# Remember those 80's action shows? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2002, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629 "2002-04-09T06:08:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Fingolfin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eada6e/32.png) [@Fingolfin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fingolfin)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/41 "2002-04-10T14:46:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Doghouse Reilly \* > \*\*[Tales of the Gold Monkey](http://www.goldmonkey.com/) \*\* OMG! **Tales of the Gold Monkey**! I had all but forgotten about that show! I loved that show! Thanks for the link! Wow, TotGM was only on for one year? 21 episodes? I would have sworn that is was on longer than that. Aah the memories. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/42 "2002-04-10T15:01:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by evilbeth \* > \*\* > > You watched “Cover Up” for the music and not for Jon-Erik Hexum? > > ::sigh:: > > He was dreamy–so short lived. ☹ \*\* Dear, sweet Jon-Erik Hexum. Did I ever have a crush on him. I was always partial to Magnum PI, though, which was one of the only shows I was allowed to watch. I did see Tom Selleck in the supermarket once, when I was a kid! ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/43 "2002-04-10T19:10:16Z")
\*\*deb2world, \*\* there are very few limits on both my knowledge of pop culture and on the cheesy television I will watch. That said, I did not have to look up the name of the character, but I do remember seeing the show and years later reading the character’s name in some book or other. _The A-Team_ functioned best as a satire of _Mission: Impossible_-type shows, where the heroes would have everything planned down to the last detail. Hannibal, Face, Murdock and B.A. often had to improvise to deal with unexpected twists; Hannibal’s catchphrase, “I love it when a plan comes together,” was more often than not said with heavy irony. _M:I_ always had the latest electronic gear. The A-team had to use whatever was handy, from old machine parts to toilet paper. _Tales of the Gold Monkey._ Now there was a show that got chewed up and spit out by the mixmaster that is Network Television. Were I the producer of TGM, I’da sued somebody for such poor treatment as that show got from the network. ---
**Author:** ![c\_carol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@c\_carol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_carol)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/44 "2002-04-10T20:03:04Z")
> [@](#): > > I named my dog after McGyver. Angus was his first name–a secret only revealed in the very last episode. Actually, that’s not exactly true (of the original MacGyver, I mean, not your dog). Mac’s first name was revealed in one other episode. Does anybody besides me know which one? ---
**Author:** ![Xixox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/13edae/32.png) [@Xixox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xixox)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/45 "2002-04-10T20:26:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by WIGGUM \* > \*\*I think this show would be in the same vein as V in that it may have been more SF than action, but I loved the show “Voyagers”. I think it only ran for a few episodes, but I remember loving them. > > I’m a little foggy as to the basic premise though. I think a boy and some guy named Phineas travelled through time using a pocket watch. > > Great show. I haven’t seen it since it aired, but I’d like to see it again and see how it holds up to the ravages of time. \*\* Hey wow I was just thinkin about that show a couple weeks ago. All I can remember is one episode where they visit Thomas Edison, who disassembles the pocket watch to figure out how das blinkenlights worked. IIRC, the actor playing Phineas died on a movie set, joking around with a prop gun. Put it to his head & pulled the trigger, knowing it would only fire blanks, but the wad killed 'em. Just did a google search on the show… for being a one-season run, it’s got a good following! Even a few fanfic sites. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/46 "2002-04-10T20:55:42Z")
I remember Voyagers! My favorite episode they were on the Titanic trying to save the Mona Lisa. There was at least one book starring the cast, i remember that from 5th grade! IMDB says from Voyagers Meeno Peluce was in these previously listed 80’s shows > [@](#): > > “A-Team, The” (1983) playing “Joey” in episode: “Pros and Cons” (episode # 1.4) 2/8/1983 > “Manimal” (1983) playing “Corky Morgan” in episode: “Scrimshaw” (episode # 1.6) 12/3/1983 My favorite bad 80’s show was [Out of This World](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0092423), with the time stopping teenager! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/47 "2002-04-10T21:41:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by WIGGUM \* > \*\*I think this show would be in the same vein as V in that it may have been more SF than action, but I loved the show “Voyagers”. I think it only ran for a few episodes, but I remember loving them. > > I’m a little foggy as to the basic premise though. I think a boy and some guy named Phineas travelled through time using a pocket watch. > > Great show. I haven’t seen it since it aired, but I’d like to see it again and see how it holds up to the ravages of time. \*\* They were showing for a while on Sci-Fi channel. It was pretty lame. It ranks among the “80’s sci-fi-action-shows-that-sci-fi channel-won’t-even-touch-anymore” which included Manimal, Misfits of Science, V, and Otherwolrd. Although it was the subject of the David Letterman after-school special: “They took my program away.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Saitou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Saitou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saitou)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/48 "2002-04-10T22:44:08Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by c\_carol \* > \*\* Mac’s first name was revealed in one other episode._\* Wasn’t it the dream/middle ages episode ? \*\* Voyagers! \*\* Wow i had totally forgotten about that show, didn’t that kid always wear the same red-white shirt no matter what age they were in. Now does anybody here remember **Photon** a [low budget] live-action sci-fi series about a guy who becomes a laser-tag warrior. I kind of liked “out of this world” at the time ---
**Author:** ![c\_carol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@c\_carol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_carol)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/49 "2002-04-10T23:14:52Z")
Saitou, yes, that’s it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/50 "2002-04-10T23:36:16Z")
Those mentioning _Tales of the Gold Monkey_ haven’t brought up its feeble step-sibling **Bring 'Em Back Alive!** , another, even worse Indiana Jones rip-off (starring the couple from _TRON_!) from the same year. I liked _Simon & Simon_ because it was the only series that took place in San Diego so I’d recognize all the location shots. _The Equalizer_ not only had the best theme song (by Stewart Copeland from The Police) and the biggest badass on TV (Robert McCall could kick the collective asses of Michael Knight, Thomas Magnum & the entire A-Team without breaking a sweat), but it also predated the urban gloss-&-grime look of _NYPD Blue_ and _Law & Order_. Edward Woodward was nominated for the Emmy over and over again for this show but never won. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/51 "2002-04-11T13:59:42Z")
Anyone remember _Mr. Merlin_? Teenaged Zack pulled a crowbar out of concrete and thusly became Merlin’s apprentice… ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/52 "2002-04-11T14:55:58Z")
Ahh, adolescence…Didi McCall on Hunter got me through many a lonely teenage night… And has no one mentioned Riptide? What a great show, detectives with a big pink helicopter! I will still to this day hold out my hand in front of me with my knuckles curled under and start wiggling and rippling my hand while saying “I am Manimal!” My friends think I’m insane. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/53 "2002-04-11T15:30:03Z")
I almost forgot: **Matt Houston**! The action sequences were ok, but what really held my attention as I entered puberty was the non-stop series of bikini models in every episode. ---
**Author:** ![super\_head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@super\_head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/super_head)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/54 "2002-04-11T16:13:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Charmian \* > Anyone remember _Mr. Merlin_? Teenaged Zack pulled a crowbar out of concrete and thusly became Merlin’s apprentice… That’s it! Thank you! I was struggling to remember the name of that show yesterday and all that kept coming to me was “Mr. Wizard” - which, of course, was wrong. Personally, I miss St. Elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![False\_God](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee7513/32.png) [@False\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/False_God)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/55 "2002-04-11T16:48:42Z")
Meeno Peluce, who was in Voyagers with the late lamented Jon-Eric Hexum, is now a elementary school teacher. He’s also been romantically linked to Soleil Moon-Frye, the “statuesque” former star of Punky Brewster. ---
**Author:** ![AzRaek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/azraek/32/16739_2.png) [@AzRaek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AzRaek)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/56 "2002-04-11T18:27:10Z")
Meeno Peluce and Soleil Moon Frye are brother and sister, so I hope they arent romantically linked. I liked Automan as well, but liked the show airng after it more: Masquerade, where Greg Evigan and Kirstie Alley and some old guy recruit average joes to do spy missions. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/57 "2002-04-11T18:31:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GargoyleWB \* > \*\*Ahh, adolescence…Didi McCall on Hunter got me through many a lonely teenage night… > > And has no one mentioned Riptide? What a great show, detectives with a big pink helicopter! > > I will still to this day hold out my hand in front of me with my knuckles curled under and start wiggling and rippling my hand while saying “I am Manimal!” My friends think I’m insane. \*\* Wasn’t there a TV show–or possibly a movie–that had a similar concept to Manimal, except the protagonist was some kind of hybrid creature from the Ocean? I just remember this dramatic nighttime scene in front of roaring surf at the beach, where the guy was struggling with the question of whether to return to the ocean. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629/58 "2002-04-11T18:55:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Doghouse Reilly \* > \*\* > > Wasn’t there a TV show–or possibly a movie–that had a similar concept to Manimal, except the protagonist was some kind of hybrid creature from the Ocean? I just remember this dramatic nighttime scene in front of roaring surf at the beach, where the guy was struggling with the question of whether to return to the ocean. \*\* **Man from Atlantis?** Starred a pretty boy from **Dallas** IIRC. I think it was 70’s. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-those-80s-action-shows/102629.md?page=2)