SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 49 min.
Televised on NBC on November 20, 1984, this James Fargo-directed episode has a phony A-Team harassing an old-school Wild West show at mobster/record producer Kyle Mason’s behest. Mason wants to swipe the show’s upcoming European tour dates for his illicit drug smuggling racket. Despite suspecting their old nemesis, Col. Lynch, is lying in wait, the real A-Team goes undercover to confront their impersonators.
Col. John “Hannibal” Smith: George Peppard
Sgt. B.A. Baracus: Mr. T
Captain H.M. “Howling Mad” Murdock: Dwight Schultz
Lt. Templeton “Face” Peck: Dirk Benedict
Kyle Mason: Michael DeLano
Capt. Winnetka: Morgan Woodward
Col. Lynch: William Lucking
Carrie Winnetka: D.D. Howard
General Rockmore: Ben Hammer
Sgt. Wilson: Xander Berkeley
Fake Hannibal / Parker: John Carter
Fake B.A.: Tony Brubaker
Fake Face: Uncredited (Norman Howell?)
Bartender: Joe Di Reda
Face’s Date: K.C. Winkler
Opening Credits Voice-Over: John Ashley (uncredited)
REVIEW:
Bolstered by its fun premise, the cast makes “Showdown!” a well-played A-Team caper … but with one major qualm. Among the best elements is Murdock’s resentment that there isn’t a Murdock wanna-be, let alone B.A.’s incredulous reaction to his own dubious impersonator. Another nice touch is seeing an undercover A-Team (including ‘Face’ as a circus clown).
Viewer, however, beware: Murdock’s ultra-stereotyped pose as a prancing Native American brave is painfully un-P.C. It’s unfortunate that Dwight Schultz must wildly play up this racial caricature just for cheap humor’s sake. The episode also isn’t helped by a dubious early scene where high-profile fugitive Face can evidently frequent a veterans-friendly pub (that looks too much like a Hollywood TV set) without other patrons blinking an eye. Having the bartender pass Face a newspaper with the front page headline conveniently denouncing the ‘evil’ A-Team isn’t exactly an original touch, either.
Still, William Lucking’s single-episode return as the befuddled Lynch is a welcome treat. His presence, however, is unexplained, as the script lazily doesn’t reveal how the A-Team knows their old nemesis is back (rather than Decker). Aside from the stench of Murdock’s scripted disguise, “Showdown!” is a solidly entertaining TV adventure.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6½ Stars
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