"Blue Thunder" (1984)TV series

Director:

Guy Magar

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

6 January 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Plot:

An advanced prototype police helicopter and their ground support crew battle crime.

Plot Keywords:

Cult Favorite | Based On Film | Police | Helicopter

Cast

James Farentino	...	Frank Chaney (11 episodes, 1984)
Dana Carvey	...	Clinton 'JAFO' Wonderlove (11 episodes, 1984)
Bubba Smith	...	Lyman 'Bubba' Kelsey (11 episodes, 1984)
Dick Butkus	...	Richard 'Ski' Butowski (11 episodes, 1984)
Sandy McPeak	...	Captain Braddock (11 episodes, 1984)
Ann Cooper	...	J.J. Douglas (11 episodes, 1984)

Runtime:

60 min (11 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

RMS Queen Mary - 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Television

Trivia:

According to a report in TV Guide (Sept 3-9, 1983), Gil Gerard had been signed to play a pilot on "Blue Thunder."

Quotes:

PVC: Well what's that bird Chaney? You look like you're flying my Grandmother's old wringle washer!

Movie Connections:

Follows Blue Thunder (1983)

One of Dana Carvey's earlier works

This show ran September 1983 - February 1984 on Friday nights at 9:00 on ABC. I was in 10th grade at the time. My sister hooked me into watching it, because she saw the movie in the theaters that summer and thought the copter was cool.

While the copter was cool and while James Farentino tried to add some classiness to the show, it was beleaguered by melodramatic, corny writing. With other action shows like the "A-Team," "Magnum P.I.," and "Airwolf" to compete with, it didn't have a chance. It was canceled after 13 shows--with no announcements or last-minute advertising. One day you had the show, the next two weeks it was the Winter Olympics, and then it was replaced--can't even remember which show replaced it.

However, it did have one good thing going for it--this is where I first discovered the comedic charms of Dana Carvey. While the writing was trite, he did the best with the material he had.