I have been watching the first season discs from Netflix. Yesterday I happened to catch this episode, and I have to agree with the other user's comments that it does seem to be a bit soapy. But worse than that (because there is such a thing as good or entertaining soap opera) is the fact that most of the plot points are contrived and just do not make sense.
I think the biggest problem I have with this episode is the part near the beginning where the two guys fight over the hooker. We have just seen five minutes of them reuniting, playing around and re-establishing their bond of brotherly love-- then all of a sudden, they are at each other's throats over a cheap floozy? I don't think so.
It wasn't like Baker was dating her and about to marry her-- she was a whore they had just met. For him to suddenly profess his undying love (when he wasn't even drinking) and then get jealous after his bro moves in on her was completely far-fetched. It would have been more believable if they had realized the chick was into both of them and had an impromptu threesome with her. After all, women were hard to find in the area, and instead of brawling, wouldn't they both have been more interested in just getting it on with her?
Of course, this leads to an unrealistic fight with Baker's brother going off and then being presumed dead, which in turn sets the stage for Baker deciding to disobey orders and try to find him. One unrealistic plot contrivance piled on top of another.
As one watches this episode, there is little doubt that anything ever happened this way in 'Nam. It is clearly one of the worst/weakest episodes of the first season. Even the gimmick of them being real-life twins can't save this fiasco of a story. Fortunately there are much better episodes, but this one is a time waster and worth skipping. Unless you're curious about how disastrous the writing and substandard performances of two inexperienced actors can be.
I think the biggest problem I have with this episode is the part near the beginning where the two guys fight over the hooker. We have just seen five minutes of them reuniting, playing around and re-establishing their bond of brotherly love-- then all of a sudden, they are at each other's throats over a cheap floozy? I don't think so.
It wasn't like Baker was dating her and about to marry her-- she was a whore they had just met. For him to suddenly profess his undying love (when he wasn't even drinking) and then get jealous after his bro moves in on her was completely far-fetched. It would have been more believable if they had realized the chick was into both of them and had an impromptu threesome with her. After all, women were hard to find in the area, and instead of brawling, wouldn't they both have been more interested in just getting it on with her?
Of course, this leads to an unrealistic fight with Baker's brother going off and then being presumed dead, which in turn sets the stage for Baker deciding to disobey orders and try to find him. One unrealistic plot contrivance piled on top of another.
As one watches this episode, there is little doubt that anything ever happened this way in 'Nam. It is clearly one of the worst/weakest episodes of the first season. Even the gimmick of them being real-life twins can't save this fiasco of a story. Fortunately there are much better episodes, but this one is a time waster and worth skipping. Unless you're curious about how disastrous the writing and substandard performances of two inexperienced actors can be.
