30 Days of Hogan's Heroes - Day 16
Day 16 - A scene that makes you cry?
Okay, it’s actually a toss-up between two episodes of the sixth season. Seriously, I couldn’t choose. Brace yourselves for the dreaded wall of text :o)
The first is in “Cuisine à la Stalag 13”, when LeBeau is saying goodbye to Hogan and the guys because he’s leaving to join the fight in France. It’s the first episode of the last season, and even on a first-time watching, considering the general tone of the series, one of the main characters leaving squarely falls into “Like you would really do it…” zone… Except that Kinch (whose actor wanted to work on other things) is gone from the show with no explanation whatsoever and replaced with another character (Baker, who is a sweetheart with an amazing voice, but Kinch is, well, Kinch - irreplaceable), so you’re left wondering if the script writers really will go through with it. They don’t, of course, but the scene is no less heartbreaking for it.
LeBeau shakes Hogan’s hand and tells him it’s been an honour; his goodbyes to Carter and Kinch are more informal and just as warm; when he comes to Newkirk, however, he just calls him by his first name (this episode is the only time one of the regulars calls Newkirk “Peter”) and hugs him.
Newkirk: We’re really going to miss you around here, you know?
And then, as he’s climbing up the ladder to the tunnel entrance, he stops to look at them and says “Au revoir” - still smiling, but the looks on the faces of Hogan, Newkirk, Carter and Baker just makes my throat tighten every time. Note that this isn’t the first time a main character is shown packing up, presumably for good: Carter does in “Request Permission to Escape” (but informs them that it’s only for a short time), and Newkirk is transferred to another Stalag in “Sticky Wicket Newkirk”. Everyone looks happy for Carter in the first, and puts on brave faces for Newkirk in the second, but that scene in “Cuisine à la Stalag 13” has a real emotional impact.
The other scene is slightly less tear-jerker and more punch to the gut. You know the opening to “That’s No Lady, That’s My Spy”? Yeah, that’s what I meant.
I’m not the kind of gal to go to great lengths to avoid spoilers, but the first time I saw this episode, I saw it in the best conditions possible - without any knowledge whatsoever. (Also, I saw it in French, and apart from a few slip-ups (like a voice way too nice for Hochstetter), the dubbing is generally quite good.) So here’s how the scene goes: Hogan and the gang are in the woods, passing important information to an equally important underground leader, Oskar Danzig; then SS barge in on the meeting and shoot at the departing car (well, everywhere, really).
When they’re gone, and our guys get up:
Hogan: Everybody all right?
Carter: Boy, that was pretty close!
Baker: This war is getting dangerous.
Newkirk: It’s a good job the German army can’t shoot any better than the French army. (Grins, then pauses) You’re gonna take that lying down, LeBeau? (Turns around, sees that LeBeau is indeed lying down - and not moving) Louis? … Louis? (Goes over to him, picks up up and sees blood on his fingers) Colonel, my-my little mate’s been hit.
Aaand… cue titles break. I mean, I know it turns out later that he’s just been grazed and that he fainted because of the blood, but honestly, first time I saw this episode I went “Wha-no! What?” - a complete sucker punch. Even now, no matter how often I’ve seen it (for instance, when I needed reference to draw a meme, or write an AU snapshot) and knowing he’s okay, really, I’m still caught off-guard. Darn.
Okay, it’s actually a toss-up between two episodes of the sixth season. Seriously, I couldn’t choose. Brace yourselves for the dreaded wall of text :o)
The first is in “Cuisine à la Stalag 13”, when LeBeau is saying goodbye to Hogan and the guys because he’s leaving to join the fight in France. It’s the first episode of the last season, and even on a first-time watching, considering the general tone of the series, one of the main characters leaving squarely falls into “Like you would really do it…” zone… Except that Kinch (whose actor wanted to work on other things) is gone from the show with no explanation whatsoever and replaced with another character (Baker, who is a sweetheart with an amazing voice, but Kinch is, well, Kinch - irreplaceable), so you’re left wondering if the script writers really will go through with it. They don’t, of course, but the scene is no less heartbreaking for it.
LeBeau shakes Hogan’s hand and tells him it’s been an honour; his goodbyes to Carter and Kinch are more informal and just as warm; when he comes to Newkirk, however, he just calls him by his first name (this episode is the only time one of the regulars calls Newkirk “Peter”) and hugs him.
Newkirk: We’re really going to miss you around here, you know?
And then, as he’s climbing up the ladder to the tunnel entrance, he stops to look at them and says “Au revoir” - still smiling, but the looks on the faces of Hogan, Newkirk, Carter and Baker just makes my throat tighten every time. Note that this isn’t the first time a main character is shown packing up, presumably for good: Carter does in “Request Permission to Escape” (but informs them that it’s only for a short time), and Newkirk is transferred to another Stalag in “Sticky Wicket Newkirk”. Everyone looks happy for Carter in the first, and puts on brave faces for Newkirk in the second, but that scene in “Cuisine à la Stalag 13” has a real emotional impact.
The other scene is slightly less tear-jerker and more punch to the gut. You know the opening to “That’s No Lady, That’s My Spy”? Yeah, that’s what I meant.
I’m not the kind of gal to go to great lengths to avoid spoilers, but the first time I saw this episode, I saw it in the best conditions possible - without any knowledge whatsoever. (Also, I saw it in French, and apart from a few slip-ups (like a voice way too nice for Hochstetter), the dubbing is generally quite good.) So here’s how the scene goes: Hogan and the gang are in the woods, passing important information to an equally important underground leader, Oskar Danzig; then SS barge in on the meeting and shoot at the departing car (well, everywhere, really).
When they’re gone, and our guys get up:
Hogan: Everybody all right?
Carter: Boy, that was pretty close!
Baker: This war is getting dangerous.
Newkirk: It’s a good job the German army can’t shoot any better than the French army. (Grins, then pauses) You’re gonna take that lying down, LeBeau? (Turns around, sees that LeBeau is indeed lying down - and not moving) Louis? … Louis? (Goes over to him, picks up up and sees blood on his fingers) Colonel, my-my little mate’s been hit.
Aaand… cue titles break. I mean, I know it turns out later that he’s just been grazed and that he fainted because of the blood, but honestly, first time I saw this episode I went “Wha-no! What?” - a complete sucker punch. Even now, no matter how often I’ve seen it (for instance, when I needed reference to draw a meme, or write an AU snapshot) and knowing he’s okay, really, I’m still caught off-guard. Darn.