HBO's The Pacific official trailer (follow up to Band of Brothers)

[rowech]

Just finished 2nd episode and color me less than impressed. I'm finding this to be pretty blah to be honest. Stunning visually and great atmosphere but just blah.

[EagleFan]

It's missing the connection that BoB had. I may like it hen all is said and done but I think I will need to read up on the Pacific Theater asmuchas possible and then watch again to get enough out of it.

[Scoobz0202]

Maybe the awesomeness will wear out more for me as the season goes on but my connection to the show comes from some military fiction I read years ago. The Corps series by W.E.B. Griffin. His writing on Guadalcanal was fucking awesome and ever since then I have loved reading about Guadalcanal. My knowledge on the rest of the pacific theatre is shaky so we'll see what happens.

[Bad-example]

It is difficult to judge these early episodes based on initial viewings. Once we have seen the entire series we will probably enjoy watching reruns of the beginning installments much more. That was my experience with Band of Brothers.

[RendeR]

I'm not sure what you guys are watching but frankly this show is awesome. I'm enjoying this far more than I ever did Band of brothers, but then I served in teh Pacifc myself so that certainly may bias me some.

Episode 3 was terrific, the internal turmoil of most of the characters is excellent and I'm really enjoying the interaction with the civilians.

Can't wait till I have it all recorded and can sit and watch it all straight through.

[Cringer]

I think tonight's episode helped establish some of the "personal connection" that was missing with characters. For a war show that had no war in it, tonight's episode was good.

[Emmett13]

Didn't care much for tonight's episode. And haven't been too impressed with the other two (as far as HBO shows go). This episode seemed really contrived, and bordering on Bay's Pearl Harbor with the schmaltz factor. Foreign soldier falls in love with farmer's daughter? Gag me with vegemite!

And the blonde haired kid with his little Aussie babe and strict grandfather. Get out of here with that weak subplot!

A cow was the only thing that got killed in the episode. It's like they were screwing with me.

If this show was on another network I'd be drooling all over it. HBO just has my standards too high for its shows.

[Scoobz0202]

Originally Posted by RendeR

I'm not sure what you guys are watching but frankly this show is awesome. I'm enjoying this far more than I ever did Band of brothers, but then I served in teh Pacifc myself so that certainly may bias me some.

Episode 3 was terrific, the internal turmoil of most of the characters is excellent and I'm really enjoying the interaction with the civilians.

Can't wait till I have it all recorded and can sit and watch it all straight through.

Agree 110%.

I've been watching each episode 2-3 times before the next one comes on. I thought last nights was right up there with episode two. A buddy and I are just in love with this show. Each week we call each other after each episode and discuss it. Really find it hard that people don't like it. I dunno.

[Dr. Sak]

To put it in context, The 1st Marine Division spent more time in Australia than Easy Company did in Europe.

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

Agree 110%.

I've been watching each episode 2-3 times before the next one comes on. I thought last nights was right up there with episode two. A buddy and I are just in love with this show. Each week we call each other after each episode and discuss it. Really find it hard that people don't like it. I dunno.

So yer dating Ricky Martin?


Sorry, but the way you just described that SCREAMED fainting female and daytime soaps....

[rowech]

I'm finding this to be almost a chore to watch. I'm not looking forward to it at all really which is really disappointing. I can't say it's bad but I'm very neutral on it which might be even worse than bad.

[Scoobz0202]

Yea, those sentences back-to-back just scream gay, don't they.

[stevew]

So my brother got pissed last night when I made some comment like

Spoiler

I wonder if they will show the Japs noob tubing Basilone. They apparently couldn't get him with regular bullets

. I mean shit, when something has been public record for like 65 years and is stated on a persons youtube page, I don't see how that is a spoiler.

Whatever though.

[Sun Tzu]

I'm digging the show. I'm not as engaged with this as I was for Band of Brothers, but it's not really fair to judge anything based on that. IMO Band of Brothers is the best mini-series...ever.

Standing alone without the side by side comparison, I think The Pacific is pretty damn good.

[Scoobz0202]

I feel tonight's episode was probably the best one yet...

I know we got some people that were starting to lose interest, how you guys holding up?

Those that are loving it did you reallllly dig tonights?

[stevew]

I will say the Sledge story is miles better than the other one.

[Scoobz0202]

Going into tonights episode I felt the Leckie one was the best, but the character development of Sledge in this episode alone was just fucking awesome.

[EagleFan]

Still watching but it seems fragmented and not seeing any connection between the soldiers (like BoB had). Reading some of the books about it so hopefully it will mean more when I watch it again.

[Scoobz0202]

The big bonus for me with the Sledge story is snafu. Such an awesome character.

[DaddyTorgo]

I'm trying to like it as much as Band of Brothers, but it's just not resonating as much for me. It's not BAD or anything, but it's not like Band of Brothers where it was appointment TV...it's more like "I'll throw it onto the DVR and catch it at some point -- I just watched Episode 6 tonight for example.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

I feel tonight's episode was probably the best one yet...

I know we got some people that were starting to lose interest, how you guys holding up?

Those that are loving it did you reallllly dig tonights?

Haven't watched last night's yet. I'll finish the series out of need. I'd never stop watching it but it's not a series I'm ever going to re-watch. It's just blah.

[3ric]

I've only seen episodes 1-4, but I like it so far. Leckie is a good character, and it's going to be interesting to see more of Sledge.

[spleen1015]

Part 6 was pretty awesome, IMO. We haven't watched last night's yet.

If you haven't already, I recommend getting the companion book that has been released. It covers the same time frame but looks at other individuals. One of people it covers is a Navy Pilot. It is interesting seeing the same battle and scenarios from different perspectives.

[Dr. Sak]

I am 75% of the way through Leckie's book and after that I will read Sledges. I loved Band of Brothers, but I am really enjoying this just as much. I swear each time I watch series like these two I sit and wonder if I would have had the courage these young men had.

We saw a little bit of the psychological toll of war in the episodes in Bastogne, but The Pacific really shows how it takes the innocence away from the soldiers and I am amaze that they were able to fit back into society they way they did.

[thesloppy]

I was having a slow time until episode 6 and 7, when things have finally started to set for me. The storyline with Sledge (who I thought would be the least interesting character at first) has been more compelling for sure...I think a big part of the reason is simply just because there's a few more recognizable (and perhaps more exaggerated) characters that stand out, such as Snafu and Gunny (both of whom are awesome), whereas in Leckie's storyline, even though I might identify with Leckie more than Sledge, I had trouble distinguishing all of the dudes who weren't Leckie.

Spoiler

I still had that problem a bit in last night's episode, when more than one guy died in obviously poignant scenes that were kinda ruined by the fact that I didn't have the slightest clue who either of them were.

[DaddyTorgo]

I've gotten so little in to it that I don't even have an idea of any of the character's names...they don't really seem "alive" to me.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

I've gotten so little in to it that I don't even have an idea of any of the character's names...they don't really seem "alive" to me.

I think it's a decent series but it is not easy figuring out who these people are, other than the three main people.

BoB seemed to allow youto get a better feel for the characters. One of the reasons is that you got more episode. These episodes are done in 50 minutes and much of that is taken up with Hanks and the intro at the beginning. Another reason is that it followed one company and the war in Europe was not a series of fractured island hops like in the Pacific theater.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

I've gotten so little in to it that I don't even have an idea of any of the character's names...they don't really seem "alive" to me.

I do have the same problem. It was probably supposed to be a big deal with the Skip went down last night(to the sniper), but it wasn't very powerful cause you didn't really know much about him. He was from new england, I guess.

[Scoobz0202]

You guys didn't have a similar problem with BoB? It took about the second or third viewing of BoB's for me to really enjoy it to its fullest.

[bob]

Quick question for those of you with HBO - is are the old episodes of the Pacific available on demand? Could I just pick up HBO for a month, watch the already aired eps on demand and the few remaining episodes as they are aired and then cancel?

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by bob

Quick question for those of you with HBO - is are the old episodes of the Pacific available on demand? Could I just pick up HBO for a month, watch the already aired eps on demand and the few remaining episodes as they are aired and then cancel?

They are all available and the first episode is available until 6/15.

[EagleFan]

One thing that I don't understand about this episode is why they gave us a minute of Sledge and snafu at the start of this one.

[Scoobz0202]

I've loved the series but my only major complaint is the "wasted time." The episodes are for the most part only 40 or so minutes, which kinda sucks. It seems like they could have paced it better.

I do think that the last ten minutes of this episode may have been the best combat scene I've ever seen in show or movie.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

I've loved the series but my only major complaint is the "wasted time." The episodes are for the most part only 40 or so minutes, which kinda sucks. It seems like they could have paced it better.

I do think that the last ten minutes of this episode may have been the best combat scene I've ever seen in show or movie.

Wish I knew that going in so I could have skipped the first 30 minutes of this one.

Honestly on the Sledge/snafu thing. Did that look like it was a scene that they had no idea where to put it so they threw it into the beginning of this episode. Why wasn't that in last week's?

[Scoobz0202]

Yea, I don't know what to tell ya. It was just kind of there...

Do you think the last ten minutes is all we are going to see of Iwo Jima? Because, like I said, it was an unreal ten minutes but it seemed like they were like, "oh fuck, we are running out of time." BOOM

[DaddyTorgo]

thoughts in spoiler

Spoiler

okay...i get that that was supposed to be some big heartbreaking thing that he died right after getting married and all, but i dunno...i never really felt as much of a connection, so it didn't really have much of an effect on me

[Scoobz0202]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

thoughts in spoiler

Spoiler

okay...i get that that was supposed to be some big heartbreaking thing that he died right after getting married and all, but i dunno...i never really felt as much of a connection, so it didn't really have much of an effect on me

Spoiler

I agree in a small way. I knew he died before the show started. That may have taken some away from it. I was just watching to see how they did it. I thought the scene was beautiful.

[DaddyTorgo]

the cinematography was beautiful yeah. but it didn't resonate in any sort of emotional way i guess.

in contrast - i thought the scene from last week where the guy was throwing pebbles into the blown-open head of the Japanese soldier...resonated more.

[stevew]

He died about 8 months after getting married. They should have just made a Basilone movie instead of this meandering miniseries that is way too hard to follow and care from week to week.

[DaddyTorgo]

it does meander far too much IMO...hard to stay caring about a character when for instance we leave basilone for over a month of watching only to come back and see him for an hour before he gets killed

[BigDPW]

I am not watching The Pacific as I do not have HBO but saw this link and thought of you guys that are following it... Pretty amazing collection of photos from the Pacific Theatre...

Captured: The Pacific and Adjacent Theaters in WWII – Plog Photo Blog

[bob]

Why oh why does Direct TV not offer HBO on Demand? It's my own fault for not checking before I ordered HBO, but man does it suck that I added it assuming I could watch these just to find out that on Demand is not offered.

[Tasan]

Well, I've been avoiding this thread for a while, so I didn't taint my feelings about the show until its (almost) over. I'm past the point of caring now. I'll finish it, but I'm just not feeling it with this as I did with Band of Brothers.

In BoB, I could actually follow who was who. Outside of snafu and Basilone, I'm having a real hard time naming folks. A couple of guys stand out visually (Gunny and the fro hair dude) but come on. I plan on watching all of these back to back when its done, like I did with BoB, but I'm doubting if it will ever have the same impact.

I need a Winters, Lipton, shifty, Malarkey, Bull, Guarenna. Heck give me a Sobel. You know, I think that's what really brought it all together in the last one. Everyone got to hate Sobel off the bat with the rest of the guys. There hasn't been a Sobel, or anyone as opposite as Winters, to really pull you in. Just a bunch of "guys" going off to fight.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Tasan

Well, I've been avoiding this thread for a while, so I didn't taint my feelings about the show until its (almost) over. I'm past the point of caring now. I'll finish it, but I'm just not feeling it with this as I did with Band of Brothers.

In BoB, I could actually follow who was who. Outside of snafu and Basilone, I'm having a real hard time naming folks. A couple of guys stand out visually (Gunny and the fro hair dude) but come on. I plan on watching all of these back to back when its done, like I did with BoB, but I'm doubting if it will ever have the same impact.

I need a Winters, Lipton, shifty, Malarkey, Bull, Guarenna. Heck give me a Sobel. You know, I think that's what really brought it all together in the last one. Everyone got to hate Sobel off the bat with the rest of the guys. There hasn't been a Sobel, or anyone as opposite as Winters, to really pull you in. Just a bunch of "guys" going off to fight.

I agree with everything that you have said. Watching to the end but the show has nothing close to the same draw that BoB had.

If BoB had never existed I don't know if I would have watched this show until the end.

I would have liked this much better if they concentrated on one squad/company and you stayed with them all the way through instead of bouncing back and forth between Bassilone (and his group), Lackey (sp?) (and his group) and Sledge (and his group).

[Scoobz0202]

As a whole, this show has been very good. Something about the pace, and their focus, has made it kind of hit or miss. They have flashes of brilliance for episodes at a time but then throw in some shit that just makes no sence. There has been moments that rival anything I have ever seen in tv and film.

I'm prone to hyperbole, as I've probably already indicated in this thread. I think I even said this same thing about the final 15 minutes of the Iwo Jima episode. But, tonight's episode I can not describe adequately with words. I don't know how to describe it. This show has at times struggled to connect with me emotionally, and I think that may be helped with future viewings. But tonight was some of the most emotional shit I have ever seen in a television show. The scene towards the end with the baby and the old lady was unreal. Absolutely unreal.

Edited to add: Sledge and snafu should have been the focal point of the majority of the show.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

As a whole, this show has been very good. Something about the pace, and their focus, has made it kind of hit or miss. They have flashes of brilliance for episodes at a time but then throw in some shit that just makes no sence. There has been moments that rival anything I have ever seen in tv and film.

I'm prone to hyperbole, as I've probably already indicated in this thread. I think I even said this same thing about the final 15 minutes of the Iwo Jima episode. But, tonight's episode I can not describe adequately with words. I don't know how to describe it. This show has at times struggled to connect with me emotionally, and I think that may be helped with future viewings. But tonight was some of the most emotional shit I have ever seen in a television show. The scene towards the end with the baby and the old lady was unreal. Absolutely unreal.

Edited to add: Sledge and snafu should have been the focal point of the majority of the show.

The problem that I have with the series has been just that. There are parts of it that are great but those pieces still seem to be random pieces that aren't sewn together by the series as a whole.

I agree with your last statement but not just because of the characters but because as a series it would gel much better if the focus were one group.

Either do three different series or just follow one group. Give the viewers a chance to relate to something from start to finish. That was the best thing about BoB is that you got to see the same group from start to finish and even when they did shows that focused on one of them you still were following the same group and saw the same people.

[Sgran]

The Peleliu episodes were worth the price of having to sit through the slower episodes (the Melbourne part was torture). The scene where they charge across the airstrip is one of the most ambitious war scenes I've ever watched. Absolutely riveting.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

The problem that I have with the series has been just that. There are parts of it that are great but those pieces still seem to be random pieces that aren't sewn together by the series as a whole.

I agree with your last statement but not just because of the characters but because as a series it would gel much better if the focus were one group.

Either do three different series or just follow one group. Give the viewers a chance to relate to something from start to finish. That was the best thing about BoB is that you got to see the same group from start to finish and even when they did shows that focused on one of them you still were following the same group and saw the same people.

I think a Sledge series and a Basilone movie would have been great. I started out liking Leckie a lot, but either because he hasn't been heavily involved in awhile, or because they didn't really flesh out the rest of his company (combined with showing brief glimpses of too many guys that left you asking "Who was that?"), I've felt that part was basically wasted.

[Scoobz0202]

I felt that Basilone should have been removed. They didn't do him enough justice. I knew exactly how the 8th episode was going to go. Knew it all along. We hadn't seen him in awhile so of course the 8th episode would be them trying to make you fall back in love with him before Iwo Jima.

[stevew]

The guy who played Sledge absolutely owned it last night. He should get an emmy.