Frank Lupo Movies

The second made-for-TV "reunion" of the stars of the long-running NBC cop drama Hunter (1984-1990), Hunter: Back in Force was, like its predecessor (Hunter: Return to Justice), set in San Diego. Newly reactivated police detective Rick Hunter (Fred Dryer) and his recently widowed partner, Dee Dee McCall (Stephanie Kramer) are targeted for extermination by vicious ex-convict Randall Skaggs (Gregory Scott Cummins), an old enemy from the original Hunter series. As Skaggs gathers together a mini-army of murderers, Hunter and Dee Dee devote their time to solving a string of bank robberies committed by a team of women -- possibly at the behest of a jailed convict (played by pro wrestler Chyna), with the assistance of a corrupt official. More obviously a TV pilot than Hunter: Return to Justice, Hunter: Back in Force, did in fact precipitate a revival of the old series, with five hour-long episodes telecast in the weeks following the film's April 12, 2003, debut. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This British comedy-thriller, made on a $200,000 budget, focuses on five London lodgers who hope to cash in on a gangster's lost loot. When Wayne (Kim MacDonald) learns about the stash, he succeeds at hauling in the $300,000 and brings in his pals when there are problems opening the safe. Meanwhile, gangster Carter (George Sewell) and his hoods are headed for London. Shown at the 1997 Edinburgh Film Festival's New British Expo and London's 1997 Portobello Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

In this drama, a highly moral judge becomes a secret avenger in the war against crime after his face is disfigured during an assassination attempt. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The A-Team is mistaken for a group of vicious mercenaries, with Murdock (Dwight Schultz) being incorrectly identified as the notorious "Insane" Wayne (Jesse Vint). Hired by evil rancher Kincaid (Barry Corbin) to force young Bobby Sherman (Moosie Dryer) off his oil-rich land, the Team instead offers its services to Bobby, teaming with the boy to fend off the villains. All goes smoothly--until the real "Insane" Wayne shows up! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the conclusion of The A-Team's three-part Season Five opener, Hannibal (George Peppard), B.A. (Mr. T) and Face (Dirk Benedict) are found guilty of murder and sentenced to death by firing squad. In their efforts to prevent the execution, Murdock (Dwight Schultz) and Frankie (Eddie Velez) steal a plane owned by the Team's principal accuser, the mysterious General Hunt Stockwell (Robert Vaughn). But the rescue plan fails--and the three condemned men are shot! End of story? Not quite...and certainly not with General Stockwell involved. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the first episode of a two-part story, a reluctant Hunter (Fred Dryer) is teamed with sleazy Manhattan detective Jackie Molinas (Dennis Franz), who has allowed cocaine dealer Sally LaPone to escape from his custody during extradition from Los Angeles. While Hunter and Molinas scour the city in search of LaPone, McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) goes undercover as a singer at a night spot owned by drug kingpin Vic Terranova (Dennis Farina). Little does anyone suspect that Molinas himself is in cahoots with Terranova--and he has no intention of bringing LaPone back alive. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The A-Team goes on a fishing trip, partly for recreation, partly to hide out from the minions of their relentless pursuer Col. Decker (Lance LeGault). Unfortunately, the vacation is interrupted by the arrival of four desperate bank robbers, who have taken ranger Roy Sherman (Ken Swofford) and his daughter Jenny (Kristen Meadows) hostage. The challenge facing the Team is to thwart the villains before Decker can catch up to them. This is the final episode of The A-Team's third season. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

After pulling off a million-dollar armored car heist, criminal mastermind Sonny Dunbar (Robert Davi) murders his partner, the better to grab a bigger piece of the prize. Unfortunately for Dunbar, the money is stuffed into the trunk of a car that has been stolen by a band of petty thieves. Determined to retrieve the money and kill anyone who tries to stop him, the shotgun-wielding Dunbar cuts quite a bloody swath through Los Angeles--and this time even the formidable Sgt. Rick Hunter (Fred Dryer) may have met his match! Watch for Robert Englund of "Freddy Krueger" fame as a secondary villain. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Assigned custody of a squirrely pickpocket (Paul Eiding), Rick Hunter (Fred Dryer) and DeeDee McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) are forced to temporarily stash their prisoner in a small town jail presided over by Sheriff Jake Cutter (Bo Svenson). Neither detective had counted upon the presence of a duplicitous deputy who manages to frame the pickpocket for a murder that the deputy himself has committed--and taking another life in the process. As a result, Rick, Dee Dee, and a terrified waitress caught up in the intrigue may never get out of town alive. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Hunter launches its seven-season run with the series' two-hour pilot, starring former football proFred Dryer as Rick Hunter, a mobster's son who has grown up to become a thoroughly incorruptible LAPD detective sergeant. Hunter's "Dirty Harry" tactics and his flagrant flouting of the rules have earned him thousands of loyal supporters and an equal number of bitter enemies--the latter on both sides of the law. Though the higher-ups would prefer that Hunter pack up his bottomless arsenal of weaponry and his pithy "Make my day"-style catchphrases (notably "Works for me") and leave town, he is obviously the one man capable of trapping an elusive murderer who is holding the city in thrall. Teaming up with Hunter for the first time in this episode is his friendly enemy, Sgt. Dee Dee McCall (Stepfanie Kramer), better known as "the brass cupcake." Michael Cavanaugh appears as Captain Lester Cain, a role taken over in subsequent episodes by Arthur Rosenberg. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Inspired by the popular Clint Eastwood Dirty Harry movies, the weekly, hour-long NBC cop drama Hunter starred former NFL star Fred Dryer as the Eastwoodesque title character, LAPD detective sergeant Rick Hunter. Originally operating out of the Homicide department, Hunter spent the series' first season patrolling the mean streets of Los Angeles' less savory districts, partnered with the equally no-nonsense lady cop Dee Dee McCall (Stepfanie Kramer), aka "the Brass Cupcake." Using a Magnum revolver that he called Simon--as in "Simon says 'Freeze'!"--Hunter gave no mercy or quarter to the various thugs, pimps, pushers and lowlifes with whom he came in contact. And like Dirty Harry, our hero was given to pithy catchphrases, notably the oft-repeated "Works for me." Introduced with a two-hour TV movie on September 18, 1984, Hunter languished near the bottom of the ratings during its first season due to the stiff competition of CBS's Dallas. Things improved significantly when Roy Huggins took over as executive producer at the beginning of Season Two, primarily due to a softening of the previously grim and intractible characters of Hunter and Dee Dee, and the decision to move them to a more upscale section of LA to provide them with a wider variety of antagonists. Also, Hunter's unsavory past as the son of a mobster--and his checkered present with a slew of crooked relatives and former acquaintances--faded into the background and eventually disappeared altogether. During the first two seasons, Hunter went through several superior officers, each one of whom despised him and sought out any excuse to divest him of his badge. Finally in Season Three, the producers settled on Charles Hallahan as Charles Devane, who remained with the series for the remainder of its run. Though not much more fond of Hunter than his predecessors, Devane was at least willing to cut his most contentious cop a little slack due to the results he'd gotten with his strongarm methods. At the end of Season Six, Dee Dee McCall left the department to get married. The following season, both Hunter and Devane were moved out of Homicide and into the department's elite Metro Division, focusing on cases that warranted extra-special attention. Hunter's new partner was Officer Joanne Molinski (Darlanne Fluegel) who unfortunately was killed halfway through the season. In the series' final months on NBC, Hunter developed a romantic relationship with Sgt. Chris Novak (Lauren Lane), a former girlfriend and presently the single mom of a cute little girl named Allison (Courtney Barella). Ending its network run on August 30, 1991, Hunter was briefly revived four years later in the form of a TV movie, The Return of Hunter: Everyone Walks in L.A., then again in 2002 with another feature length episode, Hunter: Return to Justice. This last project led to a brief weekly revival of the property, reuniting Fred Dryer and Stepfanie Kramer, which ran from April 12 through May 10, 2003 on NBC. Created by Frank Lupo, Hunter was a Stephen J. Cannell pro ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Tipped off by a friend of B.A. (Mr. T), the A-Team targets a "chop shop" run by a gang of elusive car thieves. To bring the villains out in the open, the Team offers Face's beloved Corvette as bait--but it is B.A.'s van which is stolen. Played almost exclusively for laughs, this episode boasts a number of highlights, ranging from Face's impersonation of a used-car dealer to a last-minute ride to the rescue in a hearse! Future NYPD Blue star Dennis Franz appears as the ironically named Sam Friendly. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi