"If you have a problem and no one else can help..."

Question: Which Rocky III character noted: "I don't hate Balboa, I pity the fool"?

There was no doubt that this question was referring to the character played by Mr. T (I will put the answer to the question at the end of this post), which got me thinking about how much I used to like watching "The A-Team". Even 20 years later, I can hear the theme music in my head to that great action show from the 80s. Can you believe the A-Team was only on TV for four and a half seasons (1983-1986)? That seems like such a short amount of time, but it became a show my entire family came together to watch.

My brothers and I would drop everything and run to the living room like it was some sort of Pavlovian response when we heard the voice over that began every episode:

"Ten years ago, 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."

The show had political overtones that were lost on my 7 year old self, but my older brothers and parents would discuss the Vietnam war when it was mentioned on the show. When I watch reruns now, I can pick out those parts and I understand the show much better. It didn't matter to me, though, because there was plenty of action and humor I did understand. For instance, there was always a pile of cardboard boxes lying around to throw the bad guy into, because the machine guns the team used never hit their marks.

My favorite, of course, was B.A. Baracus played by Mr. T. He wasn't the best actor on the show, but he was the most unique. I also liked the women on the A-Team, but they seemed to cycle in and out a lot, so it was almost a waste of time to become invested in their characters.

I still try to catch an episode every now and then when I'm flipping through channels (reruns can be seen on TVLand, among other cable channels). I will always have a place in my heart for those misunderstood soldiers of fortune. I pity the fool who never saw "The A-Team."


Answer: Clubber Lang