Typically, Hollywood movies grab more attention from entertainment news than TV shows ever do. Even a mega-hit like Friends couldn't hold a candle to the media coverage movies got during its run. Movies are the beating heart of the entertainment industry! Even TV stations see way higher ratings when they air films compared to regular series.
But Band of Brothers? That's a whole different beast.
USA Today: "No one in the past could've imagined Hollywood heavyweights like Steven Spielberg, Dunn Walker, and Tom Hanks stepping into the TV game. No one could've pictured someone pouring the budget of a blockbuster special-effects movie into a series either. Yet here we are—Band of Brothers is happening, and I'm witnessing it!"
Entertainment Weekly: "The TV market used to be all about romance, crime, legal dramas, and medical shows—the four big players. Without a doubt, Band of Brothers has cracked open a brand-new world for these grand, sweeping epics!"
AV Club: "From Saving Private Ryan to Pearl Harbor and now Band of Brothers, war dramas have a new definition. Realistic filming, an unflinching refusal to glorify war, and a spirit that honors heroes while rooting itself in anti-war sentiment—that's the right way to do it. Facing history starts with respecting it, and Band of Brothers gets that attitude just right."
Even the super-authoritative New York Times chimed in with unusually bold praise for the miniseries: "There'll never be another show that defines war drama better than Band of Brothers. No question about it—this series has rewritten the grammar of war stories and is destined to become a milestone in American TV history."
Even Film Review, a magazine that usually sticks to movies and prides itself on its niche focus, dedicated heaps of space to breaking down the first episode of Band of Brothers:
"Band of Brothers follows Company E of the 101st Airborne Division—140 soldiers in total. With 10 one-hour episodes, figuring out how to divvy up screen time and balance the big picture with the small details was no easy task. Thankfully, the production team nailed it. Starting each episode with interviews of the real-life counterparts pulls you right in, and the flashbacks feel totally natural."
"The first episode introduces us to Easy Company and its most unique figure: Captain Sobel, the first officer to leave the unit. Sobel's brutal training style laid a solid foundation for the company's future, but his incompetence in combat and questionable character made him wildly unpopular, eventually getting him transferred out."
"The show handles this character with a classic 'build him up, then knock him down' approach. At first, his drill-sergeant-from-hell vibes and strict rules make you think he's a tough-but-effective leader. Then, in combat drills, his flaws pile up—ineptitude, sidelining his men—and it all comes crashing down. The final close-up of his reluctant goodbye to the company rounds him out perfectly."
"A two-sided character like that keeps the predictable basic-training setup from feeling stale. And speaking of predictable, the first episode throws a ton of soldiers at you right away. Besides Sobel, Lieutenant Winters, and a few familiar faces, it's tough to keep track of everyone at first."
"Of course, there are plenty of close-ups, but the cuts are lightning-fast. The first episode's job is to set the stage for the battlefield scenes to come, and it does that brilliantly. The last 10 minutes—the pre-battle wait—are an absolute standout."
"Lieutenant Winters pulling each man up into the plane, the British troops seeing them off, and the silhouette of planes filling the sky at sunset—it ties Easy Company's fate to the massive backdrop of World War II's first big airborne drop. The emotion hits just right, kicking off the epic Normandy landing and the European theater in style!"
On September 10th, Band of Brothers stormed entertainment media, becoming the day's biggest cultural moment.
Dunn skimmed a few key reports but didn't react much. It was Monday, and he had to get little Taylor home early—she still had school.
On the drive, Dunn kept a stern face, scolding her firmly: "How many times have I told you not to barge into other people's rooms? Why can't you remember that?"
Taylor mumbled, "I didn't even see anything."
"You—!" Dunn sputtered, exasperated. "Talk back again, and I'll tell your mom—no allowance for three weeks!"
"That's not fair!"
Taylor's eyes instantly welled up.
Dunn pressed on: "I'm the adult, you're the kid—you listen to me. That's the fairest thing there is! Were you wrong about last night or not?"
"I was wrong," she muttered, her lips pursed, her little nose sniffling.
"Louder!"
"I was wrong! I was wrong! Is that good enough?" Tears streamed down her face as she burst into loud sobs.
Dunn felt a pang of guilt but steeled himself. "Are you gonna do it again?"
"No!"
Her small, shaky voice and pitiful expression could melt anyone's heart.
After dropping her off at home, Andrea spotted the tear stains on her cheeks and knew she'd messed up. Her face darkened as she started in: "What happened? Didn't we agree you'd behave?"
Taylor let out a loud "Waaah!" and wailed, "You're all mean! You're ganging up on me!"
Dunn's heart twisted. He stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. "Alright, alright, it's over. Let's drop it, okay?"
Andrea looked unsure.
Dunn didn't hide anything, explaining quickly: "Last night, when I was in my room with a friend, she barged in without knocking."
"What?!" Andrea's jaw dropped.
Manners were one thing, but walking in on something not meant for kids' eyes? That was another.
Dunn rubbed his nose and clarified, "It wasn't a big deal—just a manners thing."
Andrea let out a relieved breath.
Dunn patted Taylor's back, feeling he'd been too harsh. Softening his tone, he coaxed, "Come on, no more crying. What gift do you want? I'll get it for you, okay?"
"No!" Taylor sniffled, still sobbing hard.
"Then how about this: I'll take you out this weekend. Where do you wanna go?"
Her crying stopped instantly. Those misty eyes lit up like a rainbow. "Really?"
"Really!"
"No lying?"
"No lying!"
"I wanna go to Disneyland! You've never taken me!"
Dunn's face froze.
Disneyland.
With his entourage of bodyguards, a trip like that would definitely draw attention. And his relationship with Disney… well, that was tricky.
Andrea caught his hesitation and frowned. "Sweetie, maybe that's not the best idea."
"Nooo, I wanna go to Disneyland!"
"Alright, alright, Disneyland it is." Dunn reached out, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "You cheer up, stop crying, and this weekend, I'll take you!"
"Yay!"
Taylor threw her arms up, jumping with glee.
Andrea watched Dunn spoil her, feeling a mix of joy and wistfulness. Every family has its struggles. Her husband—Taylor's dad, Scott Swift—worked in New York, living apart from them. The distance had already sparked plenty of fights.
Manhattan's Wall Street scene—rotten, dirty, ugly, all about money—sex, drugs, gambling, violence, jerks—it had it all. Could a mature, wealthy guy like Scott Swift handle the loneliness?
Sigh.
Andrea sighed inwardly, unsure if moving to LA was the right call for their family. On the plus side, their life had improved—Taylor went to a top private school, studied music with the best, and had Dunn Walker as a "good friend." On the downside, the cracks in their family were starting to show.
It was September 10th.
Back at the office, Dunn got detailed reports from Comcast and faxed updates.
The TV network currently had 10.72 million paying subscribers. Last night's premiere of Band of Brothers averaged 12.86 million viewers, peaking at over 14.38 million households! Plus, 6.5 million households tried out R Network's free first-month trial last night.
If Band of Brothers could hook those viewers, the subscriber count could jump by millions in the next week! Comcast predicted a whopping 5 million new subscribers thanks to the premiere's huge buzz. R Network's estimate was more cautious—between 4.2 and 4.5 million.
Comcast even boldly claimed that starting September 9, 2001, premium cable TV would step into the mainstream spotlight and never look back.
Everything looked rosy.
But Dunn knew this rosy picture would soon pop like a bubble. Premium cable would rise, sure, but not this easily.
Tomorrow, the "9/11 attacks" would hit. The whole country would plunge into unprecedented panic and shock—who'd be thinking about TV subscriptions then? Most entertainment would grind to a halt.
Episode two of Band of Brothers, with its intense Normandy landing and brutal explosions, couldn't air this weekend—it'd be like rubbing salt in America's wounds. It'd have to wait a week.
For now, subscriber growth would stall.
Good thing Band of Brothers had 10 episodes to air over two months—plenty of time to recover.