WTF Happened to Airwolf? (1984-1987)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ก.ค. 2022
- In the early eighties, cutting-edge action usually revolved around futuristic vehicles. On TV, Knight Rider turned a talking car (KITT) into a sensation. CBS, wanting to get in on the action, adapted the formula to the skies with a futuristic helicopter called Airwolf, enlisting Jan-Michael Vincent and screen veteran Ernest Borgnine to star. The show’s roots can probably be traced to the big screen hit Blue Thunder, which featured a similarly powered helicopter. It also spawned a series of the same name, which was cancelled before Airwolf hit the air.
Perhaps one reason this show succeeded is that while Blue Thunder was mainly a show about cops in Los Angeles, Airwolf’s scope was international. In it, Jan-Michael Vincent’s Stringfellow Hawke used Airwolf to fight larger-than-life supervillains while searching for his brother, who went MIA in Vietnam.
The show was a sizeable hit, but it suffered from a troubled, erratic star in Vincent, whose substance abuse battle was an ongoing problem for CBS. Eventually, they would drop the show, only for a much lower-budgeted version to be revived in syndication minus Vincent or co-star Borgnine. It would only last a year. Still, the show holds a special place in the hearts of kids who grew up in the eighties, all of whom daydreamed about flying Airwolf, and we examine the show’s legacy in this week’s Gone But Not Forgotten.
For more MOVIE NEWS, visit: www.joblo.com
SUBSCRIBE for more of all the LATEST JoBlo Videos here: goo.gl/R9U81J
#Airwolf #JanMichaelVincent #gonebutnotforgotten - บันเทิง
Airwolf, Streethawk and Knightrider. My childhood in a nutshell, and probably every other 80's kid.
I think that would have been a better intro to discuss the motivation for airwolf (along with Blue Thunder mentioned), instead of other helicopter shows. NBC had Knightrider, CBS had Airwolf and if I recall correct, ABC had streeehawk. One thing I found funny/interesting was how NBC seemed to pick on the other networks shows...I recently saw a Knightrider episode that had an orange Dodge Charger (like the Dukes, without decals) that blew up. There was also an episode of Miami Vice that Lt Castillo was flying in a Bell 222 that suspiciously like Airwolf.
Don't forget The A-Team! Being a kid in the 80's was freaking awesome! It was an amazing time for TV shows!
@@jamesteegardner2273 I was going to say but their van wasn't bulletproof like the other super cars, but then realized no one got shot, so maybe it was...
The 80s had all the awesome high tech vehicle shows. The 90s didn't have that much. All i can think of is "Viper" and "Thunder in Paradise".
Don’t forget Macguyver.
I was a staff writer and wrote episodes for "AIRWOLF II" (the WALMART season)
Your take on that last season is pretty accurate. We did our best to make an entertaining series but it was an uphill battle given we had a fraction of the budget and shooting time. It was a lot of fun to write, and to my surprise, even our admittedly lesser-than season 4 has its own devoted fan base who still appreciate the 24 episodes we produced. I mostly credit that to our stellar cast.
The effort to import poor JMV across the border to shoot was complicated by legal charges he was facing in the US. He was a sad sight even then. We had the helmets from the original show -- JMV's helmet had a wired remote because he was often too wasted to find the button on the side to open the visor. You will also note that the helmets covered their mouth -- this was to enable them to use close-ups as stock footage and record the necessary dialogue in post. We did the same, but for budget reasons -- our cast was sober! We DID have the full original set AIRWOLF - not just pieces of it -- but we couldn't take it outside to even pretend we landed it! For inspiration, I would sometimes sit in it to think and write. In addition to the stock footage, we used a radio-controlled Airwolf model for several scenes.
It was a difficult show to write given the 'heroes' were essentially mercenaries with a killing machine that was the titular hero. That created a necessity to create situations and villains BAD enough to justify using AIRWOLF.
Thanks for the information. I loved the show. You guys brought to the public a great series.
@@LBF522 thanks 😛😛😛
Thank you for telling us about your time doing that very cool to hear
Did the "Airwolf" have an onboard lavatory?
Thanks for all your efforts! Really loved the show.
Airwolf can never be replicated...
The 3 guys JM Vincent, E.Borgnine and A. Cord were absolutely awesome...
They made my childhood a great one ..
Rest in Peace to to the characters who went before us...and thank you ..
yep but them JM Vincent went Caitlyn Jenner way and turn into Melania Trump becoming first lady ;)
I cannot see them rebooting the series from the beginning, no one can replace the original actors who OWNED those characters. However, I can see some fitting new characters finding Airwolf, updating its tech from the the original onboard AI recording logs, and going on themselves to do good deeds with "The Lady" rising like a phoenix. Proper homage should be given to the original characters and what they contributed to the show, and in the spirit of what Airwolf was meant to accomplish.
A-Team, Knight Rider, and Airwolf were absolutely amazing.
Nobody ever remembers Street Hawk though.
I was 11 in 1984. So, Air Wolf, Knight Rider, Dukes of Hazzard, Magnum P.I., and of course, both mesmerizing "V" mini-series were huge hits for me.
Same here dude...we grew up at a perfect time!
Me as well. Wish I could go back sometimes
Blue Thunder 1983 was cool for the era BUT in later years 2010s 2020s the flaws, script seem more visible.
I was 12. Damn what a time to be alive!
Yeah I was nine that year. Magnum PI was one of my grandmother's favorite shows too.
Some backup info on the crash: The helictopter was used to fly a child with severe burns from an emergency room in Berlin across Germany to a specialized clinic at Cologne, in already hostile weather.
On the way back (without the patient) the pilot lost control in the increasingly severe conditions and crashed into a mountainside. So while it is tragic that three people died in the crash, the helicopter "died" helping someone in a dire situation, rather than just being broken up for scrap after the series wrapped. Because it's mission, getting the child to Cologne so she'd survive, was actually a success.
She was lost in a severe fog and cloud bank.
very happy to hear that the patient was safe and sound. I loved the show. I don't understand why the pilot took the decision to get back through the bad weather...sad.
Don't normally comment on know it alls on you tube but you sir I take my hat off for knowing that we'll done
@@chrisbeech4458 being fans of the show for years, we learn stuff. Especially if a high profile thing comes along. Our sincerest regrets as to what happened 🙏
The copter wouldnt have been broken up for scrap regardless, it was a million dollar plus piece of equipment.
This show was responsible for peaking my interest in aviation. Been an airline pilot for over 20 years now. Loved this series so much.
So when you Solo'd, did you play the Airwolf Theme?
@@hellacoorinna9995 ha ha. I should have.
Wait airline? If I ever was on a plane and during take off the air wolf theme came over the speakers I would lose my mind
Me too, but unfortunately my diagnosis of Nystagmus prevented me from flying :(
The scene during the intro where Airwolf is supposed to be flying through a B-52 bombing run always was one of the best scenes of the show . The pyrotechnics that were exploding where supposed to go off as the helicopter flew past but they were triggered too early . The dirt that covered the canopy and fuselage was real and the vortex caused in the dust by the rotor blades made for an incredible shot . Luckily no one was hurt and the scene was able to be used .
Absolutely loved this show back in the day. That theme song!!!
I got the 5 minute version on my phone
vangelis
The music alone is reason to at least check it out. This and Knight Rider were my favorites as a kid. A-team was alright, but I like the other 2 shows better. I think having Ernest Borgnine really made it work. It wouldn't have been nearly as good without him.
Lots of good theme songs from those days. I’ve argued with myself for years to pick “the best.” I always end up picking this one.
It's iconic
Best thing about this show is the amazing theme tune!
AGREED! Funny how amazing they were able to do things in the 80s
As soon as I saw the thumbnail, all I could hear was that engine roar and propeller blades, just before the drum and synth drops.
Airwolf, a team, knigh rider.. Thunder in paradise 😂 we loved us some vehicle driven action shows
@@mullaoslo forgot about Street Hawk.
@@alexanderford3831 as far as I know street hawk never aired in Norway.. I can see it fits the mold but I never saw or ever heard anyone speak of it
Airwolf was a great show. I watched the series multiple times. It's just not good without Jan Michael Vincent. And Ernest was such a good actor with a smile like no other.
Thanks for this trip down memory lane. I saw Jean Michael Vincent and the Airwolf chopper in person when they did what I presume was a world tour. They came to Cape Town as one of their stops. I remember JMV joking that the real star of the show was Airwolf and that he was just the co-star. Seemed like a very nice guy. It was an unreal experience.
Never forgotten. The theme song alone is timeless!!!
r.I.P. Jan-Micheal Vincent, Ernest Borgnine & Alex Cord
RIP the helicopter that played the part of Airwolf too. It crashed into a hillside in 1992.
Airwolf was a big part of my childhood and I'm very happy to own the show on Blu-ray. Just like The A-Team and Knight Rider ... two other cornerstones of my childhood! 😉
Airwolf, Knight Rider, Streethawk, Highwayman, truly beyond nostalgic childhood. And their themes are simple but timeless. Love it so much. 💖
Yeah Highwayman!
RIP, Jan Michael Vincent and Ernest Borgnine.
And Alex Cord (Archangel)
Ernest Borgnine always has a smile on his face that tells you he's just thrilled to have a job.
Everything I see Ernest in, he gives his best and it shows. Every time. A true professional.
They forgot one of his most iconic roles-- in "The Poseidon Adventure"... OL J R :)
@@lukestrawwalker You killed my Linda...
I was so happy to see him in RED!!
They also missed Ernest Borgnine's roll in From Here to Eternity as Staff Sergeant James R. "Fatso" Judson.
I adored absolutely everything about Airwolf from beginning to end. So much so, that I don't think a re-boot would capture that original magic we all experienced in the 80s.
9:40 One small note that might make this scene very slightly less goofy: In the series it was mentioned that Airwolf had this one severe design flaw, that if you shoot the refueling nozzle at the nose of the helicopter even with just a pistol, Airwolf would explode. Since the bad guy was the designer of Airwolf he knew and tried that in this scene.
You're right. Plus, the scene earlier when he is at the indoor pool at "Khaddafi's Summer Palace", and he is practicing his target shooting with the young boy holding the jewel? That came together later out in the desert when he actually has the unironic confidence to aim his pistol at Airwolf's midair refueling intake...it just showed another facet of him being a psycho, willing to destroy his own creation without hesitation...and thinking he could actually pull it off...
This is my childhood. Seeing this again is like a comfort blanket. It’s a shame all the stars have now left this mortal coil
Knight Rider, Airwolf, A-Team, Street Hawk....hell yes!
As a child, this show was absolutely amazing. Airwolf, A Team, and Hulk. The Holy Trinity of 80s shows in my humble opinion.
Would have said knightrider instead of Hulk
@@garrykernohan2290 I liked Knightrider, but I loved those shows.
The actual Holy Trinity is God=Lord Jesus Christ.
@@thespaceram2879 I said the holy Trinity of 80s shows, but you’re still not phrasing it right, the Holy Trinity is God the Father, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. You need 3 things to be a Trinity.
@@KelticTim The Father, The Son called The Word and The Holy Spirit is Lord Jesus Christ=God Almighty. John 1:1 In the beginning the Word was with God and the Word is God.
As a 13yo boy, sitting down on a Saturday afternoon in the UK, with my Dad and brother.
The intro would start, the Airwolf logo would split and show 'The Lady' flying straight at the camera. To quote Ernest in one episode, 'it sure got my heart a-pumpin'. Happy days. 🥰
Thanks for the upload and happy memories. RIP JMV, Ernest and Alex Cord 🙏
Jan Michael Vincent story is as sad as it gets. But these were his best days.
How so? he just did what he loved and that was the bottle. He even said so himself.
Sadly his alcohol problem was also the reason he was removed for the canadian Season 4 of that show. It was even already a problem during the production of the precious seasons. Never the less… he gave is an amazing raw-hide anti-hero that was Stringfellow Hawke.
That's too sad. Back to these days Stringfellow Hawke was definitely the coolest and hottest fictioned air combat pilot (Top Gun was not made yet)
Only to be reminded of him on episodes of Rick and Morty.
The Mechanic, co-starring with the great Charles Bronson, and Big Wednesday are Jan Michael’s stand out movies for me.
Blue Thunder was a good film.
Airwolf was a great show. 80's style.
Airwolf theme was awesome.
If Jan Michael Vincent was sober, I think Airwolf would have lasted longer.
Airwolf ran briefly with a cheap 🇨🇦 USA channel version. Sin Jin, St John returns from SE Asia 🇻🇳.
Well I used to know Ernest and he tried his best to Square Jan Michael Vincent away but he gave up eventually.. So it was what it was!! You just can't change some peoples way of thinking I used know a guy that worked the fuel pits at Van Nuys Airport (* where AIRWOLF was filmed ) who had a run in with Vincent who proceeded to light up a smoke while they were doing a hot pump crew switch while refueling .and he ordered him to stand 100 ft away from the A/C and Vincent wanted to fight him for it !! IDIOT!!
the USA network season caused me to start drinking.
@@patricku9 that bad huh lol
Did not realize Earnest Borgnine won an Oscar. Legend!
Brings back such FANTASTIC memories. I grew up in a poor family with 6 kids....this show was my Mom and I's absolute favorite...it was the one thing that ALWAYS had her sit down with me to watch. Yeah, the rest of the family watched as well, but my Mom and I were the ones TRULY sucked into the story. GREAT TIMES!!! Wish I would have had some toys in this theme...I don't even know if they made them....but I will never forget my Mom always coming up to tell me to hurry and finish my homework or whatever I was doing to say "its almost time for Airwolf"
I remember talking to Robert Englund about Jan Michael Vincent (they remained good friends after doing a film together) he said it was very difficult for everyone on set because of Jan's issues and with the show being so popular to try and keep that momentum going under those conditions.I think Ernest had a difficult time also there was a renewed interest in him but that came to an end when the show ended before it's time. (I think Jan needs his own video ❤️)
Yes jmv held up shoots for sometimes hours by staying in his dressing trailer hitting the bottle and when he would come out be three sheets to the wind I heard Ernest Borgnine one of the easiest going guys in Hollywood even reached his limit he would sometimes rehearse scenes by himself when jmv was supposed to be there with him
Sad the way he ended up. I loved Airwolf as a kid in the 80's
@@Travis_22 I know 😢
Jan does need his own video. Extra did a video on him in the late 90's. But now that his life has ended, a tribute and full documentary should be done. Back in the 80's I drew a lot of connections with him. I emulated some of his mannerisms while I was growing up. lol
JMV didn't need the bloody helicopter to fly. Blind drunk and coked out of his skull his eyes were like piss holes in the snow. He could hardly speak.
This and MacGyver were my 2 favorites growing up. Really sad about how Jan Michael Vincent went down such a dark path. He was a big shooting star at that time.
Yeah sadly even while the show was still on, I remember seeing stories about him being found passed out drunk and three-quarters naked on the beach... he really loved climbing in the bottle for some reason. :
There are other dimensions he did rather well. See Rick and Morty: man Michael Vincent
i didn't like both of them because they don't look like action heroes but like the average man you see everywhere.
The same for the dude who played in terminator 1 and got back in time to stop the terminator, because he also doesn't look like a action hero imo.
Dope video, dawg. I was a HUUUUGE Airwolf fan growing up. And then I became a helicopter pilot and realized that 87% of the stuff they did was complete horse shyte.. And somehow that made me love it even more. No cooler chopper ever graced the skies.. Shout out to Peter Mckernan Sr for throwing that heavy azz Bell 222 around the sky like a pro. He's one badass pilot.. He also flew for Blue Thunder and Magnum P.I.
I remember seeing I think an interview with him. Apparently the Airwolf cosmetic parts actually improved how the 222 flew.
@@racerxr2 interesting....
One thing I loved that they did was to disengage the rotors when they kicked the jets on, in effect turning it into a Gyroplane at higher speeds. While Airwolf was supposed to be supersonic and could goto 86k ft altitude, that part is BS. The Navy did create a helicopter with fixed wing jet engines attached to its sides that could go 300mph.
I loved tv shows with a "vehicle gimmick" as a kid. Knight Rider. Airwolf. Seaquest. Viper. Loved them all!
What an amazing series! Way ahead of its time. My favourite as a kid. It got me obsessed with helicopters! Great music too.
My first was the Augusta. She was an air ambulance. Sylvester's music had at the time two rivals, Yanni and Vangelis. Jan Hammer would pick up the pace later.
Always loved this show since i was a kid. Here in Germany it was pretty popular. My best buddy in elementary school even had a little toy-Airwolf helicopter that he sometimes took to school. Ernest Borgnine always reminded me of my Grandfather because they both had this grandfatherly jolly attitude and both always put a smile on my face. And actually this personal connection made the show resonate with me even more.
Weisst Du das der ECHTE Airwolf am 06.06.1992 um 14:29 Uhr in DEUTSCHLAND abgestuerzt ist ?
Es wird bis heute geheim gehalten um Fans von der Absturzstelle fernzuhalten !
PS: Ich habe bei der Bergung der Leichen geholfen, daher weiss ich GENAU was, wann, wo.
This show was sooooo awesome. One of the shows that inspired me to enroll in flight school. Although I flew fixed wing, my neighbor was a Vietnam chopper pilot, he took me up in his sight seeing helicopter, and he still flew as if he was in Vietnam.... Man what a time it was, Take me back to the 90's! One of mt dreams was to fly in one of these. I have been scouting companies who have a Bell 222. Id love to fly in one, just for nostalgic reasons now. Someone call String! lol
I havent Seen a single RC Event without this Icon 🥰
Airwolf also was a part of the vehicle action trend of the 80s. Knight rider, street hawk, stingray, hardcastle & mccormick, a-team, blue thunder were all centered around a kick ass vehicle.
Yep and I watched all of them like a junkie. You can sort of include Automan into that since Cursor turned into various vehicles too.
What, no Automan?
@@heedmywarning2792 give me time.
And also Riptide, the super boat to fill the water quota.
I think that sort of started in the late 70's. I feel like Dukes of Hazzard and Starsky and Hutch started that up with some iconic cars, as well as the Thunderbird from Vegas. Smoky and the Bandit made Firebirds popular and the Lotus Esprit was used in several of Roger Moore's 70's films in a row. Also in the 80's there was Magnum's Ferrari. The Cannonball Run movies really showed off the Countach. I loved watching all those shows and movies with iconic vehicles.
The 80's definitely ruled with the overpowered vehicle show though. I think the 80's were the last great era for car chases. They are still used today obviously, but they were relentlessly used in TV and and movies back then. Especially ones that included cars going off of cliffs and exploding.
Airwolf was a great show. What was even greater was seeing it fly at an airshow in Shafter California (late 80's of course).
Wow! You are so lucky! I wish I could have seen that. I was a teenage girl back then.
This was an amazing show. It really was like an action movie every week.
Airwolf was and still is awesome. I remember the pilot came out on a Sunday night and I missed it because we were at my grandmothers that day and left for home as the show started. In syndication and re-runs they never aired the pilot, so it was not until the DVD release in 2005 that I finally got to see the pilot episode. Some really great moments still with me today from that show.
Awesome show. It and Miami Vice were really the first shows I remember that portrayed violence and dark themes in a realistic way. Before that it was basically A-Team type cartoon violence.
Miami Vice was the first show where every episode had a Downer Ending, it was just a question of degree.
@@matthewdaley746 I rewatched the first season again recently and I too had forgotten how gritty and real that first season was.
@@the_bunse Later years painfully horrible.
How do you keep an alligator on a sailboat in a salt-water harbor ??
How do you keep a white linen jacket clean while chasing bad guys in the Miami Heat ??
Don't forget Hill Street Blues. That show was the precursor to NYPD Blue, The Shield, and every other gritty police drama that came out after it.
Yes, I do remember Airwolf. Loved that show when I was ~8 years old! I had no idea how tv worked, I just knew every once in a while that awesome helicopter show would come on.
Of course, as kids we are amazed by the show but 40 years later I can't watch a single episode. It's really cringeworthy.
Airwolf was one of my holy trinity when I was a kid! Airwolf, Streethawk and Knightrider, they don’t make shows like these anymore.
I watched Street Hawk a couple of years ago on a rerun on a British tv channel and it really aged badly, mainly down to the obviously low budget camera and sound equipment they were using and tbh the special effects that were basically just the frames speeded up to make out he was going round corners at 90mph were as bad as when I watched it in the 80s.
@@B-A-L It was definitely easier to suspend disbelief when we were little, I miss that feeling sometimes!
As much as I wish that this iconic show could be revived to it’s original perfection again, I know it cannot. The original cast and the original feelings and excitement that it produced for all of us who watched it in the 80s, can never be reproduced. Never. It would never match up. Let’s all just enjoy the nostalgia and share this magnificent show with our posterity. R. I. P. Jan-Michael Vincent, Ernest Borgnine and Alex Cord. Thank you all for the ride! We love you. 🚁❤️🔥
I agree with this totally. I don't believe I could watch a re-make and not make hard comparisons unless they truly make the star of the show, the Airwolf
@@macwyll The copter was the star of the show. The rest of the cast was pretty much just supporting, but 'The Lady' was the star.
I remember watching 'Airwolf', but was always puzzled that 'the powers that be' didn't just make another supercopter.
They did; Redwolf with lasers!
@@flywan and piloted by that great TV villain: Wings Hauser!
As Governor Ventura once said "Follow the Money"
I was puzzled they didn't just follow them to the hiding spot. They would have had to ship in regular armament supplies, couldn't be that difficult to track!
They did... in addition to "Redwolf", a clone of Airwolf built by the FIRM and piloted by an over-the-top test pilot rival of Hawke's named "Harlan Jenkins" played brilliantly by Wings Hauser, in a first season episode Hawke goes after another stolen superchopper called "HX-1" which had been heisted using techniques only Hawke, his brother St. John, and a buddy of theirs named Mace who was killed in 'Nam had managed to pull off... so Hawke goes after HX-1 expecting to find his brother, and instead finds Mace, who went down on the same mission as St. John and therefore likely knew where he was, but he continued to let everyone think he was dead and became a mercenary and drug runner... Later! OL J R :)
I loved Airwolf back in the 80s and have always been a fan of Ernest Borgnine. I've seen heaps of his movies over the years including Marty. He was a true Legend!
Airwolf and Knight Rider my favorite ,80s shows
When I was about 7, my nan bought me a Raleigh Burner BMX, my next door neighbour had a Chopper, with the 3 gears, he called his bike Knight Rider... I was so jealous.. so I called my Burner Street Hawk ( which in retrospect was a much better name ) and I used to ride around my neighbourhood for hours and hours and because I didn't have a Walkman, I just used to play *this* theme tune in my head from about 4.30pm ( after tea ) till about 8pm, when it was time to go home.. Thank you so fricken much Sylvester Levay
Best things... The tune which is still amazing even today.. The sound that AirWolf makes... still gives me shivers. Stringfellows house.. its still my idea of what I want for a house.
This show, its theme tune and action was simply amazing tv to watch as a kid. Missed but nit forgotten
Airwolf, the most stunning looking heli (mod) of all time. No other heli till date has ever reached that slick and fast look.
Fun fact. After I moved to Germany in 2019, I was amazed to find a dubbed version on TV. Most amazing part was that they'd renamed Stringfellow to Huckleberry. Not quite the same ring to it!
LOL holy crap, Huckleberry?! 🤣
I grew up watching this series and hands down Airwolf is still the best looking helicopter i have ever laid eyes on. The thing is class from every angle and then shows its claws to become even more epic. The stunt flying during the making of the series is some of the most porn flying I have seen with the quick gear retractions and 2ft hover scenes. And the sound effects were another league, the electronic in cockpit noises to that banshee turbine wail that even the Vulcan Bomber would be proud of.
One of the few shows that has stuck with me for life in vivid memory.
Thank you for this! I'm glad you finally showed Sylvester Levay some love, I would argue that the Airwolf theme and its variations are part of what has fueled its fan longevity, much as Lalo Schifrin's theme has kept Mission: impossible alive in our imaginations for over half a century. I could never really get into Canadian Airwolf, which I thought of as Ehwolf. (String's brother's name is pronounced Sinjin, in much the same way that Scottish pronunciation of St. Clair is Sinclair.) Thanks also for acknowledging the great movie Blue Thunder. I recall Alex Cord best from perhaps Gene Roddenberry's most ambitious post-Trek pilot (well, before Andromeda). It was called Genesis II and featured Cord as Dr. Dylan Hunt (like I say, long before Andromeda), a kind of Buck Rogers figure who awakens from suspended animation long after a devastating nuclear war and proceeds to have adventures restoring civilization. Genesis II got remade twice, as Strange New World and then Planet Earth, but it was a dying cause. I loved Archangel's helper Marella, played by Deborah Pratt, who would marry Bellisario and be the narrator and computer voice for Bellisario's later series Quantum Leap. She had turned up on an episode of Happy Days as a character named, of all things, Kat Mandu. What was great about Airwolf was that it was adventure for adventure's sake, with Hawke meting out vigilante justice with endless impunity -- and that right there might be the hardest thing to try to get away with in any reboot. Airwolf was essential to my 80s machismo fix, balanced by The Equalizer (the original, with Edward Woodward) and then loosely rounded out with Mike Hammer (dreadful scripts, but lots of beautiful women). I hope you do The Equalizer sometime, because with all due respect to Denzel Washington and Queen Latifah, Edward Woodward was The Man. Take care.
Yep, remember "Genesis II" well... bought it on DVD. Mariette Hartley (ooooOOOOhhh!!) starred opposite Alex Cord. It was Gene Roddenberry's next "big idea" after Star Trek. That and "The Questor Tapes" which actually got picked up for a season or part of one, and which was the direct inspiration for the character of Data on "Star Trek: The Next Generation". "Genesis II" had a lot of potential, LOVED the pilot which became a late-night TV movie, but sadly the series was never picked up. Dunno why guess they figured it'd be too expensive to produce, or maybe it was because the network had difficulties with Roddenberry back during the production of Star Trek and didn't want to go through that again. Shame.... though it DID get two more pilots filmed over the course of some years, as "Strange New World" and "Planet Earth", with John Saxon taking the role from Alex Cord. Personally I liked Cord better.
Eventually the idea would be revamped for a fourth time and end up being produced as "Andromeda". Supposedly "Genesis II" was SUPPOSED to be the "prehistory" of Star Trek, taking place in the same universe... OL J R :)
I just stumbled upon a signed copy of the pilot of this show yesterday, left to me by my dad. This video brought back lots of great nostalgic memories for me. Thanks for the content
>>I just stumbled upon a signed copy of the pilot of this show yesterday
Loved the show the theme and the growls from Airwolf!
AIRWOLF!!!! My 80’s childhood ❤️🇺🇸
I agree with everything you said about bringing it back.
If you’re going to bring something back bring it back by being true to its original intent story feeling and style as much as possible. Hollywood’s big problem these days is that they feel like they need to reimagine and reinvent everything and by doing this they generally screw up what made the magic in the first place. Riders need to swallow their pride and learn to write sequels that match the original not that stand out and change everything. Because by doing this they generally only stand out as garbage and failures.
Sadly, as long as it makes money, they'll sell you any mediocre and or preachy story with a familiar name slapped on... There's a lot of nostalgia baiting going on in Hollywood, and nearly all of it is utter crap.
Riders writing?
Well you have to remember the 1980s had the cold war so a supersonic attack helicopter was fascinating so what would you do now for a story script ??
Damn well said!
Did you just sample The Lonely Man Theme? Kudos! Just like I must give Kudos to Knight Rider, Street Hawk and Airwolf, for being the trifecta of badass vigilante vehicles. That was a monumental time to have grown up in.
That theme song is just so awesome it's one of the three or so theme songs that plays in the back of my head all the time.
Some shows and movies are such Masterpieces and should be left alone, and shouldn’t be remade
I always liked the intro music to this series.
Mate, Your descriptions relating to bsg is absolutely spot on! Gave me some proper flashbacks. Kudos!
I swear, this world needs like, eight Jan-Michael Vincent's.
The opening theme really takes me back
Extended version's even greater.
The Airwolf 🐺 start, like the ABC 6 Million Dollar Man opening was cool.
Loved watching this as a kid in the 80s along with Blue Thunder.
The ringtone on my iPhones for the last 10 years has been and is the Airwolf intro theme. The number of positive comments and smiles I get when it rings....such a buzz and a conversation starter. #Airwolfbadass
THANK YOU for posting this about one of my FAVORITE TV shows back in those days!! There were a LOT of great shows back then. 🙀😻
Could not get enough of this show.
It's time to Michael down your Vincents. I was a kid when this aired and I was obsessed with it. Theme tune is an all time banger. And the noise it made when the turbo boost engaged.
Married with Children, Star Trek: TNG and Airwolf were my 3 favorite shows growing up in the 80's and the first 2 had their foot as much if not more entrenched in the 90's...
A-Team and Airwolf. Both awesome and fun shows. Blue Thunder (the movie) was cool as well.
Thank you for making this episode. Airwolf is my favourite show of all time. Used to love watching it with my dad. They’ll never capture the magic or chemistry of this show. That theme song has gotta to be one of the best of all time
airwolf, macgyver , knightrider and the A team were my life as an 8yo kid.
Still got love for this show after all these years. I remember that whenever a new episode was shown, I'd stop whatever I was doing so I could watch it. Seasons 1 -3 on DVD & Blu-Ray
Thank you for this excellent video. Airwolf and The Equalizer were my two favorite CBS shows. This was one of the coolest shows ever.
Some of my fondest memories from childhood were of watching Airwolf with my father. Arguably the coolest helicopter ever seen on film, the stories were great Cold War tales and JMV was perfect as Hawke and Ernest Borgnine as excellent as Dom, his conscience. Was the show over the top? Probably, but it was fun, something sorely lacking in the vast majority of TV shows and movies these days. And this was arguably one of the greatest theme songs ever and the sound effects were so memorable. Keep on flying high, String and Dom!
" I can't believe you people! You haul my butt outta bed after midnight; fly me off to God knows where to see some lousy helicopter."
"Its not a lousy helicopter, senator. Its AIRWOLF."
Totally remember this show!
A slightly older Hawke... I might pull it off. Would love to try. Loved and still love this show. It contributed to my enthusiasm to serve in the military.
Huge JMV fan, so this was a must watch. Thanks for the the video!
One of the most bad ass thing about the serie was the low altitude flying over hills and terrain. Or at least that's how I thought when I watched this serie has a kid.
I remember folding origami chopper from napkins and low flying over food while making Airwolf noises and squinting my eyes trying to look like Stringfellow.
MacGyver, Airwolf, A-Team, Knight Rider, Streethawk - The 80s were awesome.
Ernest Borgnine had a loooong career. I remember him still being on tv in the 1990’s.
Damn right I do. Loved this show. I was heartbroken when I learned that the original Airwolf crashed.
Loved this show. The beachcombers was another one I don't hear a lot about that I have fond memories of.
A Canadian classic!
Please do Beachcombers! Relic must have one more boat ride!
Could the Beachcombers be the forefront to Riptide??
I wrote for both BEACHCOMBERS and AIRWOLF -- glad you have fond memories - me, too! It's too bad the CBC won't release all those years of BEACH for rebroadcast -- don't know why!
@@mrgreatbigmoose that would be wild! It was a fun show to write -- I even got to ride in the jet boat! And Persephone of course. The building we used as MOLLY'S REACH cafe is now a real cafe in Gibson's BC
Thank you for this video. Growing up in the 80s i enjoyed all the action movies and shows. Airwolf was a favorite of mine and this video brought back great memories. Thank you 👍
Yes, Airwolf truly needs to be rebooted and brought back to TV!
I LOVE THIS SHOW, and back in late 2020, I found the complete series on DVD, and I bought it, so I can enjoy it forever.
It's on blue Ray in complete set
Two favorite shows of all time for me are Airwolf and Knight Rider. The Lady and K.I.T.T. would still be a hit today, especially with the AI tech being used in both shows during that time; with K.I.T.T. being a almost self aware AI and The Lady being a Learning Your Person's Fighting Style type, would make for a great type of show. Key is finding the human part. D. Hasselhoff was the perfect M. Knight and J.M. Vincent was amazing as Hawk. That is what I think is key to the show. Also both AI Vehicles will need to be treated as a star of the show.
They tried to re-boot Knight Rider a few years ago.. holy crow, what a stinker. I would love to see Airwolf remade and done justice.
K.I.T.T. "almost self aware"? I'd say there's no almost to that.
When it comes to reboots I haven't minded some of the Knight Rider attempts although they didn't go anywhere. When it comes to Airwolf I'd like to see that Sikorski rigid co-axial as the base model
@@nobodyimportant72 agree to both! Especially with the helicopter body type. The Lady had a presence looking the way she did 🐺 ☠️
@@andorastorm1000 When it came to Air Wolf vs. Blue Thunder there's no question which was the sexiest chopper.
@@nobodyimportant72 lol facts! 😆
Thanks for the memories... and the in depth info on the cast and series.... good job!!
I will NEVER forget Airwolf because I have every season on DVD
One of the things that was not mentioned and one of the major reasons Airwolf was cancelled in the third season by CBS in 1986, was that citing Jan Michael Vincent's legal problems and his continued substance abuse, they made the decision that Vincent was unable to continue his role as Stringfelllow Hawke.
I love this show and have the complete series on DVD.
Great show. 80's style.
Me too!
Being a kid in the 80's was the best time! TV was legendary then. Always rem ember watching this with my Brother & Sister. I had the toyset of Airwolf & Santinis helicopter. Great times!
Great video. Another TV series that came out in the 80's and before Air Wolf - that had a vehicle as a main part of the tv series was - Knight Rider.
I was a kid in the late 90's when I saw the Airwolf TV Series, it was absolutely cool and made me love aviation. This show absolutely needs a reboot, it could be a totally different story, but the chopper has to be a Bell 222.
I'm kind of imagining a big-screen feature length story where a rusty, beat up Bell 222 somehow ends up in the center of the story, and some extravagant multi-billionaire CEO decides to 'modernize' it (as it is a 40-year-old helicopter) and show it off at an airshow. only for it to be stolen by criminals and recovered by our heroic crew.
An interesting factoid about Airwolf that I noticed back when it was on the air. The final helicopter fight always happened at the same time. You could set your clock to when the last, triumphant BOOM would occur. I know because I started to switch over to it at the same time just to show that the helicopter fight had just started. Like clockwork.
Also, if you want some weird 80's nostalgia with helicopters, did you know that Blue Thunder had a tv show? And it co-starred Dick Butkus and Bubba Smith of NFL fame as the ground crew in the comic relief role. This is funny with a show who also stars Dana Carvey.
Yeah I remember the Blue Thunder show how awful it was Dick Butkus and Bubba Smith both couldn't act and Dana carvey tried to prop the whole show up with lame jokes that show tanked thank God for the Nielsen's
Great docuPort. Thanks for the trip down memory lane
85 kid here.
Airwolf, Knightrider, Baywatch, The A-Team, The Dukes Of Hazard.
All those great series with their featured machines.