AIRWOLF Episode Guide Season 1 – Episode 02

DADDY’S GONE A HUNT’N — EPISODE DESCRIPTION & OVERVIEW

When Archangel asks for Hawke and Dom's help to stop a suspected US military traitor from handing a new, advanced USAF jet over to the Russian KGB, they become embroiled in a complicated plot to both help the test pilot (who turns out to be Hawke's old friend from Vietnam) Major Sam Roper, rescue his Amerasian son, Ho Mihn/Stringfellow from the clutches of the KGB without Roper being killed (or being shot by a US firing squad for treason) and especially to make sure the jet stays in the hands of its rightful owners, the US Air Force.

The plot thickens further when Hawke realises Roper's wife is his former Vietnamese lover, Nhi Huong, and suspects that Roper's son could actually be his. Hawke creates a daring and cunning plan to secretly fly Airwolf into Russia for the first time whilst avoiding US radar, outfox the KGB, and retrieve the boy safely.

MJC EPISODE REVIEW OF DADDY'S GONE A HUNT'N

The first proper episode of the series, written by Burton Armus, does a great job of establishing the scope of the show with the main characters' on-going development after the ‘Pilot’ episode. It's the main cast's performance that shine in this one with JMV especially putting in a dark & moody, reluctant hero performance as Hawke. Plenty of aerial action too which will keep the visual fans happy and Burt Armus instilled loads of black humour and banter between Dom and Archangel. Don't forget your pine-scented detergent folks!

Even though it's the first proper episode of the series and trying to find the show's feet, it is a remarkable episode. Just like the ‘Pilot’ episode, it has a dark and intense script and JMV was on marvelous, moody form in these early scripts. It´s also interesting to see how Hawke and Dom react to piloting Airwolf on its first big mission, especially with Dom still trying to come to terms with being in control of all those kn...kn...kn... knobs and buttons.

The aerial action is just fabulous including some in-cockpit footage from the privately-owned, prototype Skyfox jet (Registration N221SF). The production team also got access to a Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star for static shots on the ground. NOTE: the 4 jets being ferried to Alaska are in reality just the one Skyfox jet from multiple angles and re-cut to make it look like the production team had access to more than one. It was convincingly done though.

When you watch quality Season 1 episodes like this, it makes you kind of sad that in later episodes (particularly in Season 3) Hawke and Dom battled run-of-the-mill, US-centric bad guys and situations that Street Hawk or K.I.T.T. could have dealt with before breakfast. This is possibly the darkest script of Airwolf's 1st Season.

"Who's got anything nice to say about Stringfellow Hawke?"

"Well he's pretty."

"And he's quiet."

"Well I guess that's means he's pretty quiet!"

‘DADDY’S GONE A HUNT’N’ EPISODE’s AIRWOLF THEME MUSIC REVIEWED

A super mix of pure, old-skool analogue synth plus the big orchestral during the final aerial establish the Season 1 feel and direction for the show. The Opening Titles are rather unique as they feature a non-sequenced bass line (you can hear the twang of the electric bass guitar). Sly's keyboard guys also employed some outrageously big, atmospheric pads, including a lovely sequence where Hawke and Dom are driving through the 'Valley of the Gods' (Monument Valley) in the winter time culminating in a spectacular, aerial long-shot ("flopped" in reality) of the Santini Air jeep in the vastness of Monument Valley just before they arrive at the Lair [The Lair where the guys kept the Airwolf helicopter was made up from two different formations in MV and edited (with matte paintings to sell it further from 'SWEET BRITCHES' onwards) but the main Airwolf Lair that you see the Santini Air Jeep from Airwolf drive into during Season 1 is called Hidden Arch in reality at the back of Monument Valley. Also much smaller than you think.]

The rousing synth orchestral aerial at the finalé with the dejected KGB section head, Carl Zimmer standing forlorning with all the destruction around him leads for some very satisfying viewing. We also get the first outing for the "jumping" 4/4 bass version of the Closing Theme playing along with all the B-roll footage at the end. This didn't have the signature "ostinato" bass indicative of the later generic theme and was the basis for Ian Freebairn's Smith's foot-stomping aerial versions in SWEET BRITCHES and FIRESTORM to open Season 2.