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I watched both parts back to back thanks to HBO on demand.
Loved them both.

Ep2 a massive improvement and not just for the action shots. Was very impressed by it all, hope it carrys on in the same vein from now on. Got a real sense of the despair and desperation of the Marines on Gudalacanal.

For me the combat wasn't exciting.  It's just the same old Turkey Shoot in the Dark similar to Vietnam flicks.  But I like the fact that the show tacked the Marine's morale and psychology.  Sickness and hunger was a bigger enemy.  Quite disappointed that the Guadalcanal campaign is over after the 2nd show.  At the start of the show, the IJN ruled the seas, at the end of the show they got shipped out.  Not much story telling on the campaign side so I got confused on how that happened (gotta make some research if you don't know).

ORIGINAL: cantona2

Ep2 a massive improvement and not just for the action shots. Was very impressed by it all, hope it carrys on in the same vein from now on. Got a real sense of the despair and desperation of the Marines on Gudalacanal.

agreed - got to know the guys a little more (the "peaches" scene was hilarious). the night comabt was so disorienting that I dind't even know what was happening, so I rewound (I saw it On Demand last night), turned off all the lights and watched it again ... and still could tell WTH was happening.

All in all, though - great stuff. I like how the opening map drilled down to the closeup of the perimeter around Henderson Field.

the night comabt was so disorienting that I dind't even know what was happening, so I rewound (I saw it On Demand last night), turned off all the lights and watched it again ... and still could tell WTH was happening.

Hey, I LIKE hearing this.  I don't like seeing "night combat" where I know what's going on.
 
With the caveat that I've never been in night combat, everything I've read and heard about it are consistent with the word "chaos".  So that's what I want in night combat scene's, chaos, confusion.  And we got that!

I get what you're saying, night combat *should* be disorienting ... but, if while you're watching it, it all amounts to 5 minutes of gunfire and close combat where you can't tell anything that is happening, it's gone too far to be "dark," IMO. The climax battle of Platoon is a great example - very dark, but directed in a way so that you could tell who was who and what they were doing. There was a scene last night where some Marines running back for ammo meet up with some Japanese soldiers, and there was a lot of grunting and cursing in two languages, but zero idea of what was happening. Just a little frustrating, but i loved the episode, all told.

Had they done the night scenes so that we could follow along closely, then a bunch of folks on here would have complained that it wasnt realistic enough. LOL

Two sides to every coin, no doubt! [:D]

Hi all,

I watched both episodes on HBO here...


Well... what can I say... my feeling about this new series are ubiquitous...


#1
When giving general history situation it did very very poor job (both at the beginning describing world situation) and, especially, regarding situation on Guadalcanal with USN (don't even want to mention total lack of any info about brave Henderson Field pilots without who the whole story has no sense at all).

This is, sadly, on par with very very bad "general population" history mostly shown on "History Channel"...

[:@]


#2
There is total lack of info regarding professional Marine soldiers (i.e. NCOs), how they got into Marines and ordinary (drafted of volunteers) Marine soldiers (and their training - they joined up and then they went to combat in just few seconds of episode time on TV).

[:(]


#3
The specific combat seems OK and that is best part of the show.

[:)]


Thus... is it good or is it bad... well... since there is nothing else compared to it I consider it good (even with flaws)... so... IMHO let's just enjoy the show... [:)]



Leo "Apollo11"

If they were making a 50-part series, much of what is being pointed out as "flaws" would be valid.  But we have to accept the premise and viewpoints they chose to deal with in judging "The Pacific".  If it does Marine small unit actions and activities well, then it should be judged a success.  Perhaps a better title for the series would have been "WW II with the Mud Marines".

I agree that the name is somewhat misleading, but it's not been described as a general history of the Pacific War.  Just like Band of Brothers didn't detail the strategic bombing campaign or the U-boat war (or any combat before June 44 for that matter), the Pacific has a very narrow focus. 

what is the focus.....is just the three guys i read mentioned?

ORIGINAL: Apollo11
Well... what can I say... my feeling about this new series are ubiquitous...

Hi Leo,

Did you mean 'ubiquitous' or 'ambiguous'? [:)]

Yes, it is based primarily on the memoirs of Eugene Sledge and Robert Leckie. John Basilone is also a main character (with some information on Basilone at Iwo Jima filled in with Chuck Tatum's memoir since the other two didn't serve there).

So, the entire story is basically going to be filtered through the eyes of the Marine infantry regiments (mostly from 1st Marine Division). The series goes to Guadalcanal (Leckie and Basilone), Cape Gloucester (Leckie), Peleliu (Sledge and Leckie) and Okinawa (Sledge Only). Basilone goes home after GC for a war bond tour, then goes to Iwo Jima as part of the 5th Marine Division.

So, obviously there won't be much, if anything, in the way of first-hand accounts of naval or air battles during the war.

Seems like Tom Hanks and Steven Speilberg have an affinity for the ground-pounders.

Mike

Seems like Tom Hanks and Steven Speilberg have an affinity for the ground-pounders.

I knew there was a reason I liked them

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Apollo11
Well... what can I say... my feeling about this new series are ubiquitous...

Hi Leo,

Did you mean 'ubiquitous' or 'ambiguous'? [:)]

ambiguous

Typos'r'us... [8D]


Leo "Apollo11"

ORIGINAL: usersatch

Seems like Tom Hanks and Steven Speilberg have an affinity for the ground-pounders.

I knew there was a reason I liked them

If it's a show about the navy then it will be a massive CG fest.
And the CG of the naval bombardment when they attacked Guadalcanal looks so fake.
So I'm happy with ground pounders.

I enjoyed the bombardment scene.

I felt a good sense of dread... slowly watching those shells march along the battle-line, until they were right on top of the soldiers, gave me the chills. That was darn good imho.

Not much comment on episode 3. Guess when the DVD set comes out DVD number 3 won't be worn out from overuse...

Ok 3 sex scenes and John wins a medal of honor which sums up episode 3, seriously what were they thinking of writing this episode? They could of done an episode on the Cactus Airforce, or Port Moresby, I think they scuffed this episode horribly. Way to go Pearl Harbor movie you just invaded The Pacific.