THE PACIFIC - Episodes 9 & 10

 

EPISODE 9 (Okinawa)  -  Sledge is sent to Okinawa with his unit replacing an Army unit.  This episode concentrates on the difference between replacements and veterans.  Sledge and Snafu have to deal with a naïve private named Hamm who gradually earns their respect by trying to do what’s right and standing up to their hazing.  Hamm represents the green Sledge and his unrusted humanity is contrasted to Sledge’s descent into wanting to kill all Japs.  The episode has a dominoes falling subplot involving Snafu’s “trading” his old, hole-filled pancho for a newbie’s brand new one.  This will have tragic results. This episode also focuses a lot on the effect of war on civilians.  The combat has a no man’s land feel to it with the Japanese civilians caught in the middle.  There is an incident where Japanese use civilians as human shields.  Some of the grittiest battle scenes occur in this episode plus the added affronts to humanity.  The set is amazing -  full of mud and dead bodies. Sledge goes to the edge of barbarism, but pulls back from the brink in a heartbreaking scene involving a dying woman in a hut Sledge had hit with a mortar round.  This is the best episode of the series and the acting by Joseph Mazello and Raimi Malek is outstanding.   

 Grade = A+

EPISODE 10 (Home)  -  The war is over and Leckie is convalescing in a hospital.  Sledge is still on Okinawa, but has been out of combat for weeks.  He and Snafu celebrate the wars end.  Leckie returns home and starts dating the girl next door and renews his career as a journalist.  Lena visits Basilone’s family and they have some bitter sweet moments.  Sledge returns to his caring parents, but is suffering from PTSD and has trouble adjusting to civilian life.  This episode is a lackluster post script to the series.   

Grade = C