Title: The Master (sometimes retitled Master Ninja for home video) Year: 1984 Format: Television Series — 13 episodes (approx. 44 min each) Network: NBC (aired January 20 to August 31, 1984) Starring: Lee Van Cleef as John Peter McAllister, aging ninja master Timothy Van Patten as Max Keller, his reluctant young apprentice Shō Kosugi as Okasa, a former pupil turned antagonist --- 🧭 Summary After leaving Japan, John Peter McAllister—a former WWII veteran—returns to America in search of his long-lost daughter. Along the way, he encounters drifter Max Keller, who becomes his pupil in the art of ninjitsu. Together, they travel the country helping those in need while evading assassination attempts from McAllister’s former student, Okasa, now his sworn enemy. Each episode follows a structure reminiscent of The A-Team, ending with lessons on loyalty and honor. --- 🎬 Notable Features & Legacy Centered on Ninja Mania of the 1980s, the show mixed Western road-series tropes with martial arts themes—unique for its era. Lee Van Cleef mainly played the mentor role; many physical action scenes were performed by his stunt double. Anecdotes note his ninja costume scenes were shot with him masked to obscure the lack of martial-arts movement. Became a cult favorite through late-night reruns and exposure via Mystery Science Theater 3000, which featured re-edited episodes in two special segments. Currently available for streaming on platforms like Tubi. --- 🔍 Why It Stands Out Lee Van Cleef’s transition from spaghetti Western star to mystical ninja master remains a notable career turn—often met with both fond nostalgia and bemusement. The show blends episodic help-the-stranger-of-the-week formats with ninja lore, offering a quirky hybrid of genres and a memorable era for fans of cult television. --- 🏷️ Hashtags #TheMaster #MasterNinja #LeeVanCleef #ShōKosugi #1980sTV #NinjaDrama #CultTV #MysteryScienceTheater3000 #TimothyVanPatten #ForgottenClassic