Blue Thunder

Long forgotten and short running TV-series is based on John Badham's 'Blue Thunder' starring Roy Scheider. The title is the only thing common between film and TV-series. The series didn't take over where film ended, but it rather created alternate universe or storyline how the Blue Thunder helicopter will serve in the forces. Characters are different - super cool Murphy has been replaced by Chaney (James Farentino), who still has enough charm and coolness in him to carry the show. Also, compared to the film, the show is much more lighthearted - besides Chaney and captain Braddock, all the other characters are there for comic relief. Show also lost all the seriousness and message of the film, turning 'Blue Thunder' series typical '80s action show.

And a typical action show 'Blue Thunder' is. If you're familiar (and grown up with) shows like 'The A-Team', 'Airwolf', 'Magnum P.I.', or any other that kind, 'Blue Thunder' can offer a nice juicy '80s nostalgia boost. Cheesy stories and ridiculous villains (mostly played by well known character actors from that time). Cheap effects and reused aerial shots from the film.

Blue Thunder is a special federal air unit based in Los Angeles. Frank Chaney (James Farentino) is the pilot. Joining him in the cockpit is computer tech observer Clinton 'JAFO' Wonderlove (Dana Carvey). Captain Braddock (Sandy McPeak) is their commander. Former NFL players Richard 'Ski' Butowski (Dick Butkus) and Lyman 'Bubba' Kelsey (Bubba Smith) are their ground support.

It's funny that this came out at the same time as Airwolf. While the pilot of Airwolf is far superior, I like the rest of episodes of this show better. It's an 80's action comedy episodic series. I would have expected better for its fortune but this mid-season replacement never got renewed. Carvey is doing his voices for comedy and the football buddies are a bit campy. Where else do we get two football greats on network TV? This show kinda works. The comedic elements combine with the action elements which inevitably involves air to air combat. Never has there ever been so many bad guys with air support. It's overkill especially on city streets. It would have been more prudent to move the location to the border where the crew can battle the drug cartels in an ongoing serial. It would have made this a more serious show which would be fine. The comedy makes this more campy which does fit 80's TV. It would have been interesting to treat the material more seriously.

This show made no sense sometimes.And how did they get Blue Thunder back on line after it was crushed by a train.And Bubba Smith on a copter that is like a can inside the cockpit.This show was a flaw show.Stick with Airwolf.

I remember watching a few episodes of this TV series when it first came out, and liking what I saw. So when I found out that the entire eleven episodes of the series had been released on DVD, I rented the entire set to see if the show would still hold up. And the answer is, for the most part, no. With the exception of a pre-fame Dana Carvey, who manages to show off his comic skills and charm, the cast gives pretty forgettable performances, most likely because the scripts don't give their parts multi-dimension. The other parts of the scripts also fail to interest, with bland, simplistic stories. The Blue Thunder Helicopter does look cool, and there is some impressive aerial photography as well as choreography. But it seems that the expense to do so resulted in some shabby cost-cutting elsewhere, with obvious stock footage and footage repeated - sometimes in the same show! And while the helicopter looks cool, its movements and abilities come across as sluggish - unlike Airwolf, from a different helicopter show broadcast around the same time. In fact, you'd be better off watching "Airwolf" than watching the "Blue Thunder" TV series.

This spin off from the Blue Thunder movie has nothing in common with the film other than the LA setting and the helicopter. Aside from the chopper, gone are the serious themes and grit and overall sense of paranoia. Instead, into the TV production have come multiple TV tropes: The tough lead cop who breaks the rules to get things done; his comedy relief partner; two ex football jocks that are as the brawn ; and the Chief who yells at his subordinates a lot. Plots are generic (stop terrorists, stop an assassination, stop another assassination, get an old girlfriend out of trouble, foil a kidnaping, stop a drug runner, transport a MacGuffin), and the writers had to work harder and harder to find something in the air Blue Thunder can confront (choppers, WWII planes, space shuttles). BUT the star of the show is clearly Blue Thunder itself, a mock up of a French Chopper that steals the scene whenever it appears. Although stock footage is often used, there is new footage each episode of some dam fine stunt flying happening as well. The last episode, which took the Blue Thunder flies away from LA to stop a coup on an island nation was ironically much improved. Although to be honest it was a lot more like an Airwolf plotline with its foreign mission and cold war elements..