Following on from the traumatic finale of the previous episode, where Anderson, Baker and Johnson were stranded in the jungle with an orphaned baby, this episode begins with a drunk GI driving through the countryside with a prostitute and wearing a chaplain's uniform. The soldier is Sgt. Decker, a burnt-out soldier with eighteen years service, less than two to go for the pension and retirement. He was a big hit in Korea, has a Silver Star and two Purple Hearts, but now he spends most of his time drunk and in the stockade. He was Sgt. Anderson's drill instructor in basic, so Anderson comes to his assistance when Decker ends up in the stockade again. He signs Decker up, and vouches for him with Lt. Goldman, who isn't too optimistic about having a man like Decker in his platoon. Decker is a fine soldier with invaluable experience, and he is put in charge of a squad in the platoon and is an immediate hit with the Ruiz, Taylor, Baker and the rest of the men. But when the platoon is tasked with the mission of locating and destroying an NVA radio station on the Laotian border, Decker begins to break...
"The Good, the Bad, and the Dead" is a very poignant episode where we see the tough dynamics of loyalty and leadership in which Sgt. Anderson and Lt. Goldman find themselves struggling with. Goldman in particular is left with a couple of very tough decisions in this episode at points. I honestly was perplexed by why Sgt. Decker was in even in-country at this point in his career, humping it out in the bush, especially when he was clearly a drill-instructor back in the States. Perhaps there was some gung-ho element in him that he was still trying to feed? Either way, this episode is also a strong reminder of how even the best of the best can falter at times and lose the nerve.
"The Good, the Bad, and the Dead" is a very poignant episode where we see the tough dynamics of loyalty and leadership in which Sgt. Anderson and Lt. Goldman find themselves struggling with. Goldman in particular is left with a couple of very tough decisions in this episode at points. I honestly was perplexed by why Sgt. Decker was in even in-country at this point in his career, humping it out in the bush, especially when he was clearly a drill-instructor back in the States. Perhaps there was some gung-ho element in him that he was still trying to feed? Either way, this episode is also a strong reminder of how even the best of the best can falter at times and lose the nerve.
