The Pacific

[Yeti]

So 4 episodes into this, and I'm not splooging over it the way I did about Band of Brothers. The main thing for me is that I couldn't name more than 2 characters on this. On Band of Brothers, I could rattle off 10-15 easily. I liked those guys. It's not that the guys on the Pacific aren't likeable but I just haven't "connected" with them like I did on Band of Brothers. Now, I'm not sure if it's because I've also been doing something else while watching them, like housework and shit, but I'm just not overly enamored by this. I have not deleted any off the TiVo yet, nor do I plan to until it's over and I at least copy them to a VHS. I do think that maybe it would do me some good to watch them and to do nothing else but that.. But the point remains, so far, I'm not that impressed. At least not to the point that I was with Band of Brothers.

[R-V]

So 4 episodes into this, and I'm not splooging over it the way I did about Band of Brothers. The main thing for me is that I couldn't name more than 2 characters on this. On Band of Brothers, I could rattle off 10-15 easily. I liked those guys. It's not that the guys on the Pacific aren't likeable but I just haven't "connected" with them like I did on Band of Brothers. Now, I'm not sure if it's because I've also been doing something else while watching them, like housework and shit, but I'm just not overly enamored by this. I have not deleted any off the TiVo yet, nor do I plan to until it's over and I at least copy them to a VHS. I do think that maybe it would do me some good to watch them and to do nothing else but that.. But the point remains, so far, I'm not that impressed. At least not to the point that I was with Band of Brothers.

So you're saying that you're not as invested in a show that you semi-watch once a week while scrubbing your toilet shelf, as you were by a show that you sat down and watched back-to-back on DVD? Wild.

As for the show itself, there's only been about a half hour of actual action the last couple weeks, with most of the time spent on getting to know the characters. Based on the previews it looks like shit's gonna ramp up next week and you'll unclasp your french maid outfit, settle down in your beanbag chair, and start getting interested.

[Yeti]

So 4 episodes into this, and I'm not splooging over it the way I did about Band of Brothers. The main thing for me is that I couldn't name more than 2 characters on this. On Band of Brothers, I could rattle off 10-15 easily. I liked those guys. It's not that the guys on the Pacific aren't likeable but I just haven't "connected" with them like I did on Band of Brothers. Now, I'm not sure if it's because I've also been doing something else while watching them, like housework and shit, but I'm just not overly enamored by this. I have not deleted any off the TiVo yet, nor do I plan to until it's over and I at least copy them to a VHS. I do think that maybe it would do me some good to watch them and to do nothing else but that.. But the point remains, so far, I'm not that impressed. At least not to the point that I was with Band of Brothers.

So you're saying that you're not as invested in a show that you semi-watch once a week while scrubbing your toilet shelf, as you were by a show that you sat down and watched back-to-back on DVD? Wild.

As for the show itself, there's only been about a half hour of actual action the last couple weeks, with most of the time spent on getting to know the characters. Based on the previews it looks like shit's gonna ramp up next week and you'll unclasp your french maid outfit, settle down in your beanbag chair, and start getting interested.

I've watched the first 2 episodes two times so far.

[CBStew]

Last week's show was about the depression and other psychological consequences of combat.  (TEC will probably ream me a new one for that oversimplification)  I think that the episode was outstanding for the psychological studies. 

[Yeti]

So 4 episodes into this, and I'm not splooging over it the way I did about Band of Brothers. The main thing for me is that I couldn't name more than 2 characters on this. On Band of Brothers, I could rattle off 10-15 easily. I liked those guys. It's not that the guys on the Pacific aren't likeable but I just haven't "connected" with them like I did on Band of Brothers. Now, I'm not sure if it's because I've also been doing something else while watching them, like housework and shit, but I'm just not overly enamored by this. I have not deleted any off the TiVo yet, nor do I plan to until it's over and I at least copy them to a VHS. I do think that maybe it would do me some good to watch them and to do nothing else but that.. But the point remains, so far, I'm not that impressed. At least not to the point that I was with Band of Brothers.

Fucking idiot

[CBStew]

If this episode didn't do it for you then you might as welll stop watching.

[CBStew]

The episode that aired on Sunday April 25 was an hour of pure unadulterated hell.  It is difficult to comment.  Terror. Agony. Pain.  Remorse.  Yet I still can't imagine being there and doing what those young men had to do.  That anyone not only lived through it but came out of it as whole human beings is miraculous.  Using the young man from Alabama as an "everyman" is a great device.  The first five episodes showed him in his home, protected by his doctor father because of a heart murmur.  But when he reaches the age when he can sign up regardless of parental consent he does so under a sense of duty and responsibility.  Now, when he is not killing the enemy and on one occasion a fellow American, he just stares uncomprehendingly.  At one point he tries to emulate the cruelty of one of his colleagues by extracting the fillings of a dead Japanese.  That colleague warns him not to, and you think that finally some compassion and humanity is coming back.  But the colleague is warning him about disease, so instead he slices off a piece of the corpse's uniform as a token.  Yet he refuses to take a prized Japanese sword as booty in another scene.  We hope that he will never regret that decision.

[Internet Apex]

The episode that aired on Sunday April 25 was an hour of pure unadulterated hell.  It is difficult to comment.  Terror. Agony. Pain.  Remorse.  Yet I still can't imagine being there and doing what those young men had to do.  That anyone not only lived through it but came out of it as whole human beings is miraculous.  Using the young man from Alabama as an "everyman" is a great device.  The first five episodes showed him in his home, protected by his doctor father because of a heart murmur.  But when he reaches the age when he can sign up regardless of parental consent he does so under a sense of duty and responsibility.  Now, when he is not killing the enemy and on one occasion a fellow American, he just stares uncomprehendingly.  At one point he tries to emulate the cruelty of one of his colleagues by extracting the fillings of a dead Japanese.  That colleague warns him not to, and you think that finally some compassion and humanity is coming back.  But the colleague is warning him about disease, so instead he slices off a piece of the corpse's uniform as a token.  Yet he refuses to take a prized Japanese sword as booty in another scene.  We hope that he will never regret that decision.

THIS

I keep thinking about Sledge's father begging him not to lose his soul. Day by day, hour by hour we see him facing that challenge along with everything else. We know who will win the war but this particular battle is yet undecided. It's heartbreaking to watch it and it's why this show is so amazing. The actor playing Sledge is putting up a fucking brilliant portrait. I didn't know if this show would match up with BoB but it's definitely on that level. It just took a while to figure out who's who.

[Yeti]

You know, when I saw that Sledge was going to be in this series, I kind of chuckled. He just looked so typical, so pedestrian, unlike many of the BoB guys' who seemed to emit that "larger than life" feeling. That may have been true if there hadn't been a war, but he continues to amaze me. He's obviously scared, but he shows much more than that. It really gives me the feeling that that's how one of us would have handled things. I regret all the shit I said about this initially. This is a great show. Very powerful, yet very different from BoB. I can't wait until next sunday.

[CBStew]

What is different about the 2 shows, "Paciifc" and "Band of Brothers", is expressed in the titles.  "Band of Brothers" was an ensemble of characters working together for a common goal.  The impersonal "Pacific" is about the survival of individuals, and therefore it connects with us on an entirely different level than BoB.  BoB was about heroes.  Pacific is about whether I will survive the War and if so, how?

[Internet Apex]

What is different about the 2 shows, "Paciifc" and "Band of Brothers", is expressed in the titles.  "Band of Brothers" was an ensemble of characters working together for a common goal.  The impersonal "Pacific" is about the survival of individuals, and therefore it connects with us on an entirely different level than BoB.  BoB was about heroes.  Pacific is about whether I will survive the War and if so, how?

That's some good observatin' there.

[R-V]

What is different about the 2 shows, "Paciifc" and "Band of Brothers", is expressed in the titles.  "Band of Brothers" was an ensemble of characters working together for a common goal.  The impersonal "Pacific" is about the survival of individuals, and therefore it connects with us on an entirely different level than BoB.  BoB was about heroes.  Pacific is about whether I will survive the War and if so, how?

That's some good observatin' there.

Great point, Stew. I've been trying to put my finger on what's different and that's exactly it. Both series are excellent, but in their own way.

This last episode was tremendous. Sledge's discovery of the guys in the bunker, and the death of the captain and its aftermath, had me on the edge of my seat.

[Kermit IV]

The episode that aired on Sunday April 25 was an hour of pure unadulterated hell.  It is difficult to comment.  Terror. Agony. Pain.  Remorse.  Yet I still can't imagine being there and doing what those young men had to do.  That anyone not only lived through it but came out of it as whole human beings is miraculous.  Using the young man from Alabama as an "everyman" is a great device.  The first five episodes showed him in his home, protected by his doctor father because of a heart murmur.  But when he reaches the age when he can sign up regardless of parental consent he does so under a sense of duty and responsibility.  Now, when he is not killing the enemy and on one occasion a fellow American, he just stares uncomprehendingly.  At one point he tries to emulate the cruelty of one of his colleagues by extracting the fillings of a dead Japanese.  That colleague warns him not to, and you think that finally some compassion and humanity is coming back.  But the colleague is warning him about disease, so instead he slices off a piece of the corpse's uniform as a token.  Yet he refuses to take a prized Japanese sword as booty in another scene.  We hope that he will never regret that decision.

I actually got the strong sense that his colleague (who is played creepily well) was actually trying to prevent Sledge from coming over to his "dark side," but that he still wanted to be a tough guy, so he couldn't just tell him, "You'll regret it."  At least that's how I interpreted that scene.  I felt like he was just making the disease part up entirely.

[R-V]

The episode that aired on Sunday April 25 was an hour of pure unadulterated hell.  It is difficult to comment.  Terror. Agony. Pain.  Remorse.  Yet I still can't imagine being there and doing what those young men had to do.  That anyone not only lived through it but came out of it as whole human beings is miraculous.  Using the young man from Alabama as an "everyman" is a great device.  The first five episodes showed him in his home, protected by his doctor father because of a heart murmur.  But when he reaches the age when he can sign up regardless of parental consent he does so under a sense of duty and responsibility.  Now, when he is not killing the enemy and on one occasion a fellow American, he just stares uncomprehendingly.  At one point he tries to emulate the cruelty of one of his colleagues by extracting the fillings of a dead Japanese.  That colleague warns him not to, and you think that finally some compassion and humanity is coming back.  But the colleague is warning him about disease, so instead he slices off a piece of the corpse's uniform as a token.  Yet he refuses to take a prized Japanese sword as booty in another scene.  We hope that he will never regret that decision.

I actually got the strong sense that his colleague (who is played creepily well) was actually trying to prevent Sledge from coming over to his "dark side," but that he still wanted to be a tough guy, so he couldn't just tell him, "You'll regret it."  At least that's how I interpreted that scene.  I felt like he was just making the disease part up entirely.

I saw it the same way. The image of Snafu throwing pebbles into that guy's exploded brain cavity was nightmare fuel.

[Yeti]

The episode that aired on Sunday April 25 was an hour of pure unadulterated hell.  It is difficult to comment.  Terror. Agony. Pain.  Remorse.  Yet I still can't imagine being there and doing what those young men had to do.  That anyone not only lived through it but came out of it as whole human beings is miraculous.  Using the young man from Alabama as an "everyman" is a great device.  The first five episodes showed him in his home, protected by his doctor father because of a heart murmur.  But when he reaches the age when he can sign up regardless of parental consent he does so under a sense of duty and responsibility.  Now, when he is not killing the enemy and on one occasion a fellow American, he just stares uncomprehendingly.  At one point he tries to emulate the cruelty of one of his colleagues by extracting the fillings of a dead Japanese.  That colleague warns him not to, and you think that finally some compassion and humanity is coming back.  But the colleague is warning him about disease, so instead he slices off a piece of the corpse's uniform as a token.  Yet he refuses to take a prized Japanese sword as booty in another scene.  We hope that he will never regret that decision.

I actually got the strong sense that his colleague (who is played creepily well) was actually trying to prevent Sledge from coming over to his "dark side," but that he still wanted to be a tough guy, so he couldn't just tell him, "You'll regret it."  At least that's how I interpreted that scene.  I felt like he was just making the disease part up entirely.

I saw it the same way. The image of Snafu throwing pebbles into that guy's exploded brain cavity was nightmare fuel.

Snafu is on some serious Oleg drugs, but I enjoy the shit out of him.