. Mr. T attended the game which featured the Washington Redskins defeating the Miami Dolphins. Over the next three years, The A-Team would prove to be NBC's most successful show by achieving its highest ratings of any show in the five previous years. The series filmed 5 seasons from Jan 1983 - Dec 1986 and 95 total episodes which included one 'lost' episode airing with reruns in the spring of 1987.


The A-Team consisted of four primary members along with three other 'card holding' members:
  • Lieutenant Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith --- George Peppard
  • Captain Howling Mad "H.M." Murdock --- Dwight Schultz
  • 1st Lieutenant Templeton "Face/Faceman" Peck --- Dirk Benedict (Tim Dunigan in the Pilot)
  • Sergeant First Class Bosco A. "B.A./Bad Attitude" Baracus --- Mr .T
  • Amy Amanda Allen --- Melinda Culea
  • Tawnia Baker --- Marla Heasley
  • Frankie Santana --- Eddie Velez
Let's not forget the notable Army Officers who chased the A-Team over the years:
  • Colonel Lynch --- William Lucking
  • Colonel Roderick Decker --- Lance LeGault
  • Captain Crane --- Carl Franklin
  • General Harlan "Bull" Fulbright --- Jack Ging
  • General Hunt Stockwell --- Robert Vaughn
And the essential transportation of the A-team...B.A.'s GMC van!

So by now you are probably wondering..."if the show started in January, why are you celebrating now?" Well, why not I say! (No one reads the internet during the NFL Playoffs anyway, right?) Now is a good time as any to rediscover one of the quintessential TV shows of the '80s! Throughout this month, Jason and Wyatt will be posting articles including:
  • Hannibal's Best Disguises
  • Faceman's Best Scams
  • Murdock's Best Insanity Moments
  • B.A.'s Best Quotes
  • The Most Ridiculous Weapons/Inventions
  • The Best Guest Star Appearances
  • A Special Edition of Rank 'Em
  • The Best of A-Team Fan Art
...and more!!

And if that wasn't enough of a reason to celebrate, how about a chance to win an exclusive A-Team At 30 prize pack!! On Oct 31st, one lucky person will walk away with a box full of vintage and new A-Team goodies!


Here's what you'll win if your name is pulled:
  • The Best of The 80s: The A-Team DVD (7 episodes including the pilot and the "Body Slam" episode with Hulk Hogan)
  • The complete 1984 3-issue A-Team comic book set (Produced by Marvel Comics)
  • 1:64 Scale Hot Wheels A-Team van (from the 2011 collection)
  • A fistful of vintage A-Team trading cards
  • A "PTF Pity The Fool" decal (created by RD80s own Jason Gross)
  • More 80s goodies from the RD80s prize bin
GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED

This is going to be exciting month with A-Team articles and your usual mix of '80s info, so please come back and interact with us! I pity the fool that doesn't celebrate!

Post a Comment

85 Comments

  1. Looking forward to the festivities all month long. I love it when a plan comes together!

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  2. I can not wait to see what you dig up this month. Awesome idea!

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  3. I must admit, Murdoctober got a groan, but I am looking forward to the content as the A-Team was a staple in our house, lots of great memories of "why can't anyone seem to hit the broadside of a barn" and "isn't it handy how there is always sheet metal and cutting/welding torches in every place they hole up"

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    1. You can blame the Murdoctober on me, LOL. Wyatt has nothing to do with it...

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  4. I'm glad I stumbled across this, cool idea

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    1. Thanks! You've got some great stuff on your site!

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    2. Sweet Mary of Goodness, how did I find this?

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  5. What a Bad Ass show! I love it when a plan comes together!

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  6. I love the A-team because they were and still are to my inner 80's child badass!!

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  7. Plain and simple...the A-Team continues to rock...fool!

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  8. I remember pretending to be the A-Team playing on the playground at recess during elementary school - good times!

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  9. Dun doon-doon, dun-dun duh doon, dun doon-doon, dun-duh-dun doon-doon!

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  10. Always blowing stuff up making kool bits of kit and only ever killed one person lol :)

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  11. I love the A-Team it reminds me of my childhood!!!

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  12. Because I grew up watching it with my Dad!!!

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  13. Because I grew up watching it with my Dad!!!

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  14. I love George peppard

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  15. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  16. Had a great time in the 80's!!!

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  17. Loved the 80's a great decade to grow up! :)

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  18. Loved all the great music from the '80's

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  19. My family loves the A-team. We watched every episode and was sad to see it end. We like the earlier years better then the last season but still was a favorite show of our families.

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  20. I love the A-team because of all the happy memories of the show and the kids.

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  21. Love Mr.T and all his gold....

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  22. Grew up watching with the family..love Murdoch

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  23. Why of course I like The A Team because Mr. T's the man

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  24. I grew up watching this show. Who does not love the A-Team. When you think of this show it screams the 80's :).

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  25. I grew up in the 80's and this was a must see every week! They just don't make show's like they used to. How fun to remember some great family times of the 80's.

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  26. Anything with Mr. T or the 80's rock's

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  27. I used to watch the A-Team all the time! Loved all of the guests, like Hulk Hogan, Joe Namath, Refrigerator Perry, etc. They don't make shows like these anymore!!!!!!!!!

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  28. i love the ateam...mr t was awesome!!! and face..hello!

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  29. Love the A-Team 'cause anyone who has half a brain just 'loves it when a plan comes together.'

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  30. I just Love Everything about the 80's and cannot wait to see more of it coming back and becoming even more popular than it was the first time around...Go 80's!!

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  32. I grew up watching the A team. Our family always got together to watch the show. We loved that it was funny, serious, and and taught us to help people.

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  33. It was mindless entertainment. When coming home tired and exhausted, you could plop down in a chair, pop a beer, put on the A Team and turn off your mind.

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  34. the old van was cool i had a van like that & mr t took no crap

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  35. Definitely brings back childhood memories!

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  36. loved this show and the music always get the bad guy

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  37. Loved the show then and watch the reruns when I get a chance.

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  38. My husband and I watch this show everytime its on,its still a great show, I love all the guys on the show.

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  39. Dont you just love when a plan comes together,, ha im 47 now but as a kid me and my brothers would gather together every week in front of the tube it was a family memory i cheerish.

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  40. Four different personalities working together as a TEAM is what I like about the A-Team

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  41. Love the show because of all of them, just a perfect mix to watch! But is there anyone cooler than Mr. T?...NO!

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  42. This was one of the go-to shows when I was younger. All of my friends loved the foo-foo guy, but Murdock was my favorite!!

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  43. One of my favorite shows back then... and a couple of crushes!

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  44. Because every episode had big gun battles but nobody ever got hurt. Ane I loved all of the different types of people. Breat show.

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  45. I love Murdock, he's so cra-cra okay

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  46. always loved watching the a team and great memories :)

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  47. I love the A-Team because they help me relive my glory days!

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  48. I love The A Team because they're awesome.

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  49. Was a great show,watched it every week when it was on!

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  50. The A Team was one of my favorite shows growing up! Now I watch the re-runs with my kids!

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  51. Who doesn't love Mr. T? I pity the fool..

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  52. Remember watching this when I was younger. Great memories of the show.

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  53. I loved them because everyone had a role to play and they fit together like a true team,, yet there was loads of fun and craziness also lolol

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  54. loved the A team!!! a true team, everyone gelled together to go along with all the fun craziness lol

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  55. It was just a fun show with great characters and exciting to watch. Love the way the TEAM worked together and always came out on top despite themselves.

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  56. I used to LOVE to watch this show!!!!!

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  57. I remember when the A-Team 1st started 1 watched it from day one and imitated all for of them and even dressed up as B.A. when I was a kid for trick or treat...

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  58. Because I would watch this show all the time and the good guys always won.

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  59. Because it was a clean wholesome show and they always got the bad guy.

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  60. I love The A- Team because of Mr.T.

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  61. For a while Star Trek the Next Generation ruined the A-Team for me...

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  62. Great show with great actors. That's what a show should be about. nothing like today.

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  63. i loved the A-Team it was the best show ever on TV.i loved all the characters even BA.and howling mad murdock.i loved it the way they gotaway from colonel decker everytime!and made him look stupid and incompetent.

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  64. How can you not love Mr. T? And the Face? And Murdock? They were all crazy, but that just made it better! They shouldn't have worked but they did.

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