Band of Brothers Episode 1 Reaction 

By the end of this series you will know each of these men. And you'll never forget them for the rest of your lives. Best show around.

Sadly, the last of Easy Company died this last July. That's why shows and movies like Band of Brothers is so important, it's not an exaggeration to say that the men who fought in WWII saved the world. They deserve to be remembered.

A few interesting things about Captain Sobel… he was discharged in 1946 but was recalled to active duty for the Korean War. He was awarded a Bronze Star ar some point and eventually retired a Lieutenant Colonel. Sadly, he did attempt suicide in 1970, an attempt that failed and left him permanently blind. He died 17 years later of malnutrition in a VA assisted living facility. He was universally hated by the men of Easy Company but most of them, including Winters, agreed that Sobel’s methods conditioned them to survive situations that would’ve decimated most other companies. In short, he was a good training officer, but would’ve been a less than stellar combat officer at best.

This is one of the greatest cinematic journeys you will embark upon. Enjoy!

It's powerful that they interview actual WWII vets. Really adds to the emotion of what the show is trying to portray.

Sobel is an easy to hate character because of his harshness in training. But he is arguably the best training officer you could ask for. Winters is more focused on accomplishing the mission and keeping his men alive while doing so - the ideal Combat leader. You'll come to know a lot more of these characters throughout the show as they become fleshed out.

June 6 1944 was D-Day for the Allied invasion of Fortress Europe, which took place at Normandy France. It was the largest amphibious invasion ever in human history. The allied invasion was made up of 11 countries, 156,000 soldiers and 195,700 naval personal. This series follows the story of Easy Company, of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. Easy Company was part of the airborne assault that was launched a few hours before the main beach landings began (the beach landings are the opening scene in Saving Private Ryan). The airborne were dropped behind enemy lines, and they were tasked with special jobs of disrupting and destroying German communication and reinforcement abilities. Based on the training these men received, and the missions they were tasked with, they essentially became the predecessors of modern day special forces units. In the US still today, many special forces operatives get recruited out of the airborne regiments. The nickname of the 506 PIR was the “Screamin’ Eagles”, as can be seen by the eagle patch on the soldier’s shoulder. Easy Company went on to become one of the most decorated combat units in all of WW2. The faces will become more recognizable as you get further in the show. The old gentlemen at the start of each episode are the real men of Easy Company who survived. Their identities get revealed in the final episode.

This show is so popular that I can follow two or three reaction channels at a time consistently. Thank you for watching. You won't be disappointed. This is such a growing and learning experience. Many of the people following this will be experts on this and will fill you in on so many details in the comments. This show will make your channel blow up. Glad to be along for the ride.

To clarify, 4-F was a draft status that meant you were ineligible for military service. As opposed to 1-A, which meant you were a prime candidate for service.

Don't worry about character differentiation, you'll get to know many of the characters as the series unfolds. For now, you're not supposed to differentiate them, they an army.

Thanks for finally giving up on putting this show in polls hahahaha. This definitely isn't a poll show cause it's not as popular as the other shows you guys react to, and it definitely isn't a show most of your audience will vote for. I'm sure y'all won't regret it!

Quakers are a religious group known for pacifism. William Penn, a colonial American, had the state of Pennsylvania named after him. Winters was from Pennsylvania. ‘Hi yo Silver,” called out by Sobel as they were running up Currahee was a trademark slogan from a radio show at that time, The Lone Ranger. Silver was the name of his horse. You will get to know many of these guys after a few episodes. Starting with episode 3 the show will focus on one member of Easy. This will help. Also, their personalities will become clear showing who each guy is. In real life there would be about 145 men in Easy at any one time. In episode 10 you will learn who some of the real life vets are. You will figure some out before that. America came late to the war. We started fighting in Dec 1941. The war ends In May 1945. Easy is in combat starting June 1944.

Winters helped each man to his feet and looked them all square in the eyes to show them the respect and admiration he had for every one of them. A true leader.

10 minutes in, "Winters seems like a capable person" hahaha you ain't wrong.

I go back and watch this show in its entirety every other year or so. I’m a US combat veteran, and I cry every time I watch it as if it’s the first time I’m seeing it. This is my favorite series ever.

As a ten year veteran who was in boot on 9/11 and who has two children, there is not a shadow of a doubt that it is a thousand times worse to send a child to war than to go yourself. The worst thing that can happen if you go to war is you die. I'd die every day for a thousand years before living in a world where my son was killed like that.

Captain Sobel ("Ross") was an effective training officer because he was able to bring together men from all parts of America from all backgrounds and accomplish two things: 1. A high level of fitness and readiness, and 2. Create a common enemy - himself ... give your men someone to commonly hate and they come together quite effectively. Unfortunately, he was a terrible battlefield commander and a bad personality. In this portrayal, that was his downfall.

I am nearly foaming at the mouth! I am so excited for this series!

You talk about Sobel and suicide: 15:23. Per his wiki page: In 1970, Sobel shot himself in the head with a small-caliber pistol in an attempted suicide. The bullet entered his left temple, passed behind his eyes, and exited the other side of his head. Both of his optic nerves were severed by the shot, leaving him blind. Soon afterward, he began living at a VA assisted-living facility in Waukegan, Illinois. He died there of malnutrition on 30 September 1987. No memorial services were held for him.

I watched this TV series when I was 11 years old, I couldn't completed it. Now, like an adult, I can appreciate every chapter. Oh, there is another production like this one: The Pacific.

Everyone in the series was real. It's based on a book by Stephen Ambrose (also called Band of Brothers) who interviewed all the surviving members of Easy Company. What you're about to watch is the story from their eyes. The book is really good too btw. And it's fun seeing a whole bunch of famous actors before they were famous. The only person anyone knew, before this started, was David Schwimmer. It almost put me off because how tf can you make a war show with Ross?? And I thought he played the role brilliantly.

My dad fought in WW2. He joined up 2 weeks after Pearl on his 16th birthday. Everybody went to war. Everybody. The men went overseas and the women held the USA together. It was a different time indeed.

I remember when Lola said she wanted to watch this show back a few years in the Q&A. Now finally here we are. Im sooo hyped!

LM Reactions. This is set during WW2, which took place between 1939 and 1945. The United States entered the War in 1941, following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941. Band of Brothers is definitely true. The 101st Airborne, nicknamed The Screaming Eagles, was the most famous U.S. Division in The War and Easy Company was the most celebrated company of all. Band of Brothers is taken from Henry V, by Shakespeare. Henry addresses his men before the Battle of Agincourt, when he refers to them as " we happy few, we band of brothers." More to follow.

Just gonna drop trivia about this show as i remember it, it was my obsession for ahwile. The series was a direct result of the succes of saving private ryan, a film both hanks and Spielberg worked on. It was a film that sort of create the modern dedication of war in movies. David Schwimmer (Ross) was kept seperated from the rest of the cast in an attempt to reinforce the rift between Sobel and Easy Company. According to surviving members, his incompetence in the field was not exaggerated, but they agree they wouldnt have survived without his training. Steven Ambrose, the researcher and author that wrote the novel, was not a direct consultant but both he and the veterans were impressed by the accurate portrayal of this series. The veterans were given scripts and walked sets to help keep them as authentic as possible. The veterans in the beginning will not be named until the end of the series, but the casting and acting is so well done you can guess whoses who eventually All actors of easy company had to attend a two week bootcamp where they had to use character names and rank the entire time. And go through the training you see on screen. Because this was before the boom of cgi, almost everything you see, from the sets to weapons and vehicles is actually built or rented out. It is a masterclass in practical effects

6:00, yes those veterans that give their interviews at the beginning are indeed the men you will be following throughout this series! Every soldier you see in this mini series is a real soldier that fought in the 101st Airborne.

I've lost count on how many times I've watched this mini series,one of the best things I've ever watched.

New sub here. I am so glad you are reacting to BoB. I was surprised you didn't recognize more of the actors. Sergeant Evans, Simon Pegg (Scotty from the Star Trek movies) and Pvt. Christensen, Michael Fassbender (Magneto from the latter half of the Xmen movie series) are standouts. Pay attention to Dexter Fletcher (sgt Martin) who went on to become a producer-director (Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody). In 2001 this series gave a lot of young British and American actors a big break.

Sobel’s alarms should have been going off. When a superior, asks you the same basic question, three times, it means your answer is wrong and you’re about to get hammered 😂

Good Reaction :) ... Band of Brothers is a docu-drama, almost all of it is based on real people and events. This series is the gold standard for World War 2 dramas. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks produced it, this won every award there is to win.

I hope you enjoy this amazing show, not only do the characters grow on you but the way it was filmed will make you feel immersed in the action as if you were one of them.

“The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” ~Douglas MacArthur

My friends dad who was in ww2 said when this came out he was amazed at how spot on it was.

Excellent series

For an unknown reason, in the late 1960's, Sobel attempted suicide by shooting himself through his temple, but the shot only severed his optic nerves, blinding him for life. He was later moved to a VA assisted-living home, and resided there for 17 years, before dying of malnutrition and neglect in 1987. No funeral was held. Fandom Band of Brothers wiki has bios of the soldiers, but beware of spoilers.

If you guys are looking for something short to react to, how about Firefly? It's from the creator of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel (co-creator David Greenwalt) and is only 14 episodes. The show was sadly cancelled after one brief magical season, but somehow through the fan support and DVD sales was able to get a follow up movie made called Serenity. The cast of the show and the characters they portray had what for me seemed like a magical chemistry right from the start which meant that no matter what the topic of the show was they would make it entertaining through their dialogue and interaction.

Greetings from Montréal, Québec, Canada !!! Your generation will NEVER be able to measure the intensity of what those men brought back home. I am 62 yrs. old from a familly of 10 children, my father fought that war, he came back with nightmares and emotional weakneses and Alcohol was his medecine to forget what he saw there. He would rarely come out of his bedroom and when he did, on a bad day, HELL would break loose in the house so my mother would tell the oldes children to take everybody out of ther hous and come back only when the house was silent...what a terrible life for both of us !!! When I see these images, I can feel what my father went trough and at the same time feel helpless to NOT having been able to sit down with him to aleviate his moment of pain. I passed away in 1981, he was 64 yrs. old, I was 21 and WISH I could go back in time to hug him as much as i could do and have long conversations...the ones I never got because of his traumas. WAR IS HELL and still, crazy people who want CONTROL (RUSSIA, CHINA, NORTH COREA, CUBA MIDDLE-EAST, etc...) did not learn from the past history. SAD VERY SAD !!!

A lot happened before the landing in Normandy. The US was attacked by Japan on December 7, 1941. The first US land fighting in the Pacific theater was August 7, 1942 at Guadalcanal. The first US land fighting outside the Pacific was in North Africa, in late 1942. From North Africa, the allied armies invaded Sicily in 1943, and then Italy, also in 1943. The fighting in Italy was very brutal, and had been going on for a year before the D-Day landings in Normandy. Bill Guarnere's brother died in the Italian campaign. Before the US got into the war, the Soviet Union bore the brunt of the fighting against the Nazis, losing hundreds of thousands in a series of really bad military defeats.

So when this show first aired, "Ross" was pretty much the only established actor and Cpt Sobel gets turfed in the first episode. This was an intentional choice by Spielberg: pick non-household names so you have no idea who will and will not survive. Since then, several of them have gone on to have extensive careers which changes the experience quite significantly. The show is based primarily on the book "Band of Brothers" by Stephen Ambrose which is meant to be a biography of Easy Company, 506 PIR, 101st Airborne. It's largely credited to the excellent documentation a few members of Easy Company maintained of their adventures in Europe. It should be noted that Ambrose has some issues with verifying facts - something which really comes back to bite the show in episode 3. The show also worked with the survivors of Easy Company (who are the men at the start) as well as a few secondary sources. The show is not focused on individual battles but rather it is focused on the soldiers. The battles are real and they're within the context of larger named battles but overall the show hopscotches through the European campaign. For example, while Operation Market Garden is a major battle in the history of the European Theater and 101st Airborne played a not-unimportant role in it, in the history of Easy Company it becomes an almost side story.

I watched Band of Brothers for the first time a few months ago. It's absolutely fantastic!

Welcome to what is, easily, the best miniseries ever produced for television. As I'm sure some have told you already, every man named in this show existed, and several of them survived the war and were interviewed for this series, which is based on the book "Band of Brothers" by Stephen Ambrose. Sadly, this show is over 20 years old now and last December marked the passing of the last officer of Easy Company, Edward Shames, who will be shown in a later episode (he's the only one I will give away as a survivor of the war). None of the men who you see at the beginning of the episodes are alive any longer. The interviews you see at the beginning of the episodes do not include the names of the men because the producers, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, didn't want you to only become invested in the men who survived the war, or the men who were interviewed; they wanted you to connect with any and all of the men who were shown in the show. It's all worth it and so good.

Sobel had a tragic and sad life. He tried to take his life, but failed, lefting him blind. He lived in a illfunded nursing home, and died of malnutrition. He had no funeral services. His family and friends told people he was not a bad man.

Forgive me if this is not absolutely accurate. The phrase killed themselves because they were 4F, means: killed themselves because it was decided, they were unfit for military service. These are the memories of some of the survivors of Easy Company, that started with 140 men and 7 officers in the 101st Division of 6,000 men. This allied airborne attack included the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division and the British 1st Airborne Division. Operation Overlord on June 6th, 1944, the invasion of Normandy, involved 160,000 allied troops. The U.S. was involved from December 7th, 1941 about 3 and 1/2 years at the time of the invasion.

This is a fantastic series. But I do wish they would've given a bit more context on Sobel. All these men are deserving of our respect and gratitude. They all helped save the world from being even worse than it is now.

Captain Sobel was good at following orders, but not learning systems and applying it to various situations. Captain Sobel could only exist and thrive where he could control the majority of the conditions; including his paratroopers. Captain Sobel had the look of shock when the paratroopers were running up Currahee after having spaghetti, because he realized he no longer had control of the paratroopers. Captain Sobel was afraid of being exposed as the incompetent leader once the paratroopers showed noting could stop them and they were unified. So Captain Sobel would easily stand out and would have no excuse after that point. Captain Sobel's character is classic, and not uncommon to see in business, personal relationships, military, government, etc.

So in regard to the soldiers and what was happening in terms of the training. Paratroopers were a brand new concept yet to be tried and tested in actual combat at this point. The U.S. had a draft in place during this period but given the circumstances, a lot of men volunteered to serve regardless, and while it was admirable and considered patriotic to do so, that didn't mean you were cut out to be in every part of the military. For the paratroopers, they wanted the best of the best. It'd be akin to what special forces would be considered today. Their training was tough both to ready them for the fight ahead, and to weed out anyone who would not be able to keep pace with what the Airborn Infantry was going to be called upon to do. The private refusing to change into his PT gear was essentially broken from the intense training and his refusal was basically a passive way of quitting the Airborn. This entire episode gives a sense of just what it was like to try and become a paratrooper and what the men who first did it went through.

I actually feel sorry for Sobel. After the war, when he did die, no one from the unit, his ex wife, or even his daughter showed up to the funeral (at least according to the book, never looked into it deeper than that though). I understand that someone that miserable drives people away, but I can still have sympathy for them.

Such a great series. Enjoy!

First time subscriber here, thanks for giving Band of Brothers a chance. It is my favorite series and had aged very well for being over 20 years old. The men at the beginning like many have said are the men that you will be following. It'll be a journey with some pain but it's a lesson that everyone should have.

Captain Sobel was a member of the US Army reserve. He had several years worth of military experience, but he had not been to war yet. He was just as unexposed to combat as the men he trained. If you read Ambrose's book, you will see that he trained his men very hard, but that he also managed to earn everyone's hatred.

Except for Sobel you would mostly know the actors of the other characters because they were relative unknowns until this show. This show was the spark that started their careers.

The aide who was assigned to Sobel was in the Mission: Impossible series and Shawn of the Dead. Also, Christiansen, who turned over his water canteen and had to do the march again was young Magneto Michael Fassbender. Later on in the series, you get to see the very young Professor Xavier, James McAvoy.

So glad you two are finally reacting to Band of Brothers. Such a great mini series.

Hey! Been a while since I've seen some of your reactions. SO GLAD you're reacting to this show. The best miniseries ever made and the best depiction of WW2 ever made. This isn't gold standard, it's perfection.

The thing about the canteen and drinking from it while on the march. Back in those days, the belief was that the human body could be taught to endure on very limited water consumption. This was called "water discipline". Understanding of the needs of the body has changed since, but back in those times, it was "settled science".

Sobel did not suffer from PTSD. PTSD is, by definition, *_Post_* Traumatic Stress Disorder. The "Post" indicating that it comes *_after_* someone experiences traumatic stress. Neither Sobel, nor anyone else here had even been in any sort of combat situation prior to the jump on D-Day. The problem with Sobel wasn't PTSD, it was just general incompetence. Sobel was what is referred to as a "martinet" - someone who is super strict about stupid, petty stuff, like loose threads on sleeves, but totally useless when it comes to things like not walking into an enemy ambush, or even just knowing where he is on a map.

A 4-F rating from the selective service board means that a young man was unfit for military service. Some were so ashamed of themselves that they committed suicide. The same thing happened in Great Britain in 1914 when young men were judged unfit for military service at the beginning of World War 1.

Not sure if anyone mentioned it. The comment about those who were listed as "4F" committing suicide. "4F" is a code meaning they were unfit to serve, generally do to a pre-existing medical condition. They weren't even allowed to go to basic training and while there was certainly work for them back in the states to help the war, they felt they were letting their family/country down. My great-grandfather was skilled in the manufacturing of aircraft (in particular, the glass cockpits), so he received a deferment (meaning he wasn't drafted) and built Helldiver dive bombers. His brother, served in the Army and was in the Pacific Theater if i remember correctly.

42:47 I don't think the show explained this part well, but what I always understood is that the other soldier put the note in Bill's jacket. Bill opened the letter thinking he got the wrong jacket because of who the letter was addressing, but that's because the letter was slipped into his jacket. The other soldier felt it was the best way for him to find out

The men in Easy Company tried to reconnect with CPT Sobel after the war, to thank him for turning them into a fine combat team, but Sobel was so bitter that he wouldn't hear it.

Like Valskaf said you will never forget these men. They remain with me. Saw this over 20 years ago be ready for a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I think they are all gone now. A great true story 100%.

General Patton had a saying about training, "A pint of sweat saves a gallon of blood." In other words, the harder your training is, the more you have to suffer through it, the greater your chances of surviving combat will be.

Been waiting for you guys to react to this series. Ok, you got the slow episode out of the way. The pace pickups from here on out. So many young actors in this show. The solider that drank out of his canteen and had to redo the 12 mile march was a young Michael Fassbender. Did you recognize Simon Pegg? The actor portraying Carwood Lipton is Donnie Wahlberg brother of Mark Wahlberg and original member of the boy group "New Kids on the Block".

Why would you not show the ending? That is one of the greatest shots in the first episode!

You asked, which is worse, going to war or being a loved one with someone in the war. I'd say it depends. During the war, it's far easier. I went to a few combat zones in my time. When I was there, I was focused on what I was doing, more or less. My wife and children...it wasn't easy for them. But after the war, coming back, they're relieved and ok. Sometimes, I think about what happened, and I feel like I've got it a bit worse than they do now.

Such a great show you have choosen ! Ill be here waiting for the reactions

Don't know anything worse than being prepared for combat and being told it isn't on after all. As a former high school wrestler, this happened to me a lot. Leading up to a match, my coach would tell me to get ready and as it came close to time for the match, he'd say, "Not tonight, they don't have anyone in your weight class." Having to sit and watch when you're all psyched to go is the most frustrating feeling in the world. I realize this is nothing compared to war, but the feelings are pretty much the same.

I know I'm late to say this. But you may want to pull up the cast list and see just how many famous actors took part in this mini-series. Also, the cast of Band of Brothers have been having reunions off and on since the series ended. It seems they formed quite a bond. Which you probably can understand

There may only be one season of Band of Brothers but there is also The Pacific which is a must watch after Band of Brothers. They are also making another show called Masters of the Air which will come out this year! There is also another war miniseries made by HBO called Generation Kill which has 7 episodes and is about the US invasion of Iraq and is one of my absolute favourite series.

The 4F suicides were men that had physical or mental problems that kept them out of the war. They wanted to join, fight for their country & though it wasn't their fault they took it personal. Military slang at the time was 4F for individuals not up to military recruitment standards.

First time on your channel and will subscribe! BTW - 4f at the beginning, and the comment about 4 committing s, whereas 4f means they had physicals prior to trying to join the military and deemed unfit so were not allowed in the military. This could be for many reasons, color blind, foot issues, etc, so these people were so distraught they could not join when the US went to war, they simply could not handle it and you know the result. I can only imagine the intensity of the situation back then and especially since the US was attacked at that time.

The scene with the spagetti is very true to life, long before this show came out when I was in basic, our drill instructors pulled the same trick. They told us we were showing exceptional results as a platoon and that they would be serving spagetti at the mess hall as a treat for our hardwork. They even told us to eat up and enjoy the meal so they gave us longer time to essentially eat as much as we can. It was all a ploy to see how we would react given full bellies of food and then forced into a 2 mile run. To say it was a disaster was an understatement but it did teach a lesson about always being ready for anything.

Just one aspect that made this show so great at the time was the casting. Almost all these actors were unknowns at the time which made the immersion of character so strong. Nowadays watching it for the first time, many of these actors have gone on to play in their own shows and are seen as those characters. Not that it ruins it but it definitely takes away a little of the... magic I guess. David Schwimmer was really the only one I was like, Really? Other than that, these guys WERE those soldiers. Great show

I love that you guys are reacting to this right now. Thank you. Please do it regularly!

Great pick! This show isn't 100% true to life what happened to the men of E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, the famous Screaming Eagles, but it's still really good. Captain Sobel (played by Ross from Friends, yes) wanted Easy Company to be the best company so he could be recognized for his leadership and be promoted. In those days, if you could retire from the Army as a Colonel, or better yet, a General, you had it pretty well made for the rest of your life. The best way to make it to Colonel was to lead men in combat, so that's what Sobel set out to do. He was an excellent instructor and training officer, but as you saw, didn't have what it takes to lead soldiers in a real war. Most of Easy Company was later glad that he drove them so hard, because it made them an excellent company. But very few of them had many very nice things to say about Captain Sobel.

13:25 What Sobel is doing is essentially applying psychological pressure to the men. It's similar to the kind of training being done to those who would enter elite units like the US Navy Seals, because it works. Say what you will about Sobel as an operations CO, he was a very good training officer.

Alber blithe didnt die in 1948 of his war wound like depicted in the series. He died in Germany 1967 due to kidney failure and complications during surgery. In the book this was corrected but they couldnt for obvious reasons in the film series

Operation "Overlord" was the name for the D-day invasion. June 6,1944. Originally scheduled for June 4th but postponed due to bad weather.

Colonel Sink was a professional soldier. He knew that he had to maintain a veneer of military discipline, but he also knew that he could not ignore a vote of no confidence from all of easy company‘s noncommissioned officers. And so he put on a show of anger, busted a couple of them down to private (who, then likely got their stripes back a week later), and then quietly transferred Captain Sobel to a non-combat jump school.

I feel like Sobel's character wasn't being hard on his men because he was concerned for their safety in combat (which was demonstrated in the training exercise when he moved from an ambush position to get to an objective on time, putting his men at risk) as much as he was hard on them so they could make him look better to higher-ups. But like you said, with that style of training, he produced a disciplined, task-oriented, capable group of men that bonded through their dislike of Sobel, so there's something to be said there.

Sobel acted basically like most drill instructors in the Army (though they made him out to be kind of a vindictive dick). They do things where from the perspective of a civilian observer, it seems like they are just "being mean" or "unreasonable". It all serves the purpose of preparing you as best they can for combat. The enemy isn't going to let you get a full nights sleep. The enemy doesn't care if you are in the middle of chow. The enemy doesn't care if you are in the middle of writing a letter home. You will have to do your job with bullets flying by and mortars landing around you and be ready to do it in a moments notice. You can't put it off until morning, you can't wait till you are finished eating. They will scream and yell at you to get in your head, tell you to do things over and over saying its wrong even though you know it's right. They want you to get frustrated, they want you to get mad, they want you to feel anxiety, they want you to feel fear. Why? So you can learn to manage those emotions and perform your duties correctly and quickly while experiencing them. By the end of your training they want you to be able to endure all the abuse they can throw at you and have it roll right off your back. In essence, no, it isn't some sort of hazing ritual. It serves the very important purpose of conditioning you to manage your emotional state to better prepare you for combat.

I'm really glad you react to this show, it is really great. To comment on something you said : It still feel close indeed. But it's interesting that it isn't felt the same way by people from Europe, and people from America. I'm french and moved to Canada 15 years ago, and they really do not approach this period the same way. Yes, they did have people that fought this war, but I guess the fact that it isn't happening in your place of living changes things. I have a great uncle that fought in the war, never knew him, he died there, but all my grand-parents lived through it, and had stories about the occupation and the Resistance, how it was to live with the German occupying your country, or having your home be in the middle of a firefight. This is not something that people from America can't really get I guess. I my family, we keep an old table (my sister is the one who had it) that has a dent in it... that dent was from a bullet, during WW2, that flew through the kitchen apparently. I'm hoping she'll pass that table to her kids in the distant future. My grand-father got rounded up by the Germans when he was just a kid because some German officer got killed ; a soldier let him go because he was too young, but he could've died there. My family, and I'm sure most of the families of people in Europe are full of stories like that.

Great decision to start this show. You won't regret it! Almost everything in it is based on real events and people (the talking heads at the begining of each episode). You'll find out who's who by the last episode. They don't reveal their names until the very end so you don't know which of the characters survive. Buckle up.

"I don't know if it would be worse to be in the war, or to have a loved one in the war." These are quite different experiences. Having a loved one in a war is stressful. You have to continue to live your life, but then there is this persistent fear that something may happen to your loved one, and you know you are helpless to do anything about it. Not easy. Going to war is a spectrum of experiences. However, they don't make movies or video games about the guy that sits at a desk and fills out and sorts logistics paperwork. If I asked if you can imagine realizing that your friend's arterial blood is coagulating on your boots, if you haven't been there, I would call you a fucking liar. It is likewise unimaginable to you find yourself cracking jokes while examining the corpse of an enemy who had been trying to kill you fifteen minutes ago (his face looks like he is sleeping, but the back of his head is gone leaving an empty bowl where the brains used to be)-thinking, "This (situation) is so fucked up," while reflecting on the path of events that led to you becoming this callous person, feeling a stranger to yourself, but the laughter feels good just the same. As someone who has watched all the movies, read the books and played the video games, it is fucking impossible to imagine the emotional reality of combat until one has experienced it, but I am not arrogant enough to pretend I have experienced the full breadth of horror and darkness that war has to offer-thank God. Granted, to be the person at home is NOT easy, but false equitant comparisons are damned ignorant and gynocentric.

dont know who you ladies are first time here but you are embarking on one of if not THE absolute greatest piece of cinematic history piece this is truely special and will never be recreated all the WW2 vets are now dead for the most part so the thing that truely makes it special cannot be done anymore the vets being portrayed interviews before hand of every episode is magical

The book this series is based on is called "Band of Brothers," by Stephen Ambrose. And it is about an American Parachute Infantry Regiment in World War 2. There are so many good books about this subject that you can't go wrong if you decide to read about it.

You can also watch The Pacific afterwards, it's focusing on the Pacific theater and the US Marines instead. If Band of Brothers is about war turning men into brothers, The Pacific is about war turning men into monsters. EDIT: And yes, it's based on a true story, basically everything that happens in the show has really happened, every character is based on a real person.

Since they are from Serbia, there's going to be an interesting part it's going to be unique to see them react to. Can't wait!

Pvt. Christenson (the one who drank on his canteen during the night march) was portrayed by... Michael Fassbender

I’m so excited to watch this series with you two. Such an impactful story about the struggles and bonds that occur during war.

The four men that committed suicide who were discussed in the opening, did so because they were certified 4F. During the war, the military categorized men based on their physical condition and general health which determined their eligibility for enlistment/draft and job placement in the military. 4F indicated that they were ineligible for enlistment and the men he was referring to killed themselves out of shame. Everyone was expected to do their duty in those days. That's why he made the comment, "A different time." As far as Cpt. Sobel was concerned, he had a failed suicide attempt many years after the war and passed some years later.

Regarding your conversation about Sobel and suicide, as it is never mentioned in the show, I will let you know that he attempted suicide in 1970. He shot himself in the head in 1970 with a small-caliber pistol. The wound was none fatal however, he just blinded himself in both eyes. He died in a VA assisted living facility where he died of malnutrition in 1987. None of his old 'comrades' attended his funeral.

The thing you said about a lot of the guys looking the same is something they worry about when filming as well. Tom Hanks in an interview said that they had to sacrifice some of the accuracy by having them take their helmets off in situations where they normally would not in order to make it easier to know who is who.

My first time watching one of your reactions, and I’m looking forward to the next episode. Your extensive commentary is a real plus. Few reactors are as thoughtful and engaged with the material.

Sobel did try to commit suicide in 1970 it left him blind. He died in a veterans home in 1987 of malnutrition. No memorial ceremony was held.

@18:06 to answer your question, Quakers were a religious group/sect that were known for being pacifists and conscientious objectors. They aren't really around anymore but were mostly in Pennsylvania in the 1700-1800s. Glad you're watching this! It will be heartbreaking but ultimately it is an incredible insight into history.

I'm so excited for this series with you girls. This is so different from what you usually react to. I'm a bit surprised by that but excited. This is very emotional at times, but it is so worth the watch. I've seen the show and reactions so many times, and I still don't recognize a lot of the characters. I just have trouble with faces sometimes. But a few really stick with you. It's amazing when the reveal comes and you learn who each of the old guys at the beginning are. It's emotional for sure. I really appreciate your analysis at the end. You girls get deep with it, and it's so interesting. I look forward to following you on this journey. Much respect to you from America 🇺🇸

No way!!!!! I absolutely love this mini film series. I've watched it many times. As a boy, teenager, and adult; truly a great piece of art. Can't believe you guys are reacting to this.

43:04 Re Bill finding the letter, it was simply that he grabbed the wrong jacket. The guys were housed in stables within the town and had bunk beds. Johnny's bunk was above Bill's and when he went to grab his jacket he accidentally grabbed Johnny's. It's a hell of a way to find out the news that a family member passed, but I can't blame Johnny for being hesitant about whether he should tell him right before going to war.

So excited for yall to react to this 💜, and yes this is real with all the characters and events. Written from a book about Easy company.