Spoilers

“Operation: Spoilsport”

I think this was the best episode of The Greatest American Hero that we have seen so far.

I actually remember this episode from when I first watched it back int he 1980s because of what was different. In the episode on Amazon Prime that I watched today, there were several songs used as a soundtrack as Ralph and Bill raced around trying to prevent the launch of nuclear weapons via a computer program called Operation: Spoilsport. The nuclear weapons were intended to be a preemptive strike on the USSR and General Stocker (played by John Anderson) was behind the strike, bringing the story of Dr. Strangelove to The Greatest American Hero.

What I remember clearly about this episode was the use of the song “Eve of Destruction.” I believe it was the first time I heard this song and it was so much more powerful with this than the songs than the original songs that were on the version on Prime.

There was a definite thrill in this episode as the chance of a launch of nuclear weapons from a crazed general is a danger that loomed large in the 1980s. Ralph and Bill’s desperation fit right in with the tone of the episode, which still had its comedic flavor, but the humor was in its proper place and was not over used. The threat of nuclear war was real at the time and this story of two heroes doing everything they could to prevent it was epic.

Yes, the special effects are of the 1980s TV variety, but that is not the show’s fault. The storytelling was strong and these two characters reacted in ways that you understood.

Connie Sellecca was reserved for a phone call cameo, apparently since she was pregnant at the time.

We also saw the return of the little green guys who communicated with Ralph through the radio as well as through a dead guy (which was actually kind of creepy).

Great episode.