Question: What did the B.A. in B.A. Baracus, aka Mr. T, stand for?
Answer: Officially, the A-Team master mechanic's initials stood for "bad attitude," but most fans hold to the belief that they were really for "bad ass." Depending on which day you caught him, either could be accurate. If you'd asked any of the show's producers or the reporters who interviewed the mercurial star at a bad time, however, my guess is the consensus would lean toward the former.
The first time TV Guide sent a reporter to spend six days on the set of the hit action show, which ran on NBC from January 1983 to June 1987, the writer was stonewalled by T's equally formidable brothers, who explained that an interview wouldn't happen unless it was a matter of life or death. Asked if another time was more appropriate, perhaps lunchtime or later in the afte
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I'll admit that I found the idea of having Rodney McKay share his body with a woman about as inspired as my composing a rock opera about George Peppard (you try to find a rhyme for Banacek). I don't know about you, but I'm still traumatized by William Shatner's interpretation of a woman in Captain Kirk's body in Star Trek's "Turnabout Intruder." But here, David Hewlett kept the histrionics to a minimum (no tacky simpering or sashaying, thank you very much) to depict the awkward and hilarious coexistence of McKay and Lieutenant Cadman (Jamie Ray Newman), who were lumped together in the former's body after Zalenka (David Nykl) tried to free them from a Wraith Dart ship. Sure it's a rip-off of All of Me, but it's a top-notch rip-off and a great showcase for Atlantis' petulant genius. The smooch Hewlett plants on Paul McGillion's Beckett (Cadman has a crush on the Scottish doc)
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Question: We all know that the late George Peppard played John "Hannibal" Smith on The A-Team, but I seem to remember that there was another show that he starred in where he played an insurance investigator. I think I saw it on A&E a little while ago, but I cannot remember the name of the show. Can you help?
Answer: That I can, Cliff.
Peppard played Polish-American (and I specify ethnicity here because it was a big part of the show's flavor) private-eye Thomas Banacek in the series, which was called (surprise!) Banacek. In it the Boston-based detective went after vanished goods and then claimed the reward money from insurance companies when he solved the capers. Ralph Manza and Murray Matheson were also regulars on the show, and Christine Belford came on board in the second season to add a little romance.
Banacek debuted as part o
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