It's "Fab FOUR"... not "Fab FIVE" [Archive]

MrsSpooky

02-14-2006, 01:30 PM

Ok, I'm looking forward to season 4's release on DVD in April. Hopefully that means we'll be seeing season 5 being released by July.

I'm dying to see season 5, but dreading it because of Frankie. I don't remember much about the fifth season (I was heavy into Miami Vice at the time and pretty much forgot about everything else), but I do remember not being happy with the addition to the Team.

I think my objections there were similiar to the problems I had with Amy joining them on their missions. I tended to get jealous of the screen time that the additions took away from the Fab Four.

Nothing against Eddie Velez. He was no doubt a nice guy, good actor and not too hard on the eyes either - I just watched The A Team for Hannibal, Face, Murdock and B.A. Too much of anyone else took away from them.

Am I alone in this?

Billy

02-22-2006, 04:32 PM

Have to disagree with Amy, as the pilot episode is about her joining the team and I liked a female character - girl power and all that! I think there were times when the team needed a female and it added abit of balance. I have always believed Amy had her role, the informer so to speak (like Huggy Bear in Starsky & Hutch, Kryton in Red Dwarf and Hermione in Harry Potter - they are the infomation providers in the show) - shame the series didn't think so! ...still waiting for season 3 to be released in the UK so can't comment to much on Frankie, as it would have been 20 years since I've seen him! Although I do remember not liking him in the team...as he isn't part of it really!

MrsSpooky

02-22-2006, 05:35 PM

Hey, Billy. Yeah, I know quite a few people liked Amy (I was more a Tawnia person myself). :)

Frankie doesn't show up until season 5, so that's quite a ways to go.

I'm a chick, so I tend to watch the shows for the guys, and I loved these four. I loved how they related to each other, and how B.A. was the team's McGyver with his building stuff out of spare parts. :) Dirk Benedict is the primary reason why I started watching it, 'cause I still loved him from Batlestar Galactica. Good for them for casting him! Turned me on to a fabulous show!

Deb

Billy

02-24-2006, 03:39 PM

MrsSpooky,

I'm using the name "Billy" because I use it on the A Team Shine Forum, (it's Murdock's invisible dog's name) and I couldn't think of anything else when I joined that forum!

I'm a "chick" too...and have "lurved" Face since I was 10 years old! :oops: Hence a big A Team fan! Although I loved the other guys too!

I just liked Amy in it. Can't quite put my finger on it. There were times when the team needed a girl. Unfortunately the writers didn't seem to think that in S2! She added balance to the programme and would intervene when the guys started bickering! As a reporter, she was also the information provider which helped the episode make sense at times, as viewers we accepted the info she provided because she was a reporter and believed that she'd have access to this information. IYSWIM

Tawnia wasn't so good, she was a weaker actress if you ask me...and as Amy's replacement, she just wasn't the same!

Apparently Series 3 isn't going to be release until May in the UK (was suppose to be March :x )...so probably will have to wait a long time for series 5! :cry:

julie w

02-24-2006, 09:46 PM

Well, I guess we all have our opinions and I have mine so with all due respect to all opinions......

Amy had a strength that allowed her to naturally hold her own with the guys. She learned how to play the "game" pretty quickly and pretty well and learned how to blend in with them too. I saw a woman who knew her place - for the most part - by not trying to upstage them but who complimented them (I'm not talking about the actress Melinda Culea, of course because I don't know *how* she was like in real life. Apparently Dirk doesn't seem to have very possitive memories of her input behind the scenes so....). It made sence when the "Amy" character got promoted because it reflected her characters natural abilities. It was dissapointing but it fit.

Tawnia came off to me personally as whiny. She had no real strength - IMO - she had no real purpose for being there. I remember how she got no promotion....they just married her off. Granted, that's ALOT of responsibility (and maybe I don't remember if she moved on to bigger "career" things) but it came off as "we're desperate to get rid of her....hey....let's put her character on *this* guy now. He can keep her out of the A-Team's hair.". That sounds so mean, I know but like I said....we all have our opinions.:-)

Julie

Lt. Templeton TLoS Peck

02-27-2006, 02:48 AM

the problem with amy was that she wasn't happy with the part she had to play in the a-team. she wanted to be some kind of "charlies angel", and a real member of the team..

i have no problem with the role see played in the a-team, but i don't think it would have been a good idea to let her role evolve in the way she wanted it.

the a-team is fun because you can see the four guys were having fun in doing the a-team. i think a bigger role for amy would have changed the atmosphere in the team.

julie w

02-27-2006, 12:09 PM

"the problem with amy was that she wasn't happy with the part she had to play in the a-team. she wanted to be some kind of "charlies angel", and a real member of the team.. "

Well, yeah....but that was mostly the actress playing her from what I've understood. As far as the character went - I vaguely remember Amy complaining about certain things only to be put in her place. I thought it was funny and a good touch. Here was a woman who sometimes wanted to take off to the races and one of the team would chime in and tell her to be patient....well...in essence anyway.

But, I do agree that if they would have made her role bigger....it would not have worked. It would have been too much and would have been off balance then.

Julie

Billy

03-05-2006, 12:41 PM

I can only think that the Writers of the A Team put Tawnia in, because they had (so I believe) sacked Melinda Culea (although I think the feeling was mutually agreed that she would leave if that make sense) and so the writers probably had the other half of season 2 to shoot with no female. Where they could they probably were able to remove the female part from the script, (e.g. episode Steel) but where they needed a female, Tawnia was introduced. Does this make sense? And her part in the episodes she starred was no way as big as Amy's.

For season 3, they were then able to write out the female role amicably!

I think it's a shame the M Culea didn't stay and I agree keep the role as it was. But I can maybe understand as an actress she wanted a bit more of a role. And in S2 you do notice in the early episodes one minute she's there the next she isn't as if the writers/producers (whoever) didn't know where to put her. I think it's a shame coz she worked well in S1.

I agree - we are all entitled to our opinions - I liked her in it!

horselightning

03-15-2006, 09:33 PM

What you have to understand is in the early eighties womans activisim was very strong and many actress faught for the right to have equal billing with their fellow actors. Melinda was every bit for womans right. While I applaud her efforts, unfiortunatly when it came to the point that her activisim disrupted the creative formula of the show it became an irritation. It was the profucers that decided they had to get rid of the irritation which means letting go of Melinda. The writers were trying to work her into the show but wernt sure how to do it. If you notice before her departure her role was getting a bit better. I feel if they could have hung on a little longer the character may have developed into something all parties could would have liked. You canlt judge her acting talents nor Marla Heasleys on there short tinure on the a-team they just wernt on long enough for their full abilities to shine through. But seeing as the line of credits they have on imdb as proof we wernt able to see their full ablilities. I do think Marla gets an unfair shake sence she's scene by the fans as a replacement for Amy and not the actress she is. I did see a fan story were a fan bumped into Melinda and she spoke highley of her years on the a-team! :D

Lt. Templeton TLoS Peck

03-16-2006, 08:31 AM

i don't know anything about showbis, but i can imagine that if you agree to play a certain role in a series, many people working on the show aren't happy if you ask to change the concept of the series because you want a bigger role and the show to be more women friendly, certainly when you aren't one of the main characters.

on the other hand the four guys didn't exactly follow the instructions of the screenplay strictly either, but (although i can imagine the producer (cannell) became a little bit worried about this) i suppose this was not a real problem because it perfectly fitted in the chemistry between the main actors at the beginning of the show. and of course they had a bigger role in the show, and many fans liked the way the main actors filled in their character.

i didn't had a problem with the bigger part amy got before she had to leave the a-team. in the "taxi cab war" she was even introduced as a part of the a-team. but maybe the problem was that she still wasn't happy with the role.

Billy

03-16-2006, 03:42 PM

Obviously I was too young to have read any articles about this, but I think if you look as a viewer, her role was larger in Series 1, compared to series 2 and so I could see how Melinda probably had a problem with this.

Funny enough I was discussing this with my dad a little while ago and he said that he had read (way back then) that George Peppard had "issues" with her or something. So I think there may have been a lot more going on behind the scenes than we know.

Anyway it can't be undone now - it was 20 years ago! lol But watching the A Team from the very beginning, I just have always felt Amy was part of the team (so I like to stick up for her :lol: ). She was in the pilot episode in search of the A Team (and Dirk wasn't...god what a horrid thought if that Tim bloke had stayed! we all wouldn't be here now :lol: ). But the pilot introduces us to Amy and thatt's how we learn how she joins the team.

Don't get me wrong...I still loved the A team even when she was gone! :D But while she was around it was nice! Luckily they didn't give Tawnia a too bigger part either!

horselightning

03-16-2006, 05:03 PM

I always wondered why there were no famale bad guys on that thing, Who had the perseption that all bad guys are male. Cannell shame on you. If you watch the episode "Diamonds in the dust" were the team was transporting dynamite. Amy was in there with gun and full of the action. I just wished ther was female bad guyfor her to give a good smack too lol!

There was many rumours about George hateing the other cast memebers. I've read enough to see some points about him. George did have a hard life. He tends to want to have thing his own way. But what man dosent to some digree. Dirky said on that irish interview that George was at times hard toget along with on the set casue he wanted alot of atention or most of the atention. Well George felt it was his show true he was the leader so he should be up front. So in some ways he did make things difficult for the others. Stpehen Cannell actually got along with George . George called him on many occasions to give him ideas or to just ask how he was. George has an offual lot of respect for cannell it seems. When George got to caried away with the add libs , Stephen said to him on the phone why am i writing script when your add libbing the whole d word thing !. George apolgized to Stephen and cut way down on his ad libbing from that day on. I just love the story Melindas tells of him taking the cast out to eat at french resturant and her and mr, t looking at menus and saying were are the hamburgers lol! So he tried to be nice looks like it. And i think Georges work with recoveruing alcohlics was very admrable, being one him self!

George said he was his own worst enemy . so he was aware of his behavior at times and I thinK was always working on improvement. Its a shame he passed on so early.

Love his a-team quote. The A-team was a train reck that never would end! but he loved playing hannabal!

As Dwight said only the big guys up stairs know what really was going on with Melinda's firing. Those on the set realy have no idea all that was talked about up thier!

read to many intervies lol! :D

MrsSpooky

03-16-2006, 07:17 PM

I heard George could be difficult to work with (I know quite a few actors who are the first to admit to that), but I never heard any rumors that he hated his costars.

I have heard that he was angry with Mr T for a while when T demanded some crew members be fired. George got wind of it and let it be known that if those people were fired then he would quit. There were months where George didn't talk to T. This is what I got from an interview in Europe (sorry, forgot where). Other than that, I don't recall reading about any problems with the cast beyond Melinda's unhappiness with her role (and George's reactions to her unhappiness) and some tension between George and Mr T for a couple of reasons.

I thought they were all wonderful, and any tensions in the cast I didn't see on the screen. :(

Deb

horselightning

03-16-2006, 08:27 PM

George was almost laughing about it! I'm sure at the time it wasnt funny. Mr. T is known to have gotten a fat head on his shoulders at times and became demanding. George would swoop in and knock him back in to play. Still I wonder why Mr. T almost left the show in the third season? Mr.T did a function for Nick at Night I think it was and he said George was the leader and kept them All together. Though they loved Mr. T , even Dirky says he missed working with him he could be trial to work with at times too. I read an online interview Dirky did. He said he enjoyed working with Dwight and Mr. T and their all non stop talkers. He did say Mr, T really giggled like he did on the show lol! I 'd love to hear those stories that Dirky says he's got on them lol! :D

You also have to remember most of the talk about back stage tension was either a load of crap or embelished quite a bit writers will do what sales even been the truth a bit!

facemansgirl

10-12-2006, 01:20 PM

bbbear97

10-12-2006, 01:25 PM

I believe that a female did come in handy to the team on occasion. But I absolutely
hated Frankie ( the character, of course. ) :x I think that the team did not need him at all, ever! I still watched every episode though. Who could give up the smooth talking
HOTTIES!! ( Dirk & Dwight especially :oops: )

I think the biggest thing I hated about the character "Frankie" is that he always acted like he'd been on the team for years, instead of acting like the newbie!

I can't wait to receive my DVD set and watch the three part premiere. I just love those men in uniform..drool!

MrsSpooky

10-12-2006, 07:32 PM

facemansgirl

10-13-2006, 06:53 AM

I could not agree more about Frankie not knowing his place. Shame on you Mr. Cannell for writing him in such a way!! And What's the deal with Gen. Stockwell? He's so two faced. I want to know, what, exactly, he wants from the team. And I know there's something! :x
You will see what I'm talking about when you watch season five.

Dawg

10-13-2006, 09:25 AM

The last season was the weakest of them all. The wheels were coming off - I think George Peppard was ill - and there was friction. In retrospect, I wish they'd stopped it at the end of Season 4 and left on a high note. But who could tell?

Of course, it was another paycheck for Dirk, so who's complaining?

;)

I am
Dawg
8)

bbbear97

10-13-2006, 10:40 AM

I wish they'd stopped it at the end of Season 4

8)

I'm glad there was a season 5, some of my favorite episodes were in this season ("Family Reunion", "Without Reservations"). They just shouldn't have changed the premise of the show. I myself am glad that General Fullbright's daughter didn't end up hanging around with the team. I just would have rathered that it stayed the 4 of them.

I'm surprised the producers of the show couldn't read the chemistry when it was just the four of them. Didn't the realize that adding the "5th wheel" wasn't working?

I think what they should have done with season 5 when the ratings were dropping was have the team get angry with Stockwell because it was taking too long to get the pardons and take off and go back to what they were doing. Including "Frankie", send him back to the studio. Besides, they didn't need him in "Where's the Monster When You Need Him". They were able to pull off the special effects just fine!

I also agree with previous comments from Dirk and Dwight. They should have killed the team off in the last show. I remember the first time I saw the "Grey Team" and "Without Reservations". I thought it was a strange way to end it. And now that I know the producers knew it was going to happen (not a surprise like BSG) they should have cared about it more.

Just my two cents.

Lt. Templeton TLoS Peck

10-16-2006, 07:02 AM

At the screenheroes convention last year, Dirk and Dwight told the guy before me: "trust us, there are only four seasons of the a-team". :P :P

I suppose it was the classical story. Less people start to look at the series, so they start changing all kind of things (new characters, storylines, etc.). Instead of saving the series, it kills the series.

bbbear97

10-16-2006, 03:30 PM

At the screenheroes convention last year, Dirk and Dwight told the guy before me: "trust us, there are only four seasons of the a-team". :P :P

Gee, they must dislike the "Frankie", "Stockwell" and "Carla" characters as much as we do! :lol:

Wonder why they agreed to do the 5th season is they felt so strongly about it? Although I think part 2 and 3 of the premiere are must sees!

ostarella

10-16-2006, 11:08 PM

Gee, they must dislike the "Frankie", "Stockwell" and "Carla" characters as much as we do!

Hmm - wondering how the guys got along with Robert Vaughn and the Frankie actor (can't remember his name, off-hand, sorry). I've never seen any comments along those lines, other than the positive inference of trying to have Dirk on "Hustle"...

MontanaCowgirl

10-17-2006, 12:08 AM

I don't remember a "Fab 5", because it's been ages ago since watching the last season. I liked the Fab 5 with Amy though, but at first I found her very annoying. Did you know that Melinda Culea was born on 5-5-55 ? Very funny :lol:

sara

04-04-2007, 07:51 AM

At the screenheroes convention last year, Dirk and Dwight told the guy before me: "trust us, there are only four seasons of the a-team". :P :P

Gee, they must dislike the "Frankie", "Stockwell" and "Carla" characters as much as we do! :lol:

You're right!!! I think all "purist" of the A-Team think like you. Even in their way of playing I find in our four heros some wariness towards Frankie and Stockwell.. they're like intruders!! :?

bibbi

04-04-2007, 11:04 AM

hi everyone! :D
I've got the four seasons of the A-Team.
I'm not sure if I want to buy season Five.
Frankie never belonged...no offense to the actor....but I never liked the character.
It's the Fab Four NOT Fab Five with my obvious favourite our beloved Dirk as Face...

Take care,
Anne :)

ostarella

04-04-2007, 11:17 AM

I'm not sure if I want to buy season Five.

Ah, but then you miss out on Without Reservations and Family Reunion! And even with Frankie (whom I tend to ignore like one would a fly), I think it's probably the second best season, if not the best, as far as decent stories (ignoring, like Frankie, The Crystal Skull) :lol:

bibbi

04-04-2007, 04:19 PM

Hi ostarella! :D
Good suggeston! :D
I will buy season 5 and just ignore Frankie... :D
It's Face whom I really like ..... :wink:
THANKS! :D

Take care,
Anne :)

Genny

04-04-2007, 06:11 PM

sara

04-16-2007, 12:58 PM

I can ignore Frankie, but I wonder what sort of brain imagined that he'd be a great addition to the show. I could ignore someone dressed up as an Easter bunny, but it wouldn't stop me from thinking that it was totally bizarre for it to be hanging around for no good reason. :lol: :lol:

You're right!! :lol: I wouldn't be able to say it better!!!!
Actually I can't stand Frankie's conceit.. He seems to feel so witty and charming but I find him only annoying and out of place.:?
Even his way of joining the A-Team is awful: if you remember he works for Stockwell and tricks them... this is because they get captured..... How can he behave as if he was a member of the team after it? He doesn't have the right!!
I also wonder how such a character could be supposed to be a valuable innovation.

Doesn't matter... ignoring him is quite easy, 'cause he's just a shadow compared to the Fab Four!! :D :wink:

bibbi

04-16-2007, 05:39 PM

Hi eveyone! :D
I 100% agree!
Frankie did not belong he is a "Dishpan" :P
Stockwell wasn't a good addition either.
You know the saying "if it ain't broke don't fix it"
What was the producer thinking! :? :?

Take care,
Anne :)

bbbear97

04-16-2007, 06:08 PM

You know the saying "if it ain't broke don't fix it"
What was the producer thinking! :? :?

Actually it was broke, the ratings were slipping. It was an attempt to re-tool the show, or "Jump the Shark" as they say in Hollyweird land.

As Ostarella said, some of the best story lines came out of Season 5. The writers started to develop the characters more deeply. It's also when we started to witness the passing of time more often, like when Face mentions Murdock's fishing tune after they land in the series premiere. The addition of Frankie was actually starting to work near the end. I think what really happened was that the fans didn't like to see the team working for Stockwell. Hannible's character just wasn't the same and the team had lost their freedom, which in my opinion made it harder for the writers to come up with new plots, hence "The Crystal Skull". Gone were the days of B.A. helping a kid in trouble....

I'm just thankful that they kept Murdock. I read somewhere that there was a viewers poll after episode 3 asking the public if Murdock should remain with the team since they were headed for Langley. If there is truth to that, the public voted correctly. Anyone know anything about that?

ostarella

04-16-2007, 06:45 PM

I hadn't heard about the Murdock/5th Season thing. Interesting.

Frankie, to me, was like Amy and Tawnia (and Tia if that had worked out). The execs just couldn't get it through their skulls that the show was about 4 Vietnam vets - a permanent sidekick of either sex was not necessary at all. As to Stockwell - I think it might have worked if they had retained their independence, but agreed to do jobs for him vis a vis the pardons anyway. Kind of an "Alias Smith and Jones" type thing. I would've liked to see that - somehow manage to do the jobs for Stockwell, and get chased by the MPs at the same time - that would've been fun, IMHO.

bibbi

04-16-2007, 07:10 PM

ostarella wrote:

I hadn't heard about the Murdock/5th Season thing. Interesting.
Frankie, to me, was like Amy and Tawnia (and Tia if that had worked out). The execs just couldn't get it through their skulls that the show was about 4 Vietnam vets - a permanent sidekick of either sex was not necessary at all. As to Stockwell - I think it might have worked if they had retained their independence, but agreed to do jobs for him vis a vis the pardons anyway. Kind of an "Alias Smith and Jones" type thing. I would've liked to see that - somehow manage to do the jobs for Stockwell, and get chased by the MPs at the same time - that would've been fun, IMHO.

I agree with you there. That is a very good summation of what the series should have been like. I felt that the show really fell flat in the 5 season. And, I am sure glad that they kept Murdock. A show without Murdock isn't the A-Team. Not in my book!

Take care,
Anne :)

sara

04-18-2007, 01:48 PM

I agree with you there. That is a very good summation of what the series should have been like. I felt that the show really fell flat in the 5 season. And, I am sure glad that they kept Murdock. A show without Murdock isn't the A-Team. Not in my book!

Take care,
Anne :)

Well said!!! I couldn't agree more!! A world without Murdock would be a grey world!! :lol:

ostarella

04-18-2007, 03:52 PM

Well, I won't say it fell flat, because it's one of my favorite seasons :wink:

bibbi

04-18-2007, 06:23 PM

Feeonagh

04-19-2007, 02:09 AM

I think that everyone had their favourite A-Team and season they didn't like.
Not everyone likes the same episodes either. You know if we all liked the same things the world would be a very boring place.

Take care,
Anne :)

Well said Anne.. I agree with your sentiments

(.. just wish none of you lot loved Dirk like me...) :oops:

Fee

sara

04-19-2007, 10:01 AM

I think that everyone had their favourite A-Team and season they didn't like.
Not everyone likes the same episodes either. You know if we all liked the same things the world would be a very boring place.

Take care,
Anne :)

Of course! you're right!
everybody prefers some seasons instead of others, and I thnik that it depends also on the the aspect of the A-Team that is particularely appreciated: if the thing that you like most is the plot, maybe your favourite season will be the 5th. On the contrary, if you focus on the characters and their interaction in their original being, then you will probably prefer season 3 or 4.
Anyway, you're right... there's nothing more interesting than exchanging different opinions in order to discover new points of view!! :wink: