Sitting Ducks (29 Oct. 1987)

After getting what they think is an easy mission, Bravo Company discover that the village that they are protecting is surrounded by the enemy. What's more, the enemy seem to know their every move.

Director:

Aaron Lipstadt

Writers:

L. Travis Clark (creator), Steve Duncan (creator),

Stars:

Terence Knox, Stephen Caffrey, Joshua D. Maurer

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Terence Knox	...	Sgt. Clayton 'Zeke' Anderson
Stephen Caffrey	...	Lt. Myron Goldman
Joshua D. Maurer	...	Pvt. Roger Horn (as Joshua Maurer)
Steve Akahoshi	...	Pvt. Randy 'Doc' Matsuda
Tony Becker	...	Cpl. Daniel 'Danny' Percell
Eric Bruskotter	...	Pvt. Scott Baker
Stan Foster	...	SP4 Marvin Johnson
Ramón Franco	...	Pvt. Alberto Ruiz (as Ramon Franco)
Miguel A. Núñez Jr.	...	Pvt. Marcus Taylor (as Miguel A. Nunez Jr.)
Kevin Conroy	...	Capt. Rusty Wallace (credit only)
Mako	...	Tran
Tamlyn Tomita	...	VC Peasant Woman
James Hong	...	Quang
George O'Hanlon Jr.	...	Platoon Sergeant (as George O'Hanlon)
Russell Coyne	...	Keller

Storyline

After getting what they think is an easy mission, Bravo Company discover that the village that they are protecting is surrounded by the enemy. What's more, the enemy seem to know their every move.

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Genres:

Action | Drama | War

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 October 1987 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Braun Entertainment Group, New World Television

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

The first VC "corpse" Anderson and Goldman inspect is visibly breathing as they approach.

User Reviews

For Whom the Bell Tolls

On route to a village to give protection to the workers who are developing it, Goldman informs the men on board the trucks that they have finally gotten a 'cushioned gig' much to the delight of the men of his platoon. When they arrive, Horn takes an interest in the Buddhist monks that worship at the temple beside the village. Johnson becomes concerned over the welfare of a Vietnamese woman with a half-American black baby because the other villagers don't like them, and Goldman and Anderson are introduced to Tran, who will serve as their scout Carson and help lead the patrols in the surrounding jungle. Goldman becomes obsessed with a bad-shot sniper who keeps harassing the camp. He never hits anyone, but the constant interruptions that make him hit the deck are really starting to irritate him. The men go out on patrol, and each time they go out they are ambushed by the enemy who seem to know where they are going to be everything they go out. The men suspect someone in the camp is forewarning the NVA about where the patrols are going to be, so in an attempt to get rid of the rat, Captain Wallace orders Goldman to get all the Vietnamese out of the camp and into the surrounding huts. Tensions run high and Ruiz and Taylor are beginning to suspect that Tran, who used to be a VC, has turned his back on his side again. Johnson tries to make an exception to the woman with the black baby but Goldman won't let him, until she is chased into the camps later on. With the men on the verge of mutiny, Goldman must act fast if he is to keep the control of his men.

Horn becomes engrossed in the Buddhist tradition, and eventually, he is the one who cracks the code that the temple is ringing out everyday. The Buddhist monks have been alerting the NVA of the American's positions, so Anderson, Johnson and Horn drive over to confront the monks and destroy the bell. They've lost too many men at this village, and they are going to put a stop to it once and for all.

There's a very funny scene in this episode that I always remember. It's when the sniper strikes again and Goldman tells Anderson, "Hold on, I'm ready for him this time," and he calls Danny Purcell with a rocket launcher who fires it at the tree line in which the shot came from. Goldman is delighted, but then the shots come again! "Sitting Ducks" is an excellent episode that goes to show that in war time you can't really trust anyone, not even the people you are their to protect. Two notable guest appearances in this episode are Mako ("Pearl Harbour") and James Hong ("Blade Runner", "Kung Fu Panda")