Despite there being something like 50 basketball games on every day last weekend, CBS still managed to have overlapping half-times and thus no basketball. Seriously, for an entire, consecutive 20 minutes there was not one bit of basketball being played (unless you count the NIT or the Women's NCAA tourney, which it fine for some people, but I'm proper folk). So I started flipping through the channels and came across The A-Team on one of the 99 different channels on our cable box. Two things about this:

1. Why do I have 99 channels? Just so I can accidentally come across the A-Team at 5:30 on a Saturday. I don't know why it was on, but there's a 50/50 chance that this is the Mr. T Channel and features such hits as Rocky III and that one episode of"Malcolm and Eddie" he guest-starred in. And, of course, The A-Team (I'm making machine gun noises in my head...are you? No?).
2. I shouldn't be admitting to only having 99 channels. Admitting that I have less than 200 channels (and have neither Starz nor HBO, let alone Cinemax) clearly reveals a lack of TV watching prowess. I am embarrassed for myself.
   

But enough about cable, what about The A-Team? Does it age well with time or is it another MacGuyver, a show best seen through the filter of a hazy childhood memory (happiness is never having to realize that Terri Hatcher played Penny Parker, one of MacGuyver's prostitute friends).

Well, I'm going to say that it ages real damn well. I mean, few shows have been as flat-out batshit insane as The A-Team, and insanity is always welcome. We all know the obvious. The crazy one, the ladies man, the bejewelled, mohawked muscle and the grizzled captain comprise a team of outlaws with unlimited access to weapons and explosives. They travel along in a black van and solve problems (very similar to Scooby Doo in this respect) and occasionally bail celebrity guest stars out of jams (no, really, there are differences between this and Scooby Doo).

For example, in the episode I saw, Boy George is in trouble with some hillbillies and calls the A-Team. I missed most of the episode, but I'm guessing there was some sort of gay bashing going on and Boy George was in trouble. For all I know, it was a very special A-Team that every parent should watch with their children. 80's social commentary has always flowed through Mr. T and I think he would pity the fool who was oppressed for their lifestyle.

The hillibillies drove around in Jeep Wranglers whilst the A-Team blew stuff up and shot at the Jeeps. The Jeeps blew up, the A-Team drove on, and Boy George was fully rescued. In the end, a good time was had by all. This is the sort of action that never goes out of style. So, if you ever come across the Mr. T channel as I did, be sure to stop for a bit and spend a little time with the A-Team. You'll be glad you do.