The A-Team/L’Agence tous risques

The All-Risks Agency

The A-Team is, to me, one of the biggest mysteries of the 80s. Why, why, why was that series ever popular?Maybe because of the catchphrases? Or the resourcefulness of the characters? Although, unlike MacGyver who always seemed to make do with what he could find, the A-Team had lots of unlikely items handy...Maybe the interaction between them?Maybe it was just the fact that it was the 80s and they did make ridiculous TV shows.Sorry, not ridiculous. Just coming straight out of a 10 year old’s imagination. A talking car that doesn’t sound like Stephen Hawking? Come off it!I really don’t know what’s worse, come to think of it. That the series was made 25 years ago or so, or that it got REmade in 2010. We should know better by now. And don’t get me started on the Fame, Bionic Woman, Knight Rider... 

I remember watching it when I was a kid and getting annoyed, already as a child, that there was hardly any good female leads.Of all the series on TV back then, the only few interesting women I remember were Makepeace of Dempsey and Makepeace, and Laura Holt in Remington Steele. But gosh, were they girly!Cagney and Lacey was definitely an abnormality and that's what made them so awesome.
Anyhoo. The A-Team was popular enough to be granted a remake. Well, they either were popular enough or someone had a big moment of nostalgia and lack of creativity – wouldn’t be a first.

Old team (left) new team (right)... 

What is an A-Team, you are dying to ask? Well, it’s the best you have, according to football coaches.So, apparently, a team of guys who escaped prison where they were put for a crime they didn’t commit is the best you have? Speak to HR. Really. You have issues.Would "L’equipe-A" work in French? Well, if it works for football, it probably work for series… But I guess this was not catchy enough.It was decided that the series would be called “L’Agence tous risques”. I can't help but think that the person who came up with this had problems with their car insurance,  because I have never heard “Tous risques” used for anything but insurance. It’s the “comprehensive” cover.I guess they tried to make the whole thing sexier by adding “risques” in, a lil bit of thrill here and there never hurt. But they lost the idea of a top-notch team of the original title.Would you employ the “Comprehensive Agency”?
The best thing about the whole series, though, is definitely the theme tune. There used to be a time when I had the horrible French version with its stupid words in my head for days. But now I have this great vision of Mike's dance in Spaced (UK click here for a video, here for everywhere else) whenever I hear the music, so THANK YOU Simon and Jessica! You saved my life :)

You might wonder if I am going to go watch the film... Mmm… my plan is to avoid the whole thing for as long as I can. And you know me, I do love when a plan comes together :P


Update 26 July 2010: If your knowledge of the series is a bit meh, Pass notes available here.
Update 28 July 2010: Peter Bradshaw's review here