T. and T.
T. and T. is a Canadian television series, in production from 1987 to 1990. The series premiered in first-run syndication in January 1988, later moving to new episodes on the Family Channel in 1990. It was a starring vehicle for Mr. T, after the cancellation of The A-Team in 1987. The show was co-produced by Canadian animation firm Nelvana (in one of their few live-action productions), alongside Hal Roach Studios and successor Qintex Entertainment.
T. and T. | |
---|---|
Starring | Mr. T Alex Amini Kristina Nicoll David Nerman Ken James Catherine Disher Jackie Richardson Rachael Crawford Sean Roberge David Hemblen |
Country of origin | Canada |
No. of seasons | 3 |
No. of episodes | 65 |
Production | |
Running time | 25 minutes |
Production companies | Nelvana Hal Roach Studios (1988) (season 1) Qintex Entertainment (1988-1990) (seasons 2-3) |
Distributor | Hal Roach Studios (1988) (season 1) Qintex Entertainment (1988-1990) (seasons 2-3) |
Release | |
Original network | Syndication (1988-1989) The Family Channel (1990) Global |
Original release | January 11, 1988 – May 26, 1990 |
The series’ theme song was performed by Merry Clayton.
The opening voice-over set-up the premise:
T.S. Turner was a city-smart kid fighting his way off the street, until he was framed for a crime he didn’t commit. Amy Taler was a young crusading lawyer. She mounted an appeal to put Turner back on the street, this time in a suit and tie, working as a private detective. Together they are—T. and T.
Cast and characters
The regular cast included Mr. T himself along with Alex Amini as Amanda “Amy” Taler, Kristina Nicoll as Terri Taler (who replaced her sister as Turner's new partner in 1990), and David Nerman as Danforth "Dick" Decker, the owner of the gym where T.S. boxed and, eventually, set his own headquarters. Also appearing early on were Taler's secretary Sophie (Catherine Disher); Det. Jones (Ken James), who sometimes worked alongside Turner and Taler; and in season two, teenage orphan Joe Casper (Sean Roberge), who lived with Decker.
For the first two seasons, Turner lived with his Aunt Martha (Jackie Richardson) and teenage cousin Renee (Rachael Crawford), upon getting out of jail and cleaning up his life. In the third season, a new detective, Dick Hargrove (David Hemblen) assisted the team.
Season-by-season overview
The first season had more action-based stories. Originally, when T.S. was on the hunt for the bad guys, a stylized routine would take place where he would retire to his locker room, change out of his pinstripe suits and don a leather street jacket before going into action. At the start of the second season, this routine was dispensed with, as plotlines started centering on social and environmental issues that T.S. and Amy began taking on in their work. Season three saw a return to action-based stories.
Availability
All three seasons of T. and T. are available for purchase on Amazon.[1]
Episodes of the series are currently being uploaded on Nelvana's official Youtube channel Retro Rerun. [2]
Episode list
Season 1: 1988
- "Extortion in Chinatown" (story by Patrick Loubert, teleplay by Guy Mullally, directed by Doug Williams, airdate: 1988.01.11): Series pilot. The duo come to the aid of a Vietnamese grocer being targeted by Chinese extortionists.
- "Mug Shot" (story by Patrick Loubert, teleplay by Lyle Slack, directed by George Mihalka, airdate: 1988.01.18) Kate Richardson is a freelance photographer who accidentally becomes mixed up in a criminal conspiracy involving the murder of a union boss three weeks earlier. Meanwhile, rock musician Adam Dalton, Mark Holmes, becomes infatuated with Amanda.
- "Setting the Score" (story and teleplay by Guy Mullally, directed by Allan Goldstein, airdate: 1988.01.25): T.S.’s past comes back when the man who sent him to prison resurfaces as an up-and-coming boxer is accused of taking a dive.
- "Stow Away" (story by Patrick Loubert and Laurel L. Russwurm, teleplay by Stephen W. Dewar and John Gault, directed by Allan Kroeker, airdate: 1988.02.01)
- "The Drop" (story by Patrick Loubert, teleplay by Stephen W. Dewar and John Gault, directed by Allan Goldstein, airdate: 1988.02.08)
- "Something in the Air" (story and teleplay by Guy Mullally, directed by Allan Kroeker, airdate: 1988.02.15)
- "The Silver Angel" (story by Patrick Loubert and Alex Boon, teleplay by Alan Zweig, directed by George Mihalka, airdate: 1988.02.22): An elderly man in a silver suit pulls a Robin Hood when he begins stealing from a local grocery store run by a snobbish yuppie. Meanwhile, the Fat Boys, one of whom is T.S.’s nephew, drop by the gym to lose some weight.
- "And Baby Makes Nine" (story by Patrick Loubert, teleplay by Elia Katz, directed by Don McCutcheon, airdate: 1988.02.29)
- "On Ice" (story by Patrick Loubert and Guy Mullally, teleplay by David Finley, directed by F. Harvey Frost, airdate: 1988.03.07)
- "The Latest Development" (story by Patrick Loubert, teleplay by David Finley, directed by Alan Simmonds, airdate: 1988.03.14)
- "Junkyard Blues" (story by Patrick Loubert, teleplay by Guy Mullally, directed by Don McCutcheon, airdate: 1988.03.21)
- "Killing Time" (written by Elia Katz and Maya Lebenzon, directed by Don Shebib, airdate: 1988.03.28)
- "Sweet Tooth" (story by Patrick Loubert and Renata Bright, teleplay by Renata Bright, directed by Don McCutcheon, airdate: 1988.04.04): T.S. is the only one to suspect the true motives of a seemingly reformed ex-con.
- "Playing with Fire" (story by Laurel L. Russwurm and Guy Mullally, teleplay by Laurel L. Russwurm, directed by Rob Malenfant, airdate: 1988.04.11): A teenage flute player (Susannah Hoffman) is accused of arson.
- "Sophie a La Modem" (story by Patrick Loubert, Guy Mullally, and John A. Connor; teleplay by John A. Connor, directed by Don McCutcheon, airdate: 1988.04.18)
- "Black and White" (written by Guy Mullally and Elia Katz, directed by Don Shebib, airdate: 1988.04.25)
- "The Game" (story by Patrick Loubert, teleplay by J.D. Smith, directed by F. Harvey Frost, airdate: 1988.05.02)
- "A Victim of Fashion" (story by Elia Katz, teleplay by Guy Mullally, directed by Don McCutcheon, airdate: 1988.05.09)
- "Special Delivery" (story by Patrick Loubert, teleplay by David Finley, directed by Stan Olsen, airdate: 1988.05.16)
- "Pros and Cons" (story by Patrick Loubert, teleplay by Guy Mullally, directed by Don McCutcheon, airdate: 1988.05.23)
- "Private Eyes" (airdate: 1988.05.30)
- "Mickey's Choice" (airdate: 1988.06.06)
- "Working It Out" (airdate: 1988.06.13)
- "Now You See It" (airdate: 1988.06.20)
Season 2: 1988–89
- "Straight Line: Part 1" — 1988.10.24
- "Straight Line: Part 2" — 1988.10.24
- "Straight Line: Part 3" — 1988.10.24
- "Straight Line: Part 4" — 1988.10.24
- "The Whole Truth" — 1988.10.31
- "A Secret No More" — 1988.11.07
- "Fast Friends" — 1988.11.14
- "Every Picture..." — 1988.11.21
- "Hostage" — 1988.11.28
- "Conspiracy" — 1988.12.05
- "Hard Way Home" — 1989.01.23
- "Wendell's Story" — 1989.01.30
- "Hunted" — 1989.02.06
- "The Contender" — 1989.02.13
- "Jump Start" — 1989.02.20
- "Substitute Teacher" — 1989.02.27
- "T.S. Turner for the Defense" — 1989.05.01
- "Thicker Than Water" — 1989.05.08
- "Family Honor" — 1989.05.15
- "A Natural Death" — 1989.05.22
Season 3: 1990
- "Cracked" — 1990.01.06
- "Hargrove's Call" — 1990.01.13
- "Halfway to Nowhere" — 1990.01.20
- "Cry Wolf" (air date: 1990.01.27): A film student tries to prove she caught a crime on camera.
- "Decker's Ex" — 1990.02.03
- "Take My Life, Please" — 1990.02.10
- "A Lesson in Values" — 1990.02.17
- "The Mysterious Mauler" — 1990.02.24
- "Movie Madness" — 1990.03.03
- "Silent Witness" (air date: 1990.03.10): Turner is charged with protecting a deaf boy who is a witness to a robbery.
- "A Place in History" — 1990.03.17
- "Terri's Flame, Thief of Heart" — 1990.03.24
- "The Curse" — 1990.03.31
- "Mr. Big" — 1990.04.07
- "Butler Duet" — 1990.04.14
- "TV Turner" — 1990.04.21
- "Nightmare" — 1990.04.28
- "Suspect" — 1990.05.05
- "Turner's Tale" — 1990.05.12
- "Wild Willy and the Waves" — 1990.05.19
- "The Little Prince" — 1990.05.26