Connianatu How wonderful it is to see this fine actress carry a film and carry it so beautifully.

Ogosmith Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Rio Hayward All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Roy Hart If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

MovieBuffMarine LOOSELY based on the 1983 movie of the same name, the Blue Thunder TV series portrayed the title helicopter in a positive light in contrast to the movie which was dark and gritty.Like most TV shows based on movies, this was NOT meant as a sequel, but alternate reality to the events and plot of the movie. With the super vehicle genre underway; NBC's Knight Rider was in its second season; and with Airwolf set to premiere on CBS two weeks later, ABC's answer was reversing the dark theme of the movie and have the helicopter fight crime as was intended.The result was another cop show, but with a super helicopter. But unlike most cop shows of the time, this one was not too dark or too violent, it was fun! It was really the antithesis of what the movie was about which was using the "Special" in an abusive government manner. For TV, the Special was going to fight for truth and justice!Unlike other TV shows based on movies with the same name, the characters and their names were changed. James Farentino plays a convincing role as Frank Chaney, the pilot for Blue Thunder. Dana Carvey of Saturday Night Live fame plays his systems officer, JAFO Wonderlove. (While there was a JAFO in the movie, the name was Lymangood.) The only other character from the movie besides the helicopter to (seemingly) make it to the TV series is Captain Braddock played by Sandy McPeak. Like the role originated by the late Warren Oates, McPeak's Braddock was a force to be reckoned with as the main pilot's boss. (Though McPeak resembled Oates and his character was just as gruff, his take was just as different.)Rounding off the Blue Thunder team is a ground support crew played by Bubba Smith and Dick Butkus.I recently caught the series on DVD. While dated, the stories in my opinion were very watchable. Like many shows of the time, there were "yeah right" moments that were incredulous even for artistic license. But you can get enjoy them easily.Unlike most other cop shows of the time, this one didn't have support of real law enforcement in the use of their facilities or technical support. But then again, how do you get technical support for a helicopter that does not exist?While the episodes had a watchable quality to them, unfortunately they were not too original. Some of the plots you could have seen in other cop shows (minus the helo). While the show appeared to have original flight scenes (interspersed with stock or unused footage from the movie), it was apparent the show was on a budget. Later episodes did the re-use of stock footage act (more) common to shows with special effects and flight scenes of the time.I echo some of the other reviewers that the show suffered from competition from other super vehicle shows. While this did not air on the same night on those other shows, sometimes people can take in only so much state-of-the-art vehicles in one week.Whether there was competition from other super vehicles or not, the series could have continued if the writing was better. Superb writing leads to more viewers as a result, great ratings, especially when they involved super vehicles. When all you have is a vehicle ahead of its time, but don't have a story, then your buck ends right there. Or when your stories are identical to other cop series, you might as well stick to them.When viewed as a different story from the movie, and different premise than the other super vehicle shows, this was not a bad fare.A good show that could have been better.

xhearto one season?!?!?I feel like i've been searching for this show since it aired, and no amount of Gipper era propaganda guilt can keep me from enjoying it. You see, this was back when studios would pay for actual helicopters and actual airplanes to preform ridiculously dangerous stunts for the enjoyment of the viewing public. And sure, is it cheesy, you bet, in the best 80's way possible, and sure, it's not deep or complicated or profound, thats what actual life is for. It's just an a$$kicking show about a superhelicopter and the cowboys who love her.In terms of mst3k worthy 1984 pop culture... Dana Carvey(who would have thought Beatles impressions would go out of style?)!?!? Bubba Smith!?!?!? In Leather?!?!? and saying poetry like " sophistication is a state of mind."?!?! George Gaynes as the professor who created Blue Thunder!? A Twin Peaks Van Horne?!?!? Semi ancient current events plots involving revolutionary forces against Eva Peron?! Helicopter gun turret double entendres?! It's all here folks.And you might say, this guy just has an action helicopter fetish, and you'd be right, but there is something redeeming in the simplicity of this show. Seven seasons may have been to much for the story arc, but i could do with another season.

SenjoorMutt 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.

Wizard-8 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.