Band of Brothers at 20: How Easy Company Lives on Through a Masterpiece
On September 9th 2001, Band of Brothers was first broadcast on HBO. The miniseries dramatized the trials and tribulations of E Company(or “Easy Company” as it’s also known) of the 101st Airborne Division while they navigated major events of the Second World War. The miniseries was met with critical acclaim and two decades later remains one of the most brutal, stunning and moving portraits of war ever put to television.
The incredible story of Easy Company was captured by historian Stephen E. Ambrose in his 1992 book Band of Brothers. The book, which Ambrose based on a series of interviews he conducted with the surviving members of Easy Company, gets its title from a passage from William Shakespeare’s Henry V, in which King Henry announces to his men:
“From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother”
In the context of Easy Company, this passage is rather prophetic and it is evident why Ambrose selected a quote from it as the title of his book. While we don’t know what “the ending of the world” may bring, the bravery of the men of Easy Company has yet to be forgotten some 70 years later. Band of Brothers, both the book and the miniseries, has an important part to play in this. Ambrose’s fantastic book has made the journey of the men of Easy Company widely accessible in print format, and it remains a fascinating and informative read. HBO’s miniseries took this accessibility a bit further, admittedly at the cost of some facts through the use of artistic license, bringing the story of Easy Company into homes all over the world. Not only that, Band of Brothers immortalized these courageous men and their story through a breath-taking depiction of warfare, the likes of which had never been seen before.
Band of Brothers follows a linear trajectory of storytelling, beginning with our heroes coming up in the military at Camp Toccoa under the watchful eye of strict disciplinarian Captain Herbert Sobel. Sobel isn’t featured heavily throughout the rest of the series but David Schwimmer’s fantastic performance as the authoritarian Captain leaves a lasting impression. The series then follows Easy Company as they complete training, participate in the Normandy landings, fight in the Battle of Carentan, parachute into Dutch territory as part of Operation Market Garden, get caught in the freezing cold forests of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, liberate concentration camps in Germany and capture Adolf Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest in Berchtesgaden. By the end of the series, our heroes have been to hell and back, and some of them have unfortunately not made it back at all. The devastation felt by the loss of characters does not decrease with their frequency, each death is as hard-hitting as the last. The emotional journey is so profound that by its conclusion we almost feel as though we have been there with them for it, while also knowing that we never could have done it.
The visuals are stunning, the acting is phenomenal and the score is exceptional. Any of these aspects could make the tears roll by themselves, but as a concoction they come together to produce a truly special work of art. In the midst of the barrage of the devastation, the show can sometimes make you feel lost and overwhelmed. This is where the moving performances of the actors come in. Damian Lewis as Richard Winters is a constant source of comfort to both the men of Easy Company as well as the viewers. Matthew Settle’s portrayal of Ronald Speirs is equally terrifying and admirable as his personality likely was to the men of Easy Company. Finally, Ron Livingston’s performance as Lewis Nixon is moving and relatable, exposing the vulnerabilities an officer at war often faces. The way the episodes flip flop to different soldiers in the company can seem distracting at first but ultimately assists greatly in telling the monumental story of not only Easy Company but war itself.
As of June 2021, there are two surviving members of Easy Company. First lieutenant Ed Shames, portrayed by Joseph May in the miniseries, will turn 100 years old next year. PFC Bradford Freeman, portrayed in the miniseries by James Farmer in a non-speaking part, is 97 as of last month. The rest of Easy Company are gone but far from forgotten. Their bravery echoes throughout history, and Band of Brothers continues to serve as a testament to why they were truly the “Greatest Generation”.
