Season five was COMBAT!'s final year as a prime time ABC television series. By its fifth season, COMBAT! was in color. For that reason alone these DVDs are a must. Never has the show appeared in such glorious format as the digitally restored fifth season. The cinematography is excellent and equal to any of the war movies filmed today.
Comments have been made to the effect that color contributed to the demise of COMBAT! in that the show lost its gritty World War Two look. Not really. Remember that in 1967, the majority of family television sets in the United States were still black and white. For most of us growing up in the 1960s, COMBAT! was viewed in black and white whether it was color or not. Additionally, COMBAT! turned to color about the time most television series also made the transition. Remember that other series of the day, also had their first episodes or seasons in black and white.
What eventually killed the show was its production company's budget. Selmur Productions was looking to syndicate COMBAT! before too many households acquired color television sets. In those days, a prime time television series could not be syndicated until it finished its run. As such, Selmur Productions launched a COMBAT! spinoff, GARRISON'S GORILLAS, to replace Vic Morrow and Rick Jason.
The budget affected COMBAT!'s fifth season in other ways. Filming at MGM studios became too expensive, so the COMBAT! crew moved to CBS studios -- albeit, with a handful of returns to the MGM French village for camera shots that could not be procured anywhere else. As CBS did not have a wooded backlot, COMBAT! was shot more often in Franklin Canyon, the Korbel winery, and other locations. A demolished building complex in downtown Los Angelos also provided a backdrop for shooting.
Between seasons four and five, Vic Morrow reportedly demanded a hefty increase in salary. As Morrow shared star billing with Rick Jason, Jason's salary increase automatically matched Morrow's raise. The other squad regulars also received modest raises. Unfortunately, the salary increases and use of color did not increase the budget for the show. Cutbacks had to be made. You will see in season five there are very few episodes that include the full squad. Morrow and Jason were paid whether they appeared or not. For the other actors, if they did not appear in an episode, they were not paid.
Season five also suffered a drop in the number of episodes. There are less than thirty shows in the fifth season. Still, thirty 50-minute episodes is better than the average 21 season episodes today's televison series.
COMBAT! was the BAND OF BROTHERS of its day. The only two things that separate COMBAT! from BAND OF BROTHERS are that the COMBAT! scripts are fictional and the color is not washed out.
Season five has some great episodes. The show could have lasted another one or two seasons had it not been replaced with GARRISON'S GORILLAS. On the other hand, COMBAT! successfully stretched the 1944 battle of France into five years. Not bad for a military televison series.
One of things I did miss about these episodes was that when these shows originally premiered, the first shows began with a brief teaser stating, "COMBAT! In Color." This announcement is missing in the DVD release. Do not skip the two-part special feature on the making of COMBAT! It makes up for the short season.
I don't care what anybody says...
...My TV war library is incomplete without GARRISON'S GORILLAS, RAT PATROL, TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH, BLUE LIGHT (Robert Goulet), and McHALE'S NAVY (Ernest Borgnine)! How long will I have to wait for these?
A Combat/GG DVD
Since I am a fan of both Combat and Garrison's Gorillas, I would definitely purchase the Combat DVD set again IF the Garrison's Gorillas series was added. There has been talk in the fan groups that there is an "unaired" version of Garrison's Gorillas first episode, The Big Con, in which some of the cast of Combat appears. Whether Garrison's Gorillas is viewed as a spin-off from Combat, or not, it would be nice to see that show presented in its entirety on DVD, along with commentary from the show's surviving cast and crew as well.
I also would like to comment on Kenneth Gillespie's impression of GG fans! Oh, how I beg to differ, Mr. Gillespie! I am a fan of both Combat and Garrison's Gorillas and I have been happily MARRIED for the last 28 years. Since you think I am *so* "mature," well, given a choice between Alzheimer's Disease and still being able to recall how handsome the actors were, I think I'll take the latter.....thank you very much!
But here goes, anyway: My picks for best episodes of "COMBAT'S" 2nd season.
BRIDGE AT CHALONS -- Riveting performance by Lee Marvin. I'm not necessarily a fan of these ultra-macho guys, but he's so damn' POWERFUL in this show.
GLOW AGAINST THE SKY ---- Very intense and violent. Of course, had Billy Nelson been wounded this seriously, he would have been shipped home immediately, and never appeared in another "Combat".
THE WOUNDED DON"T CRY---- Very well done. Karl Boehm very sympathetic. The twists and turns near the end will keep you on the edge of your seat.
***Suprise "Hit" episode: "A SILENT CRY"-----typical set-up with
misanthropic soldier (Richard Anderson) whom Saunders gets stuck with. The guy is a braniac who was... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Vic Morrow DVD Release Date: Released the 30 November 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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I watch 2 or 3 episodes every day. Great way to use my time waiting for the MLB playoffs. More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Vic Morrow DVD Release Date: Released the 30 November 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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The further adventures of King Company's second platoon are highlighted in all their blazing action and dramatic impact in this four-disc set, which concludes Combat!'s 1962-63 debut season. King Two undergoes a few changes in episodes 17 through 32--Shecky Greene's Pvt. Braddock is absent from the platoon (Greene quit over pay issues) and Jack Hogan, whose Pvt. Kirby first appeared in "The Forgotten Front" (featured in the Combat! Season One: Campaign One boxed set) is now a featured cast member; Emmy nominee Conlon Carter, who would later join the cast as Doc in the third season, appears as an unnamed PVC in disc 3's "Hill 256." The 17 episodes featured here carry the men of King Two to the liberation of Paris, which concludes the season; afterwards, the series would no... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Vic Morrow DVD Release Date: Released the 20 July 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Hailed as one of the best episodic television series about World War II, ABC's Combat! arrives on DVD with its first 16 episodes in a heavily annotated four-disc set that's sure to please its longtime fans. The men of King Company's second platoon (a.k.a. King Two) are the focus of this gritty and realistic series; led by Lt. Gil Hanley (Rick Jason) and Sgt. Chip Saunders (Vic Morrow in an Emmy-nominated performance), King Two fought its way across France for five seasons, beginning in 1962 with the 16 episodes gathered here. The storyline kicks off shortly after D-Day and carries the platoon up to the liberation of Paris, which concluded the season (the second half of season 1 is featured in a separate four-disc set). Cast members rotated in and out of service (Tom Lowell's Pvt.... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Byron Paul - James Komack - Tom Gries - Bernard McEveety (II) - Jus Addiss DVD Release Date: Released the 20 July 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Own all five seasons and hated to see it end.Combat was still rolling along when it was suddenly cancelled.Many blamed the
color version of season five helped kill the show,but that is
far from the truth.Season Five is/was terrific as well as the
first four.From what i understand,the producers back in the
60's wanted to get the show to syndication as quickly as possible
and thus the reason for cancelling.....more money!Today its just
the opposite,keep the show running to make more money.I am glad
i purchased this complete series,the only drawback was the time-
compressed issues of the first 4 seasons.Image claimed that
these time-compressed versions produced the best possible picture
quality and couldnt get hold of the... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Vic Morrow DVD Release Date: Released the 30 August 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
List Price: $39.99 Your Price: $31.99YOU SAVE $8!
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