<TEXTFORMAT LEADING="2"><P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT FACE="Verdana" SIZE="10" COLOR="#0B333C" LETTERSPACING="0" KERNING="0"><B>The A-Team</B> is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces who work as soldiers of fortune while being on the run from the military for a &quot;crime they didn&apos;t commit&quot;. The A-Team was created by writers and producers Frank Lupo and Stephen J. Cannell. The series was developed as a cross between Seven Samurai (and its western remake The Magnificent Seven) and The Dirty Dozen, with &quot;Mr. T driving the car&quot;, at the behest of Brandon Tartikoff, NBC&apos;s Entertainment president. [1][2] It also had vague elements of Mad Max. [3]</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING="2"><P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT FACE="Verdana" SIZE="10" COLOR="#0B333C" LETTERSPACING="0" KERNING="0"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING="2"><P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT FACE="Verdana" SIZE="10" COLOR="#0B333C" LETTERSPACING="0" KERNING="0">Despite being thought of as mercenaries by the other characters in the show, the A-Team always acted on the side of the good guys and helped the oppressed. The show ran for five seasons on the NBC television network, from January 23, 1983 to December 30, 1986 (with one additional, previously unbroadcast episode shown on March 8, 1987), with a total of 98 episodes.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING="2"><P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT FACE="Verdana" SIZE="10" COLOR="#0B333C" LETTERSPACING="0" KERNING="0"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING="2"><P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT FACE="Verdana" SIZE="10" COLOR="#0B333C" LETTERSPACING="0" KERNING="0">It remains known in popular culture for its cartoon-like use of over-the-top violence, supposedly formulaic episodes, featuring the ability to form weaponry and vehicles out of old parts, and its distinctive opening theme. It has been parodied on numerous websites such as Newgrounds and also on television shows such as Robot Chicken, Family Guy and Spaced. The show also served as the springboard for the career of Mr. T, who portrayed the character of B. A. Baracus, around which the show was initially conceived. [4][5] Some of the show&apos;s catchphrases such as &quot;I love it when a plan comes together&quot;[6] and &quot;I ain&apos;t gettin&apos; on no plane!&quot; have also made their way onto T-shirts and other merchandise.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING="2"><P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT FACE="Verdana" SIZE="10" COLOR="#0B333C" LETTERSPACING="0" KERNING="0"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING="2"><P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT FACE="Verdana" SIZE="10" COLOR="#0B333C" LETTERSPACING="0" KERNING="0">Although not directly referenced in the series, the name of the show comes from &quot;A-teams&quot;, the nickname for Operational Detachments Alpha (ODA). The US Army Special Forces uses the term ODA for their 12-man direct operations teams.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING="2"><P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT FACE="Verdana" SIZE="10" COLOR="#0B333C" LETTERSPACING="0" KERNING="0"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>