TV: A-Team vs The Fall Guy vs Knight Rider vs The Dukes of Hazzard

[les Habs]

Wow, this is a tough one. I'd want to see Fall Guy since I don't remember actually watching it. Out of the rest though... probably would have to go Dukes of Hazard. Friday nights with my parents when I was kid were macaroni and cheese, the Dukes of Hazard and then Dallas. I was too young for Dallas but watched it anyway (though I preferred Dynasty).

I too liked Airwolf for those who mentioned it.

Two 80s shows I'd like to rewatch, Miami Vice and Magnum PI.

 

[Babe Ruth]

Two 80s shows I'd like to rewatch, Miami Vice and Magnum PI.

Three or four years ago I rewatched season 1 of Miami Vice. I think it holds up well. I get that a white suit, with a teal undershirt is gonna look dated.. but it's still a cool series, good story-telling & action. The series premiere was killer, basically like a full length movie.
Personally I wouldn't be optimistic about Magnum aging as well..

 

[SPV]

I love the 80s television show formula. A cool car, a very attractive woman, and some outlaw heroes and make a show around it.

I loved all these shows at different times. I think if they were all on at the same time though, I'd probably watch Knight Rider

 

[Babe Ruth]

I love the 80s television show formula. A cool car, a very attractive woman, and some outlaw heroes and make a show around it.
I loved all these shows at different times.

yeah, they understood their target audience.. primarily young men & boys. Guys who would also buy all the car toys & t-shirts from Sears, etc.
An obstacle now is TV series are often crafted to theoretically appeal to everyone, so they fundamentally appeal to no one..

 

[les Habs]

Three or four years ago I rewatched season 1 of Miami Vice. I think it holds up well. I get that a white suit, with a teal undershirt is gonna look dated.. but it's still a cool series, good story-telling & action. The series premiere was killer, basically like a full length movie.
Personally I wouldn't be optimistic about Magnum aging as well..

Yeah, I'm sure Miami Vice holds up well. It really felt different at the time even though I was probably wasn't old enough to entirely appreciate it. That's why I want to see it again.

I'm pretty optimistic, but not sure I remember it that well. I do remember some episodes with the Vietnam back story which I'd find interesting. I'd definitely give it a good look if it ever came up on Netflix.

 

[SepticFish]

I'd definitely give it a good look if it ever came up on Netflix.

Miami Vice is on one of the Starz channels weeknights and they also have the whole series on demand. I've turned on a few episodes and been entertained. But I'm not sure if that was because the show was actually good or it was just nostalgia. Some day I'll have to try to rewatch the whole series.

 

[67 others]

Knight Rider AINEC

This. I loved that show. kitt vs Karr

 

[Jumptheshark]

General Lee

 

[Guardian17]

This. I loved that show. kitt vs Karr

I remember that!

 

[NyQuil]

Apparently the idea for Miami Vice came from Michael Mann, and he'd written on a napkin or a piece of paper or something "MTV + Cops".

 

[Jumptheshark]

Apparently the idea for Miami Vice came from Michael Mann, and he'd written on a napkin or a piece of paper or something "MTV + Cops".

yep

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Loved all these shows as a kid, except Fall Guy... never really watched it.

Did any 80s kids here watch The Master?

I was really into that show because martial arts was really big back then with the Karate Kid...

 

[Eisen]

Yeah, I'm sure Miami Vice holds up well. It really felt different at the time even though I was probably wasn't old enough to entirely appreciate it. That's why I want to see it again.

I'm pretty optimistic, but not sure I remember it that well. I do remember some episodes with the Vietnam back story which I'd find interesting. I'd definitely give it a good look if it ever came up on Netflix.

Half the 80s protagonists had some sort of Vietnam trauma.

 

[Osprey]

I would've loved to have watched the A-Team and The Fall Guy in the 80s, but I couldn't just put on anything that I wanted, since my parents controlled the living room TV and I had younger siblings. Even if my parents didn't mind me watching certain action shows, they weren't age appropriate for my siblings, so I couldn't watch them. I did have a TV in my room, but my hometown could get only ABC, so I was limited to their programming at night.

I did get to see quite a bit of The Dukes of Hazzard and Knight Rider, though, since those were a bit tamer, my dad was more into those and I probably caught re-runs in syndication during the day, especially in the Summers.

I remember really wanting to watch Miami Vice, since that was the coolest show, but that was probably the one show that my mom really didn't want on the TV, regardless of whether the siblings were around. On many occasions, I changed the channel, sneaked glimpses of it while she was in the kitchen or bathroom and then tried to change it back before getting caught. Haha.

Of all of the 80s action shows, I was much more of a fan of MacGyver, which was a similar kind of show to the others in many ways, but the antithesis of in others. In fact, I'm watching it right now (3-hour block on Heroes & Icons every Saturday 9-12am EST; woo!).

 

[Babe Ruth]

.. watch The Master?

I was really into that show because martial arts was really big back then with the Karate Kid...

I remember a lot of those short-lived action (& martial arts) series.. The Master, Manimal, Sidekicks, Bring em Back Alive..
And speaking of Karate Kid, remember Pat Morita did a tv series Ohara.. seems like I remember it more as a traditional cop drama.. but I think Morita ocassionally tossed some guys around..

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I remember a lot of those short-lived action (& martial arts) series.. The Master, Manimal, Sidekicks, Bring em Back Alive..
And speaking of Karate Kid, remember Pat Morita did a tv series Ohara.. seems like I remember it more as a traditional cop drama.. but I think Morita ocassionally tossed some guys around..

I only remember The Master of all those shows... never knew Pat Morita did a TV show.

Did you watch Voyagers?

I was like six when that was out, but loved that show.

The lead guy killed himself by accident at a party though when he shot himself in the head with a gun that had blanks in it...

Pretty f***ed up.

 

[Baby Punisher]

Did they even show The Fall Guy anywhere afterwards? All of the others on the list have had multiple outlets for reruns over the years.

I saw it recently while channel flipping not too long ago. I had not seen it in years. When I was 8 Santa brought me a Fall Guy hot wheels track. It had the pickup and a car. It was fun.
We should do a mid 70's t0 mod 80's cop show poll too.

 

[Baby Punisher]

Wow, this is a tough one. I'd want to see Fall Guy since I don't remember actually watching it. Out of the rest though... probably would have to go Dukes of Hazard. Friday nights with my parents when I was kid were macaroni and cheese, the Dukes of Hazard and then Dallas. I was too young for Dallas but watched it anyway (though I preferred Dynasty).

I too liked Airwolf for those who mentioned it.

Two 80s shows I'd like to rewatch, Miami Vice and Magnum PI.

I hated Dynasty.
Loved me some Dallas and Falcon Crest.
Magnum PI still holds up.

 

[Baby Punisher]

Miami Vice is on one of the Starz channels weeknights and they also have the whole series on demand. I've turned on a few episodes and been entertained. But I'm not sure if that was because the show was actually good or it was just nostalgia. Some day I'll have to try to rewatch the whole series.

Knight Rider comes on right after it.

 

[Baby Punisher]

Apparently the idea for Miami Vice came from Michael Mann, and he'd written on a napkin or a piece of paper or something "MTV + Cops".

Michael Mann is an amzing story teller. One of the greatest shows on TV ever was a show he did called Crime Story. It never found it's niche and was always being pre-emptied or moved around days and time slots. They got 2 or 3 seasons out of it. If it was on today it would be an amazing hit.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Michael Mann is an amzing story teller. One of the greatest shows on TV ever was a show he did called Crime Story. It never found it's niche and was always being pre-emptied or moved around days and time slots. They got 2 or 3 seasons out of it. If it was on today it would be an amazing hit.

With Dennis Farina... that show was cool as hell.

Had the Little Runaway opening.

 

[Babe Ruth]

Did you watch Voyagers?
I was like six when that was out, but loved that show.

The lead guy killed himself by accident when he shot himself in the head with a gun that had blanks in it...

Hells yes I liked Voyagers! I always remembered the Wright Brothers & Babe Ruth episodes.. & then around 2007 I purchased the entire (short lived) series on DVD to share with my family..
yeah it was tragic when the actor who played Bogg accidentally killed himself.. he was filming another TV series @ the time.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Hells yes I liked Voyagers! I always remembered the Wright Brothers & Babe Ruth episodes.. & then around 2007 I purchased the entire (short lived) series on DVD to share with my family..
yeah it was tragic when the actor who played Bogg accidentally killed himself.. he was filming another TV series @ the time.

Ya, it was canceled because it was up agt 60 minutes from what I read.

I haven’t seen an episode since I was a little kid.

What was that flip timer they had that would turn red or green when they were about to jump?

I bet Quantum Leap borrowed some ideas from Voyagers now that I think about the similarities...

 

[Babe Ruth]

What was that flip timer they had that would turn red or green when they were about to jump?
from Voyagers!...

the Omni.. if I remember right, it had to be green for them to jump thru time. If it was still red, they had to fix something in the timeline (helping the Wright Brothers fly etc).

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

the Omni.. if I remember right, it had to be green for them to jump thru time. If it was still red, they had to fix something in the timeline (helping the Wright Brothers fly etc).

Ya, green meant they could go and red meant they couldn’t leave because something wasn’t right.

I’m starting to think one of my favorite shows (Quantum Leap), ripped off Voyagers.

I’m going to go back and read how the Voyagers got put into a time warp or whatever it was... see how similar it is to Quantum Leap.