With a four-year tenure on television, The A-Team premiered on NBC from January 1983 until March 1987. The show was a surprise hit, as the first episode of the show following the pilot, “Children of Jamestown,” premiered right after Super Bowl XVII, immediately rocketing the show up to being the fourth highest Nielsen-rated show of the time. However, with time, the show’s popularity quickly declined, resulting in the final season being cut by nine episodes, being only thirteen episodes long. While audiences found the episode plots to be repetitive, especially as the series approached its end, the first seasons were highly beloved and The A-Team continues to be a pop culture icon to this day. We wish to celebrate the significance of the show and its cast as we count down the top 5 A-Team characters!
What was the A-Team about? The show followed four Vietnam War veterans: John “Hannibal” Smith, Templeton “Faceman” Peck, Bosco Albert “B.A.” Baracus, and H.M. “Howling Mad” Murdock. All but Murdock were charged with war crimes that they did not commit, causing them to flee to Los Angeles. In LA, they acted as mercenaries, doing dirty work that nobody else was willing to do. Each contributed a unique set of skills and ideas to the team, resulting in an excellent culmination of their best qualities. Throughout the show, the team fought against the military police and various corrupt entities. Though they were fugitives and acting illegally, they maintained a moral compass and aimed to assist the disadvantaged.
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This list showcases our favorite characters from The A-Team! Please note that this list is subjective, and your choices may differ from our own. We judged our choices by their characterization and their chemistry with the rest of the cast. We hope you enjoy our list of the top five A-Team characters!
5. Templeton “Faceman” Peck
With a more sophisticated taste than the rest of the A-Team, Templeton “Faceman” Peck tended to shy away from violence. Face was an attractive and charming man, and with his ability to pick locks and scams, he was an incredibly skilled swindler. His methodology reflected his personality, though he was also a rather skilled marksman. The son of a convicted criminal, Face was orphaned as a child, as he lived in a Catholic Church-backed Los Angeles orphanage in his youth. Though he wore a variety of different outfits, his black leather jacket was perhaps his most recognizable attire.
Face was the only member of the A-Team to be recast between the pilot and the show, and his original appearance is featured in the image. Because of his conniving nature, Face was able to obtain a variety of resources for his team, among which was our love for the character.
4. John “Hannibal” Smith
The leader of the A-Team, John “Hannibal” Smith was a great strategist. Known for his passion for acting, Hannibal would disguise himself in a variety of ways, such as his Mr. Lee persona. Beyond the disguises he used to further the team’s goals, Hannibal enjoyed playing masked monsters in low-budget horror movies. When in the face of danger, Hannibal was known to maintain a level-headed approach, which had done wonders for his team on various occasions. Additionally, he appeared to love the thrill of battle, while still maintaining a calm and calculated demeanor. Hannibal wore a tan dress shirt, black gloves, and often smoked a cigar.
Hannibal was the perfect choice to lead the A-Team. The culmination of his traits proved him to be a brilliant, albeit unconventional, leader. Because of his performance throughout the course of the show, we figured that he was a great pick for fourth place on our list!
3. H.M. “Howling Mad” Murdock
An expert flyer and the second best driver of the group, H.M. Murdock was an eccentric member of the A-Team crew! Unlike the other three, Murdock was never tried for any crimes, leading to his unique position to rescue his team upon their capture by enemy forces. He was also incredibly smart, knew various languages, and had a knack for impersonations. However, the character was perhaps most known for his insanity. While he was declared legally insane in the show, fans still contest whether he truly was or if it was an act. Some of the actions Murdock performed that substantiated the diagnosis included acting as if he was in a cartoon, conversing with non-sapient entities, having an invisible dog named “Billy,” and much, much more. Murdock aided Face on various scams and schemes throughout the NBC show. He often wore a black baseball cap and a brown leather jacket.
As he served such a unique role in the team and acted rather peculiarly, H.M. Murdock captured our interest and securely sits in third place! His variety of fun traits and the ways in which he interacts with the rest of the A-Team and even their enemies makes him stand out among the rest of the show’s cast.
2. B.A. Baracus
The owner of the iconic A-Team van, B.A. loathed letting anybody else drive his vehicle, as he often exclaimed, “nobody drives my van, but me!” Mr. T’s character was an incredibly skilled driver, seen driving the likes of a garbage truck and even a tank. Beyond that, B.A. was a skilled mechanic, great at adapting and creating impromptu devices. Baracus had an unmatched prowess in hand-to-hand combat, and he frequently entered scuffles in the television show. The hero sported a unique and iconic look, with a mohawk inspired by the Mandinka people, and a body lathered in gold jewelry. His appearance was taken directly from his actor, as Mr. T was very well-known for his hair and gold accessories.
Due to his unique characterization among his team, we found B.A. Baracus to be a fitting choice for second place! His refusal to drink alcohol, instead drinking milk, is a fun quirk that helps the character feel that much more “real.” Between his personality and appearance, B.A. is the most memorable and remarkable human A-Team character.
1. The A-Team Van
Unquestionably placed as first in our list is the beloved A-Team van. While not a character in the same sense the other offerings on our list are, the van has such a prominence in the series that we deemed it worthy of an entry (and a first place one, at that!) Besides, including the van in our list is good fun. The van served as the basis of the team’s identity, and was their core base of operations. Their vehicle was seen storing the likes of Hannibal’s disguise kit, surveillance devices, and more! The van demanded attention every time it was on screen, and its color scheme contributed significantly to its presence. Predominantly black and gray and divided by a bright red stripe, the van had a striking appearance.
Despite the show long over and the 2010 film not meeting expectations, the A-Team van still received occasional merchandise due to just how iconic its design is. As it appears, our first place pick, the A-Team van, is beloved by far more than just us!
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Bio: I am the founder and owner of Wheeljack’s Lab Pop Culture and Toy Shop. My vision has always been to reunite customers with their favorite childhood toys and pop culture, triggering fond memories, and reigniting their imaginations. Every day, I work in the “lab” where it’s Christmas 365 days a year. I scour the internet, like when we had the Sears Catalog of yesteryear, for the next great treasure. Then, I await the arrival of the postman as if he were Santa Claus himself and helping collectors worldwide with their versions of Christmas. Every day as a vintage toy buyer is an absolute joy!