Writers: Arthur Dales and Edmund Morris
Director: John Peyser

commentary: The Patrol manages to ambush a German unit that is carrying US POWs. Three of these POWs are apparently out to kill each other. Sgt. Gribs -- whose cowardliness caused his men to become captured -- is fighting against Tex and Eddie -- who want revenge. Gribs bargains with Troy for protection, telling Troy that he has information vital to US Command. They start back to HQ, but one of the unit's jeeps breaks down. They continue to travel slowly across the desert until they can capture a German vehicle. Gribs parcels out small hints of his "vital" information to keep himself safe. It all ends in heroism -- or something close.

Jan's Notes: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
24 March 1999

The episode has one of the most loved enduring characters ever to appear on Rat Patrol. Break out the smelling salts, I'm talking about Sargeant Archie Gribs. What a teddy bear, NOT!!

And how about his two performing monkeys. Weren't they just adorable? Gag!!

I'm sure the guys were wondering what they ever did to deserve this. They liberate a whole bunch of POWs and for their troubles they get saddled with self-serving, obnoxious, mean-sprited Gribs and two revengeful neanderthals. Plus they lose a jeep and run out of water. Tully tells Gribs to go suck rocks.

Moffitt was ready to perform some ancient Egyptian torture technique on them.

Tully wanted to rearrange Gribs' face.

Troy just wanted to shoot them all. He also tells Gribs to go crawl back under the rock he came from.

Hitch didn't say much but I'm sure we couldn't print what he was thinking!

Gribs was really popular. Must have been voted Most Likely to Succeed in high school.

My personal opinion is when they got down to one jeep they should have made Gribs, Tex, and Eddie walk the whole way to the oasis.

Of course, Gribs manages to get himself killed at the end. The end is very touching with Troy being up front and truthful with the man. I though it was very Touched By An Angel. The selfish Gribs seeing the error of his ways and finally revealing his information. We all know that Troy is a saint -- oh I'm getting ahead of myself. That information is not revealed until The Holy War Raid.

The rest of the guys look like they are feeling guilty 'cause in a way they are glad Gribs is dead, but they shouldn't be.

Oh, well, they acknowledged that the info came from Gribs. As Troy said, Maybe he had family somewhere.

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