Similarities Between The 80's Action Shows

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Similarities Between The 80's Action Shows

Post by Supersonic Lorry » Mon Jun 16, 2003 7:09 pm

Hi folks,
I loved all the 80's action shows such as Knight Rider, Street Hawk, The A-Team and Airwolf. One thing I liked was how they all had similar plots at one time or another.

For example, the KR season 1 episode 'No Big Thing' featured Devon Miles falling foul of corrupt police officers. Airwolf had a similar plot where the hero (who was called Stringfellow Hawke) was arrested by an evil and corrupt sheriff. And, The A-Team faced a couple of corrupt law enforcement officers if my memory serves me correctly.

Then, there was the episode 'Good Day at White Rock' where Michael & K.I.T.T. battled a motorcycle gang. The A-Team also battled a motorcycle gang in the episode 'Bad Day At Black Rock'.

One other example I can think of is the standard plot where the hero battles his evil doppelganger. Michael & K.I.T.T. took on K.A.R.R. in 'Trust Doesn't Rust' (and 'K.I.T.T. vs K.A.R.R.'). The A-Team also took on their evil doppelgangers in an episode called 'Showdown' and Airwolf battled another helicopter which shared similarites in the episode 'Airwolf II'.

There were lots of other examples. It just proves that some ideas are so good they can be used again and again.

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Post by Skav » Mon Jun 16, 2003 7:23 pm

I think the main similarity between all the shows from the 80's is about the theme of battling crime.

Where as nowadays its about vampires and angels although it's slowly moving off from that theme.

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Post by Michael Pajaro » Mon Jun 16, 2003 7:25 pm

Many 80s plots were recycled from movies, not just from eachother. There was a Spencer Tracy western called "Bad Day at Black Rock" which was the inspiration for the KR and A-Team stories. Airwolf used the plot and footage of Airport '77 about a jet that crashes in the ocean. And of course you can never go wrong with the Evil Twin storyline.

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Post by aussieknight » Mon Jun 16, 2003 7:46 pm

Hey! Don't complain about any show that has Sarah in it! Mmmmmmmmm.......Sarah....:-D
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Post by Knight2000 » Tue Jun 17, 2003 4:40 am

aussieknight wrote:Hey! Don't complain about any show that has Sarah in it! Mmmmmmmmm.......Sarah....:-D

Who's Sarah? :roll:

Anyway, didn't they all have some kind of Vietnam veteran in there somewhere?
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Post by aussieknight » Tue Jun 17, 2003 6:30 pm

Hmmmm...I would have thought the vampires & angels bit would have made it obvious. Anyway, here: first, http://www.buffy.com . Second, http://www.sarah-michelle-gellar.com . The queen of butt-kickers, she is. And doesn't she look good while doing it. ;-)
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Post by pdennis93 » Tue Jun 17, 2003 11:06 pm

the dukes of hazzard had an episode called "double dukes" which was kind of like kitt vs karr because there were bo and luke copycats driving a copy of the general lee.

also carnival of thrills from DOH was a lot like slammin sammy's stunt show spectacular and maybe even filmed at the same track, with a disgruntled carnival employee sabatoging cars.

also, anyone remember the old "car through the living room" thing from some tv shows, i distinctly remember silver spoons, family matters, perfect strangers, and probably some others where someone drove a car though a house or something like that.
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Post by Rockatteer » Wed Jun 18, 2003 6:21 am

the biggest similarity is that they where all made in the 80's.

Most eras have a theme which seems to run through many TV shows and movies, and often reflects events and mindsets of that era.

You can look back to any era and find similarities in shows of any given era or decade.
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Post by scenario » Sat Jun 28, 2003 5:55 pm

Many 80's shows had the standard plot of a corrupt sherrif or crooked buisnesman destroying a youth center or small town. It was kind of a trademark of the decade.
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Post by Rockatteer » Sat Jun 28, 2003 8:25 pm

yes cooked businessmen where a trademark of the 80's

:lol:
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Post by DJGM » Sat Jun 28, 2003 9:08 pm

Rockatteer wrote: yes cooked businessmen where a trademark of the 80's

:lol:
That sounds more like cannibalism to me!
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Post by Rockatteer » Sat Jun 28, 2003 10:59 pm

LOL

ment to be crooked....DOH!!!
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Post by aussieknight » Sun Jun 29, 2003 8:51 pm

:lol: :lol: :lol:
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