"Mexican Slayride" is the feature-length pilot episode of the action adventure television series The A-Team. The pilot aired in its complete form originally, airing in North America on January 23, 1983. In syndication the pilot has been cut up into two parts, creating two episodes.
Episode recap
Newspaper reporter, Amy Allen seeks out The A-Team — a commando unit from the Vietnam War convicted of a crime they did not commit in 1972 and now working on the side of the law as mercenaries — to rescue one of her fellow reporters who has been kidnapped by Mexican outlaws. The A-Team, consisting of Col. John "Hannibal" Smith, Lt. Templeton "The Faceman" Peck ("Face"), and Sgt. Bosco "B.A." Baracus are being chased by Colonel Lynch, who has Amy followed as she works her way towards hiring the team. Despite Lynch's interference and several chases, Face manages to release the fourth member of the A-Team, Capt. H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock, from the psychiatric hospital and scam a Gulfstream jet. Rendering BA unconscious due to his fear of flying, they travel with Amy to Mexico in a plane piloted by their fearless but clinically insane pilot, Murdock.
During the start of the flight, the original broadcast version features a soundalike version of The Rolling Stones hit "Jumping Jack Flash". On the DVD version, this is changed to a generic track for copyright reasons.
In Mexico the team discovers that Amy's reporter friend has been kidnapped by a marijuana cultivator and gang leader named Malavita Valdez. Face and Murdock acquire a crop duster and ammonia, which they use to spray the marijuana fields and destroy the crops. The A-Team build an armored bus and drive the gang leader and his gang out of the village. While chasing the gang, the A-Team are ambushed by Mexican guerrillas who are friendly towards the gang leader.
With the A-Team captured by the Mexican gang leader, they escape when Hannibal knocks out one of the guards, and they attempt to flee by truck but are chased down by the guerrillas. Luckily for the A-Team, local villagers come to help them, led by Murdock and Face, who had evaded capture previously. They come out and ambush the guerrillas, and this allows the A-Team to get on an airplane and get back home. After the escape, Amy Allen expresses her desire to join the A-Team. She effectively blackmails her way onto the team promising to put a positive light on their exploits in her articles.
Cast
Regular characters
"Mexican Slayride" introduces the following regular The A-Team characters:
George Peppard as Col. John "Hannibal" Smith
Leader of the A-Team. Part of show's main cast for the rest of the series. Tim Dunigan as Lt. Templeton "Faceman" Peck Conman of the team. Replaced after the pilot episode by Dirk Benedict for the rest of the show's run. Mr. T as Sgt. Bosco Albert "B.A." Baracus Strong man and mechanic of the team. Also known as Bad Attitude. Part of show's main cast for the rest of the series. Dwight Schultz as Capt. H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock The clinically insane pilot of the team. Part of show's main cast for the rest of the series. Melinda Culea as Amy Amanda "Triple A" Allen The reporter who assists the A-Team during the show's first season and the first half of the second season. William Lucking as Col. Lynch The team's main antagonist.
Guest starring roles
Sergio Calderón as Malavita Valdez
William Windom as Al Massey
Enrique Lucero as Col. Flores
Ron Palillo as Reporter
Melody Anderson as Avon - Airplane Salesgirl
Reception
Television ratings
Reviews
"Much effort has gone into putting together a cast of colorful characters, but except for Mr. Peppard, who establishes a goodhumoredly hard-boiled team leader, the rest, including the formidable Mr. T. as B.A., display more color than character. Directorial control of the internationally undistinguished cast is lax. Dwight Schultz overacts like mad as the crazy pilot, and that Mexican bandit leader (Sergio Calderon) turns in a performance that seems aimed at offending the Mexican-American Anti-Defamation League, if there is one." —Walter Goodman, The New York Times, January 21, 1983, p. 27.