When it first premiered in 2001,Band of Brothersquickly rose to become one ofthe most compelling HBO miniseires of all time. Based on historian Steven E. Ambrose’s 1992 novel and executive produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, it tells the incredible true story of the brave men of Easy Company, 506th Infantry, Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, during the most significant European battles of the Second World War. From their jump into Normandy to taking Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest, it’s a remarkable tale about heroism, sacrifice, and camaraderie, all told through powerful performances and amazing realism.
Today,this highly impressive limited serieshas been praised for its amazing casting and wonderful production values. With brilliant writing and an emotional story, it manages to both honor it’s source material as well shed light on the brave actions of these true life heroes.Each of its ten chapters are flawless masterpieces in their own right, following captivating stories to draw the audience in from beginning to end.Now with its sister series,Masters of the Air, premiering January 26th on Apple TV+, it’s best to reflect on this incredible show and relive all of its greatest moments. Here’s every episode ofBand of Brothersranked by their highly impressive scores onIMDb.
Band of Brothers
The story of Easy Company of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division and their mission in World War II Europe, from Operation Overlord to V-J Day.
10’Currahee'
IMDb Score - 8.6/10
Starting off with a stellar first episode, Chapter I, “Currahee”, sees the eager young recruits of Easy Company from their grueling months-long training at camp Toccoa, Georgia, to events leading up to the invasion of mainland Europe. Led by the cruel andhighly controversial Captain Herbert Sobel(David Schwimmer), it follows this strict and overbearing C.O. as he enacts extreme measures and brutal punishments to weed out those unfit to become paratroopers.
David Schwimmer, best known for his hilarious spin asthe likable Ross Gellar on NBC’sFriends, gives the most phenomenal performances of the main cast. Playing against type, he brings to life this unique role, portraying a truly despicable and harsh drill instructor who was instrumental in Easy Company’s eventual success. Aside from its great performances, the episode brilliantly wastes no time establishing the themes and tone of the series, as well as establishing its many unique and interesting characters. Though it’s not as action-packed and emotionally gripping as it’s later chapters, “Currahee” is still an amazing startup that tells viewers their in for a truly remarkable show.
9"The Last Patrol"
IMDb Score - 8.7/10
A compelling episode that truly captures the feeling of exhaustion and battle fatigue, Chapter VIII, “The Last Patrol,” follows Easy Company Private David Webster (Eion Bailey) returning to his old unit after recovering from injuries sustained in Holland. However, once in the fold, he quickly realizes how completely different and shaken up the men have become after their vicious battle for survival in Bastogne. Worse, he’s now become an outcast and treated like a replacement for not rejoining them sooner. Wanting to regain their respect, he, along with the Company’s newest West Point graduate officer, Lt. Henry Jones (Colin Hanks), wholeheartedly volunteer for a potentially dangerous patrol mission.
As stated before, “The Last Patrol” is a genuinely emotional episode that sees the remaining survivors of Easy Company exhausted, anxious, and unable to escape from the horrible tragedies that befell them in the last two episodes. It was a genius move on the show runners' part, following from the perspective of Pvt. Webster, a man unfazed by the trauma his friends were forced to experience. It greatly establishes the difference between the men who did and did not fight in the costly Battle of the Bulge. Reportedly, actor Eion Bailey took a break on vacation in India when his character was not needed for filming of chapters 6 and 7, giving some of the more jealous actors more motivation to show resentment towards him in this episode.
8"Crossroads"
IMDb Score - 8.8/10
Fewer episodes of Band of Brothers express some of the truly heartbreaking consequences of war quite like Chapter V, “Crossroads.“After a disastrous retreat from the Netherlands after the failure of Market-Garden, Easy Company, led by the respectable Captain Richard Winters (Damien Lewis), wins a surprising victory against a formidable Waffen-SS unit at a crossroads in Holland. Seen as an astonishing success, Winters soon finds himself promoted and recognized for his brave leadership. However, he begins to struggle deeply with his conscience after realizing he killed a young German soldier.
Told mostly through Winter’s flashbacks after the event, the episode greatly delves into a man’s inner turmoil and regrets for shooting what was unmistakenly a young teenager. It’s a haunting but true-to-life occurrence that sadly was unavoidable in this terrible world war. The story honors the real Winters, not hold back on some of the most impactful and significant moments of his military career that affected him long after the war.It’s all hammered in with an impressive Golden Globe-nominated performance by Damien Lewis, who greatly adds credibility and realism to his powerful portrayal.
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7"Replacements”
A truly intense and suspenseful episode, Chapter IV, “Replacements,” takes place months after Easy Company’s incredible survival after the invasion of Normandy. With big hopes and a heightened boost in morale, the men, along with a batch of new replacements, find themselves jumping straight into the German-occupied Netherlands as part of a bold surprise attack, nicknamed Operation Market-Garden. While initially met with little resistance, an underestimation of the Germans' resistance leads to a disastrous retreat, leading to Sergeant “Bull” Randellman (Michael Cudlitz) accidentally being left behind enemy lines.
“Replacements” continues along with some of the bleaker elements of the series tone, following Easy Company as they experience their first and most crippling defeat of the entire war. Coming off the high of their success in France, it’s demoralizing for these men to retreat from their next objective with nothing but casualties and a loss of spirits. While it features plenty of disparaging moments,the episode does, however, end on a bittersweet note,concluding with Bull thankfully surviving his ordeal and returning to his unit. A heartwarming ending for a rather depressing episode that gives the viewers hope as they continue to root for these men’s survival.
6"Carentan”
IMDb Score - 9.0/10
Set days after the initial invasion of France, Chapter III, “Carentan,” mostly follows from the perspective of Pvt. Albert Blithe (Marc Warren), an anxious and completely terrified young soldier struggling to cope with the harsh realities of warfare. Along for the ride, as Easy Company is tasked with taking and defending the strategically important French town of Carentan, Blithe slowly learns what it takes to survive as he strives to earn the respect of a true soldier. However, his newfound courage doesn’t last very long, as his time in the war is tragically cut short by a sniper’s bullet.
While it’s a heartbreaking and unexpected ending,despite what’s depicted on-screen, the real-life Albert Blithe actually survived the wounds he sustained in France and went on to serve a rather exceptional military career. Regardless ofthis famousBand of Brothersinaccuracy, “Carentan” is still a remarkable and pulse-pounding episode with some of the most gruesome action scenes and violence in the entire series. It’s also an emotional story of man struggling to find his place amongst his more battle-ready comrades, and it only gets more depressing to see him finally earn his bravery only for the remainder of his time to be short-lived.
5"Day of Days"
IMDb Score - 9.1/10
In this enthralling and fast-paced episode, Chapter II, “Day of Days,” follows Easy Company and the entire Airborne as they make the death-defying leap into enemy territory during the chaotic first few hours of the massive D-Day invasion. Cut off and completely stranded in the dark wilderness, Winters and a small group of survivors eventually reach the rendezvous point but quickly find themselves tasked with taking out a highly fortified gun position overlooking the beaches. Despite being heavily outmanned and outgunned, the men use their excellent training and teamwork to ultimately win the day.
“Day of Days” plops viewers straight into the action, delivering a nonstop, intense thrill ride from beginning to end. With countless shootouts and explosions, it’s an episode that accurately depicts the brutality of World War II combat and the hardships these men faced during their first experiences under fire. The story serves as a trial for the protagonists as they learn and adapt to their new and terrifying reality and become better soldiers due to their actions. It’s an episode that truly delivers on the war aspects of the series.
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IMDb Score - 9.2/10
Finishing the series off on a high note, Chapter X, “Points,” follows the remaining men of Easy Company stationed in the beautiful Austrian highlands as the Allies draw closer to victory in Europe. Once Germany finally surrenders, the men begin celebrating an end to the bloodshed. However, asbrutal conflicts continue to rage on in the Pacific, most of them worry they don’t have enough service points needed to send them back home.
“Points” is a bittersweet butsatisfying conclusion to this epic miniseries, managing to neatly wrap up multiple story arcs and giving a thoughtful send-off to its many wonderful characters. It couldn’t fail to leave a tear in one’s eye as Winter’s narrates how each man of Easy lived out their life after the war and then leaves the audience reflecting on the brave men who didn’t get to experience life after combat.It’s a thought-provoking ending that leaves viewers appreciating the peace that exists in the world todaybecause of what these brave men did and never forgetting the ones who didn’t make it back.
3"Bastogne"
Chapter VI, “Bastogne,” takes place during the brutal winter months in Belgium as Easy Company hold the line during infamous Battle of the Bulge. Starved, exhausted, and completely surrounded, the men push the limits of human endurance as they repel countless German advances. Caught in the middle of it all, T-4 Medic Eugene “Doc” Roe (Shane Taylor) struggles to maintain his wits and strength as he tries to help the wounded.
“Bastogne"is a unique and visually jaw-dropping episodewith the best and most realistic set designs that depict the harsh conditions real-life soldiers went through. The audience gets a feel about how cold, miserable, and demoralizing the men were during this difficult offensive.It’s all backed by a powerful and grounded performance by actor Shane Taylor, who gives depth and vulnerability when playing Doc. It’s easy to relate and root for his character as he struggles to do his job under impossible circumstances.
2"The Breaking Point”
IMDb Score - 9.4/10
In an unrelentingly bleak and depressing episode, Chapter VII, “The Breaking Point,” follows First Sergeant Carwood Lipton (Donnie Wahlberg) struggling to keep up morale amongst the troops as Easy Company plans to attack the heavily defended town of Foy. Led by their indecisive and incompetent replacement officer, Lt. Norman Dyke (Peter O’Meara), some of the men begin to crack under the pressure. However, as intense bombardment and heavy casualties ensue, most of them finally experience their breaking point.
“The Breaking Point” isa truly devastating episode that sees Easy Company at its lowest point in the entire war. It’s upsetting to see how demoralized and hardened these men are becoming as they try to survive this nightmare situation. The scene where Lt. Compton (Neal McDonough) experiences a complete breakdown after witnessing the horrible maiming of his two best friends, Bill Guarnere (Frank John Hughes) and Joe Toye (Kirk Acevedo),is easily one of the most heartbreaking and intense moments on the show, highlighting the stress and mental toll the war has taken upon these men.
1"Why We Fight"
IMDb Score - 9.5/10
A truly shocking episode, Chapter IX, Why We Fight," sees one of the most frighteningly realistic depictions of the Holocaust ever shown on screen. As the war in Europe finally comes to an end and Easy Company finds itself advancing deeper into the German countryside, they slowly uncover a horrifying truth as the men stumble upon an abandoned Jewish concentration camp.
“Why We Fight” is the penultimate climax of the series.It’s a truly gripping and heartbreaking episode that doesn’t hold back on showing some of the darkest moments of World War II. While filming this episode, the actors playing the soldiers who stumble upon the camp were not allowed on set until filming began to capture their genuine reactions. It’s a genius move that adds believability to the scene and helps make this episode the best of the entire series.
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