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(More customer reviews)We have now reached the midpoint of the COMBAT series and the show is now only becoming better. While I may find a few more "clunckers" in the third season, that were not present in season 2, this is outweighed by the fact there were far more excellent episodes in total. The actors who comprised the core of the Squad have fully developed their individual personalities and Vic Morrow was now becoming the true centerpiece of the show. There was apparently no clash of egos between himself and Rick Jason, probably because Jason shrewdly had it in his contract that he got paid whether he appeared or not.
Of course, one of the drawbacks in a series such as COMBAT is the main participants of the squad survive every episode, while those poor forlorn "red shirts", or in this case "green shirts" take one for the team. And it is admittedly humorous to find Saunders, Hanley, or Caje, become ground up chop meat, only to never receive the "million dollar" wound that they so hungered for. Despite these obvious restrictions, in deference to a 1960's television show, you can still maintain a sense of realism and excitement while viewing COMBAT.
Some of the Highlights:
1. Odyssey...in another top notch episode, Saunders attempts to get back to his own lines by pretending to be a shell shocked German soldier...in this one, Saunders is able to see life from the other side, and Bert Freed is excellent as an understanding German Sargent who protects Saunders....another tragic story in the making....
2. The Hard Way Back....Sal Mineo guest stars as a cowardly soldier who abandons a trapped Saunders and tells everyone the Sarge is dead....Sal Mineo obviously excels....
3. The Cassock.....James Whitmore plays a German officer who disguises himself as a priest and hides in a church....There is some clever, and at times even tender interplay between himself and G.I. Mart Hulswit (of Guiding Light fame) who, as a former alterboy, finds comfort in the church..the show leads you down a false path more than once....
4. The Hell Machine.....another appearance by Frank Gorshin as he and Saunders attempt to navigate through enemy held territory using a captured German tank......nice claustrophobic feel on how it would be inside a tank....
5.The Enemy....usually whenever a battle of wits was written into the story, it was left up to Hanley to be one of the wits...this one, starring Robert Duvall as a German demolition officer has Hanley trying to outthink his captor....
6. The Duel.....Saunders, on foot, single handedly attempts to distract a German tank, while the supply truck he is protecting can be repaired before the tank comes upon it...fun stuff here
7. The Steeple...no doubt the true exploits of JOHN STEELE come into play here as a paratrooper is caught on a church steeple...it is up to Saunders to try to get him inside despite the fact that the village is overrun by Germans.
8. Cry in the Ruins....this is one of the best episodes of the season, as Hanley and a German Lieutenant, put aside the war for a moment in order to rescue a woman's child...there is a few twists in this episode and the character study between the two opposing squads is well written.....
9. The Little Carousel...poignant tale of the squads encounter with a young student nurse who wants to help Saunders and his men....deeply moving and an emotional tour de force for Vic Morrow.....
10. The Imposter...Hanley must once again use his wits in order to determine who within his merry band of men is an Imposter....enough monkey wrenches are thrown in as to not make it too easy to figure out.....
Those are a few of the quality episodes, but there are a few duds as well:
1. Vendetta....you would think an episode staring Telly Savales, as a vengeful Greek would be great, but guess again, it's not
2. Birthday Cake....Littlejohn would have been shot had he acted this way in a real war...it is just too stupid, even for a big lug like him...
3. A Walk with an Eagle...this type of episode, where an arrogant Air officer does not respect Saunders authority, has been done before....
4. Fly Away Home....I guess it is good to give the Pigeon Corp their props, and it is a treat to see Neville Brand, but the story is simply not compelling....
5. Mountain Man....there is so little story here, that the first third of it follows the squad walking through the snow, setting markers, and the final third, features Cage skiing through it.....tedious viewing at its worst....
6. The Town that Went Away...this episode, about a bunch of conniving French Villagers, needs to go away.......
Though I may sound a bit harsh concerning some of these episodes, remember that they are far and few between the good to excellent episodes that span this two volume set...
So there you have it once again....If you have read my previous reviews, you obviously know that I am a big fan of this series and welcome them to DVD. I hope you welcome them into your home as well....my minor complaints aside, this set is enthusiastically recommended!
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Combat - Season 3, Operation 2 (1962)One of the television's most popular series, the groundbreaking Combat! offers a gritty, unflinching look at American soldiers battling in Europe during World War II, confronting imposing odds and demonstrating remarkable levels of ingenuity and courage. Vic Morrow and Rick Jason head a stellar cast in the longest-running war series in history, featuring an incomparable list of guest stars from Hollywood's Golden Age as well as top directorial talent. Guest stars include: James Whitmore, Tom Skerritt, Frankie Avalon, Dan Duryea, Robert Loggia, Glenn Cannon, Johnny Crawford, Andrew Prine, Charles Bronson, Chad Everett. Episodes include: A Gift of Hope; A Walk with an Eagle; Birthday Cake; The Cassock; The Town That Went Away; The Convict; The Steeple; More Than a Soldier; The Long Wait; The Tree of Moray; A Cry in the Ruins; Heritage; The Hell Machine; Billy the Kid; Beneath the Ashes; Odyssey
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