It’s 1985. Lee Majors is still the biggest thing on Sunday nights, but the cracks are starting to show. By the time The Fall Guy season 5 rolled around, the high-octane thrill of Colt Seavers jumping GMC Sierras over burning barns was hitting a bit of a wall. You remember it, right? That iconic theme song "Unknown Stuntman" was still catchy as hell, but the television landscape was shifting beneath the boots of our favorite stuntman-turned-bounty hunter. Honestly, looking back at that final run of episodes, it’s a fascinating study in how a hit show tries to reinvent itself when the gas tank is running low.
The fifth season wasn't just another collection of episodes; it was the finish line.
What Really Happened During The Fall Guy Season 5
Most people forget that by the mid-80s, the "action-adventure" formula was getting expensive. Producers were staring at budgets that didn't make sense anymore. The Fall Guy season 5 premiered in September 1985 on ABC, and from the jump, you could tell things were different. The show had moved to a new timeslot, which is usually the "kiss of death" in network TV. It went up against heavy hitters, and the ratings started to slide.
Colt Seavers, played with that classic rugged charm by Lee Majors, was still the heart of the operation. But the dynamic shifted. We saw less of the massive, practical-effect-heavy stunts that defined the first three years. Why? Money. Those car flips cost a fortune. Instead, the writers leaned more into the "bounty hunter" side of things, trying to make it more of a procedural detective show with a few punches thrown in.
It felt a bit smaller.
Doug Barr's Howie Munson and Heather Thomas’s Jodie Banks were still there, thank god. Without that trio, the show would have collapsed months earlier. But there was a sense of fatigue. You’ve probably noticed it in long-running shows where the actors look like they’re ready for a vacation. Lee Majors was still a pro, but the energy was "let’s get this done" rather than "let’s change the world."
The Cast Shakeups and Guest Stars
One thing The Fall Guy season 5 did right was the guest stars. Since the show was literally about Hollywood, they could pull in anyone. We saw legends and up-and-comers. But the core chemistry remained the anchor. Howie was still the bumbling, lovable cousin/apprentice. Jodie was still the badass stuntwoman who often had more sense than the guys.
The scripts in the final season tried to get creative. We had episodes like "The Octane Kid" and "Dead Bounty." There was even an episode called "The Funhouse" that felt more like a weird thriller than a standard action flick. They were throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what stuck.
The Real Reason for the Cancellation
It wasn't just low ratings. By 1986, the industry was pivoting toward "prestige" drama and sitcoms like The Cosby Show or Cheers. The era of the "jumps a car every week" show—the Dukes of Hazzard and Knight Rider style—was fading. The Fall Guy season 5 was the victim of a changing palate. Audiences wanted more dialogue and less metal crunching.
Also, syndication.
Once a show hits 100 episodes, it's worth a goldmine in reruns. Season 5 pushed The Fall Guy well past that 100-episode milestone (finishing at 112). For the studio, there was more profit in stopping production and selling the package to local stations than in filming a sixth season that would likely lose more viewers.
💡 You might also like: Enemy of the State: Why This 1998 Tech Thriller is Basically Our Reality Now
The Legacy of the Final Episodes
When you watch The Fall Guy season 5 today, you see a show that was trying to find its footing in a decade that was leaving it behind. It’s nostalgic. It’s a bit cheesy. But man, it’s sincere.
There was no big "series finale" where everyone gets married or Colt retires. The show just sort of... stopped. The final episode to air was "The "California 400," and while it was a solid hour of television, it didn't feel like a goodbye. It felt like another Friday night. That was common for 80s TV. You didn't get closure; you just got a different show in that timeslot next week.
Notable Episodes in Season 5
If you're going back to rewatch, there are a few standouts that prove the show still had some gas in the tank:
- Dead Ringer: This one is a classic "look-alike" plot that Lee Majors handled perfectly.
- The King of the Stuntmen: A meta-commentary on the profession itself which felt very grounded.
- Beach Blanket Bounty: Pure 80s fun. It’s exactly what the title suggests.
How to Watch it Now
Finding The Fall Guy season 5 isn't as easy as it should be. For years, music licensing issues kept the show off DVD and streaming. The "Unknown Stuntman" theme mentions everyone from Burt Reynolds to Clint Eastwood, and those name-drops and background tracks are a legal nightmare.
However, with the 2024 movie reboot starring Ryan Gosling, there’s been a massive resurgence in interest. You can usually find episodes on digital platforms like Amazon or through specialty retro networks like MeTV.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive back into the world of Colt Seavers, don't just stop at the TV screen. The fifth season represents the end of an era for practical stunts.
- Check Local Listings: Retro channels often run the show in cycles; set your DVR because these aren't always available on the big streaming giants like Netflix.
- Look for the "Truck": If you’re a collector, the Season 5 era GMC Sierra toys are some of the most sought-after. The round-headlight vs. square-headlight debate among fans usually centers on the transition years during the show's run.
- Understand the Context: Watch an episode of The Fall Guy followed by a 1986 episode of Miami Vice. You’ll see exactly why the show ended. It was the bridge between the grit of the 70s and the neon flash of the late 80s.
The final season of The Fall Guy is a time capsule. It captures a moment where Hollywood was moving away from the "Stuntman" and toward the "Special Effect." It’s rugged, it’s earnest, and despite its flaws, it’s a hell of a ride.
Go find the "Dead Ringer" episode. It’s Lee Majors at his most "Lee Majors," and it’s arguably the best way to remember why we tuned in every week in the first place.