The A-Team
Trial by Fire
TV Flash files “Trial by Fire” as hour 87 of 98 in the TV Flash guide — The A-Team (1983–1987) on NBC, season 5, episode 2, aired 1986-10-03, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S05E02: listed hour 87 of 98 in the The A-Team guide, hour 2 of 13 in season 5. It aired 1986-10-03 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “Dishpan Man” (S05E01). Next is “Firing Line” (S05E03).
Catalog log
Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.
Betrayed by Josh Curtis, the A-Team has finally been captured and is put on trial for the murder of their commanding officer in Vietnam, Col Samuel Morrison. In court they recall exactly what happened during that fateful bank job on 27 January 1971. New evidence implies that Morrison was working with the Viet Cong and that Murdock may have discovered it. When The A-Team is asked to incriminate their favorite pilot, Hannibal makes a startling decision.
Viewer FAQ
Where does Trial by Fire sit in the The A-Team guide?
S05E02 is listed hour 87 of 98 — hour 2 of 13 in season 5, season 5 episode 2.
When did The A-Team S05E02 air?
Trial by Fire aired 1986-10-03 and is listed at 60 minutes.
Is the violence actually violent?
Mostly cartoon. Scrap-built vehicles, explosions, and bad guys who go down without much blood — action as toy commercial, which is the Cannell joke and the appeal.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Peak 1980s action cheese with immortal casting — Mr. T alone is a cultural weather event. Peppard's Hannibal, Benedict's Faceman, Schultz's Murdock: wrongfully accused commandos, scrap-built tanks, bloodless mayhem. I love it when a plan comes together. Formulaic in the best popcorn way; pity the fool who missed the theme.
I love it when a plan comes together — still managerial cosplay language, still a group-chat greeting. (I said spoiler-free. The plan is the formula; the formula is the point.) NBC's The A-Team (1983–1987) sent a crack commando unit into Friday-night cheese: George Peppard's Hannibal, Mr. T's B.A. Baracus, Dirk Benedict's Faceman, Dwight Schultz's Howling Mad Murdock. Wrongfully accused, on the run, building tanks out of scrap, never quite killing the bad guys on camera. Lana can keep the gown. This carpet is…
Filed against
- George Peppard as John "Hannibal" Smith
George Peppard's John "Hannibal" Smith made The A-Team's plan come together — 1980s action cheese with immortal casting, wrongfully accused commandos, scrap-built tanks, bloodless mayhem. Mr. T as a weather event; Peppard as the cigar…
- Mr. T as B.A. Baracus
Mr. T’s B.A. Baracus made The A-Team a cultural weather event in gold chains — peak 1980s action cheese, Peppard’s Hannibal, Benedict’s Faceman, Schultz’s Murdock, wrongfully accused commandos, scrap-built tanks, bloodless mayhem. I love…
- Dirk Benedict as Templeton "Faceman" Peck
Dirk Benedict’s Lt. Starbuck put a gambler’s grin on Battlestar Galactica, then The A-Team recast the charm as Faceman — 1980s action cheese with a con man’s polish. Two decades of handsome problem-solving, cigars optional. TV Flash files…
- Dwight Schultz as H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock
Dwight Schultz made H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock the wild card on The A-Team — scrap-built tanks, bloodless mayhem, and 1980s action cheese with immortal casting. Hannibal loved it when a plan came together; Schultz made the plan sound…