Informal Rewatch: The Breaking Point and The Last Patrol
The Breaking Point
- Horses. Officers on horseback, in the damn 20th century. I think sometimes we forget quite how different a world the 40s actually were.
- Lipton says that if they all do their jobs, everything'll be fine. Of the group of four men he's addressing there, by the end of the episode, two will be dead, one will be maimed and one will be traumatised.
- It's quite obvious they're making it clear that Speirs knows aaaall about the rumours, even before the explanation in the church. The turning back and offering of cigarettes. Hell, even the way he wears his helmet slung so it shadows his eyes. He knows everyone thinks he's psycho, and he revels in it.
- When Malark goes to visit Buck in the aid station, there's a curly-haired guy having his leg operated on. I almost started out of my seat until I remembered that Harry got operated on in Luxembourg and England, not while still in Belgium.
- I swear to god, there is somebody at the BBC who is actually determined to remove scenes featuring my favourite characters. We've had important character moments for Harry and Spina snipped - in this episode, they remove both the bit where Peacock gets dismissed and, even more tragically, Skip's magnificent bit of exposition. I feel bereft, utterly bereft.
- Okay, why on earth would you give a man a weapon who killed one of his acquaintances? Seriously. I can't see how owning the gun that did for Hoobler would do anything to cheer up Malarkey. It's a memento mori.
- The bit in the middle of the battle scene where we get Dike's POV is absolutely fantastic. I think it's that, more than anything, that made me so sympathetic towards him - because it's disorientating, and terrifying, and how the hell could anyone not panic under such stress? Great bit of direction. And Dike's pathetic look of gratitude when Speirs finally arrives is amazing.
- Okay, I probably don't know enough about soldiering, but why are Dog just sitting there watching Easy get slaughtered?
- Speirs' epic run. Just astonishing. I love the way the music changes just to signify that yes, this is badassery on a gigantic scale.
- Hey, is that Liebgott shoving the POW?
- The bit at the end, with Luz and Lipton being pals in nicotine addiction, it warms my heart. Or at least it did until I remembered Lip died of cancer. Damn you, history. (I seriously hope it wasn't directly smoking-related. That would seriously put a downer on the whole Luz-Lipton-Lucky Strikes friendship subplot.)
The Last Patrol
- Oh god, Web's narration. From the moment he starts speaking I start shouting "Shut UP, Webster!" at the TV. I wouldn't mind so much if the delivery wasn't so goddamn monotone. It just grates at me.
- God, everyone is mean to Jones, aren't they? Winters barely disguises his contempt for him. Funny, that. In the last episode you've got this posh boy newbie who can't or won't lead but everybody desperately wants him to; in this episode, the posh boy newbie really really wants to have a go at leading but everybody wants him to bugger off. At least Webster understands him. I like their little mutual understanding. The nods. The way that when that shelling happens, everyone bursts out laughing except for those two, who are spooked. This episode's theme is 'outsiders', and it's nice that at least they're not quite alone in being marginalised.
- The shower scene does not last nearly long enough. Come on, HBO, people pay their subscriptions for full frontal male nudity. I'm not asking for Oz levels of manflesh, but c'mon. Don't tease us like this.
- Cobb's all mean to Vest. Cobb seems to have a thing for picking on the pretty young 'uns, doesn't he? (As it is impossible to watch this episode without getting somewhat cracky, I shall now make the unfounded assertion that he bullies them to cover his desire for twinky sorts who he lusts after but cannot have, because he is a) in denial and b) is a potato-faced meanie who nobody likes.)
- For the first time, I finally learned to notice and recognise Jackson throughout. And instantly developed a huge crush on him. He was just a kid. Signed up at 16. Seriously wounded in Normandy but came back for more. Oh, and cute as all hell. His death really affected me this time round. Asides from this - the room is thrown into chaos, but immediately settles down when Doc arrives. His mere presence brings calm. Also, Vest's reaction. He flips out, nearly attacks the POWs, bursts into tears when Jackson finally dies. Now, why's that? Because he'd never seen death before and couldn't handle something the other guys had grown used to? Because he and Jackson were buddies? Could be either. Or both. I don't know, it's just fucking tragic.
- And ending on a lighter note: Harry returns, is immediately given alcohol. Of course. Oh, and I shall be eternally grateful to Rick Warden for delivering the "did you miss me?" line in such an inappropriately flirtatious manner.