I love it...when a DVD comes together! (The A-Team - Volume 1 (DVD))

Member Name: warpoid

Product:	The A-Team - Volume 1 (DVD)
Date:	06/06/02 (173 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: 3 episodes, Good picture

Disadvantages: Not in any order, Special features aren't great

As the first DVD release of Stephen J Cannell’s classic 80’s Saturday afternoon TV show, the A Team, expectations are high. Comprising of three episodes (“The Taxicab Wars”, “The Maltese Cow” and “Chopping Spree”) and aimed to fit in the budget section of most stores, the DVD lacks the ‘special’ extra features that are attributed to full price DVDs. But, let me start by describing the episodes.

The Taxicab Wars.
The A Team are informed about the ‘Lonestar cab company’, a small independent taxi firm, who are being ‘bullied’ by a larger rival: the ‘Love Cab Company’. Their taxis are being destroyed and the drivers beaten, leading them to cease operations. The Team become co-owners of ‘Lonestar’ and, in true A Team style, not only manage to make a successful operation out of ‘Lonestar’ but also manage to teach the bad guys a lesson!

This is a good episode, and just so A Team: Murdoch is great as ever with ‘Captain Cab’, which causes the polarity (within the group) with BA. As with many of my favourite episodes, ‘The Taxicab Wars’ is written by the series creator and producer, Stephen J. Cannell.

The Maltese Cow
When an old army colleague, Sam Yeng, contacts them, the team arrive quickly, eager to help an old friend. Yeng’s problem is that he refuses to pay protection money to a powerful man who controls China Town. This causes the demolition of his restaurant (and livelihood), which the team help to sort out.

This episode isn’t one of my favourites. It’s ok, but not great. The best bits are when Murdoch acts like a Film Noir detective (part of the reason for the title of the episode).

Chopping Spree
An ex-con contacts the team and informs them that he has lost his job parking cars, when one of the cars is stolen. This results in a ‘plan’ to
hoax out the car-nappers (who cut and slice the stolen vehicles). However, rather than stealing Face’s flash new car, they steal BA’s van. Cue conflict for the rest of the episode!

An entertaining episode, perhaps just for the way BA (Mr T) reacts to having his beloved van stolen.

The DVD.
The front and back covers give the idea that the disc has no extra features at all. However, it does feature an amusing mini-essay entitled ‘The A Team Files’ which is both on the DVD and printed on the inlay card (in the DVD box). The menu is nice, done in keeping with the A Team style, as is the intro to the disc: the text of the intro to the show. The only option of aspect ration is crisp full screen, and although not offering great, fancy sound, the sound is good.

Overall, the disc features two good episodes and an average one, which alone are worth the money – however, isn’t the novelty of owning an A Team DVD worth it on it’s own?

Summary: