12 O'Clock High: The Hollow Man (1966)
Season 2, Episode 26
8/10
A pilot, held by the Germans for months, manages to escape and return for duty.
12 October 2021
"The Hollow Man" is a very important episode because it deals with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. While it was the subject of a few prior episodes, this one really hits home.

Lt. Wally Bolen is a pilot who was shot down several months ago. He was taken prisoner and tortured horribly. But he eventually managed to escape and insists he's ready to return to flying B-17s for Colonel Gallagher. Gallagher is thrilled...and promotes Bolen to Captain. However, what the unit doesn't understand is the degree to which Bolen is scarred....and he has an extremely bad case of PTSD. During times of stress, mentally he's right back in German custody...being tormented. This ends up causing a major problem during Bolen's first mission after his return. What happens and will he need to be taken out of action for good?

While some might think Robert Drivas overdid it a bit with the PTSD flashbacks, they were actually done well. All in all, a very important episode as so many soldiers and pilots returned to the war...damaged and unable to cope.
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