A Podcast About the TV Show Black Sheep Squadron
Anderson, gone.
TJ gone.
"Pappy's Lambs" in (blech)
Jeb the eith year old pilot with feathered hair, in (blech)
This was obviously done to go after younger people and the jiggle tv market.
It didn't work.
Many of these people cannot act.
Micklin is at least a bit funny.
I just hate that this was done to my show.... (that's how I felt then, I mean now, I'm an adult, I will live, I've managed to move on).
Oh yeah, night fighters etc, sure.
Conrad directed this one.
This one is about supply.
This one is about profiteering.
This one is about capitalism in general.
Some nice Catch 22 references noticed by Steve.
Amateurs study tactics, professionals study supply.
This one is about scamming.
This one has a classic Black Sheep heist, which we all enjoy.
There's some really nice aerial footage this week.
As usual we have interlopers on 'Pappy's' island.
In some ways I consider this a series, or at least a season finale. The show's tone takes a hell of a turn shortly.
This episode is the final appearance of Anderson and TJ. We'll miss you guys.
TIM MATHESON!
Boy the wolf thing got really old, really fast.
Interservice rivalry was a thing, still is.
Remember these guys are mostly just draftees.
Steve found a nice recording for this week.
Jon will not be Fonzieing™ this podcast.
I wonder why they are invading the Thousand Islands. Maybe they needed salad dressing.
Micklin is great in this one. Lots of fun lines.
In keeping with early season 2, Lard is not that bad here.
Oh I forgot to mention during the recording that the stuff at the end is a report from the Battle of Iwo Jima.
P51!
This one is pretty much the poster child for 'don't lean your history from a tv show'.
As much as Steve and I love the P51 Mustang, Yamamoto was shot down by P38s.
I can see some real MASH connections this week, like two different episodes too!
I don't think Yamamoto was called the Hawk.
Andre Dawson was, however, the hawk.
Hal Holbrook, in a robe, in Midway.
TJ is a creep.
The Pacific War isn't thought of as one that displaced civilians, but it did.
Conrad directed this one!
A Corsair could never beat a Mustang.
Lard is pretty reasonable here, and General Moore has no idea what's going on.
Ahh yes, the old 'enlisted man who does not want to be an officer' trope. It's hard not to love though, the idea of Andy as an officer is great.
Directed by Dana Elcar.
I'm kind of warming to Lard on this rewatch.
We get a Red Buel reference. No autocomplete, not the freaking drink, stop it...
We talk a bit about Tokyo Rose.
The running joke that TJ runs his mixture so rich because he sucks is funny.
As with much of the first half of season 2, this one is pretty good!
Here are the best episodes.
Here are the worst episodes.
Here are the best guest stars.
We might even get Jon's thoughts! (Those thoughts essentially tuned out as 'I dunno, planes are cool').
Look, I write these things before we start, and usually I have notes, but we're just going to talk about season 1 ok.
I'll miss Hutch.
The show transitioned about half way through and got a tad serious, which we both like.
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.
I think that Robert Conrad really showed some range here.
I don't want to, however, hear his kissing noises.
Rabaul was certainly an important base for the Japanese.
It was eventually just bypassed.
The use of Tora Tora Tora footage was really good in this one.
What's the deal with Bobby Boyle's hair?
I love Gutterman, but sometimes I want to yell at him.
Nurses still in their civvy uniforms..
Part 2 was better than Part 1, just like it was with Rockford!
The actual Pappy is in this one!
Wait, Kent McCord and James Hong!
You don't send out active SONAR pings like that.
Also, why did Dobson speak Japanese when the Col speaks English?
There are some really great flight scenes in this one.
I wonder if any of the planes are still around.
Why would they be doing recon over an island they figure has nothing on it?
Some real Manchurian Candidate vibes in this one.
This is one of the most highly rated by fans, according to IMDB anyway.
There is a strong 'war, what is it good for' vibe in this episode.
Gutterman is about to snap, even more than usual.
Ping pong/table tennis is not Japanese, though what would he be good at, baseabll?
Hutch shows us the NCO vs officer tension that exists in most militaries.
Wow, the Japanese are about to attack Mexico!
TASK FORCE!
We both like this one a lot, inaccuracies and all.
Pappy Boyington wouldn't commit war crimes.
OK, not really, but, kinda? Anderson, gone. TJ gone. "Pappy's Lambs" in (blech) Jeb the eith year old pilot with feathered hai...
