  
Combat! reviews by Jo Davidsmeyer •
Episodes rated from 0 to 4 bayonets
Peter Haskell, Conlan Carter, and Tom Simcox
Jonah
Rating: 2.5 bayonets
 
First aired 03-07-67
Episode 24 of Season 5
Directed by Georg J. Fenady
Written by Richard Wendly and William Fay
Produced by Richard Caffey
Review
The last episode filmed, "Jonah" is the
story of a new replacement convinced that he "sponges" good luck. Tom Simcox
plays the Jonah as a man burdened with the curse of seeing friends die around him while he
remains unscathed. Hanley is in charge of this outing plagued by bad-luck from the
beginning. Two expendables die at the Jonah's side, falling to unusually unlucky whims of
war. Doc and Hanley adamantly resist falling prey to the fears of having a jinx among
them, but Caje and eventually even pragmatist Kirby begin to wonder if their luck has
finally run out.
William Fay devised this story that examines the fears and superstitions among
frontline soldiers, and how they adversely affect morale and combat readiness. This
interesting plot explores some unique territory that the show had never before touched
upon. To a small degree, it's the flip side of first season's "High Named
Today." In that episode we had a soldier convinced that he would die; in
"Jonah" we have a soldier convinced that he will live, but only at the expense
of those around him. In the first season episode, this was a mere plot point, and the
writer never deeply explored the "superstition" or its effect on the squad. The
screenplay for "Jonah," written by Richard Wendly and William Fay, looks inside
both the Jonah and the squad. The Jonah is tormented by his fate; the soldier in
"High" was unmoved and unemotional, not caring how he affected those around him.
I would have preferred to see a bit more of the squad's reaction to this man. I missed
having Littlejohn in this episode. Of all the regulars, to me he seems the most
superstitious.
This interesting plot idea elevates the episode a little above the norm. But the
"ordinary" battles and uneven pacing keep this episode rather
banal. The most interesting sequence was Tom Simcox crossing the minefield -- good tension, very tight direction, and a bit of the
unexpected for a conclusion to the scene. Peter Haskell puts in a good performance as the
friend of Simcox that slowly comes to fear his buddy may be the jinx that he claims. (We
saw Haskell earlier this season as the less-than-sympathetic GI in "A Child's
Game". He also appeared as the German prisoner in "Hear No Evil".)
In the end, Simcox gets shot (non-lethally) and believes that his "curse" is
finally over -- or never existed in the first place, it's not made clear. However, we
never see if the squad makes it back to their base without further injury; so the question
of whether his "curse" is over is still open as the final credits roll. As
Combat's last filmed episode, "Jonah" leaves the fate not just of the
recruit-of-the-week in question, but also that of the entire squad. Their five-year trek
across France ended not in triumph or tragedy ... just a question mark.
Guest Stars Peter Haskell and Tom Simcox
Notes, Oddities, and Bloopers
- Rank has no privileges in this episode. Hanley is leading the troops through the rain
and the mud while Saunders remains safely back in a nice dry house giving instructions on
the radio.
- The show opens with one of "Combat!"s better staged hand-to-hand fights. Caje
and a German battle in the mud and rain. It has absolutely nothing to do with the story,
and could easily have been cut from the episode, but it *is* a very pretty fight.
- Speaking of Caje, what a soldier! Wounded in his left arm, but that doesn't hinder this
southpaw from firing an M1 with deadly accuracy. Hanley must have great confidence in
Caje: when Hanley scouts ahead, he takes with him the guy who's wounded in his shooting
arm. Doesn't seem like too bright a decision.
- For the Busch fans, Paul Busch appears briefly as the German telephone operator. The
honor of the final slaying of this unstoppable German went not to a squad regular, but to
guest star Tom Simcox.
Cast Credits
Rick Jason
as Lt. Hanley
Vic Morrow
as Sgt. Saunders
Guest Star Tom Simcox as Dolan
Jack Hogan as Kirby
Conlan Carter as Doc
Pierre Jalbert as Caje
Peter Haskell as Richards
Peter Duryea as Simmons
and
James Dobson as Greely
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