*OFFICIAL THREAD* "THE PACIFIC" on HBO

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bobdole369

Diamond Member
Dec 15, 2004
4,504
2
0
Crap, missed it. OMG I was even watching the promos for it. Any re-airs this week? And of course I just realized the reason I didn't record it. I don't have HBO..... Off to nefariousness.
 

rudder

Lifer
Nov 9, 2000
19,441
86
91
I didn't feel invested in the Marines since there was so little backstory, unlike Band of Brothers where they showed the training.

The acting was good, the effects were good. As first episodes go, it didn't match BoB, but it was different type of first epi.

All in all, I enjoyed it, and look forward to next weeks epi.

wow... you read my mind. It was hard to get a feel for the main characters. They showed the one marine opening a door for a lady at a church... the next time you see him he is on the ship getting ready to hit the beach.

I am sure we will get to know the main characters a little more. We will see how it plays out. Still looking forward to the rest of the series in any case.
 

rudder

Lifer
Nov 9, 2000
19,441
86
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How can you have a backstory in the first episode? :confused:

If you know anything about WWII, you should already know the back story of Gaudalcanal, John Baslone, and Chesty Puller, these are pretty iconic names.

In the upcoming episodes they will have the battle for Henderson field, which was uber important to the USA's early foothold in the Pacific. Without it, you could probably have kissed New Zealand, and possibly Australia, goodbye, oh, and add a few more years to the war.

He was referring to the backstory of the characters. Sure we know John Basilone won the medal of honor..but the viewer is not given much more. In BoB you follwed them through training, D-Day, losing those people they knew from airborne training etc.
 
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clamum

Lifer
Feb 13, 2003
26,256
406
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I thought it was a good first episode. That scene with the single Japanese soldier in the river was pretty crazy. Awesome production values too, definitely at least as good as Band of Brothers.

I dunno why but I got confused between Eugene Sledge and Robert Leckie; I thought it was Eugene who was on Guadalcanal but it was Robert. They look a little alike but I guess my head was just full of fuck. Can't wait for next week's episode though. :awe:
 

Lotheron

Platinum Member
Oct 21, 2002
2,188
4
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I agree that it seemed to jump around a good deal during the first episode. That just tells me there is a good chance that a great number of scenes were removed (hopefully to be there later in an extended release?). All in all, this series will be epic!
 

benzylic

Golden Member
Jun 12, 2006
1,547
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The first episode is available to watch on HBO's website in case anyone missed it. Its probably only to draw people in so I doubt the rest of them will be put up on there.

All you have to do is make a free account on their website and validate your email address.
 

pookguy88

Golden Member
Jul 19, 2001
1,426
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can anyone explain why in the Pacific theater they use that different style machine gun than the one they use in Europe (BoBs)?
 

techs

Lifer
Sep 26, 2000
28,559
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can anyone explain why in the Pacific theater they use that different style machine gun than the one they use in Europe (BoBs)?

Because they were still using old equipment when the landed on Guadalcanal. The new stuff hadn't reahed the toops yet. If you noticed they still had WW1 bolt action rifles and not M-1's. In BOB they were landing in France in 1944 and not 1942.

I was more interested in the landing craft. They looked like Higgens boats, but they appeared to be old and rusted. I didn't know the Navy had any dedicated landing craft until the Higgins boats came online.
 

pookguy88

Golden Member
Jul 19, 2001
1,426
0
76
Because they were still using old equipment when the landed on Guadalcanal. The new stuff hadn't reahed the toops yet. If you noticed they still had WW1 bolt action rifles and not M-1's. In BOB they were landing in France in 1944 and not 1942.

I was more interested in the landing craft. They looked like Higgens boats, but they appeared to be old and rusted. I didn't know the Navy had any dedicated landing craft until the Higgins boats came online.

ahh I see.. what's the name of the machine gun(s) they are using in BoB? And, if you don't mind me asking, how are they different besides looks?
 

JS80

Lifer
Oct 24, 2005
26,271
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I always wondered why all the WWII movies and shows were based on the European side of the war. After watching the first episode, now I think I have an idea. Damn that war must have been boring.

PS lol at the one dude that looks like stifler
 

Regs

Lifer
Aug 9, 2002
16,666
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Of course, they won't show the year we withdrew (surrendered)from the Philippines and got chased back to Austrialla with our nutts in a sling. How about the thousands of soliders that got forced to walk 60 miles in tropical sun with no food or water resulting in thousands dead?
 
Nov 29, 2006
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I thought it was good overall but coming in behind BoB they have their work cut out for them. Hope the character development gets stronger as the series goes on. As usual though great imagry and cinemotograhy.
 

yankeesfan

Diamond Member
Aug 6, 2004
5,922
1
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I always wondered why all the WWII movies and shows were based on the European side of the war. After watching the first episode, now I think I have an idea. Damn that war must have been boring.

PS lol at the one dude that looks like stifler

Hope that's not serious. A lot of the battles in the Pacific were more horrific than anything in Europe.
 

benzylic

Golden Member
Jun 12, 2006
1,547
1
0
Of course, they won't show the year we withdrew (surrendered)from the Philippines and got chased back to Austrialla with our nutts in a sling. How about the thousands of soliders that got forced to walk 60 miles in tropical sun with no food or water resulting in thousands dead?

The show follows the 1st Marine Division, and they weren't in the Philippines.
Putting the Philippines in the show just doesn't make sense.
 

AznAnarchy99

Lifer
Dec 6, 2004
14,695
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Just finished watching it. Everyone is right on the character development so far. I have no idea who are the main main characters really.

I dont know if its me or not, but did anyone find that part with the Jap in the river and the guy looking through the Jap's bag gut wrenching?
 

JS80

Lifer
Oct 24, 2005
26,271
7
81
Hope that's not serious. A lot of the battles in the Pacific were more horrific than anything in Europe.

I don't doubt it's horrificness, but for entertainment purposes, fighting in European towns is more glamorous than fighting in tropic islands on a turkey shoot for kamikaze jap soldiers. IMO the first episode was way boring. I'm probably going to watch all ten, but I guess I am still hopeful that they can only go up from here.

PS I watched BoB beginning to end prob about 3x.
 

fatpat268

Diamond Member
Jan 14, 2006
5,853
0
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I don't doubt it's horrificness, but for entertainment purposes, fighting in European towns is more glamorous than fighting in tropic islands on a turkey shoot for kamikaze jap soldiers. IMO the first episode was way boring. I'm probably going to watch all ten, but I guess I am still hopeful that they can only go up from here.

PS I watched BoB beginning to end prob about 3x.

It'll get better.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,855
31,344
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I'm not reading anything in here until I get to see these all together, on BD, well after broadcast!

that being said, my major criticism, that I can only assume is accurate, is that this follows several stories, correct? not a common narrative where we see a particular group grow together?

I think that will make it less successful than BoB, but I hope there is enough of a thread from a few of these characters to keep the story engaging.

Regardless, I'm 100% confident that the BD release is a worthy blind buy.