Familiar faces make up a fun cast in a so-so, generic drug-smuggling plot in this episode of "Airwolf" where String and Caitlin (and the Airwolf itself) factor very little until the conclusion. However, that ending, which includes an oil refinery/rig explosion and ensuing fire, is very exciting. Santini goes to visit an old friend from Korea, Cecil Carnes, Sr. (Ken Curtis; Festus of "Gunsmoke" fame) and Cecil's son, Cecil, Jr. (Ken Olandt; "April Fool's Day", "Leprechaun", & "Summer School"), both of whom work in Texas drilling oil. The father and son are estranged due to the loss of their wife/mother when a drunk ran a red light, causing them to crash. Even worse, two of Senior's oil men, Nobel (Lance LeGault, last seen as a different character early in the second season in a far better role as a crooked sheriff, hiding his eyes always under shades, wearing a cowboy hat) and Moose (Tony Burton; "Rocky" series) are running drugs for the likes of Tracey Walter ("Conan the Destroyer"; "Repo Man"; "Midnight Run") and Ismael Carlo (all over television in the 80s in numerous bit and supporting parts). Gregory Sierra (the mechanic Frank, working on the Airwolf; many will know him from the first season of "Miami Vice") also has a small part in the cast. So the episode is loaded with recognizable actors, but unfortunately the plot is very basic and going-through-the-motions. Really neat use of Airwolf to fire upon the dirt near the ongoing fire (the explosion because of a bomb set by LeGault to cause a distraction so he and Burton could get away with payment for their "nose candy") as the oil rig burns hot to form a trench that would give the oil workers help trying to stop the flames from spreading. But the Airwolf's pursuit of LeGault and Burton in a chopper as they head for the border is very much standard chopper chase fare, par for the course and nothing much that hasn't already been seen many times before in the first two (and most of the this) seasons. The way the Airwolf whips around and its stunts in the air are always cool and get my kid inside applauding, but the chopper opposite the supercopter is no match whatsoever and easily dispatched. LeGault got a lot more meat on the bone previously when Caitlin was introduced in the second season. A good portion of the episode given attention is the father and son dynamics, suffering from ill will, bickering, hard feelings, and lack of real communication, as Santini arrives rightin the middle of a bad spell between them. Santini, though, does get through to them, but not before he must yell his head off at them, barking mad for their inability to get along and stop picking at each other. Ken Curtis is a welcome presence, even if he's ornery, stubborn, bull-headed, and often just too harsh towards his son. Olandt gets the frustration down really well, conveying the understanding that he's a disappointment, recognizing that his dope dealing and college failures have caused further strain in his relationship with his father. This melodrama might actually work for some viewers: I thought it was handled as well as to be expected, mainly because the cast tries hard. While String and Caitlin seem to be second fiddle (nothing wrong with that, sometimes, as it does allow Borgnine to get some serious time), they factor a little bit when they are present to see how frazzled the Cecil men are, witness to the ongoing disintegration.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
