AIRWOLF Episode Guide - Season 1

Season 1 of 'Airwolf' was one of the finest seasons of television of the 1980s. With huge production values, great budget, a dark, adult tone, coupled with Right-wing international politics in the Cold War era, the East vs West tensions were still high (they are again), the Airwolf TV series was created by CBS in anticipation of a monster-hit helicopter TV show on ABC called 'Blue Thunder' (created to piggy-back the success of the 1983 movie of the same name).

Premiering in January 1984, just after the Super Bowl that year, the show hits its stride in its inaugural year with a mix of espionage, intrigue, plus the theatrical movie quality action adventure visuals not scene before with 'big boys toys' hardware on this this scale.

Created by show-runner, Don Bellisario (who had, at that time a major hit with 'Magnum P.I', and later 5 seasons of 'Quantum Leap', the immensely successful 10 seasons of 'J.A.G.' and finally its double spin-off hit, 'N.C.I.S.'; Airwolf was Bellisario's fourth chance to play with great hardware (originally starting alongside Stephen J. Cannell on 'Baa Baa Black Sheep'/'Black Sheep Squadron' in the 1970s, and then collaborating with Glen A. Larson on 'Tales of the Gold Monkey' and of course the mega successful 'Magnum P.I.', but with such a huge interest in aviation, it was a natural progression for Bellisario into the high-flying world of loner ex-Nam helicopter pilot, 'Stringfellow Hawke' (played brilliantly initially by Jan-Michael Vincent) and aided by Oscar-winning movie actor, Ernest Borgnine as his older, on-screen pal and mentor, 'Dominic Santini', alongside other regulars Alex Cord, playing the head of the weapons & field-testing division of the CIA (aka 'The Firm') as the white-suited & booted 'Archangel', plus his regular aide 'Marella' [amongst others] played to perfection by Bellisario's [then] later wife, Deborah Pratt. These four characters were the main players in this high-regarded, fan-favourite, first season of the televion series.