The series Airwolf (1984-87) follows Stringfellow Hawke (Jan-Michael Vincent), a Vietnam vet who pilots the most classified and sophisticated helicopter of the world. Also known as "the Lady", he and his team takes on missions of national interest at the request of the white-clad, eye-patch Michael Coldsmith-Briggs III (Alex Cord), aka "Archangel", the deputy director of the CIA-like agency called the FIRM.
In season one, the show proved it was more than both a gimmick and Knight Rider in a helicopter thanks to character-centered stories about relationships, the Cold War, bureaucracy and politics within the governments: especially where the FIRM is concerned, as they and several agencies tried to get Airwolf back despite making a deal with Hawke flying it for them in exchange for information on the whereabouts of his brother Saint John, who has been missing since Vietnam.
When Airwolf began its sophomore season, Donald P. Bellisario, his then-wife Deborah Pratt, and the writers reluctantly agreed to CBS' request to bring stories that have social relevance to America while still maintaining some of the ingredients from season one. Another is to make Airwolf become the Black Knight (not Rider): a symbol for the red, white, and blue on behalf of the common people with episodes such as these three below:
"The Hunted" (#205 - 10.20.84): Carter Anderson III, a wealthy patron of the arts and benevolent industrialist, sets out to fight poverty and rebuild the working force of America on behalf of the unemployed and hungry families. He enlists the services of Airwolf because someone's trying to kill him to keep him from doing so, and that someone is Caitlin (Jean Bruce Scott)'s boyfriend.
"Santini's Millions" (#215 -2.2.85): Dom (Ernest Borgnine) and Airwolf goes on a mission of mercy to take a heart to Chicago, where a 16-year-old is in need of a transport. He saves the life of Carl Barron, a cold-hearted businessman who offered him money to make a one-way trip to a meeting, but Dom remains true to his principles and got the heart in time. When Barron "died", he left everything to Dominic Santini -- including his billion-dollar company. Dom brought honor and integrity in his first meeting with the board, putting people before profits first -- proving that he's still an honest man, and it may have cost him his life.
"Eruption" (#221 - 4.6.85): Hawke and Dom take the Lady to collect information on Mt. Catherine, a volcano who's ready to pop like a champagne. When she did, Airwolf was forced to land at a small mining town, where Hawke and Dom comes to the aid of its citizens and free them of the corruption and oppression that have enslaved them.
In season three, Knight Rider director Bernard L. Kowlawski became Airwolf's main executive producer, as Bellisario left after season two due to disagreements with CBS over the direction of the show. With the controversial public life of its leading man and the production being expensive, Airwolf's days were numbered. CBS canceled the Lady in the spring of 1986, but the then-rising USA Network brought her back in 1987 with a new cast and new episodes that fans wouldn't accept as season four due to no connections with the original series.
The first half of season three delivered with fan favorites such as "Airwolf II", but was hit and miss in the second half with episodes like "Little Wolf", but did well with some such as the one here:
"Day of Jeopardy" (#315 - 1.25.86): Hawke reluctantly agreed to protect transport Tess Dixon, an ex-girlfriend from high-school, who can testify of an conspiracy to assassinate several of Washington's most prominent leaders as a part of a plan to control worldwide currency. Besides dealing with enemies in the air and on the ground, Hawke, Dom, and Archangel must deal with a possible leak inside the FIRM.
What makes Airwolf stand out from Knight Rider is that while both shows featured handsome heroes with elite vehicles standing up against injustice for the innocent, the Lady takes herself seriously with episodes that comments on what has been going on in the world, where not everything is clear-cut: especially when it comes to our governments and our elected officials.
With the War in Iraq and the economy currently in an recession, Airwolf is still relevant now as it was back in 1984.
Comments
There were some plannings of a new AIRWOLF series, but the television is not brave enough to try to get it done... They should take a look at the sold DVDs of the old series and produce it! NOW!
Great article! Just one little correction though Garrett. When you state "the Lady takes herself seriously", that is only ever used as a pet name by the main characters to the helicopter, but you're taking that pet name and the show itself out of context. i.e. "Airwolf (the show) takes itself seriously". Apart from that nit-pick, good stuff.
You may also be interested to know that they're just about to release a brand new, official Airwolf soundtrack, called 'AIRWOLF MAIN THEMES' EP, and a later 2CD sequel after that. There's a great promo trailer for it on YouTube, and you can google the main site with keywords 'Airwolf Themes soundtrack'. The fan buzz for it is absolutely awesome so far.
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