A Podcast About the TV Show Black Sheep Squadron
Season finale!
The director, Phillip DeGuerre, took some neat chances this week.
Micklin is taking over from Hutch.
Steve and I talk a bit about the idea of 'knights of the air'.
What's with captain sgt. Bilko?
Efficiency experts are now called industrial organizational psychologists.
I love Hirachi throwing 'rice ball' back at Pappy.
TJ reads Japanese as well as he flies.
'You got American chocolate?'
'You got Japanese rice wine?'
This might be, at least to me, the best episode of the series. It is certainly the best episode of season 1.
To quote Steve 'once you get Red West, the character of Hutch is unnecessary, Joey Aresco is gone.'
Muted Micklin is a bit different, I liked it.
Indeed, Red West showed a side of his acting I didn't know existed.
Col. Lard does what he can here, as does Gen. Moore.
Doug the DJ who did coke on WKRP was one of the pilots this week!
Wait, so was Mr. Carlson!
This is the only episode that has ever brought a tear to my eye.
Oh yeah, welcome Dan, of Six Million Dollar Man fame.
(Also, don't tell anyone, but Dan is kinda sorta famous).
The WASPS were real, they were amazing, and they were brave. They were finally recognized as veterans in 1977. Thirty seven WASPS died in the line of duty.
They were not military pilots, so their commander in the episode could not be a major.
The second half of the season has dealt with things more seriously.
Still, everything is solved by men, but that's with 2025 eyes. This is pretty progressive for a show from 1977, especially a military one.
I love Andy Micklin.
TJ Sniffinstuff.
Nice performances by guest stars this week, especially Soon-Tek Oh. We're both big fans.
OH look, an episode with a crash an a nun, I think Dan and I have covered an episode like this.
'I am not French, I'm Swiss'. So was my grandfather, he fought Nazis and Japanese fascists, just saying...
Sorrel Booke is another great guest star this week.
Nice use of footage from 'Operation Petticoat' in this one, but you do see some pink sub at the end, which kind of both gives it away and takes you (if you're me) out of the scene.
Lots of use of stock footage this week, much of it over Europe.
The B17 was not that big a deal in the Pacific theatre.
Inter service rivalry is a thing.
So general Moore just leaves....
Col Lard working together with Pappy, as much as he can, is a nice twist.
There's still this sense that everything can be cured with a fistfight, though, I suppose that sort of dispute resolution kind of comes to mind when your job is trying to make sure some other guy dies for his country.
I liked this one, though Masters of the Air it ain't.....
Oh, it's a reference to the title of the episode, don't worry, we aren't going anywhere.
It's directed by Jackie Cooper, and Mills Watson is guest starring, it's going to be good.
Many 70s character actors in this one.
This one says some stuff about PTSD and propaganda which I think is pretty great. Indeed, the back half of season 1 had quite a few serious plots.
All military or military adjacent shows need a court martial episode.
BTW, a court martial means you are charged and tried, it's not a punishment...
The 5th marines have done some stuff and seen some things, let's say that.
This one is fun because the actors are given the opportunity to, you know, act.
Jeff MacKay was really good in this episode. Indeed, as noted this one was full of very strong performances.
It's a Jackie Cooper directed outing, so it will be good.
The importance of war propaganda cannot be overstated.
The hair still bugs me.
This is one of the best episodes of the season.
Communalism vs individualism.
Kenneth Mars was a lot of fun in this one.
Whenever we mention 'Mr. French' I think of the butler on a Family Affair.
Mundane title, but I'll take it. Season finale! The director, Phillip DeGuerre, took some neat chances this week. Micklin is taking over...
