Introducing..... The Rat Patrol!
Ah, the Rat Patrol. When I asked one of my senior friends if he recalled an old 60's show called 'The Rat Patrol' he said: "Oh yeah, wasn't that that show about a few guys driving around in jeeps in the desert blowing up things?"
Well, yes, pretty much. But so much more, too! It may be a little corny at times (in terms of realism), but honestly, who watches a World War II show about four good-lookin' guys saving the day in their awesome jeeps for realism? And let's not forget an awesome frenemy relationship with an awesome German captain. The worst episodes of the Rat Patrol are still a whole lot of fun, and the best episodes are nothing short of amazing!
I guess I should give a quick summary of what this show is even about, right? In the early days of World War II, The Brits, The Aussies, and The Yanks, were fighting The Jerry's in North Africa. The Rat Patrol is about three Americans and one Englishman (should've been three Englishmen and one American, but who cares) who ride around in two jeeps and endeavor to cause the enemy as much pain and bother as possible. Pretty great setup, right?
My family (sister) first discovered this show when Anna and I were on vacation at our aunt and uncle's for a week. On our return home, dear sister Xenia was telling us all about this awesome show called, you guessed it, The Rat Patrol! I actually had heard of it before (I was quite an avid listener to the theme song before I even knew what the show was) but had never watched an episode. Silly me! From the very beginning, Anna and Xenia's favorite character was Tully, but I could never (and still can't) decide on Hitch, Tully, or Dietrich. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I'd better tell you who all these wonderful people are!
Sgt. Sam Troy, aka, The Sarge, Mr. Grumpy, Big Boss.
Tough as nails and a commanding leader, Sgt. Troy is actually as sweet as they come. He just hides it really, REALLY, well. He's protective of his boys but always ready to whip them back into shape if they get a little out of hand (not that that ever happens). The Sarge knows where he stands and won't back down if he's sure that he's right. He often times must make tough decisions that the others aren't comfortable with. But hey, that's his job. He's the number one Rat, after all.
Sgt. Jack Moffitt, aka, The British Guy.
Moffitt is so very, very, British. He's the cool-headed one when it comes to heated situations. In fact he is sometimes so cool and logical, that both his Fellow Rats and us, the audience, feel he is almost cold! But don't let that throw you off. Moffitt is really an awesome guy with a heart of gold! He was drafted into The Rat Patrol in the first episode to replace a fallen member. The Gang's a little distant and unfriendly to him at first, not thinking he can replace their pal, but he soon is just as much a member as any other Rat. Despite both Troy and Moffitt being Sergeants, the ultimate decision in missions is always left to Troy.
Captain Hans Dietrich, aka, The Enemy.
Pvt. Mark Hitchcock, aka, Hitch.
Hitch is the cheeky one. He wears a red kepi (don't ask why), a pair of glasses (though not consistently), and chews bubblegum. He's also pretty adorable. Although he's undoubtedly the smart-mouth and lady's man of the group, Hitch is definitely also the most naive and childish. He's always ready to go into the fray to save a pal, even if it means quite possibly getting blown to bits. He's a very loyal chap, and I've loved him ever since the first episode.
Pvt. Tully Pettigrew, aka, just Tully.
Tully is all things wise and wonderful. Originally from Kentucky, he used to bootleg moonshine before the war, where he picked up some of his amazing jeep driving skills. As I said before, Tully was Xenia and Anna's favorite character from the very start, and it's easy to see why. At the very most, he probably has five lines in a single episode, but everything he says is almost always amazingly deep. He's got a lovely, light Southern drawl and a beautiful smile. His hair is also pretty notable.
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| And the Captain is in black and white, just because. |
Dear, dear, Captain Dietrich. He's the classic example of a good man on the wrong side. Dietrich is constantly trying to outwit The Rat Patrol, but it never works. I'm surprised he hasn't been shipped off to the Russian Front yet. I think the Nazi high-ups know that nobody else can capture The Rat Patrol either, so what's the point of getting rid of an awesome and sadly loyal officer like Dietrich? Although he's usually on the wrong side, there are several episodes where the Captain and the Rats team up against a common enemy. Those make up some of my favorite episodes! With his auburn hair, big brown eyes, and voice like melted chocolate, it's hard not to at least like Captain Dietrich! Even when they're engaged in a firefight with him and his men, The Rat Patrol knows that Dietrich will never break his word. He's one cool dude.
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And there you have it. The five wonderful characters that make up 'The Rat Patrol'! Although I would suggest watching the first episode first (duh!), the characters haven't fully become who they will be for the rest of the show, so don't judge them (and the show) by the first episode. I (and maybe Anna) will eventually do some reviews of our favorite episodes, so I won't write them down here. Just go and see for yourself. You won't regret it. (Unless you don't like a bunch of good lookin' guys running around in jeeps saving the world and having some seriously deep problems along the way but always keeping their sense of humor and being genuinely awesome. Then, my friend, you may have a seriously deep problem).
Let's shake it!
Let's shake it!
~ Irene
