Customer Reviews

Combat - Season 2, Mission 1

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Can't believe the networks don't rerun Combat! during prime time. Not a shoot 'em up, not John Wayne type of patriotism, but exciting wartime vignettes that do more to put a human face on the cost of battle than a thousand macho war films could. There is plenty of macho, however; the show boasts outstanding guest stars from the '60's, such as Lee Marvin, Robert Duvall, Sal Mineo, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Leonard Nimoy, etc.
The writing and direction are first rate, the action sequences and special effects are thrilling, and the performances are flawless. As Sgt Saunders, Vic Morrow has more brooding intensity than Marlon Brando, and his acting ability is matched only by his skill as a director. Jack Hogan as Kirby is underrated, but he gets all the great lines. Rick Jason and the rest of the squad fully inhabit the characters, imbuing them with life and personality, and subtly drawing the viewer into their experiences on the front lines. An anti-war show that never denigrates the soldiers' experiences, nor underestimates the viewer's intelligence. A timeless classic.

When I reviewed the first season DVD set of COMBAT, I said that it truly warranted a 3 1/2 star rating....now however we are getting into the swing of what COMBAT was to become....the second season is so chock full of terrific episodes that it is hard to know where to begin....I'll highlight a few episodes from this season:

1. Bridge at Chalon - Lee Marvin stars as a demolition expert who is attached to Saunder's squad in order to blow up a bridge..Marvin chews nails in this episode, and we get to see clumsy Little John in action...

2. Doughboy - Eddie Albert is a shell shocked WWI soldier who mistakes Saunders for the HUN

3. Long Way Home - Richard Basehart plays a sadistic German Officer who captures the Squad..Simon Oakland excels in a broken prisoner, who does not want Saunders to make waves...

4. The Wounded Dont Cry - COMBAT tried to be fair and show that there were German soldiers who were humane, and not depict all of them as stereotypically evil, and this episode, regarding a German Medic, illustrates this point...

5. Anatomy of a Patrol - A classic in my opinion, as James Caan plays the Seargent of a German Squad who tries to outwit Saunders...think of how Kirk and Khan played a game of cat and mouse in Star Trek II as well as Robert Mitchum and Kurt Jurgens in the WWII submarine movie The Enemy Below, and you have the comparisons to this episode....

6. What Use are Bugles Blowing For? - A great 2 part episode of a Britsh Squad protecting a Railroad station that will soon be encircled by the Germans...it is up to Saunders to convince the officer to abandon the station...great action and a very good character study of USA and UK soldiers...

7. Gideon's Army - a very poignant episode concerning Saunders squad discovering a concentration camp...very sensitively handled...

Those are are few of the fantastic episodes of the second season, and actually I only can think of one episode that I thought was totally awful. It was called Infant Of Prague and was concerned with a bunch of stupid nuns, who by the end of the episode, you were starting to root agianst them...anyway that's it....enjoy....highly recommended!!!

The writing, acting, and special effects of this series really exceed expectations for a weekly television program. On average, Combat was better written and produced than most network TV fare of the day. At it's best, the program is still capable of bringing a lump to your throat, and the first season episodes did that fairly often. The second season, immediately recognizable by a change in the opening theme ( and the announcer no longer tells us we're seeing "Combat! A Selmur Production"), also settles in to spend more effort on developing the individual characters. In my opinion, Jack Hogan's "Kirby" is the first to really strongly emerge, and he provides a good balance to Vic Morrow's Saunders. Vic Morrow is not in a hurry to develop Saunders during this second season, but the character is becoming clearer. We are also getting to see Caje and Littlejohn. Rick Jason's Lieutenant Hanleigh does not seem to get as much airtime as the first season, but Jason carries off the episodes featuring him well enough that we are beginning to recognize his character. I am really happy Image has finally released this series, as it is the best regular WW II series, ever. While it does not have the gritty realism of HBO's Band of Brothers, it stands up quite well by comparision. And keep in mind, that Band of Brothers is true, not entertainment fiction. Combat is excellent entertainment, well worth the modest cost. I pre-order as soon as a new season is available.

There's no doubt that these DVD's are extremely well-produced! I thought I would find more rare extras hidden in this boxed set. Even though I have seen all the episodes, Combat is one of those shows you can just watch repeatedly and never get tired of the show. I put in one of these dvd's every night and watch some. Nice collectors item, I can't wait for the next few seasons to be released!

I thought Combat, Season 1 was good......Season 2 reaches new levels.An absolutley five-star show,i am only half way through the
episodes of this great season and am thrilled even if there isnt
another good episode on Mission 2!One terrific episode after another,one better than the next,What are the bugels blowing for? a two part event is like a mini movie that puts many war movies to shame.I dont have the time to go into details about everytitle,but take my word for it...buy this dvd,you will not be disappointed!I cant wait for Season 3 to come out(March 05) and i'm not even done with Season 2 yet.

Vic Morrow and Rick Jason return for a second season of COMBAT! If you enjoyed the first season, then you will be thoroughly satisfied with the second year of the series. This was high quality television. As I noted in a review of COMBAT's first season, the show was made at a time when more than 30 one-hour episodes were produced each year. Compare that accomplishment against the pitiful 22 half-hour episodes available from most contemporary television shows.

Actors and crew worked exceedingly hard to complete these high quality episodes. In fact, there are so many episodes that shows from the second season, much like the first, are sold in two separate sets.

As with the first set, expect well written stories, great direction, and outstanding battle sequences. Additionally, COMBAT is chock full of guest stars, as well as up and coming stars in minor roles.

Watching a single episode of this wonderful 1960s series is enough to make you want to run outside and play army again.

Combat! is one of the very best TV shows of the 60's and of any era. All the shows are well written and the acting is outstanding. Combat! will keep you on the edge of your seat as the shows are full of suspense. The background music (that plays during the episodes) for this series is top notch. They don't make TV shows like they use to and Combat! is one of the very best.

I have just finished watching the first group of dvds for season two. This is combat as I remember it. Lots of action and guest stars, Lee Marvin, James Colburn as a german inflitrator, Richard Basehart as a sadistic SS prison commander, James Caen as a german patrol leader. The episodes that they were in were all excellent.

The doc now played by colan carter is the doc that I remember and all the regulars are there, cage, littlejohn, kirby. The best episodes in the season 2 mission one in my opinion were the long way home with richard basehart (a two parter), anatomy of a patrol with james caen(excellent move and counter move plot) the two parter what are the bugles blowing for. In this one the squad deals with british pride and stubborness, well done. The bridge at Chalons and masquerade with james colburn. Another enjoyable was the party in which kirby, billy and cage attempt to hook up with three french women. It was a nice change of pace episode. The weakest was the infant of prague.

Now to watch the second half of combat season two and I see that season three is coming out in march of 05

enjoyed it very much.It brought back memories from my childhood.It was spooky to hear the interview with Vic Morrow in which he talks about the dangers of the detonation of on-screen explosives!

I grew up watching Combat on Sunday mornings. My brother and I would get up early on Sunday morning and watch an episode of The Little Rascals, then The Lone Ranger, then Combat!, and then an old Johny Weismueller Tarzan movie. I was in a pawn shop the other day and could not believe what I saw. The complete second season of Combat. A flood of great memories from my childhood came rushing back to me. After watching TV on Sunday mornings, my brother and I would go out in the woods and reenact the Combat episode we had seen. The woods in Sarasota, Florida were protected at all times from Nazis on Sunday afternoons.

Combat is without question one of the best shows to ever be on television. It is as realistic as can be. Every story is believable, exciting, and you are fully engaged in each and every episode. Of course Sgt. Saunders was my favorite character, he wore the cool camoflagued helmet and his Tommy gun was always at the ready. Rick Jason who played the lieutenant must have been in the military. I am in Iraq now and lietenants have not changed a bit since World War II, maybe even before.

This whole set is great and every episode is action packed. But my two favorite episodes from this set are 'The Doughboy' and 'The Bridge'. In 'The Doughboy', Eddie Albert gueststars as an old shell shocked veteran of World War I. He actually goes through the woods in a World War I doughboy uniform and has a 1903 Springfield Rifle with a two foot bayonette. He captures Sgt Saunders thinking he's a German!

'The Bridge' gueststars one of my all time favorite actors, Lee Marvin. Lee plays Sgt Turk, a demolition engineer who's mission is to blow up a bridge. Sgt Turk and Sgt Saunders do not get along at all, but in the final minute fo the episode, you see how both men have grave respect for each other.

Combat was an awesome show and now that I know it is out on DVD, I am looking forward to buying many more sets.