I saw the first episode last night. Less than 24 hours after its debut in the States (can't be bad ). My digital provider decide to do a 'Warm-Up' by showing the first episode of Band of Brothers beforehand (even better!).

My thoughts are as a first episode, it was good although it DIDN'T really grab you as BoB did in the first episode. It was also much shorter - taking the 'standard' format of 50 minutes, was, IMO, for a pilot episode, far too short. The 'Atmospherics' were excellent - the claustrophobia, nervousness and oppresiveness of the jungle were well handled. It's also nice they've used relatively unknown actors in the cast.

All in all I liked it, although as yet, it hasn't 'hooked' me the same way BoB did...

The format reminded me of BoB. Really liked the family element. Will be watching all of the episodes to come and when it comes out in DVD - I'm there.

I enjoyed it, although I feel the opening episode was too short, they should have done a two hour one.

Found that you did not "link" with the characters as in B of B. Other than that very well done. I had watched a History Channel special about the sea battles in the "slot" and found the scene in the show "haunting". The alligator creek battle was well portrayed and the physical impact of the Marnies reactio to confronting the jungle was excellent.]
The 50 minutes just flew by, way too short. Waiting for next episode.

Doug

I agree with you guys. I wish they had shown some training like they did in BoB. My wife is reading "Helmet for my Pillow", the book on which the miniseries is based. She's read quite a bit already and they are still training at Parris Island. The Currahee episode in BoB really helped me connect with the characters - it's one of my favorite episodes.

Over all though, I'm looking forward to Sunday nights for next nine weeks!

Michael

I gate crashed the HBO world premiere two weeks ago onboard the Midway and saw the episode on a huge screen--what a difference!

The producers wanted to avoid a cookie-cutter approach vis "Band of Brothers", so I'll give them some leeway on pacing and how they'll handle the plot. Apart from two very minor visual goofs in the Guadalcanal segment, it's very well handled.

Since they are setting up Chesty Puller as a significant character, I wonder how they will depict his controversial leadership at Peleliu--they've devoted three episodes to that campaign....

--Karl

I understand the producers wanting to start things off different than BoB, but all in all I think it was a slow start. I'm not a huge expert on the Pacific campaign, but I felt like they jumped around too much. It felt a little disjointed to me. I'm definitely going along for the ride, but hopefully things will pick up as the series continues.

Mike

That is a problem with introducing different characters in a historical setting. Speaking of characters, having thumbed through Gene Sledge's "With the Old Breed" (one of the source books on the series), I found nothing like the heart murmur issue--instead, his parents wanted him to finish college and get a commission, but being 18 in 1942/43, he didn't want to wait that long so he deliberately flunked out of his V-12 program to enlist.

--Karl

Karl, do you have a list of the books they used as primary sources for the screenplay? I'm sure there were many, many secondary sources, but I didn't realize they used multiple primaries.

Thanks!
Michael

A bit of a let down, but we'll see how the rest goes.

Hi Michael!

Unlike BofB, which was based mainly on Stephen Ambrose's book, Pacific is based on the writings of Robert Leckie, Eugene Sledge, and the life of John Basilone. So already, we have a very different approach for this series.

Leckie's works include "Helmet for My Pillow", "Strong Men Armed", and "Challenge for the Pacific". As mentioned above, Gene Sledge's work is "With the Old Breed". I believe Leckie's works are still in print and Sledge's book can be found easily.



--Karl

Nice! Thanks, Karl. I'm in the market for my next read, so now it's been narrowed down. I appreciate the info!

Michael

Well, the second episode is down and I must say the story technique of following guys from different units doesn't seem to flow as well as B of B did with just one company.

Furthermore, it looks like the viewer must use a lot of outside knowledge to follow events and keep actions straight. It's too bad they didn't use cgi animation to show it was a pair of battleships that were blasting the Marine positions.

Overall, I wish they had employed a narrator to hold things together, like in the classic "How the West Was Won."

Episode three appears to cover the 1st Marine Divisions lengthy rehabilitation in Australia.

--Karl

I've read several of Ambrose's books. One thing he could do well was tell a story.

True. But a somewhat controversial writer given the plagairism controversies he got caught up in.

- Steve

I have high hopes for "The Pacific", although I'm a little concerned that it's going to be yet another nausea-enducing wobblycam nightmare like so many other movies of the past 10 years (even the otherwise excellent BoB was plagued by that in places).

I know it's now "the norm", but it's a film-making style that I really detest.

- Steve

The 3rd episode really sucked...nothin but wishy wash love story ...

I agree with Tim...the 3rd episode was the least interesting one so far. I'm waiting for it to 'get better' as the story moves along. I like it but here's hoping for more.


Bob

That's the problem with following a certain unit: you're stuck with their itinerary. Because of their debilitating stay on Guadalcanal, the 1st Marine Division was out of circulation for the better part of a year in Australia...

Unfortunately, the scriptwriter chose to ignore the tribulations of the Division's first intended billet near Brisbane. Apparently the powers-that-be were going to put the men into a swampy camp not much different than what the Marines had just left. So, the Division's senior officers rebelled and they settled in Melbourne. I guess the miserable-camp-stuff is being saved for the upcoming sojourn on Pavuvu.

Well, it's off to Cape Gloucester for next Sunday!

--Karl

and its not getting any better.. spent the majority of part 8 with ANOTHER love story... the Pacific..I thought was intended as another historical WWII series, not Romance in the Pacific.

I agree with you, Tim. Parts of the series have been great, but as a whole, I'm just not feeling it. Also, has anyone else noticed that several episodes have been really short - 45 or 50 minutes? And, that's counting the really long intro and "previously on" scenes.

Michael

yeah, I noticed that too.. on the past 2 or three episodes. With BoB I immediately bought the box set, and have watched it numerous times..this one, I'll leave it out there like the Thin Red Line.. on store shelves collecting dust..

It's a darker story, more in line with Heart of Darkness and Lord of the Flies. I'm enjoying hte story telling; it's seems more character driven.

I wanted to wait a few episodes before commenting.

The series started off okay. It's going to be compared to Band of Brothers. And as the series goes, it has jumped around a bit and parts seem rushed at times. I think the series is trying to shock the viewer with the brutal nature of the PTO fighting. As far as the troops, I haven't developed the same "bond" with these characters as I did with the ones in BoB. All that said, it's good to see the PTO get some attention and I'll enjoy the series.

Well, we're 8 episodes through the 10 part odyssey and I must say I am disappointed with the overall product. While the production values are high, the series is becoming tedious and episode eight was a waste of time--not so much for the love story but for the choppiness of the plot.

For me, the fatal flaw in the series is the poor use of source material: two of the three central characters wrote about their experiences postwar, and one, Leckie, was a professional author. Why on earth didn't the producers opt for a narration format where the actors playing Leckie and Sledge do voiceovers from their works?

This was done effectively (albeit in fictional formats) on "Apocalypse Now" and "Little Big Man". I am following Sledge's book as the series progresses and I must say his written descriptions are more moving and searching than the straight dramatic depictions on the screen.

Granted, "Band of Brothers" set the bar rather high, but for the huge sums spent on this production and the talent invested, "The Pacific" seems to be a glancing blow.

--Karl

P. S. On the other hand, I still hope a mini-series treatment on an 8th Air Force subject will go ahead. I nominate Rosie Rosenthal and the Bloody 100th.