When I first saw this series, I was only aware of David Schwimmer and maybe Donnie Wahlberg. Now I can't see it without being aware of how many of the actors have gone on to distinguished acting careers. Having said that, all of the actors, whether in small or large parts, do very well. Even Colonel Sink, who is played by a real life military officer, is solid in his performance.
David Schwimmer has the toughest role to play in this first episode. His character, Captain Sobel, feels - we might think it is because he is conscious of his Jewishness - that he must work his men harder than the other company commanders so that he is recognized as a worthy officer. Unfortunately, his insecurity makes him a vacillating field commander. While some recognize that he has trained his men to be tougher than any other unit, his men both resent his martinet style and are disturbed by his inability to lead in the field. They are genuinely afraid that he will get his men killed.
His sergeants risk being executed by mutinying against him. In a way, they do act dishonorably. If their actions had not led Colonel Sink to realize that Sobel is a walking morale problem who needs to be relieved of his command, the sergeants being transferred to better led units would have abandoned the rest of the men of E Company to meet their fates with Sobel.
My favorite sequence - not a happy one - is when Lt. Winters first sees the sergeants leaving headquarters after they have been dressed down and reassigned. They salute Winters (they respect him to the same degree that they do not respect Sobel), and he returns their salutes. He knows something is up, but the sergeants kept him out of the loop, so he doesn't know what just happened. A little later, Winters sees Capt. Sobel being driven away in a jeep right after he has been transferred in a wrenching scene. (Sobel squirms as he unconvincingly tries to explain to Col. Sink why his entire staff of non- commissioned officers mutinied against him.) Winters salutes Sobel in the jeep. Whatever Winters thinks of him, Sobel is still his commanding officer - or so Winters still believes. Yet Sobel doesn't return the salute, may not even see Winters. Winters again senses that something is up, but, again, he doesn't know what. (You can read so much that isn't explicitly stated just from the acting - that is a sign of the quality in this production.)
This is a good start for a series that I have not seen since it originally appeared on HBO sixteen years ago. I want to watch the rest of it and intend to do so. This is in contrast to the same production team's sequel effort "The Pacific", the first episode of which I remember watching, again on HBO, and quickly resolving that I would not watch the rest of that series.
David Schwimmer has the toughest role to play in this first episode. His character, Captain Sobel, feels - we might think it is because he is conscious of his Jewishness - that he must work his men harder than the other company commanders so that he is recognized as a worthy officer. Unfortunately, his insecurity makes him a vacillating field commander. While some recognize that he has trained his men to be tougher than any other unit, his men both resent his martinet style and are disturbed by his inability to lead in the field. They are genuinely afraid that he will get his men killed.
His sergeants risk being executed by mutinying against him. In a way, they do act dishonorably. If their actions had not led Colonel Sink to realize that Sobel is a walking morale problem who needs to be relieved of his command, the sergeants being transferred to better led units would have abandoned the rest of the men of E Company to meet their fates with Sobel.
My favorite sequence - not a happy one - is when Lt. Winters first sees the sergeants leaving headquarters after they have been dressed down and reassigned. They salute Winters (they respect him to the same degree that they do not respect Sobel), and he returns their salutes. He knows something is up, but the sergeants kept him out of the loop, so he doesn't know what just happened. A little later, Winters sees Capt. Sobel being driven away in a jeep right after he has been transferred in a wrenching scene. (Sobel squirms as he unconvincingly tries to explain to Col. Sink why his entire staff of non- commissioned officers mutinied against him.) Winters salutes Sobel in the jeep. Whatever Winters thinks of him, Sobel is still his commanding officer - or so Winters still believes. Yet Sobel doesn't return the salute, may not even see Winters. Winters again senses that something is up, but, again, he doesn't know what. (You can read so much that isn't explicitly stated just from the acting - that is a sign of the quality in this production.)
This is a good start for a series that I have not seen since it originally appeared on HBO sixteen years ago. I want to watch the rest of it and intend to do so. This is in contrast to the same production team's sequel effort "The Pacific", the first episode of which I remember watching, again on HBO, and quickly resolving that I would not watch the rest of that series.