Much of the show’s stories involved a conflict or mission Rick Jason’s character Hanley or Morrow’s character “Chip” Saunders were tasked with leading, most of which were confined to limited scenery and a small band of cast members. It’s very much a television war drama on a limited budget, but gladly one that’s a strong enough drama to offer entertainment for fans of war based dramas like “Tora! Tora! Tora” or “The Longest Day.” What would start out as a simple mission would soon turn in to an entirely new conflict altogether, and often induced some rather excellent foreshadowing that would lead in to the central story.
Much of Season Four is teeth grinding in tension, with Hanley and Saunders experiencing more and more violent confrontations on the battlefields. There are many interesting moments in the season including the guest role by John Cassevetes, Sal Mineo, and young Tom Skerritt, and Claude Akins respectively. Whether you prefer Hanley’s or Saunders’ view of the war and their action in the war, “Combat!” is still a very good series that taps in to the sixties era fascination with war and combat alike.