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Airwolf Season Two DVD boxset
01/06/2007 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
region 2 DVD. pub: Universal Playback DVD 824-715 3-11. 1015 minutes 22 episodes and no extras. Price: £ 23.98 (UK) if you know where to look). stars: Jan-Michael Vincent, Ernest Borgnine, Jean Scott Bruce and Alex Cord. Buy Airwolf Season Two in the USA - or Buy Airwolf Season Two in the UK  check out website: www.universal-playback.com
Rather interestingly, season two of 'Airwolf' was actually given some publicity compared to season one in the media mags. For those who might not know, Airwolf is a mach one helicopter kept by the pilot, Stringfellow Hawke (actor Jan-Michael Vincent), who stole it back from its inventor and keeping it until his missing in action brother, St.John, is located. He's aided by his family friend, Dominic Santini (actor Ernest Borgnine).
Michael Coldsmith Briggs III aka Archangel (actor Alex Cord) of the Firm finds this rather useful since there are jobs it can do which officially aren't accountable back to him and so exists an odd relationship. Presumably, off-screen we miss seeing Airwolf getting replacement armaments and fuel as part of this arrangement.
Into this mix this season we are introduced to Caitlin O'Shaughnessy (actress Jean Bruce Scott), a soon to be former police helicopter pilot, intrigued by the chopper that rescued her and then occasional worker for Santini Air. Bringing her on-board was probably done to balance out the otherwise mostly male grouping.
Whether she was brought on to be a love interest for Hawke or not ultimately got quickly ignored and was more just close friends. Alex Cord's number of appearances were diminished but then again, Scott's appearances were also limited. With the insight of today, one would have to say that was all probably contractual but at the time, it made for a better requirement than having to shoehorn everyone into each episode.
I defy anyone to watch the opening credits of 'Airwolf' and not to get a heart flutter when the lady rises up out of the canyon with its distinctive hum facing you with exposed armaments. Back in the mid-80s, it was also one of the last truly physical effects TV series with no compromises in its actions. It was also an extremely expensive series to film which ultimately brought its cancellation. People back then watched it for Airwolf and you certainly see enough of the lady on screen. It was good fortune that it had some decent scripts as well.
With the CIA...excuse me, the Firm, no longer officially actively looking for Airwolf, the adventures covered a whole range of activities including one attempt in locating St.John Hawke and giving some insight in his brother's past. A lot of the time the lady was brought in to resolve issues where other flying craft were involved and ultimately blowing them out of the sky if you didn't surrender.
'Course, these foes not knowing Airwold's abilities or were simply too arrogant to back down didn't last to the end of the episode. Airwolf's chassis might be bullet-proof but it received damage now and again so it wasn't deemed totally indestructable. It also needed some rather heavy maintenance to keep going, including a software overhaul when inventor Moffitt's hidden computer programme took over. Not sure if the initial solution for that would have been accepted today although the final one or re-implementing with fresh software showed someone was thinking back then.
If you want an action-packed series to relive some of your formative years or even to keep your generation of kids interested then this is a good series to watch.
GF Willmetts
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