Why BAND OF BROTHERS Is PERFECT... Even 20 Years Later 

What is your favourite episode of Band of Brothers? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

What's depressing now is that, as of today, all of the original members of Easy Company are gone. RIP to the Band of Brothers of Easy.

I watch it at least once a year. Never gets old.

I shouldn't even be the target audience for this show. I'm 34 now but I was 11 the first time I watched it. I'm a woman from Sweden. I rewatch it all the time and I cry every single time. I even listen to the score sometimes. My favourite tv series of all time.

It is the greatest miniseries I have ever seen. I received the VHS set from my Dad in 2003, and the Series has stuck with me ever since. The story, the bonds, the performances, INCREDIBLE. It is a series that continues to be discovered to this very day. It introduced me and made me lifelong fans of the likes of Damian Lewis, Neal McDonough, and Donnie Wahlberg. Two days from now, we have the 79th anniversary of V.E. Day and the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6th. Let us never forget the sacrifices these men made in order for us to be here today. "CURRAHEE!"

I always remember an interview with a veteran. He said he lived in fear of screwing up. Not of screwing up and getting himself injured or killed, but of screwing up and getting one of his comrades killed. That’s what he was afraid of.

As the son of Dutch parents that were young children when Holland was liberated by these men, the Holland episode always brings me to tears remembering the stories my mother told me about the war...

Sledgehammer's father from the Pacific summed it up beautifully, "it's not the boys over there had their flesh torn, it's that they hard their souls torn out." That quote always stays with me. You see it with Sledge and Malarkey. 😢

what even makes it great is they were able to interview these heroes before they die...Band of Brothers is a masterpiece ❤️

I believe The Pacific was intentionally avoid the “brotherhood” part not to repeat what Bandof brother already did such an excellent job. The pacific focus on what war could do to individuals to their mind and personal life afterward- the pen crafting on a paper in the beginning footage say it

I think it also speaks to the greatness of the series is that the actors, like the soldiers they played, still have reunions. I can't think of hearing any other series that 25 years later the actors still have get togethers.

Bastogne: My father was in the 101st during WWII. He was a combat medic, and participated in all the major battles depicted in the series. Episode 5 really hit home for me. He was like so many veterans who rarely talked about his experience when he came home. After watching the Bastogne episode, I have a better appreciation for what he saw and did as a medic. Unless you were actually there, it is impossible to fully understand and internalize the full horrors of war. Thank you Dad.

I met James Madio, the actor who played Frank Perconte, in the Orlando airport last summer. I could immediately tell it was him, as he still has the same sad eyes. I approached him and he was extraordinarily kind (his wife got a kick out of me approaching him...I got the idea that this probably happened to Madio frequently). He said it was the role of a lifetime, and that he realized that even when he was filming. A really, really nice guy.

I liked the series greatly. My Uncle was KIA in WW2 during Pattons counter-offensive at The Battle of The Bulge. I always appreciate Veterans who say those that were killed are the true heroes!

Band of Brothers is timeless. It makes you care about the characters, before you knew who they were. The fact that the actors now have reunions of their own from the series speaks volumes as they portrayed these heroes. I implore you to see Ron Livingstons (Nix) boot camp journal. It makes you appreciate the series somehow even more. None of the men of Easy are alive today but their memories and legends will never die. CURRAHEE! ♠

There has never been anything like Band of Brothers. Not before or since. The screams are real. The tears are real.

Agreed, it's the only miniseries I have watched every year for the last 24 years! The opening scene of Day of Days just before the jump, each man not knowing his fate is my favourite episode.

I love how you’re back to talking about this show when I just finished rewatching it for the 10th time

I barely remember what I did one week ago…But I can still vividly remember watching episode 2 of band of brothers with my dad on a tiny crt TV in 2001. I was 11 and my mind was absolutely blown by the episode. I think I’ve probably watched it nearly every year since then.

BAND OF BOTHERS was about the bonds built in war the PACIFC was about the brutality men experience in war .... the books used to create the series' show that really well, both shows are master class in story telling .

"this video will contain spoilers" Good thing I've seen the series about a hundred times then

Watched them for the first time at the age of 11 nearly 20 years ago when my brother first got the dvd for christmas. My family then ended up going to normandy for our holidays a few years later and visitied alot of the D-day beaches and landing zones of the invasion, this show still now remains probably the best and most emotionally striking show ive ever watched

Crossroads. When Winters sprints ahead of everyone and attacks the enemy position alone, and how that memory keeps him from enjoying his leave in Paris. They don’t show you the brief connection between him and the sleepy lookout, until fatigue and the face of the young Frenchman on the train combine to trigger a flashback. That episode made Winters more than a stoic, heroic leader. He was also a man, affected as much as the rest, by the things he saw and did. His last, direct involvement in the fighting was, in reality, a very personal confrontation with the enemy.

Most def 10 out of 10 stars. I actually watched this series "approx" 15 years after it came out. It is most def a timeless classic. I will say this....I personally feel anything WW1/WW2, or Vietnam related will be timeless for me.

When Tom Hanks was making Saving Private Ryan Steven Ambrose was the historian for the film. Ambrose had written the Band of Brothers book. Hanks read the book & convinced to make the miniseries. I agree with your premise at the level of excellence. Several times a year the shows episodes are being shown back to back on Cable. If I have the time I sit & watch for a time. Recently I ended up just purchasing the Blu Ray.

The Pacific presented serious challenges that Band of Brothers was automatically exempt from based on historical facts and events. The most obvious is that because BoB sticks with a single Company through 3 years. One stateside followed by two in Europe so we are able to easily identify 10-15 members of Easy by Episode 5 and 20-25 by Episode 10. Also the European Campaigns are more digestible to non-military history people. Everyone kinda “gets” Normandy, Holland & Bastogne. A far cry (re: story mechanics) is The Pacific. Following three different Marine Divisions across five islands over 3 solid years of combat. When John Basilone’s story kicks off we are on Guadalcanal in August of 1942. Across the Atlantic the US hadn’t even invaded North Africa yet. There’s also difficulty identifying one island from another although Production Design and Locations still did a great job with The Pacific. And I personally did enjoy the stateside stories in The Pacific. I’m currently watching both series in tandem and jumping back n forth based on the historic timeline. For example when Eugene Sledge finds Sydney in The Pacific we are already post-Eindhoven in BoB. When Basilone wins the Medal of Honor on Guadalcanal we are at the very first minute of Episode 1 in BoB. Both series are on Netflix. Both are absolutely mandatory viewing.

This is one of the few shows where I never thought about the camera while watching it. We were just another one of the people going along with the rest of Easy Company. It's an amazing show that will never be repeated. The best WWII movie/show ever made.

You only need to blaze a trail once if the traffic that follows makes for a paved road. BoB blazed a trail that led many other good, even great shows but remains powerful due to the subject matter, which was fundamentally boosted into a mythology (not just the _myths_ but the narrative dynamism) of America's only "Good War".

I agree with you one the first point: the interviews. These interviews before the episodes began gave me chilling sense of realness, how the things that we're about to see on the show were real and showcasing the seriousness of the series production

In a few weeks it will be the 80th anniversary of D-Day. It's time to refresh the series.

BOB was brilliant. As a Marine, I wanted to love the Pacific but it just seemed like they didn’t put as much effort into the story & casting like they did with BOB. It’s like they felt like they had to slap something together to recognize that part of the war but really done more out of obligation than sharing the story.

I've seen this series multiple times since it aired and I've even shown it to friends. I never get tired of watching it.

I can't believe it's been so long, thanks for making me feel even older! Freely admit (24 year Veteran) I really connected with the characters and tears were streaming down my face at the end of the final episode.

“Breaking point” episode is the finest piece of war film making I’ve ever seen. So good it can be a movie all on its own and probably win an Oscar. It’s the personification of perfection

Well mentioned re: the soundtrack. The track "The Mission Begins" is utterly inspirational. And the depiction of the camp in Ep. 9 should be shown in every high school history class. Never forget.

Excellent job on the review. You made excellent points on all episodes. I was fortunate enough to have watched the series with my dad, an ETO veteran in the 99th Infantry Division. Although his experiences were somewhat different, other things were common throughout the ETO. The cold was one thing that dad commented on that the show got right. During the Bulge, the weather was as deadly as a German 88. I lost dad in 2004. Much like the veterans of Easy Company, time caught up to them. I will always cherish the time spent watching the series with dad and our discussions afterward. The Bastogne episode is my favorite. Dad was in the north shoulder of the Bulge compared to the 101st being in the south. The depiction of the Belgium nurses helping the Americans is so good. War is equally deadly to soldiers and civilians.

One of my favourite aspects of the interviews is that I can distinctly remember during my first time through that, as the episodes went on, I began to get an idea of who many of them were, through the fantastic portrayals by the actors. Guarnere, Winters, Lipton, a couple others. You can tell the actors really got to know them

Back in 2006 me and my friends used to celebrate new year with a marathon watching the series. It was the best times in my life and will be remembered for ever.

I remember my reaction when they finally matched the names to the faces. I had tears in my eyes. That was such a powerful move. And for the production value, I think that Dale Dye did - as usual - an amazing job (anyone remembers what he did to Charlie Sheen and the rest of the crew before the final battle sequence???). A proper intro course to the cast makes wonders - it does help when you know what a weapon is, and what it does, and how much it weights, and how to handle it, and when you spend a few weeks carrying it for 18h a day, IT MAKES a difference.

I was a WW2 reenactor doing E/506th both before and after the series aired. I had the honor of meeting Dick Winters, Bill Guarnere, Babe Heffron and a number of of the Easy veterans that were still alive two decades ago. Clearly a number of the actors got to meet there real life counterparts as I can tell you all of them nailed their portals perfectly. It was amazing seeing someone like Damian Lewis or Frank John Hughes say something in the series and it was exactly the same words or tone their real life counterparts had said to me six months to a year prior. Time and age has made me give up doing the living history events, but it is frankly haunting even now years later to watch Band of Brothers. With my 506th veteran friends having moved on this series still moves me like no other ever has. Thanks for this video!

Hi I am French and I have just met again Band Of Brothers, The Pacific and The Master Of The Air since last Monday even 20 later (for the first two) these series are still fantastic, my favorite episodes are Carentan, Bastogne, breaking point and the last patrol, I am 50 years old and have lived through several wars (I spent 15 years in the French army from 1991 to 2006) and certain episodes brought tears to my eyes. we owe the greatest respect to these soldiers as well as to all others soldiers who lost their lives in all these wars

Band of Brothers is perfect and of course the most stellar of the entire series but being the history nerd that I am, I'm glad that Spielberg & Hanks went on to tell the story of the soldiers of the Pacific Theater of WWII as well as The Bloody Hundredth.

I Havnt watched this in at least 10 years but still wow… just the images of seeing these heroes again brings me back to their individual episodes. Like seeing the real Bull and remembering instantly that episode he’s in the barn. Amazing story telling via amazing men

The fact that when the veterans met the actors playing the parts of the ones that got injured or killed would say "Jesus, i was there When you got hit" shows that they had become their lost brothers.

I agree - perfect! Revisit it regularly and it's always still as moving as it was on first viewing. "Grandpa, were you a hero in the war"? Grandpa said "No..............but I served in a company of Hero's".

Some of the actors are in training to make the 80th anniversary jump this June. Two of my old Platoon Leaders from back in the late 90's are making the jump with them out of a C-47 that was used on D-Day.

PHENOMENAL SERIES. Will always love this series. Watch every year. Everyone did a great job honoring the men.

BoB was a bonding experience for my step-Dad and I when the series came out on TV. I bought him the DVD set when it cost $100 and I was working in a supermarket, it meant a lot to me that he should have it. After watching Masters of the Air I was let down to be honest, with the amount of work and money and time that went in to it, I really thought it would be a winner. After I finished the series, I rewatched BoB and it only made me more certain. You're absolutely right, it is a rare perfect show, a 10/10 for me.

My favorite BoB episodes are: 2 - Day of Days: Because this is when we see a switch turn on in Winters, and he begins to truly exemplify the "Follow Me" mentality, behind enemy lines armed only with a knife. The Assault on Brecourt is totally edge-of-your-seat entertainment too. Then we get the line at the end about his plans after the war that are beautifully bookended with his line at the end of the last episode about finding peace after the war. 7 - The Breaking Point: Donnie Wahlberg does such an amazing job in this episode, and we also get that super badass moment with Speirs running through the German positions. The scene with Buck in the Medical tent is so dark and real, and that scene along with the scene at the end in the church is so important to remind us about the cost of the war and the physical and mental toll it took on the men who fought. 9 - Why We Fight: Maybe the most important, grisly, gut-wrenching, profound, palpable, poignant piece of media to ever be shown on a screen. Every person should be required to watch this episode so that we don't repeat this history ever again. 10 - Points: This episode ties the series up so nicely. The cinematography in the filming locations is just gorgeous, and the baseball game is so wholesome. The final reveal of each of the interviewees in the context of the heroic and real human moments we've just seen in previous episodes makes this series unbeatable. Honorable mentions are Episodes 5 and 6 which are also great in their own ways.

You put into words so much better than I ever could on how and why Band of Brothers is the best. It's so well done. I watch it at least once a year and I'm still blown away how well done it is.

I was gifted the tin-box collectors' edition, and also never pass it up when various streaming services offer it. I don't have a favorite episode though. It is a complete experience for me. I was hoping The Pacific would be similar, but it fell flat. There are far better single Pacific WWII movies out there than the Series was. It will be hard to reach the quality and experience that Band of Brothers presented to us. And as a former Soldier, it truly spoke to me and brought me back to experiences I have had... if not identical, in spirit and situational. Yes, Saving Private Ryan was similar, and also a classic to be cherished.

I met Maj Winters in 2009, he came to The Week of the Eagle at Fort Campbell. It’s a weeklong celebration of everything 101st ABN. It was truly an honor to share the same space as him. ♠️CURRAHEE♠️

As someone from Eindhoven, I was shocked when you pronounced my hometown perfectly❤ very good vid on this insanely good show!!

My dad is a WW2 buff, so I was practically raised on movies and series like BoB. I’ve seen BoB maybe 20+ times, no exaggeration. It has had a incredibly profound impact on my life. Not only did it get me into WW2 and history in general, but as I’ve gotten older, it has taught me a lot of important values I’ve implemented in my life. Characters like Winters, Lipton, and Speirs, who were real men, have taught me about responsibility, accountability, discipline, and leadership. This didn’t hit me until a few years ago. I found myself in the position of President of my fraternity, which is something I wasn’t expecting to ever do in my life. It completely changed my life. I could only think about was Lipton and Winters. I looked up to them and their different styles of leading men. While I was leading a group of degenerates whose goal was to throw parties, have fun, and not get off campus, it taught me a lot about leadership and having a heavy responsibility on my shoulders. Something I could’ve never done without BoB. Now I’m heading into law school, joining the Marine reserves, and hopefully OCS. I already miss the camaraderie and brotherhood, which is another aspect of BoB. Bless the greatest generation ever. Whilst I didn’t know my grandfather too well, I knew what kind of man he was and I feel I can live through his experiences in BoB, and especially Masters of the Air considering he was a gunner on a Night-fighter later 1945. Sorry I just had to write out my deep appreciation for this show. It means a lot to me.

Been watching tv since the early fifties. This is absolutely the best!

Exactly. It's the way that any movie or TV series about any war should be made. Because of all the features described, it reminds me of when I met and spoke to a former Luftwaffe pilot who was shot down over the Mediterranean.

I cannot imagine being a veteran of that time period. It must have been a wild experience, getting along with ur brothers, forging new bonds and comradely only to see them die on the battlefield by an enemy u don’t know or understand. At the end it is only u and a handful of fellow soldiers who survived. Must be horrible, lot of respect for the Americans, Canadians, British, Indians, French, Australians and all other countries that participated in freeing my and our countries from the devil’s grip. Our gratitude is eternal, thank u ❤️

Awesome review on BoB. I am a Cold War veteran than served on tanks during the '80's and '90's. Never been to war,but been to two war torn countries. The bond that is made between those of us has always been a struggle to relay to civies. BoB nails it on the head in spades.

So many great points, nothing can compete with BoB so far, and my fav episode... that's hard, I definitely love Bastogne, The Breaking Point, the very first episode, the landing in Normandy, they are all just so good. So much about this series is just so memorable and makes a huge influence, on me specifically it's about how these men had this strong feeling of service and determination and how they created these great, reliable relationships with the men they fought with.

Heck yeah man! Love the video. I believe Band of Brothers is the greatest TV show ever created. Yes, I love the Breaking Bad shows and movie, however i believe it doesn’t compare to such a fantastic show. Carentan and Bastogne continue to be some of the best pieces of war media out there. I’m not much of a crier for movies or shows, but this one genuinely knows how to pull at my heartstrings. Pacific and Masters of the Air are okay, but they seriously don’t come close Again, loved the video man! Keep up the fantastic work 😎

Excellent review, thank you.

Even as an indonesian, this show always reel me back in effortlessly

Rewatched it recently, and it still gets you right in the feels like The Pacific and Masters of the Air never could.

I watched Band of Brothers when it first aired on HBO. I was in college at the time. It was such an amazing experience for me that I went out and read the book that the series was based on, which is not something that I normally do with films based on a book.

The only miniseries that has ever, possibly, exceeded this, in my mind, is Ken Burn's The Civil War. When Hanks/ Spielberg followed up with The Pacific, I had high hopes. And even though The Pacific paints a much wider canvas (it shows the home front both before and after the war, it includes woman, the violence is much more extreme, and therefore more realistic etc), if given the opportunity to watch either of them a total of 10 times, I'd pick BofB 9 times.

💯😎👍🏾 I'm a volunteer Soldier, and learned a lot watching this show 👏🏾. As a young teen growing up.

I just finished my annual rewatch of the BoB today, a couple of hours ago. Timeless cinematography and storytelling.

Tom Brokaw called then "The Greatest Generation." In so many ways, that was true. They just grew up in a different time, with different values of what it meant to be a man, an American. I had a very close friend, that I knew was a WW II vet. He really hated talking about his time overseas. He told me once that he joined up at 16, but had to lie about his age because his parents wouldn't sign the enlistment papers. He told me that he had been in Italy and other places, but he left it at that. We never talked about it again, and I never pressed, even though I would have liked to know more, because I knew he didn't want to talk about it. When he passed away, his funeral service was at the VA cemetery here, and during the ceremony they listed his name, rank, and his decorations. I found out then that he had been awarded the Bronze Star. He was a very kind man, he would have given you the shirt off his back if you needed it, and he raised three fine sons. I'm proud to say that he was my friend, but not for long enough. RIP, Stu.

I agree with every point you made. I alight think it’s one of the best ever made. I watch it once a year, and try to include someone who hasn’t seen it in each re-watch.

The reason I like BoB so much more than The Pacific and MotA is the interviews. It grounded the whole series and made it so much more real and heart-wrenching to me. And while there weren't many veterans still alive from the 1st Marines (The Pacific) nor many alive from the Bloody Hundredth (MotA) when those series came out, I do believe there are archival interviews of some members of those military outfits that could have been included on at least a couple episodes of their miniseries.

One of the best TV series ever made. I never tire of watching reactions to it. If I had to nitpick, the only things I didn't like were the way they portrayed a few characters, especially Capt. Sobel and Sgt. Guarnere and Lt. Dike.

My brother introduced me to this great series in 2004, and I still watch it in its entirety to this day!

BoB made me really interested in WW2 and helped me see it from the soldiers perspective. Until today it is the Bastogne episode that gets me the most. It even made me visit the Ardennes and Bastogne a few years back and everything got even more real.

With regard to the reality in my opinion it was because many of these men were still alive to tell their stories. I feel truly fortunate to have heard both my father in law's stories (USN WWII) as well as my brothers father in law (USMC WWII) first hand. To me they took on a whole new meaning hearing them from family members who were there. We miss you Brownie & Norm. FLY NAVY!!!

Totally agree. Just watched it with my 17 year old son. Really moving. I really can't say I had a favourite..but probably Bastogne if I had to choose. All so relevant and you are just gripped by each conversation and interaction. The liberation seen, although not historically done by Easy company was filmed with the perfect level of shock. Really wonderful acting. I may read the book at some point.

Band of Brothers features Rick Gomez which automatically makes it the best series.

Band of Brothers was a story about hero’s to start with. Then the actors were cast so great! Then the performance of the actors really meant something to them and it shows all throughout the series

If you ever want to sum up this series and these men, to someone in a few sentence's. Simply quote the final scene of the series, Major Winters recalls a letter he received from Sgt. Mike Ranney - Which is equally, heart warming, joyful, inspirational, soulful, wistful and utterly, utterly heart breaking... "I cherish the memories of a question my grandson asked me the other day when he said, 'Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?' Grandpa said 'No...but I served in a company of heroes'." - Fade to black.

Watched it this year, holds up very very well

I agree. Band of Brothers is still the greatest show ever to appear on TV. My favorite is episode 8, Last Patrol. The writing and the comradery really came through in that episode. I found the final scene when they were pulling out of Hagenau to be emotional.

I still have the DVD collection after 2 decades. Fantastic series.

My Grandfather was apart of the 101st during WW2, He was a medic, and at least fought at the battle of the bulge. The cool part is I was also apart of the 101st from 08-15 Sadly my grandfather died while I was a baby but Its kinda crazy we both randomly ended up in the screaming eagles, And all the history, songs, street names, and tradition's I had to learn was partly started by him and those men. Band of brothers is famous in the 101st and was a drinking game, drink everytime a brother dies ( do it in a military respect way)

My favourite episodes are 1,2 5, 10. If I had to pick one, it would be episode 5. Winters is such a great leader and man of integrity.

I think I’ve watched Band of brother at least 20 times! Makes sense thinking about it I watch it once a year! The best series ever made by far

Fun fact: All the guys I saw that were asked about it said Captain Sobal was a hard ass, but gave him credit for making their unit one of the best and also gave him a lot of credit for the number of guys that made it home after the war.

Well done, mate.. Cheers

The series meant a lot to me as my Grandfather was there on the ground with them, just in a different unit.

100% agree w/ all of your commentary. This is truly the best series ( WW2 and other topics as well ) that I have ever seen. My husband and I have watched it once a year for 20 years. now. We had high hopes with TP & now MOTS, but I found them both to be as you said… I just didn’t feel at all invested in any of the characters. No back story. No one stood out to us. The BOB actors actually got to know these HEROS & were able to discuss the battles & share their honest reactions under the very worst of circumstances. These actors were also put through the actual military training as the BOB did… together. By the time the series ended they had their own little ‘Honorary BOB’s’. The original BOB’s really seemed pleased with the actors & the series. The men’s’ testimonies truly did add so very much to each episode. We guessed most of them…of course Major Winters stood right out! It didn’t hurt that the actors were just incredible. I believe this series should be mandatory for every high schooler to see. Don’t forget that these men& women had lived through The Great Depression! They somehow survived that only to be thrown into a WORLD WAR! God Bless all of these men & women who truly were The Greatest Generation. May God Bless America. 🇺🇸🙏✌️🫶✊

I love BoB, fantastic show (those paratroopers did need rescuing though). I used to think it was far and away better than the Pacific, but each time I've watched the Pacific, I've grown to appreciate it more and more for it's own unique approach, tone, and style to the point where I think they're almost just as good (just in different ways). Haven't seen Masters of the Air yet though. I will say though, BoB does have a couple BIG inaccuracies that really bother me, especially one of them which could have been retroactively fixed. First the depiction of LT Dike was over the top and he was actually wounded at Bastogne which played a big factor in him getting relieved. Additionally, PVT Blithe did not die right after the war, he actually lived for several more decades and got a Silver Star in Korea. The text at the end of that episode could easily have been changed in DVD/Blu Ray/ Digital releases but they didn't. Other than some issues such as those, love BoB.

I upscaled this series from the BD rip to 4K, and it came out incredible. It's absolutely massive too lmao-- Over half a terabyte. I probably should re-encode at a more reasonable bitrate.

Favorite episode was definitely 5. It was the best directed and marked a major turning point for the company after losing Winters to battlion command. Episode 3 was also my favorite. It was the most action heavy of series.

100% agree. Nice breakdown!

I grew up watching BoB and I still absolutely adore the series and watch anytime it's on. Having said that as someone who cares about getting history right, I feel it would be disingenuous to not point this out. This is a review by Robert Forcyzk back in 2001 on the book Band of Brothers. Forcyzk is a highly respected military historian on the ETO in WWII, and a former US Army Colonel in the 2nd and 4th Armored. For readers without much background in history in general or the military in particular, Band of Brothers will probably seem like a heroic saga of male-bonding in combat. However, for those readers with knowledge of the subject, this poorly-researched book offers little more than the standard episode of the old TV series COMBAT! Author Stephen Ambrose, who favors oral history over meticulous research, used his interviews with selected Second World War veterans from E Company, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne as the basis for recounting the tales of an airborne company in combat in 1944-1945. Most of the book focuses on Richard Winters, who commanded the company in Normandy and Holland. Private David Webster, a cynical self-proclaimed intellectual also wrote a book of his experiences in E Company, from which Ambrose has borrowed liberally [...]. Interviews with other members in the unit fill in gaps, but Winters and Webster are two of the primary protagonists in the story. Unfortunately from the viewpoint of historical accuracy, the book is hopelessly riddled with errors, exaggerations and vicious slander. First, let me address the errors, which are mostly due to lack of research on the author's part. Ambrose claims that the troop transport to England "carried 5,000 men from the 506th" and how it was a cramped voyage. Yet Shelby Stanton's authoritative US Army Order of Battle in World War Two, states that the 506th had only 2,029 men. Ambrose has his usual problems with nomenclature and names; Germans used 81mm not "80mm" mortars. A British officer rescued by E Company is identified as "Colonel O. Dobey," when it was actually LTC David Dobie. The German officer who surrendered to the unit at Berchtesgaden in 1945 is described as the 35 year-old "General Theodor Tolsdorf, commander of LXXXII Corps," when it was actually a 36 year-old Colonel Tolsdorf who commanded the 340th VG Division. At Berchtesgaden, Winters supposedly finds a German Major General "Kastner" who committed suicide, but there is no record of such an officer in the Wehrmacht or SS. Nor does Ambrose do much better with unit identifications and he claims that in the Battle of the Bulge, the 101st Airborne Division, "had won its head-to-head battles with a dozen crack German armored and infantry divisions." Actually, the Germans only committed elements of five divisions to the Bastogne fighting and they were hardly crack troops. Ambrose's statement also ignores the fact that the 101st was fighting with considerable help from the US 9th and 10th Armored Divisions in Bastogne. Finally, readers may be shocked to learn that the US 3rd Infantry Division actually beat the 506th PIR in the race to Berchtesgaden by several hours. Readers should check Clay Blair's well-researched Ridgeway's Paratroopers. These errors may seem minor to some, but they demonstrate a lack of research that means the whole narrative is suspect. When it comes to exaggeration, Ambrose pulls out the stops. All enemy tanks are referred to as "Tigers," but only 5.3% of the German tanks in Normandy in June 1944 were Tigers. All enemy troops are referred to as "elite," such as SS or paratroops, even though German records indicate that the 506th mostly fought ordinary Wehrmacht units. According to Winters, E Company was always better than the other companies in the 506th and Ambrose vouches that, "there was no better light infantry company in the Army." How about the Rangers at Point du Hoc? Since Ambrose makes no effort to compare E Company with any other similar unit (e.g. did it kill more Germans than other units?), this assertion is asinine. It gets worse. Ambrose asserts that Winters "is contemptuous of exaggeration," but the following account of E Company in Normandy flatly exposes this as a lie: "So was Winters [outstanding]. He made one right decision after another …he personally killed more Germans and took more risks than anyone else." So Winters killed more Germans than the company machine-gunners? He took more risks than the men on point? Interestingly, Winters was never wounded. The worst aspect of the book is the vicious slander campaign, which is pure Winters. Winters attacks his superiors, starting with MGN Taylor, Commander of the 101st, then COL Sink who was commander of the 506th PIR, then LTC Strayer his battalion commander and CPT Sobel, the first commander of E Company. Taylor, who was one of the best US Army generals of the 20th Century and later Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President Kennedy, is viciously attacked for being on "Christmas Vacation" during the Battle of the Bulge and for ordering an attack that "had the flavor of an ego trip." Winters tells Ambrose that "I don't want to be fair," about Taylor. Ergo, he doesn't want to be honest. Sink, who commanded the 506th for the entire war is derided as "Bourbon Bob." LTC Strayer is virtually omitted from this account, even though he commanded from Normandy to VE Day. Ambrose misleads the reader when he states that Winters became the battalion commander on 8 March 1945 - in fact the switch was only temporary and Strayer returned. Winters reserves special hatred for CPT Sobel, the man who trained E Company stateside and who is labeled a petty tyrant. Winters recounts a chance encounter with Sobel later in the war, when Winters outranked his former commander, and he proceeded to humiliate him in front of enlisted men from E Company. Classy. The slander campaign is also directed at other officers who succeeded Winters as commander of E Company, most of the lieutenants, staff officers, "Air Force slobs in England," (who were dying by the hundreds over Germany in burning bombers), the British, etc. It's pretty sickening after awhile. The American paratroopers of the Second World War deserve a far more accurate and honest account of their accomplishments, with just recognition of all deserving participants, than a slanted account that distorts the record. Please know, I do not dislike BoB, I absolutely love it. But the truth is more important.

"We few , we happy few , we band of brothers ; for he today that sheds his blood with me . Shall be my brother " Henry V , Willaim Shakespeare

I have a greater appreciation for this series after learning (from this video) that the actors interviewed and thoroughly researched the the person they were portraying. As for my favorite episode, it's a toss-up between Day of Days and Foy.

Saying this is the best series ever is not a bold statement but a fact. On all lists, this is always number 1. I check every now and then and it still hasn’t been beaten.

Band of brothers has great rewatch value in my opinion. I don't put it at number one all time, but it may be my #1 favorite thing to re watch. It stays fresh even though I watch it like every year. I have The WIre as my GOAT of shows. But I couldn't possibly re watch that every year.

You're absolutely right about this show, but you did not mention episode 9, "Why We Fight", where they find a Nazi work camp. If you are not prepared going into it, this episode may scar you for life. It's also hauntingly beautiful. It perfectly answers the question posed by the title of the episode, and it's truly one of the greatest pieces of art ever put to film. It is a masterpiece.

Agreed. That's because it is story about real people, real events and without improvised make-believe drama.

I think the key to BOB's success was that it chose the exact right size of a unit to follow, and then followed them through their war. The Company level was perfect to have enough diversity of characters to follow interesting stories and relationships without having to rely on 1 or 2 characters to carry the whole thing. But it wasn't too big as to have too many characters which makes situations confusing, especially combat situations. Because they stayed with one single company, viewers got familiar with even minor characters and had a good understanding of how Easy Co. functioned. And this is what made the losses all the more emotional -- because these characters weren't just nameless "redshirts" to the audience. That was where _The Pacific_ fell short. They focused too much on 3 different characters -- but all 3 were in different units. So it was both too much load on 3 characters --- and at the same time very confusing as it switched between different units with a parade of minor characters we knew virtually nothing about and weren't invested in. _Masters of the Air_ was a complete mess.