The following article contains graphic descriptions and depictions of war violence.
Band of Brotherswas far ahead of its time as a prestige TV drama, with its 10 episodes presenting one of the most moving and realistic pictures of World War II ever made. The Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks-produced miniseries contains plenty of powerful moments, given that it centers on a company of soldiers engaged in combat, eight of whom lose their lives. However, there’s one episode of the show in particular that stands above the rest as an especially emotional watch. It’s company medic Eugene “Doc” Gilbert Roe’s story that tugs at the heartstrings more than any other.
What makesBand of BrothersHBO’s best miniseriesof all time isn’t just its stunning visuals, pioneering production, or harrowing realism. It’s the characterizations of ordinary soldiers as real people with everyday lives and aspirations outside the horrors of war. Each of the show’s 10 episodes has us empathizing with different characters. Butepisode 6, “Bastogne”, is its most empathic, as Doc Roe’s sensitivity as a medic brings home the real pain everyone in the company is feeling. A largely peripheral figure inBand of Brothers’ castof characters, Doc nevertheless makes us see war in a whole different light.
The Whole Series Is Great, But I Can’t Get Through Band Of Brothers Episode 6 Without Crying
“Bastogne” Is Full Of Heartbreaking Scenes
As much as the other episodes ofBand of Brothersinclude their fair share of tearjerking scenes,the perspective of a medic treating the wounded and coming to terms with the death of his comradesin arms sets “Bastogne” apart. Including Doc Roe’s perspective is among the biggestchangesBand of Brothersmakes to the bookof the same name on which it’s based, and it’s all the better for this addition.
During a particularly graphic scene, Roe’s fury and frustration as he and two Belgian nurses are unable to save Private John T. Julian from a German sniper wound providesa moment of emotional release that an active combatant wouldn’t be able to deliver. Roe’s humanity throughout the episode, epitomized in his friendship with real-life nurse Renée Lemaire, elevates the suffering of everyone else in the series.
Doc Finding Renée’s Headdress Is The Most Devastating Scene Of The Entire Series
His Reaction Reflects The True Emotional Toll Of War Taken On All The Band Of Brothers Characters
In themost emotional scene of anyBand of Brothersepisode, Doc finds Renée’s nurse’s headdress amid the rubble of a German bomb attack. For 10 full seconds, he stands motionless as explosions continue to go off all around him. The camera angle leaves us in suspense as to the reason he’s suddenly unable to move, untilhe picks up the headdress and holds it close to him.
It’s impossible not to feel a lump in your throat when you realize that Renée has perished in the Blitz, and we feel the sudden horror of this realization in real time along with Doc. The episode later adds a lasting pang of grief to its final moment when Doc searches his pocket for something to dress Babe’s wound, and again finds the headdress, before tearing it in half as he’s forced to return to the cold, harsh reality of war.
Band Of Brothers Is Full Of Powerful Moments
The Whole Series Moves Us To Understand War Differently
While the most devastating moment of Band of Brothers is in its sixth episode, the entire miniseries is littered with powerful scenes. From depicting the deaths of several fallen members of the Easy Company to portraying the grisly reality of an abandoned concentration camp with unflinching honesty,the show moves us to understand the grim reality of war better than pretty much anything else on television.
The series, above all, is about people’s capacity for solidarity and camaraderie in times of desperate need, and in the face of terrible bloodshed.
Arguably, the most powerful moment of all, however, is its final scene, in whichBand of Brothersshares what happened to the Easy Companysoldiers we’ve been with since episode 1.Band of Brothersends with the members of the company who were still alive at the time sharing their feelings about what they went through.
In an incredibly powerful final shot, company leader Lieutenant Winters affirms his agreement with one of the soldiers who served under him, that while he himself wasn’t a hero, he served with a group of heroes in the Second World War. This ending serves to remind thatthe series, above all, is about people’s capacity for solidarity and camaraderiein times of desperate need, and in the face of terrible bloodshed.
