Search - Combat - Season 2, Mission 1 on DVD

Combat! message more timely than ever

Comet Watcher | San Diego, CA | 10/10/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

Excellent Second Season!

J P Falcon | Fords, New Jersey United States | 11/18/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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!!!"

Awsome series -True band of brothers

T Man | NJ | 12/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

Quality that holds up over time

Amateur Historian | Jonesboro, AR USA | 03/26/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."