I'm a lifelong fan of war drama TV shows and no matter how many I see "The Gallant Men" remains my favorite. I wasn't alive when it first aired but I later discovered it through reruns and fell in love.
I notice most people brush it off as a knock-off of "Combat!", but it's every bit as good if not better than "Combat!" (and I'm a big fan of that show, too).
Yes, more Germans get killed than Americans, but unlike "Combat!", the numbers are very close. Many, many Americans (guest stars instead of the main characters, but who would want to watch a show where your favorite characters died one by one?) die throughout the series and the episodes have a tragic, haunting feel.
The show is almost never light-hearted, taking a serious look at war. Battle scenes are present, but the plots focus more upon the men and the people they encounter, from mute orphans to old friends to a new found love in poignant, almost beautiful moments.
Despite the so-called over-used character's personalities, each man is distinctive and easy for the viewer to bond with. Despite the show's short run the actors managed to bring their characters to life flawlessly.
In short, "The Gallant Men" is a sadly overlooked yet superb series that more people should give a chance to before writing it off as another "Combat!".
And if anyone in Warner Brothers is out there reading this, I'd pay any price for the complete series on DVD, with or without a single extra. It's that good.
