By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated 9 seconds ago

Ask someone to name the most popular action shows of the 80s, and chances are you’ll hear Miami Vice, A-Team, Knight Rider, Magnum P.I., and maybe even The Fall Guy before they remember one of the most popular shows of the decade: Airwolf. Even if you’ve never seen a single episode of the helicopter action series, you know exactly what it’s all about.

Now, thanks to The Roku Channel, you can watch the entire series and realize both how dark and groundbreaking Season 1 was and how fast the entire production fell apart. 

Airwolf Is Pure 80s Awesomeness

Airwolf stars Jan-Michael Vincent as the equally amazingly named Stringfellow Hawke, a military test pilot. Through a series of double-crosses, Stringfellow finds himself in possession of the experimental stealth helicopter with every government and shadowy organization out for his head.

Season 1 features Hawke working for and against The Firm, an obviously evil organization that happens to be the lesser of many evils, in a series of missions that happen to reflect the real-world flashpoints of the Cold War. It’s dark, Hawke is forced to make decisions with no good answer, and the episodes’ focus on geopolitical drama gives it greater stakes than you’d expect from a show about a super helicopter. 

Season 1 was, in retrospect, the high point of Airwolf, with the following two seasons devolving into hokey action more in line with Knight Rider than a Tom Clancy novel. That and Ernest Borgnine, who played Hawke’s friend and backer, Dominic Santini, was written off the show in one of the most dramatic ways possible. They killed off his character to the point where there was no doubt he wasn’t coming back.

Worst of all, after season one, the amazing aerial dogfights were noticeably shorter and less cinematic. But in the show’s defense, when that theme song kicks in, and Hawke lands the fatal missile, it’s as awesome the 20th time as it is the first time. 

Airwolf Was An Overnight Hit And An Overnight Failure

As the series exploded in popularity, Jan-Michael Vincent, who was already a multiple-time Golden Globe winner, found himself, almost overnight, the highest-paid star on television. CBS knew that without him, there was no show.

Haunted by personal demons encouraged by the sudden windfall, Vincent’s alcoholism made him impossible to work with. In a rare move, the entire show was canceled and then sold off to the USA network for a complete, top-to-bottom retooling with an all-new cast. 

That’s why most Airwolf fans pretend the series ended when Jan-Michael Vincent left. USA didn’t even get the real helicopter in the sale, forcing the last round of episodes to rely on old footage, or, in some hilarious cases, the toy replica filling in. And yet, though the show fell apart behind the scenes, there’s no greater example of 80s action. 

Airwolf combined Cold War paranoia, hokey action, a bombastic synth score, and a charismatic leading man into the perfect 80s package that could never be replicated. Other shows tried, including Street Hawk (Airwolf with a motorcycle), but they all crashed and burned. Miami Vice and The A-Team were remade for the big screen, but no one has dared bring back Stringfellow Hawke and his experimental aircraft.

Airwolf is now streaming on The Roku Channel, but be sure to eject before Season 4.

SAVE $1,250: As of April 22, the Hisense 75-inch U8 Mini LED ULED 4K TV is on sale at Amazon and Best Buy for just $1,249.99. That’s a savings of 50% from its original list price of $2,499.99 and its best price ever.

If a new TV with a big screen, stunningly bright picture, and affordable tag is what you’re after, the 75-inch Hisense U8 TV is a great pick — especially now that it’s at a record-low price.

As of April 22, the Hisense 75-inch U8 Mini LED ULED 4K TV is down to just $1,249.99 at both Amazon and Best Buy. Its original list price is $2,499.99, which means you’ll save 50% or a full $1,250. That’s officially the best price we’ve ever seen on this model. Previously, it dropped to $1,297.99 during Cyber Week, but this price beats that one by nearly $50.

CNET (Mashable’s sister site, also owned by Ziff Davis) reviewer Ty Pendlebury called the 2025 U8 TV the brightest TV he’s ever reviewed, but added that it “complements that brightness with excellent contrast and well-saturated colors.” It’s remarkably vibrant no matter the environment and no matter what you’re watching. The ice during the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs will be absolutely glistening on this TV, with its 5000 nits peak brightness, up to 5,600 local dimming zones, and support for HDR in Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG. The 165Hz native refresh rate doesn’t hurt either. It won’t have any of the glitching and stuttering your old TV did.

It’s not just great for watching sports, either. Those dim-lit scenes in your favorite shows and movies will actually pop with the U8’s ultra-bright Mini LED panel. It’s even IMAX-enhanced for cinema-like picture quality. The Google TV smart platform provides a streamlined interface covering all the major streaming services, as well as Google Cast, Apple AirPlay, and Google Assistant for hands-free control.

On a normal day, we’d say the 75-inch Hisense U8 TV is too expensive for most folks, but as of April 22, it’s finally down to a price that won’t cause sticker shock.

SAVE $49.01: The Apple AirPods Pro 3 are 20% at Amazon and Walmart as of April 22. Snag a pair for just $199.99 (normally $249).

$199.99
at Amazon

$249
Save $49.01

 

Our very own Stan Schroeder is fresh off reviewing the new AirPods Max 2, Apple’s updated over-ear headphones. While he thought their noise cancellation has improved since the last generation, they still can’t block out sounds as well as the AirPods Pro 3: “Wearing them on a busy street makes the outside noise vanish in a spectacular fashion,” he writes of the earbuds.

So, if you’re an Apple user looking for best-in-class ANC, stick with the AirPods Pro 3. Right now, they happen to be on sale for just $199.99 at Amazon and Walmart — that’s a savings of nearly $50 and one of their best deals to date. They briefly hit $184 on Amazon back in February, but never since. (And they were $219.99 everywhere last Black Friday.)

For comparison’s sake, the AirPods Max 2 are up to $350 pricier depending on the color.

The AirPods Pro 3 actually have the same H2 chip as the AirPods Max 2, so they support the same suite of smart features like Adaptive Audio and Live Translation. On top of that, they come with a built-in heart rate monitor that “worked perfectly,” per Mashable contributor Adam Doud. (Read his full review.)

On their own, the AirPods Pro 3 will net you up to eight hours of battery life per charge with their ANC enabled. Their included charging case adds an extra 24 hours of use.

I can personally assure you that you won’t find the AirPods Pro 3 on sale for anywhere cheaper — even if you go for a used pair. In new condition, they’re $239.99 at B&H Photo and full price at Best Buy and Target. Then there’s Best Buy’s open-box AirPods Pro 3, which are are $204.99 in fair condition. Pass.