Customer Reviews

Airwolf: Season One

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The DVD release of "Airwolf: Season One" will likely prove to be a mixed blessing for its fans.

The Series and Its Premise:

Airwolf's first season (eleven episodes from 1984) cleverly developed the series' dark (and sometimes heavy-handed) perspective on Cold War espionage in which the Libyans and Russians were portrayed as the scheming, black-hatted villains, while U.S. covert intelligence (known as "the Firm" in this series) was viewed as heroic, white-hatted cowboys, despite having its own ambiguous motives.

Caught in the middle are brooding ace pilot & reluctant hero Stringfellow Hawke (Jan-Michael Vincent) and his loyal co-pilot, Dominic Santini (Ernest Borgnine), who have hidden away the most awesome aerial assault weapon on earth: Airwolf. The enigmatic fate of Hawke's long-lost brother, St. John, who disappeared years before in Vietnam, motivates Hawke to strike a thieves' bargain with the Firm's director, Archangel (Alex Cord): Hawke & Santini will keep Airwolf stashed and fly it on secret missions for Archangel until the Firm can conclusively prove St. John's fate.

With this bold premise, and backed by Sylvester Levay's memorably techno-styled score, the series kicked off the first season with its best episode ever: the movie-length "Shadow of the Hawke," featuring Hawke's fiery showdown with Airwolf's psychotic creator, Charles Henry Moffett (David Hemmings) in the Libyan desert. Flashbacks to scenes from this particular episode would hauntingly reverberate throughout the series.

Also featured in Season One are some relatively superb (if sometimes implausible) entries such as: "Echoes of the Past," "Mind of the Machine," "And They Are Us," and "To Snare a Wolf," in which Hawke must fly Airwolf through a B-52 bombing run to elude a renegade U.S. government operative intent on obtaining or destroying Airwolf at any cost.

At the same time, some of the other episodes from Season One remain merely OK, if not forgettable. For instance, the second episode, "Daddy's Gone a Huntin'," comes to mind, as the intriguing idea of Hawke discovering a long-lost son from Vietnam is toyed with before being ultimately dropped. Further, due in part to an unconvincing make-up job, the young actor (Chad Allen) portraying Hawke's possible son was simply a ludicrous casting choice given the circumstances of the episode.

Nonetheless, despite its occasional flaws, "Airwolf" was far more sophisicated and intelligently written than any other program in the action-adventure genre for that era.

Disc 1 (Side A):
1. "Shadow of the Hawke" (pilot episode): 5 *****
2. "Daddy's Gone a Huntin'": 3 ***
3. "Bite of the Jackal": 4 ****
(Side B):
4. "Proof Through the Night": 4 1/2 ****
5. "One Way Express": 3 1/2 ***

Disc 2 (Side A):
1. "Echoes from the Past": 4 1/2 ****
2. "Fight Like a Dove": 4 ****
3. "Mad Over Miami": 3 1/2 ***
4. "And They Are Us": 4 ****
(Side B):
10. "Mind of the Machine": 4 1/2 ****
11. "To Snare a Wolf": 4 1/2 ****

Rating of Season One episodes: 4 1/2 **** (overall)

The DVD Edition:

Universal Studios, unfortunately, chose to pursue the absolute "bare bones" approach with this release by:

1. With the exception of choosing from three standard languages, there are not any special features. The DVD is completely devoid of cast and crew interviews, commentaries, documentaries, an Airwolf blueprint, or even a snazzy main menu screen. Considering how deliberately "techno" this series was, the potential special features available could have been awesome. Instead, this is a major disappointment.

2. The episodes are not re-mastered, nor were the audio tracks noticeably upgraded. Very ordinary.

3. The few promo photos inexplicably include cast pictures from the dreaded fourth season (without Vincent or Borgnine).

Rating of DVD Packaging & Extras (overall): 1 *

If you choose to purchase "Airwolf: Season One," beware you are getting a half-season's worth of mostly terrific episodes (but little else). Still, we believe this DVD set is well worth the investment at its current price.

First, some people seem concerned with the packaging and the menu and the extra content. The packaging is cheap, the menu is pathetic, and the extra content does not exist. Personally, I don't really care, but if that sort of thing bothers you, there you go. My thinking is, if Universal is being cheap to make it more cost-effective to release somewhat obscure TV shows, I'm cool with that--bring on The Equalizer!

Next, the acting and writing is not as bad as many shows of the time--or today--but there is certainly far, far better. Related to this was the drift away from the moodiness of the first season in subsequent seasons--like Keanu Reeves, Jan-Michael Vincent is probably best left to act to his strengths, such as they are, which appears to be what he was doing in the first season to good effect. I always thought, and still do, that the perfect accompaniment to a super-helicopter built by a secret government agency is a moody pilot extraordinaire who lives in a remote cabin in the mountains. Far-fetched though it is.

OK, so is this DVD worth getting? I never questioned buying it myself, but even so, I was a little concerned whether it would be as enjoyable to watch now as when I was younger. The answer is, not quite, but close enough. And it's all about the helicopter, so I'd say not to bother getting this if you weren't a fan of Airwolf to begin with, or don't like helicopters. This show is about Airwolf, a completely impossible helicopter that is still way cool. The switches flip, the buttons are pressed, the eerie howling noise begins with the muted whop-whop of the rotors, and off goes this gorgeous, dangerous, awesome machine to do good deeds around the world.

My father taped all the Airwolf shows when they first ran...I eventually made a tape of all the first season 'finales'--the end sequences where Airwolf kicked flying butt. That's how much I liked that helicopter, and I still do. So, although I now wince a bit at the clothes, the writing, and some of the acting--I never liked Borgnine anyway--I still get a thrill watching that helicopter. Yes, they re-use flying sequences too much, but so do many shows. The bottom line is...If you were an Airwolf fan back then, I think it's safe to go ahead and get this DVD.

You know, someone should redo this series, along the lines of Battlestar Galactica. Throw out the hokiness, and keep the good stuff--in this case, keep the helicopter, most of the conceptual background, and little else.

Before the shows JAG, NCIS, Magnum PI and Quantum Leap, There was Airwolf. Created by Donald P. Bellisario, this action adventure story involving a Blue Thunder like miltary helcopter. The show had a good cast involved. Such show performers as Jan-Micheal Vincent(as Stringfellow Hawke), Alex Cord (as Archangel), and Ernest Borgnine (as Dominic) make this show watchable.

The adventure show is not just about the helcopter-its the people who handle the choper. The agency (the government shadow agency) headed by Archangel sends Hawke on mission and Dominic helps. It never said what kind of agent is he, nor do we need to know

There was only 11 episodes in the first season. This box set included the two hour pilot. The bad news is there NO EXTRAS, however the episodes are rewards in themselves. These shows barely ages itself from when they came out in 1984

FYI--The CD soundtrack for the show, Airwolf Themes: 2CD Special Limited Edition is a collectors' item selling for up to $981 - a World Record - on eBay making it the "World's Most Expensive Television Soundtrack." (Wikipedia)

So Universal, when is Season 2-4 coming?

Bennet Pomerantz, AUDIOWORLD

I was wondering when they would put this show on DVD. This was the very last show of my childhood that had not been put on DVD. The A-Team, the incredible Hulk and Nightrider have been sold for a while now. I was afraid this wouldnt take place. If you dont know anything about the show just think about the good 80's shows and that's what this one is also. The helicopter in the show is awesome. I remember as a child I would be playing and imagining that I was flying it with my friends. Yea I know it sounds rather corny now since I'm 27 however it was neat back then.... he he. I work with kids now and I love showing them the old stuff to let them know what a good TV show really is like. The difference now in regards to Action shows is that today kids cant watch them. They are too violent. These shows are some what violent also, however, they dont cross the line and are still family oriented. Bottom line is, if you havent seen it, still buy it. Its great. If you have seen it, I dont have to say anything else.

What impresses me about Airwolf's first season is the movie-like nature of the plots and action.
The series is not as dated as many of its contemporaries for these reasons:
The locations are remote, not urban (deserts, lakes & valleys)
Plots involve government intelligence and foreign threats
The helicopter is still more advanced than anything out there

Who didn't want to be a pilot when watching Stringfellow Hawke fly high into the Soviet Union to rescue an intelligence mole, or South America or Mexico? And didn't you find yourself humming that tune now and then? I sure did.

The first season has James Whitmore Jr., Lance LeGault, Walter Gotell, David Hemmings, Zora Lampert, Ismael Carlo and David Carradine, all in memorable roles. This is the season that saw Airwolf captured by Libyan operatives, hunted by the CIA and struck by missiles. In the finale, when Airwolf flies through a B-52 bomb run, Lance LeGault turns a particularly memorable role as the government operative hunting Airwolf.

Although this set contains the full first season, the extra goodies we've come to look for on DVDs are sadly scarce. However, I have a magazine on this site called "The Wolf's Lair" that has them. It's a great complement to this set. Look for ASIN B0009JBJC0 or go to www.airwolf.tv

I remember this show very vividly as a kid. In fact this show is what pushed me to become a helicopter pilot. After seeing this show and the cool helicopter and the great stunts I was hooked.
The whole series is dark and mysterious, and the helicopter has a personality of its own. Great 80's TV, right up there with Knight Rider and Magnum PI. Not to mention this show was created by the same guy who did Magnum PI, Jag, Quantum Leap, etc.
Five stars all the way!

I was looking forward so much to purchasing my Airwolf DVD set, that I forgot all about the shortcommings that one of the greatest shows fom the 80's fell victim to. First of all, I'd give Airwolf a 5/5 for just being an awesome show. Bluethunder never came close to Airwolf! But lets get to the root of the new set:
-First of all the box for season one has pictures on the back from the WORST season (4), and is missing far more note worthy shots of "the lady" and the cast. I could have designed a better package than the one final production box, not to mention it seems tha the box print work has been applied in reverse to standard DVD boxes (ie the front of the box should have the DVD's slide in from the right NOT the left).
-Secondly the cases for the DVD's are the full size cases, which are OK, but most of the new DVD releases have moved to the slim line cases - these big bulky cases lead you to believe that you are getting more than you actually are. There isn't even a picture or book in either of the cases - just a plain double sided DVD.
-Thirdly, the DVD menu offers very little in design features, including NO extras what so ever from a show that so many people have searched all over the internet in search of behind the scenes pictures, clips, and cast interviews. One wonders what the people who produced it were thinking - sadly,it seemes that the shows monetary issues from the 80's are still present in post-production.
-Upon searching for a release date for season 2, it seems that there is no sign of it until the end of 2005 or later - ie no results ANYWHERE where specific.
-The only good thing - which is the most important is the quality of the show. 5/5 for FINALLY bringing back a great show that met with such an unfortunate demise. Episode audio and video quality are great - so I guess that when you really want something that has been so hard to get, you should be more than happy with the quality of a bare bones DVD set that does deliver on the show.

When I watched the first episode on this dvd & when the Theme music played it took me back to one of the best times of my life, who ever got this dvd maybe thinks the Menu's are a little cheap but who really cares, You got all episodes of Season One what more do you need?. I recommend this DVD Set to any Airwolf fan, Cant wait for Season Two

Season 1 is great but where are the other seasons. Airwolf is one of my favorite shows and I haven't seen over half of the episodes. Come on Universal, release these other seasons now.

I was nine years old when this show came out, and I remember being nearly obsessed with it! I was thrilled when it came out on DVD, but was nervous that it wouldn't live up to my pre-adolescent memories. Sure, some of the series is quite dated, and I notice silly things I didn't notice at nine, but I still watched the entire first season within about two days. I love that helicopter - even in 2005, it is still very cool! And no wonder I was obsessed! Jan-Michael Vincent was hot! Too bad he didn't live up to the potential I saw at nine years old.