Rewatching an old beloved series can too often fill one with regret or cringey feelings. Especially if that show came out over ten years ago. But even though HBO’s Band of Brothers premiered in 2001, it is still as good watching it today as it was when it first hit television screens. The production quality of the World War II epic is fantastic and expertly displayed by the great cinematography. Even though the cast was rather large, every actor gave an outstanding performance.
The 10-episode series follows Easy Company, one of the earliest large-scale paratrooper units in the United States Army. We see the company go from training in 1942 all the way until the end of WWII in 1945. Through the wonderful writing and directing of the series, it never feels old or trite. Focus shifts between characters and locations, making it feel like a human tragedy rather than a heroic war story. Although each episode is a masterpiece in its own right and a part of the greater story, some are better than others.
“Carentan” (Episode 3)
I hate to rank “Carentan” last because it is still a good episode. It focuses on Easy’s wins and losses in the Battle of Carentan. We see how war is already affecting some of the soldiers, like Private Albert Blithe. His shell shock and hysterical blindness make audiences remember that these were all just guys sent into a hellscape version of reality.
“The Last Patrol” (Episode 8)
After seeing lots of frontline action, Easy is getting a bit of a break in “The Last Patrol.” Colin Hanks, playing a freshly graduated from West Point officer, shows up ready to take the lead. However, even the lowest-ranking guy is tired and wants the war to be over. A former member of Easy rejoins the company after months in the hospital only to find how much the dynamics have changed in his absence.
“Crossroads” (Episode 5)
There are a lot of wins in “Crossroads.” The higher-ups promote Dick Winters because he is a good dude. Easy Company assists in a rescue called Operation Pegasus. They rescue 140 of their counterparts from the British Parachute Regiment. Everyone shouts “Currahee!” But it doesn’t feel like a celebratory episode. Winters grapples with his feelings after shooting a young, unarmed soldier. A nervous American soldier shoots his own commander in the dark. Band of Brothers never lets you have a win without a loss.
“Replacements” (Episode 4)
As “Replacements” begins, real-life veterans of Easy Company explain the recruits coming in to take over for their lost friends were referred to as “replacements.” One man said he was often unfriendly towards the replacements because he hated seeing them all get killed at some point. It still choked him up in the interview. The story highlights Bull Randleman (Michael Cudlitz) behind enemy lines and trying to help civilians.
“Bastogne” (Episode 6)
If you ever thought war was glamorous, “Bastogne” would prove you wrong. Stationed in the Ardennes mountain range during winter, Easy is supposed to fight off the Germans while trying to stay alive. Many of their supply lines have been cut, so even essential items run thin. Eugene “Doc” Roe, a medic, scrounges everything from morphine to boots just to keep the company going to fight another day.
“The Breaking Point” (Episode 7)
The company is still battling it out in the freezing snow of Bastogne is “The Breaking Point.” Some of the goriest fighting appears in this episode, especially with members of Easy we have come to love. What sets this story apart from a lot of war stories is the raw emotions among the men. They huddle together in foxholes just hoping they make it through the night. Buck Compton loses the will to fight after seeing his friends torn up, but no one thinks less of him because they all feel one step away from him.
“Day of Days” (Episode 2)
When I think of Band of Brothers, “Day of Days” is what pops into my head first. Easy Company drops into Normandy on D-Day. Between winds and ground attacks, the company becomes separated before they even hit the dirt. When most of the company is back together, Winters leads a small band of soldiers to take out a German artillery complex. The entire scene keeps you on the edge of your seat and shows how a portion of the success came down to sheer luck. They still teach the attack strategy of the Brécourt Manor assault in military schools.
“Currahee” (Episode 1)
As the first episode of the series. “Currahee” does a fantastic job setting up the characters. Maybe because it shows the company in basic training, something usually skipped in war epics, but by the end of the episode, you care about the guys. You feel like you are in it with them before they even deploy. We sympathize with them running Currahee Mountain so much that shouting “Currahee” in later episodes feels nostalgic. Plus, we get to see David Schwimmer in arguably his best role as the antagonist Herbert Sobel.
“Points” (Episode 10)
“Points” is the final episode of Band of Brothers. The end of the war in Europe sees them taking Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest estate. There is celebrating, but there is also a lot of falling apart. Men don’t know what to do now that they aren’t struggling to survive every day. Some guys want to go home after spending over a year fighting, yet they don’t have enough points to do it. I like this episode so much because it highlights what Easy Company has been through and the relationships that bound them for life. The ending (that feels a lot like The Sandlot) doesn’t hit you with patriotism. Instead, they show how each man lived after the war and how none of them thought they were heroes while firmly believing all the rest of Easy was.
“Why We Fight” (Episode 9)
“Why We Fight” should be mandatory viewing for everyone at some point in their lives. You don’t have to watch any other episode of Band of Brothers to feel its devastating impact. While on patrol, a few of the men stumble across a concentration camp. At this point in the war, they had no idea these kinds of camps existed and how much human suffering transpired there. The episode does a perfect balancing act of showing the shock and horror of the soldiers while showing the suffering of the people they found. One of the most heartbreaking things in the entire series is when Joseph Liebgott must tell the camp survivors they must stay there longer until adequate lodgings and medical facilities can be established.
(featured image: HBO Max)
