H. M. Murdock
Encyclopedia
Captain H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock is a fictional character in the 1980s action
/adventure
television series, The A-Team
. He was played by Dwight Schultz
. The character of Murdock was almost written out of the series before it aired, as the producers found the character too "over the top". The popularity of the character among the test audience however convinced the producers to keep the part of Murdock. Murdock appeared on The A-Team from the series beginning in 1983 until its cancellation in 1987. South African actor Sharlto Copley
played the character in the 2010 film, whilst Schultz appeared in a small cameo as his neurologist.
who were wrongly convicted of a crime during the Vietnam War
. Managing to escape from the military prison where they were incarcerated, they fled to Los Angeles
, where, as fugitives, the A-Team work as soldiers of fortune
, using their military training to fight oppression or injustice. Murdock, along with Hannibal Smith, B. A. Baracus
, and Templeton "Faceman" Peck make up the A-Team. Although Murdock was not convicted of any crime, as the other three were, he is still a full-fledged member of the team.
Considered the best chopper
pilot of the Vietnam War, Murdock is officially declared insane (possibly caused by post-traumatic stress disorder
) when the other three are imprisoned for robbing the Bank of Hanoi. Although he was alleged to be the A-Team's pilot during the robbery, he is instead committed to a psychiatric hospital. It is sometimes unclear if Murdock is truly insane or only exceptionally good at pretending he is (or a combination of the two). He is stated as having paranoid delusions
and intermittent memory loss
. It is suggested one has to be insane just to do the stunts he does in his helicopter.
Murdock is committed to a Veterans Administration (VA)
Psychiatric Hospital
, although he routinely escapes (generally with the help of Face) to accompany the A-Team on their missions. The symptoms of his "insanity" vary from episode to episode, but include self-identification with fictional characters, hallucination
s, and belief in the "intelligence" of inanimate objects, among others. He is the most childish of the A-Team as shown that he often plays video games in his room and likes watching cartoons like Woody Woodpecker
or Looney Tunes
and sometimes will even repeat a Looney Tunes' character's catchphrase like Porky Pig's "th-th-th-that's all folks". He often "channels" a certain character for the duration of a mission (much to the chagrin of B.A.) or becomes fixated on a particular subject to the point of obsession. He also frequently refers to his invisible dog, "Billy". B.A., uneasy with Murdock's unusual behavior, is easily annoyed by Murdock and regularly refers to him as a "crazy fool".
Murdock is almost always seen in a ball cap
, a customized A-2 leather flight jacket
with a picture of a tiger
and the words "Da Nang 1970" on the back, a pair of khaki pants, and a pair of black Converse sneakers. He also often wears a t-shirt
with a comical caption or a picture of cartoon characters like The Jetsons
on it. Schultz said in a later interview that he was the one who devised the captions on the shirts, saying it was his "one constant contribution to the show." Although he was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, he is easily capable of flying anything with rotors or wings, including passenger planes
, fighter jets
, and even autogyro
s. It is mentioned in the pilot episode that Murdock flew with the elite United States Air Force Thunderbirds (by the mental institution's doctor to Col Lynch just before he questions Murdock about the A-Team). In the episode "Bounty" (Season 3) it is revealed that Murdock served two tours in Vietnam, has three unit citations and a Silver Star, and was wounded twice. Interestingly, unlike B.A., the initials H.M. were never explained in terms of what Murdock's actual first and middle name were, and the nickname "Howlin' Mad" were simply attributed to them (although it is rumored that his name comes from World War II Marine Corps
General Holland M. Smith
, aka "Howlin' Mad", a nickname given by his troops). Not even his driver's license reveals what "H.M" stands for.
It was revealed in the first season that Murdock and B.A. share the same blood type
—AB negative, the rarest type. In the episode "Black Day at Bad Rock", B.A. receives a transfusion from Murdock, who was sprung from the hospital for just that, despite B.A.'s protests (fearing that Murdock's blood will make him "crazy"). This was again referenced in the second season finale "Curtain Call" when Murdock is shot and B.A. wants to donate his own blood to save him. This episode also has several touching moments between the two, as B.A. spends most of the episode caring for and comforting Murdock and showing that, for all their bickering, he and Murdock are actually very good friends.
Due to his nature, many of the details of Murdock's life are unknown, or possibly embellished. According to Amy in the pilot episode, Murdock's mother died when he was five (although they "still keep in touch"). If he is to be believed, he was raised (or at least influenced) by his grandmother (who is supposedly named "H. Emma Murdock") and his grandfather. In one episode in the third season, B.A. says that Murdock went insane after his plane crashed. The exact state of his insanity is never made clear, though he occasionally implies that his insanity is his ticket to his "room and board". Despite his purported mental status, Murdock is a thoroughly competent member of the team, when needed to be. Indeed, because he is not actually wanted by the military, Murdock is often the only team member to evade capture by a given episode's antagonists (or the military police), and he has single-handedly rescued the other team members several times. On the other hand, his visibility and location as a mental patient make Murdock an easy target, and he is kidnapped twice from the hospital. The first time, in the episode "Bounty", Murdock was taken by bounty hunters who wanted to capture the rest of the team. In the episode "Wheel of Fortune" Murdock was drugged and taken by thieves who wanted to use his expertise as a pilot to hit an armored car with a Russian helicopter.
Murdock actually has extensive knowledge of various subjects and keeps up on current events, showing a genius level aptitude. He speaks several languages including Spanish, German, Vietnamese, Japanese, Russian (not too well though) and Mandarin Chinese. In the second season episode "The Maltese Cow", Murdock says, "What can I say? One day I had a gonzo headache and before it went away I could read and speak Chinese. And it was a bad afternoon, too, lemme tell you." He also seems capable of a photographic memory. He is also a talented actor and often accompanies Face on his scams. He is capable of impersonating the voices of famous individuals and mimicking many different foreign accents. It is also revealed in the Season 4 episode "Wheel of Fortune", that Murdock has worked for the Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA) on at least two occasions, once in 1969 and once in 1972. The exact extent of Murdock's missions with the CIA are not revealed.
Murdock, as a Captain, has the second highest military rank in the Team. In the Team nevertheless Face looks to be the second in command, but in the 4th episode of the second season ("Bad Time on the Border") where Hannibal Smith is taken prisoner, it is Murdock who makes the plan for the rescue and the rest of the Team follow him as leader. In the episode "The Road to Hope", the rest of the team is captured by a cell of domestic terrorists and Murdock organizes a group of homeless veterans to rescue them.
One particular insight into Murdock's unique world view comes during the season five episode "Trial By Fire". Murdock is asked to take the stand at the A-Team's murder trial and give testimony about his helicopter flight following the Hanoi bank mission. The testimony takes the form of a surreal flashback from Murdock's perspective in which Murdock himself (wearing a grey wig and Biggles
-style flight jacket) and his female co-pilot come under attack from The Spanish Armada
, a sea serpent
, and a tribe of Native Americans
mounted on horseback, while Murdock spouts melodramatic dialogue. His mental acumen, however had generally improved by the fifth season to the point that he agonized whether to tell team member Face that their current client A.J. Bancroft was in fact Face's real father, and that Bancroft's daughter was his half-sister.
Murdock was permanently discharged from the mental institution in the fifth season, supposedly having regained his sanity, which is consistent with the fact he possibly pretended to be insane as a cover. Following this event, instead of a different mental fixation every episode, Murdock took a different menial job each week, including stints working as a dog walker and a waiter
.
film keeps many of Murdock's traits and characteristics intact, including his amazing piloting abilities, surprising knowledge of many topics, acting ability and fluency in other languages (in this case, Swahili) and accents (such as English, Scottish, Australian and South-African). Like his TV counterpart, the film Murdock also leaves open the possibility that he's simply pretending to be insane. However, he does mention he "feels sane" after a blow to the head before the end of the movie. Murdock's fixation on pop culture characters is also kept intact, specifically in one scene where he re-enacts Mel Gibson's
portrayal of William Wallace
in the movie Braveheart
. In the early part of the film, Murdock himself is shown to be the reason B.A. is afraid to fly, as Murdock's stunt-flying the first time they flew together almost caused him to fall out of their helicopter. He implies that he has an Army Ranger tattoo like B.A., Hannibal, and Face. In a post-credits scene
, Murdock is shown receiving electro-shock therapy, while two doctors look on. One of them (Schultz) comments on Murdock's mindstate, saying, "This guy Murdock is nuts."
Action genre
The word action has more than one meaning in fiction. Action is one of the fiction-writing modes authors use to present fiction. The term is also used to describe an exiting event or circumstance.-Action as a fiction-writing mode:...
/adventure
Adventure
An adventure is defined as an exciting or unusual experience; it may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome. The term is often used to refer to activities with some potential for physical danger, such as skydiving, mountain climbing and or participating in extreme sports...
television series, The A-Team
The A-Team
The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by...
. He was played by Dwight Schultz
Dwight Schultz
William Dwight Schultz is an American stage, television, film actor, and voice artist. He is best known for his roles as Captain "Howling Mad" Murdock on the 1980s action show The A-Team, and as Reginald Barclay in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, and the film Star Trek: First...
. The character of Murdock was almost written out of the series before it aired, as the producers found the character too "over the top". The popularity of the character among the test audience however convinced the producers to keep the part of Murdock. Murdock appeared on The A-Team from the series beginning in 1983 until its cancellation in 1987. South African actor Sharlto Copley
Sharlto Copley
Sharlto Copley is a South African producer, actor, and director who has produced and co-directed short films which have appeared at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as commercials and music videos...
played the character in the 2010 film, whilst Schultz appeared in a small cameo as his neurologist.
Character biography
The A-Team is a group of ex-United States Army Special ForcesUnited States Army Special Forces
The United States Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets because of their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force tasked with six primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, hostage rescue, and...
who were wrongly convicted of a crime during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Managing to escape from the military prison where they were incarcerated, they fled to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, where, as fugitives, the A-Team work as soldiers of fortune
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
, using their military training to fight oppression or injustice. Murdock, along with Hannibal Smith, B. A. Baracus
B. A. Baracus
Sergeant Bosco Albert "B. A." Baracus is a fictional character in the 1980s action/adventure television series The A-Team, played by Mr. T. B. A. Baracus appeared on The A-Team from the series beginning in 1983 until its cancellation in 1987. He is arguably the breakout character of the series...
, and Templeton "Faceman" Peck make up the A-Team. Although Murdock was not convicted of any crime, as the other three were, he is still a full-fledged member of the team.
Considered the best chopper
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
pilot of the Vietnam War, Murdock is officially declared insane (possibly caused by post-traumatic stress disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Posttraumaticstress disorder is a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to any event that results in psychological trauma. This event may involve the threat of death to oneself or to someone else, or to one's own or someone else's physical, sexual, or psychological integrity,...
) when the other three are imprisoned for robbing the Bank of Hanoi. Although he was alleged to be the A-Team's pilot during the robbery, he is instead committed to a psychiatric hospital. It is sometimes unclear if Murdock is truly insane or only exceptionally good at pretending he is (or a combination of the two). He is stated as having paranoid delusions
Paranoia
Paranoia [] is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself...
and intermittent memory loss
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
. It is suggested one has to be insane just to do the stunts he does in his helicopter.
Murdock is committed to a Veterans Administration (VA)
Veterans Health Administration
The Veterans Health Administration is the component of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs led by the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health that implements the medical assistance program of the VA through the administration and operation of numerous VA outpatient clinics,...
Psychiatric Hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
, although he routinely escapes (generally with the help of Face) to accompany the A-Team on their missions. The symptoms of his "insanity" vary from episode to episode, but include self-identification with fictional characters, hallucination
Hallucination
A hallucination, in the broadest sense of the word, is a perception in the absence of a stimulus. In a stricter sense, hallucinations are defined as perceptions in a conscious and awake state in the absence of external stimuli which have qualities of real perception, in that they are vivid,...
s, and belief in the "intelligence" of inanimate objects, among others. He is the most childish of the A-Team as shown that he often plays video games in his room and likes watching cartoons like Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker is an animated cartoon character, an anthropomorphic acorn woodpecker who appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio and distributed by Universal Pictures...
or Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
and sometimes will even repeat a Looney Tunes' character's catchphrase like Porky Pig's "th-th-th-that's all folks". He often "channels" a certain character for the duration of a mission (much to the chagrin of B.A.) or becomes fixated on a particular subject to the point of obsession. He also frequently refers to his invisible dog, "Billy". B.A., uneasy with Murdock's unusual behavior, is easily annoyed by Murdock and regularly refers to him as a "crazy fool".
Murdock is almost always seen in a ball cap
Baseball cap
A baseball cap is a type of soft cap with a rounded stiff brim. The front of the cap typically contains designs or logos of sports teams ,...
, a customized A-2 leather flight jacket
A-2 jacket
The Type A-2 leather flight jacket is a military flight jacket closely associated with World War II U.S. Army Air Forces pilots, navigators and bombardiers, who often decorated their jackets with squadron patches and elaborate artwork painted on the back...
with a picture of a tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
and the words "Da Nang 1970" on the back, a pair of khaki pants, and a pair of black Converse sneakers. He also often wears a t-shirt
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
with a comical caption or a picture of cartoon characters like The Jetsons
The Jetsons
The Jetsons is a animated American sitcom that was produced by Hanna-Barbera, originally airing in prime-time from 1962–1963 and again from 1985–1987...
on it. Schultz said in a later interview that he was the one who devised the captions on the shirts, saying it was his "one constant contribution to the show." Although he was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, he is easily capable of flying anything with rotors or wings, including passenger planes
Fixed-wing aircraft
A fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...
, fighter jets
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
, and even autogyro
Autogyro
An autogyro , also known as gyroplane, gyrocopter, or rotaplane, is a type of rotorcraft which uses an unpowered rotor in autorotation to develop lift, and an engine-powered propeller, similar to that of a fixed-wing aircraft, to provide thrust...
s. It is mentioned in the pilot episode that Murdock flew with the elite United States Air Force Thunderbirds (by the mental institution's doctor to Col Lynch just before he questions Murdock about the A-Team). In the episode "Bounty" (Season 3) it is revealed that Murdock served two tours in Vietnam, has three unit citations and a Silver Star, and was wounded twice. Interestingly, unlike B.A., the initials H.M. were never explained in terms of what Murdock's actual first and middle name were, and the nickname "Howlin' Mad" were simply attributed to them (although it is rumored that his name comes from World War II Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
General Holland M. Smith
Holland Smith
General Holland McTyeire "Howlin' Mad" Smith, KCB was a General in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. He is sometimes called the "father" of modern U.S. amphibious warfare....
, aka "Howlin' Mad", a nickname given by his troops). Not even his driver's license reveals what "H.M" stands for.
It was revealed in the first season that Murdock and B.A. share the same blood type
Blood type
A blood type is a classification of blood based on the presence or absence of inherited antigenic substances on the surface of red blood cells . These antigens may be proteins, carbohydrates, glycoproteins, or glycolipids, depending on the blood group system...
—AB negative, the rarest type. In the episode "Black Day at Bad Rock", B.A. receives a transfusion from Murdock, who was sprung from the hospital for just that, despite B.A.'s protests (fearing that Murdock's blood will make him "crazy"). This was again referenced in the second season finale "Curtain Call" when Murdock is shot and B.A. wants to donate his own blood to save him. This episode also has several touching moments between the two, as B.A. spends most of the episode caring for and comforting Murdock and showing that, for all their bickering, he and Murdock are actually very good friends.
Due to his nature, many of the details of Murdock's life are unknown, or possibly embellished. According to Amy in the pilot episode, Murdock's mother died when he was five (although they "still keep in touch"). If he is to be believed, he was raised (or at least influenced) by his grandmother (who is supposedly named "H. Emma Murdock") and his grandfather. In one episode in the third season, B.A. says that Murdock went insane after his plane crashed. The exact state of his insanity is never made clear, though he occasionally implies that his insanity is his ticket to his "room and board". Despite his purported mental status, Murdock is a thoroughly competent member of the team, when needed to be. Indeed, because he is not actually wanted by the military, Murdock is often the only team member to evade capture by a given episode's antagonists (or the military police), and he has single-handedly rescued the other team members several times. On the other hand, his visibility and location as a mental patient make Murdock an easy target, and he is kidnapped twice from the hospital. The first time, in the episode "Bounty", Murdock was taken by bounty hunters who wanted to capture the rest of the team. In the episode "Wheel of Fortune" Murdock was drugged and taken by thieves who wanted to use his expertise as a pilot to hit an armored car with a Russian helicopter.
Murdock actually has extensive knowledge of various subjects and keeps up on current events, showing a genius level aptitude. He speaks several languages including Spanish, German, Vietnamese, Japanese, Russian (not too well though) and Mandarin Chinese. In the second season episode "The Maltese Cow", Murdock says, "What can I say? One day I had a gonzo headache and before it went away I could read and speak Chinese. And it was a bad afternoon, too, lemme tell you." He also seems capable of a photographic memory. He is also a talented actor and often accompanies Face on his scams. He is capable of impersonating the voices of famous individuals and mimicking many different foreign accents. It is also revealed in the Season 4 episode "Wheel of Fortune", that Murdock has worked for the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
(CIA) on at least two occasions, once in 1969 and once in 1972. The exact extent of Murdock's missions with the CIA are not revealed.
Murdock, as a Captain, has the second highest military rank in the Team. In the Team nevertheless Face looks to be the second in command, but in the 4th episode of the second season ("Bad Time on the Border") where Hannibal Smith is taken prisoner, it is Murdock who makes the plan for the rescue and the rest of the Team follow him as leader. In the episode "The Road to Hope", the rest of the team is captured by a cell of domestic terrorists and Murdock organizes a group of homeless veterans to rescue them.
One particular insight into Murdock's unique world view comes during the season five episode "Trial By Fire". Murdock is asked to take the stand at the A-Team's murder trial and give testimony about his helicopter flight following the Hanoi bank mission. The testimony takes the form of a surreal flashback from Murdock's perspective in which Murdock himself (wearing a grey wig and Biggles
Biggles
"Biggles" , a pilot and adventurer, is the title character and main hero of the Biggles series of youth-oriented adventure books written by W. E. Johns....
-style flight jacket) and his female co-pilot come under attack from The Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
, a sea serpent
Sea serpent
A sea serpent or sea dragon is a type of sea monster either wholly or partly serpentine.Sightings of sea serpents have been reported for hundreds of years, and continue to be claimed today. Cryptozoologist Bruce Champagne identified more than 1,200 purported sea serpent sightings...
, and a tribe of Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
mounted on horseback, while Murdock spouts melodramatic dialogue. His mental acumen, however had generally improved by the fifth season to the point that he agonized whether to tell team member Face that their current client A.J. Bancroft was in fact Face's real father, and that Bancroft's daughter was his half-sister.
Murdock was permanently discharged from the mental institution in the fifth season, supposedly having regained his sanity, which is consistent with the fact he possibly pretended to be insane as a cover. Following this event, instead of a different mental fixation every episode, Murdock took a different menial job each week, including stints working as a dog walker and a waiter
Waiter
Waiting staff, wait staff, or waitstaff are those who work at a restaurant or a bar attending customers — supplying them with food and drink as requested. Traditionally, a male waiting tables is called a "waiter" and a female a "waitress" with the gender-neutral version being a "server"...
.
Romantic relationships
- Doctor Kelly Stevens (as played by Wendy FultonWendy FultonWendy Fulton is a former American television actress.-Career:Fulton's television credits include guest appearances on Knight Rider, Jake and the Fatman, Diff'rent Strokes, The A-Team, V and Matlock. She was one of stars of North and South, Book 1 miniseries...
, Dwight's actual wife) ("Bounty", season 3 episode 22) - A veterinarian that Murdock falls in love with while on the run from a group of bounty hunters who mean to use him as bait against the A-Team. Over the course of the episode they flirt, and Murdock shows his interest numerous times, an interest that she returns. She is not seen again, but she is notable for the fact that she is the only woman to visit Murdock at the V.A. hospital.
- Jody Klineman, aka Jody Joy, played by Lydia CornellLydia CornellLydia Cornell is an American actress, writer, novelist, comedienne, blogger, and talk-radio host.-Early life and acting career:...
. ("Wheel of Fortune", season 4 episode 13) picks up Murdock hitchhiking after he escapes from a group of men intent on robbing a Las Vegas casino. She recognizes him from the Wheel of Fortune and becomes excited that she has met someone "famous". She helps Murdock hide and run from the robbers only to be caught and held hostage along with Murdock. She flirts with him throughout the episode, finally kissing him once B.A. and Face arrive to rescue them. Murdock takes her on the trip to Hawaii that he won on Wheel of Fortune.
- Erica. (Mentioned in "Family Reunion", season 5 episode 8. Seen in "The Grey Team", season 5 episode 12)- A young lady who moves into the same apartment building as him. They met at the mail boxes and instantly hit it off. In "The Grey Team" she's seen working with him at the beginning of the episode at a little dinner called "The Puppy Platter".
2010 film
The A-TeamThe A-Team (film)
The A-Team is an American action film based on the television series of the same name. It was released in cinemas in the United States on June 11, 2010, by 20th Century Fox. The film was directed by Joe Carnahan and produced by Stephen J. Cannell and the Scott brothers Ridley and Tony...
film keeps many of Murdock's traits and characteristics intact, including his amazing piloting abilities, surprising knowledge of many topics, acting ability and fluency in other languages (in this case, Swahili) and accents (such as English, Scottish, Australian and South-African). Like his TV counterpart, the film Murdock also leaves open the possibility that he's simply pretending to be insane. However, he does mention he "feels sane" after a blow to the head before the end of the movie. Murdock's fixation on pop culture characters is also kept intact, specifically in one scene where he re-enacts Mel Gibson's
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
portrayal of William Wallace
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....
in the movie Braveheart
Braveheart
Braveheart is a 1995 epic historical drama war film directed by and starring Mel Gibson. The film was written for the screen and then novelized by Randall Wallace...
. In the early part of the film, Murdock himself is shown to be the reason B.A. is afraid to fly, as Murdock's stunt-flying the first time they flew together almost caused him to fall out of their helicopter. He implies that he has an Army Ranger tattoo like B.A., Hannibal, and Face. In a post-credits scene
Post-credits scene
A post-credits scene is a short clip that appears after some or all of the closing credits of a film have run...
, Murdock is shown receiving electro-shock therapy, while two doctors look on. One of them (Schultz) comments on Murdock's mindstate, saying, "This guy Murdock is nuts."
Awards and decorations
The list below contains Murdock's awards and decorations as seen in season 1 episode "A Nice Place To Visit". Although a Bronze Star is shown, in the episode "Bounty" it is mentioned that Murdock was awarded the Silver Star. In this episode it is also mentioned that Murdock was wounded twice.Unit citations
| Army Presidential Unit Citation | Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation |
Badges and ribbons
 |
||
| Army Aviator Badge United States Aviator Badge A United States Aviator Badge refers to three types of aviation badges issued by the United States military, those being for Army, Air Force, and Naval aviation.... |
||
| Bronze Star Medal Bronze Star Medal The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the... |
||
| Air Medal Air Medal The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:... |
Joint Service Commendation Medal | Army Commendation Medal |
| National Defense Service Medal National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower... |
Vietnam Service Medal Vietnam Service Medal The Vietnam Service Medal is a military award which was created in 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The distinctive design was the creation of sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones, a former employee of the Army Institute of Heraldry. The medal is issued to recognize military service during... |
Vietnam Campaign Medal Vietnam Campaign Medal The Vietnam Campaign Medal is a military recognition awarded by the Republic of Vietnam, , to any member of the United States, Australian, New Zealand and allied military forces serving six months or more in support of Republic of Vietnam military operations.Established in 1966, the decoration is... |
Parody
- In an episode of Robot ChickenRobot ChickenRobot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. Green provides many voices for the show...
, a bar owner's insurance could only cover the B Team, and Murdock is played by a clearly insane and suicidal actor tied in a straight jacket. In the end of the episode he is shown to have hanged himself.