(004) The Squad

SYNOPSIS:

In "The Squad," a Georgia boy named Moseby Lovelace becomes the first in a long line of replacements that come marching through Saunders’ squad in the course of five seasons. Moseby doesn't immediately fit in. He's sorry to be part of this Yankee army and disappointed that no fellow southerners are in his platoon. He doesn't like the way Yankees fight, always hiding their heads. Saunders and Braddock try to clue him in to the rules of this war, but Moseby is determined to engage the enemy on his own charming terms. Unlike the subsequent parade of green recruits who don't want to follow Saunders' sage advice, Moseby not only lives through to the closing credits, he saves the lives of the patrol, captures several Germans, and finds some Biloxi boys to pal around with.

Review

"The Squad" is a delight. John Bolt plays Lovelace with an irrepresible charm and permanent twinkle. Like Saunders, I couldn't help smiling at him, even though I was certain that he was going to get his head blown off. Fortunately, Bolt is so charming, he rises above the failings of the script, which paints a negative stereotype of Southerners. In less charming, less capable hands, Moseby would have been a slow-witted, ignorant redneck.

And why aren't there any southerners in this entire platoon? Seems like an odd ommission (which was corrected in later seasons).

A personal favorite bit in this episode is right after Moseby saves the patrol by cleaning out the German machine gun nest. With his irrepresible smile fixed firmly in place, Moseby reports to Hanley, just pleased as punch that he's killed him a mess of Krauts. But while reporting in, his eyes wander back to the body of Private Wolensky. It is a gripping juxtaposition of Moseby living his fantasy of war while eyeing the reality of it.

NOTES, ODDITIES, AND BLOOPERS: