China
Beach - Season 2 (1988 - 1989/Time Life/StarVista DVD Set)
Picture:
C Sound: C Extras: B Episodes: B+
Season
2 of China Beach is now available as a separate DVD set
from the Complete Series box set. A last bastion for the
army's hospital and R&R for wounded troops, not completely a
military base, but filled with soldiers, medics and civilian
personnel. This season, they are joined with two new crew member
Holmes, a female journalist doing PR reports for the homefront and
Frankie a newbie soldier just trying to find her place in China
beach. As the war goes on, in the field, hospital, or in love, all
differences are set aside when the wounded are brought in, but even
if the war doesn't change can they handle it when the world changes?
China
Beach is about the woman who served in Vietnam, soldier, nurse or
civilian, but mainly about nurse McMurphy, the nurse every soldier
falls for, as she saves lives and nurse the wounded back she
experiences the love and lost every patient. She works with the
funny, but womanizing failed marriage doctor Richards. Together they
work under Major Garreau, a proud army career old maid who is often
at odds with Karen, a part time prostitute who is able to get
anything. While there is always trouble in camp, between getting R&R
and keeping the camp running, everyone realizes how important to save
lives when the wounded come in.
This
was a very interesting point of view of the Vietnam war, from the
American female vets views, while the soldiers believed they were
fighting and dieing for their country, the rest of the world saw them
as baby killers and in a country that didn't even want them. They
soldier's only comfort was each other and the nurses that cared for
them. The higher ups and those in command never experienced lost nor
went hungry. All people see are the results, but they never
understand why people were there.
Picture
and sound are the same as the previous set and these are the exact
same DVDs as in the Complete Series box set, with 1.33 X 1
picture and lossy Dolby Digital 2.0 sound. I too wish the transfers
of the film were a little clearer, but they'll do until a Blu-ray set
hopefully rolls around. Extras repeating here from the same box set
discs include Voices of War: the real China Beach, interviews and
commentary.
---------------------------------------------------------
Lost
and Found - Part I - McMurphy's boyfriend is placed on leave and
she discovers he is a married man.
Lost
and Found - Part II - Holms gets shot in the derriere and Dodger
is found critically wounded.
Limbo
- Short on medicine, McMurphy waits for Dodger to wake from his coma.
X-Mas
CHNBCH VN '67 - It's Christmas, the base is short staffed and the
wounded keeps on coming in.
Woman
in White - Dodger goes for a dangerous operation that could leave
him a cripple.
All
About E.E.V. - A war hero is in camp and all the girls are
excited.
Tet
'68 - The biggest attack by the VC occurs and no one is where
they are supposed to be.
Cherry
- Everyone reflects on the passing of Cherry.
Crossing
the Great Water - Everyone wonders why they are there in the war.
Psywars
- There is one doctor not needed in camp, the army psych doctor.
Where
the Boys Are - China Beach throws a prom for all the young
soldiers who missed out on their HS prom.
Vets
- Real life female vets talk about their experiences in Vietnam.
Twilight
- Boonie falls under inspection for a covert opt went wrong.
Afterburner
- Natch reappears in McMurphy's life, but has things really changed?
Promised
Land - Martin Luther King Jr. is murdered and there is racial
tensions between the troops as a result.
The
World - Part I - McMurphy is suddenly called home to her dieing
father, to a world that hates USA soldiers.
The
World - Part II - McMurphy doesn't go back to China Beach but
goes AWOL to visit past friends and wounded vets.
For
more on the series, try our coverage of these DVD releases:
The
Complete Series set
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/12190/China+Beach
Season
One set
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/12362/China+Beach:+Season+One+(1988/Time+Life/Star
-
Ricky Chiang
