Writer: Daniel L. Aubry
Director: Lee H. Katzin

commentary: An Arab convoy, disguised as Americans, traps and captures the Rat Patrol. The convoy's leader is Ned Cunningham, an ex-Yank hero turned gunrunner. He sells now to the highest bidder, no matter which side. He feels that the Rat Patrol is costing him too much business and so is going to eliminate them. But he then decides he likes the Patrol and will take them into the deal if they will cooperate. In the end, though, his duplicitious behavior causes his own death.

Jan's Notes: a.k.a. As the Stomach Turns
31 March 1999

Only one word describes this episode...YUCK!!!! However, this is the perfect opportunity to get everything I dislike about this episode off my chest!!

1. The dates that Ned Cunningham, super-creep, gives are all wrong. If he was shot down in November 1942, the dates that he cites that the Patrol destroyed convoys of his would have been in 1943. By August 1943, the invasion of Sicily was in full force and the Germans had vacated North Africa. If the Patrol was still in North Africa, all they were doing was sitting around contemplating their navels 'cause there was no one to fight.

2. Hitch and Tully (especially Tully) are hidden away in a little room for the whole episode except for a brief escape attempt. How come Cunningham didn't serve them their favourite drinks?

3. Speaking of favourite drinks, has anyone ever heard of Moffitt's before this episode? Chablis? That is a wine! I looked in five different bar guides trying to find this concoction. I even consulted friends and family, some of whom pride themselves on being connoisseurs of esoteric alcoholic drinks. (Moscow Mule anyone?) The closest I could find was one called a Cherie which consisted of Rum, Triple Sec, Lime Juice and Brandy. There is also a Cuban Cup which is just rum and lime juice. Why didn't the writer make his drink a martini -- shaken not stirred. After all, Moffitt does have certain James Bond like qualities.

4. Faye, the alcoholic prostitute who makes a mean Eggs Benny. Is that the reason super-creep dragged her to his little castle? Okay, maybe the writer was way ahead of his time trying to make a statement about abused women, etc., but if that was his intention, Rat Patrol was not the vehicle. If one woman should have been shot, she should have been. Maybe caught in that burst of gunfire Troy lets off when the lights go off, and then she could have shot super-creep with her last breath.

5. Super-creep doesn't know his Panzers from his Shermans from his Matildas. Refers to Dietrich as that Sherman fellow.

6. Super-creep makes Sergeant Gribs look like a saint.

7. The dinner scene with Faye and Super-creep going after one another is atrocious. Troy and Moffitt are probably wondering what they did to deserve this and why they can't be in the little room with Hitch and Tully.

8. Aside: ever wonder what Hitch and Tully do when they are stuck in little rooms together?

9. The big sandstorm, waiting for Dietrich to show, and instead we get the doting Arab father who sells his daughter for a half-track. Wonder what her special dish is?

10. It was a dark and stormy night. Suddenly the lights went out and shots rang out. Sounds like a novel written by Snoopy.

11. This is an awful, stupid, horrible, unbearable, unwatchable episode.

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