The A-Team
Quarterback Sneak
TV Flash files “Quarterback Sneak” as hour 89 of 98 in the TV Flash guide — The A-Team (1983–1987) on NBC, season 5, episode 4, aired 1986-10-17, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S05E04: listed hour 89 of 98 in the The A-Team guide, hour 4 of 13 in season 5. It aired 1986-10-17 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “Firing Line” (S05E03). Next is “The Theory of Revolution” (S05E05).
Catalog log
Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.
General Stockwell sends the A-Team on a mission the FBI found too risky; to help Dr. Warner Strasser and his wife Marlena defect from East-Germany. The cover is a friendly exhibition game of football. Hannibal poses as Bily Bob Smith, the team owner and B.A. and Murdock round up some friends to pose as Billy Bob's team. Face learns to speak German, B.A. is on the football team and Murdock and Frankie coach. However even before they arrive, the Germans realize that Murdock's a fake.
Viewer FAQ
Where does Quarterback Sneak sit in the The A-Team guide?
S05E04 is listed hour 89 of 98 — hour 4 of 13 in season 5, season 5 episode 4.
When did The A-Team S05E04 air?
Quarterback Sneak aired 1986-10-17 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…