Acapulco H.E.A.T.

I am of course talking the original 80s version aired on ABC from 1981 until 1989, which James Healy and Catherine Oxenberg was a part of. Acapulco HEAT was a chance for Oxenberg (lead role) and Healy (guest star) to reunite after doing Dynasty, but separate seasons. Oxenberg, who played Ashley Hunter-Coddington on HEAT, played Amanda Bedford Carrington (Alexis Colby's daughter) on Dynasty from 1984 until 1986. Healy, who played Neal Strake in five episodes of HEAT, played Sean Rowan on Dynasty from 1987 until 1988. Moreover, it seems like Healy had a knack for playing the villain. He played one as Rowan in Dynasty, and he also played one as Strake in HEAT.

My god. This is, like, the greatest television show EVER. I mean, you've got this group of secret agents hanging around some tropical paradise, and they're posing as -- get this -- a BIKINI TEAM. I swear I'm not making this up. Not only that, but to make things better, FABIO is in the show! He plays the owner of the hotel where the bikini team hangs out, and his name is "Claudio" (so he wouldn't forget -- Fabio has a problem with acting, I think).

It also has the best opening theme song EVER. When Fabio pops up and poses, the singer goes "I FEEL THE HEEEEEAT" and the pianos kick in, and you know you're in for one helluva show. Brilliant!

...then this is for you. A bit more skin, a bit more violence, a bit more risque (it was the 90s), but the same halfhearted acting, writing, and directing. But the women and the settings are beautiful, so it's a fine choice to have on in the background while you're sandblasting the house or having a tooth pulled or something.

ACAPULCO H.E.A.T. is obviously not the greatest action series ever, or for that matter, even just a good series. But it could be fun when it wanted to be. Fabio was always featured in the opening credits, but I don't recall a single episode that actually showed him, and I saw most of them. I like to think of this show as "the little action show that could." It always seemed like to wanted to be more than it was, but just couldn't get to the point where he could be compared with some of the best action shows. Instead, it stayed as a slightly-corny, "dumb fun" show, with simple stories. Blazing guns, and hot girls cooling in the surf. Alison Armitage was the standout.

I remember watching this in syndication; I think it was on my ABC affiliate in Bakersfield on late night weekends. I remember lead actress Catherine Oxenberg played the title role in a Princess Di TV movie biography. & Alison Armitage was incredibly hot & I'd anticipate a scene she'd wear a bikini. Shockingly her photo doesn't turn up here at IMDb.com. Don't y'all remember her appearance on "Seinfeld" as Dr. Watley's dental hygienist? Anyway, "Acapulco H.E.A.T." was a nice action drama w/ a setting & cast as exotic as that of "CSI: Miami." But as long as it was hidden away in "Saturday Night Live"'s time slot, I should take pride in being one of the show's few & (slightly) faithful viewers.