The Pacific (TV Show)

[witpqs]

Naturally the two series have to be different. My criticisms of the current series (see earlier posts) have nothing to do with the different nature of the campaigns, they have to do with - not being in the movie production business I have to guess - the editing. I think it is fair to say that, so far, Band of Brothers was better done overall. With the last couple of episodes, especially the last one focusing on Basilone, The Pacific has improved. And certain aspects of it, for example the battle scenes as others have pointed out, are superb.

[Q-Ball]

RE: Japanese weapons, I though the Type 99 rifle was well thought of as far as bolt-actions go, and the Nambu was a nice light MG. The "knee mortar" was also a nice tactical weapon, the Allies didn't really have an equivalent.

Obviously in AT capability...yeah, bad. Artillery wasn't good either, but I wonder if that was more a function of poor logistics.

[sfbaytf]

I do agree it was harder to follow The Pacific for a while. It does lack a certain consistency that BoB had. The time frame BoB covered was shorter and it dealt with an environment that was fairly consistent-Europe.

From a purely "shoot em up" perspective BoB is better IMO. I get a definate feel for the different styles of fighting from both.

I was expecting somehing like BoB myself. Not disappointed in what we got.

[Swayin]

It's almost unfortunate that for many of us, it's hard *not* to compare the two series -- sort of unfair to both.

[eloso]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Naturally the two series have to be different. My criticisms of the current series (see earlier posts) have nothing to do with the different nature of the campaigns, they have to do with - not being in the movie production business I have to guess - the editing. I think it is fair to say that, so far, Band of Brothers was better done overall. With the last couple of episodes, especially the last one focusing on Basilone, The Pacific has improved. And certain aspects of it, for example the battle scenes as others have pointed out, are superb.

While I agree that the battle scenes are some of the best, I have to disagree over the last episode being better than the rest... I felt like the whole thing was rushed through. There wasn't enough time to go over Basilone's entire courtship only to spend 10 minutes on the battle at the end. After the 3 episodes on Pelielu I was let down.

[witpqs]

Are you saying they should have spent more time on the battle or more time on the courtship?

[eloso]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Are you saying they should have spent more time on the battle or more time on the courtship?

I think they should have done one or the other. Instead, they just rushed through both and short-changed both stories IMO. Personally, I'm not interested in the soap opera stuff going on between the battles, but to each his own. If I wanted that I could watch the unmentionable movie. [;)]

[TOMLABEL]

ORIGINAL: OSO

I think they should have done one or the other. Instead, they just rushed through both and short-changed both stories IMO. Personally, I'm not interested in the soap opera stuff going on between the battles, but to each his own. If I wanted that I could watch the unmentionable movie. [;)]

ORIGINAL: OSO
If I wanted that I could watch the unmentionable movie. [;)]

Agreed TOTALLY!






TOMLABEL

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: OSO

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Naturally the two series have to be different. My criticisms of the current series (see earlier posts) have nothing to do with the different nature of the campaigns, they have to do with - not being in the movie production business I have to guess - the editing. I think it is fair to say that, so far, Band of Brothers was better done overall. With the last couple of episodes, especially the last one focusing on Basilone, The Pacific has improved. And certain aspects of it, for example the battle scenes as others have pointed out, are superb.

While I agree that the battle scenes are some of the best, I have to disagree over the last episode being better than the rest... I felt like the whole thing was rushed through. There wasn't enough time to go over Basilone's entire courtship only to spend 10 minutes on the battle at the end. After the 3 episodes on Pelielu I was let down.

I thought the last episode was excellent. It portrayed Basilone as a man with a sense of humanity and also a sense of commitment to the corps. When he could easily have been granted a discharge and been done with the war, he voluntarily reupped for a combat assignment. He died on Iwo Jima, a testament to his beliefs in commitment to the cause.

The courtship and marriage provided meaningful juxtuposition. Who among us hasn't felt the first pangs of love? To willingly give up all that he could have-all that he could be-for the sake of the corps and its mission...that's heroism, boys. Taking the easy way out was clearly not an option for Basilone. I don't think this message would be clearly conveyed if we didn't have a picture of what he gave for us. He gave all.

[jomni]

The tone of the 'The Pacific' posts in the WITP forum and the General forum are very different.  In the General Forum they mostly dislike the series and find it boring.  They still prefer the action-packed Band of Brothers.  In the WITP forum, where people are more familiar about operatations in PTO and are used to the "boredom" of playing WITP... appreciate the series.

[Nemo121]

Umm, guys, SPOILERS please...

Some of us did not know that Basilone died on Iwo Jima... Not all of us have the Pacific as our main focus and know everything about it> I sure as hell don't [:D]. It isn't a huge thing but if we're posting something like that could we put a SPOILER tag at the top of the post please? Some of us don't want the surprise spoiled.

[cantona2]

Heres what i wrote on another forum about Ep 8

I think the home stories are inevitable given the current climate and the fact that I think servicemen in the PTO were rotated back more often than in Europe. Contact with the enemy in Europe was for more constant as well, what with a continuous land frontline as opposed to island hopping. Though BoB is immensely better than The Pacific, I do believe that the difference in theatres of war is highlighted, eg necessary rest periods in Pauvu and the large distances between islands. In BoB the only 'rest' period we see is when Market Garden is announced.

Episode 8 was predictable but a lot of detail was left out, eg Basilone's Navy Cross (posthumous) and the scale of his actions on Day 1 on Iwo. I read in another forum that the DvD release would have more scenes that have been cut from the TV release, hopefully the combat scenes

Being a Witp avid player I still feel let down by the series as a whole. I'm enjoying it purely as its not another teen vampire or CSI crap series bombarding me via the airwaves, but BoB, theatre of operations apart, IMHO was much better made and acted.

[John Lansford]

Remember, The Pacific is following the events of the war as seen through just three men's eyes; Leckie, Sledge and Basilone.  Leckie is currently recuperating from his injuries on Pelieliu and (I think) doesn't return to his unit until Okinawa, which is why he wasn't in the last two episodes at all.  Most of the Pelieliu events were seen through Sledge's eyes, although ISTM that they also borrowed some from Burgin's new book on his Marine career (he is Sledge's platoon leader and has been seen in nearly all the episodes).  IOW, the focus is much tighter and disjointed, since we're looking at three men who served in the same division but not in the same unit.  I doubt Leckie ever met Sledge, and certainly Sledge never saw Basilone, so the series has to jump between the men's experiences.
 
I've not been disappointed at all, even in the episodes where nothing really took place.  The last one showing Basilone's internal struggle with his duty and what everyone wanted him to do, as well as his halting courtship, and final scenes on Iwo Jima, was IMO very well done.

[bspeer]

I am not disappointed in it overall. I could do with fewer sex scenes as I am not sure they add to the overall "message." Keeping in mind this is a made for TV movie and is targeting folks that are not military historians nor pacific aficionados it is doing quite well. Not, IMHO, up to Band of Brothers standards but quite well.

[Swayin]

Few things can stand up to the standard of BoB - truly a hallmark production in every way. About the only thing that compares to it IMO - in terms of just raw storytelling, production values, acting, and entertainment value, although obviously much different subject matter - was the original Lonesome Dove miniseries with Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones. In my opinion, those are still the two best miniseries ever made for TV.

[Ketza]

I agree that BOB is far better then The Pacific. Partly because it set the standard but also because the strategic dialogue Hanks gives and the map at the begining of each episode are rather distracting.
 
I do however believe that the series is indeed very good. It seems to capture the brutality of the theatre as I had always imagined it while reading about it over the years. 
 
I will never forget the scene where the one marine is plopping rocks in the shattered skull of the Japanese machine gunner that is filled with goo. It spoke volumes about what can be suddenly considered acceptable behavior given an extreme circumstance.  

[Swayin]

Partly because it set the standard but also because the strategic dialogue Hanks gives and the map at the begining of each episode are rather distracting.

Personally, I really like that feature.

[Capt Cliff]

ORIGINAL: John Lansford

Remember, The Pacific is following the events of the war as seen through just three men's eyes; Leckie, Sledge and Basilone.  Leckie is currently recuperating from his injuries on Pelieliu and (I think) doesn't return to his unit until Okinawa, which is why he wasn't in the last two episodes at all.  Most of the Pelieliu events were seen through Sledge's eyes, although ISTM that they also borrowed some from Burgin's new book on his Marine career (he is Sledge's platoon leader and has been seen in nearly all the episodes).  IOW, the focus is much tighter and disjointed, since we're looking at three men who served in the same division but not in the same unit.  I doubt Leckie ever met Sledge, and certainly Sledge never saw Basilone, so the series has to jump between the men's experiences.

I've not been disappointed at all, even in the episodes where nothing really took place.  The last one showing Basilone's internal struggle with his duty and what everyone wanted him to do, as well as his halting courtship, and final scenes on Iwo Jima, was IMO very well done.

The last episode totally missed that John Basilone got the Navy Cross for what he did on "day one" of the Iwo invasion. This man get's the medal of honor on "The Canal" and his first day back in combat he wins the Navy Cross. That episode should have ended with his widow being presented the Navy Cross. They presented his last combat action as an after thought and rushed through it. He was the bravest of the brave and for his final accomplishments to be glossed over was very very disappointing.

There are a lot of technical flaws but none being show stoppers. They spent two episodes on Peleliu which was ok, iffy, because they introduced Capt Andrew Adison Haldane, or Ack Ack, who gave us a glimpse of what a truly great leader and hero that man was. Definately standing shoulder to shoulder with Maj Richard Winters. America's strong armed men.

I mentioned this in the General Discussion forum but felt it needed to be repeated here.

[bspeer]

One thing REALLY bugs me about the series. I enjoy hearing the Vets speak in the beginning but it begs for a subtitle telling who they were and their units.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Swayin

Partly because it set the standard but also because the strategic dialogue Hanks gives and the map at the begining of each episode are rather distracting.

Personally, I really like that feature.

Me too. I snicker whenever they go back to Pu'vu'vu. A. Funny name and B. Land crabs, sand lice and mud never looked so good after coming back from the living hell of Peleliu.