I've watched both episodes and I'm having the devil's own time telling the characters apart (other than the fact that Basilone is the one hauling the Browning MG around) and keeping track of the plot line. OTOH I haven't read either of the books on which the series is supposedly based- is it easier to follow if you have?

Compared to Band of Brothers, the production values appear great (the opening theme music seems eerily similar even though the tune is completely different) but the story is pretty much incomprehensible so far (and I know more about Guadalcanal than I do about Peleliu, Tarawa or any of the other islands before Iwo).

Last night was definitely heavy on the action part. I haven't been able to identify with any of the characters yet like I did with Band of Brothers. I don't know if that is a product of my having seen BoB so many times or not though.

Or maybe the fact that there have only been 2 episodes so far? It takes a while for character arcs to develop you know.

they have a sentimental professor, a gun ho yankee, the great leader ,the funny guy, the seasoned vet (or at least look so) and the rookie, how hard is that to identify ?

edit

I wish I could have been a seasonal vet. That way I could have avoided the worst weather.

Finnally some action, gruesome death, stupid cheese lettuce effect yet again.
italian dude with machine gun burn is my favorite. i'll bet he is dead by episode 4

In Band of Brothers, the focus was on the men - hence the long, very long wind up (Curahee) before the pitch (Normandy) and the tight scripting to make sure we understood not only who was who, but how they interacted with each other and why it was important. The pivotal events in Bastogne weren't of stopping the Germans or the battle scenes - it was Toye and Garnier (sp!) getting hit, Buck suffering battle fatigue, and Spears taking over the platoon in the attack on Foye.

The Pacific seems to be more about events, and how small actions led to larger successes. They've focused on a few guys, but we're forced to play catch up in how they fit in and their relationships with one another. They put stuff in context quite a bit - why they were where they were doing what they were doing, something that was glossed over pretty quickly in Band of Brothers.

So I'm taking Band of Brothers to be a narrative of just one select group of Soldiers and The Pacific to be the story of every Marine, if that makes sense.

I wouldn't say it is better or worse, just different.

I was thinking the same things about the characters and having trouble keeping up with the secondary characters. I can keep up with Sledge, barely in it so far but its the kid from Jurassic Park), Leckie, and Bassilone. Anyone else and it is pretty much a crap shoot if I know who they are or not.

John Basilone meets Fiorello La Guardia... priceless

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FsKhy2uM9w

After his first tour of duty and war bonds tour Basilone could have stayed home... Went back and died at Iwo Jima, the very first day of the battle, what a sad story.

Looking forward to the Peleliu part of the series, for personal reasons; spent a few days on the island in 2007 for a diving trip, but I had been reading up on the battle and devoted one full day to a tour of the battlefield... it's real living history, an unforgettable experience. Hope the links work.

Ciao,
nibbio

http://simhq.net/forum/ubbthreads.php/ub...tml#Post2203900

http://simhq.net/forum/ubbthreads.php/ub...tml#Post2203907

http://simhq.net/forum/ubbthreads.php/ub...tml#Post2203915

http://simhq.net/forum/ubbthreads.php/ub...tml#Post2204581