User Reviews

I faithfully watched this series as a kid. I felt this episode was the best of the series. Rip Torn is superlative as a Marine Corps Drill Instructor. It's one of the most accurate portrayals of a DI on screen. I found out for sure when I joined 6 years after seeing this episode in 1963.

Thirty-two year old Rip Torn gave a terrific performance in 1963 as a tough Marine Corps drill sergeant who is suspected of causing the death of a recruit because of recklessly rough training. Series hero Second Lieutenant Bill Rice (well played by Gary Lockwood) is sent in undercover as a boot camp trainee to get to the truth. This was the best episode of this fine, forgotten drama series about the peace time Marine Corps (though in the final episode Lt. Rice is in Vietnam as an "advisor"). Gene Roddenberry ("Star Trek) was the ambitious creator/producer.

I wonder if this episode provided any inspiration for "Full Metal Jacket". Kubrick might have viewed the episode when he was considering Gary Lockwood for a role in "2001".

Rip Torn was a dazzlingly attractive, talented young actor, in the same class as Paul Newman, Ben Gazzara and Steve McQueen. Torn was in high demand as a guest star after his striking work in this episode. He followed it up with a string of brilliant, varied performances on shows like "Ben Casey", "Combat", "12 O'Clock High", "The Breaking Point", "The Eleventh Hour", "Dr. Kildare" and "The Great Adventure".

Its amazing Rip Torn didn't get a series lead of his own. He probably wasn't interested. Or maybe he was considered "too difficult". But Rip Torn could have been one of the great 1960's series leads with the right role. Shows he might have been good in are "The Man from UNCLE", "Slattery's People", "Run For Your Life", "Star Trek", "The Outsider" or "Man In a Suitcase". Maybe he would have been a good Colonel Hogan in "Hogan's Heros". Or Torn might even have been a viable Lt. Columbo. But I think Rip Torn was basically too good for television. The career he had was right for him.