jsrobinson132

A very difficult series to watch even though it was well done ... mainly because the main character was so unlikeable and really frustrating to watch with her erratic behaviour and anger issues, as well as her disgraceful behaviour towards those trying to help her, but also because it proves the justice system is so often more on the side of criminals than finding justice for victims. (As a former court reporter. I've sat through trial after trial where justice was not served fully -sometimes not at all - and criminals were given far lighter sentences than what they deserved. Several of my colleagues and I used to say that sometimes the judiciary need to have one of their loved ones harmed to realise the trauma suffered by victims and their families - maybe then they wouldn't hand down such light sentences and set inappropriate bail conditions ... or even grant bail at all.)

Delia's erratic behaviour was understandable to some extent after the terrible ordeal she endured, but she was one of the most frustrating real-life characters I've ever watched and was definitely her own worst enemy.

The fact they cast a British actress with a very strong accent when the true-to-life character was Canadian didn't help as so often throughout the series people asked whether she was American and yet she sounded broad Cornish without one Northern American 'twang'. A word to film makers: be careful with bad casting and don't include dialogue in the script referring to someone as being Canadian if the actress doesn't even try to sound like she is!!!

Overall, this was a shocking miscarriage of justice with thankfully a satisfactory ending.

As others have said, this is more than a love story set during the Vietnam War. It is a brutal and telling and 'a no-holds barred' look into what our brave soldiers and medical personnel had to endure during those long, terrible years ... and with a gentle love story running through some scenes, which brought hope and purpose and a steely determination to the two main characters while dealing with the tragedy of trying to heal bloody broken bodies.

This beautiful, powerful, touching, tragic and yet uplifting movie has it all - drama, war action, tenderness, poignancy, terror, mateship, love, loss and even a comedic slant through several lines/scenes. Yes, there are some major cuss words riddling the script, but the circumstances and setting call for that reaction and response, and so they're fully warranted.

When it first came out in 1984, I must've watched it 10+ times in the first year after its release. About three years ago (2022) I found it online in DVD form and immediately purchased it. Watching it again after an interval of about 37 years brought all of those old heart-wrenching feelings back and so many lines were like old friends echoing in my ears, soul and heart. I've just watched it again in March 2025 and, as always happens, that last scene brought tears to my eyes and made my heart ache.

A little extra special side-note is realising that I've actually flown over American Lake without realising it while on holidays when I flew from Australia to LA to SeaTac Airport back in 2014. I just wish I'd realised and gone to visit it while staying in Seattle.

This movie is still just as much a favourite as the first time I watched it, tearing at my heartstrings, not only over their fateful love story but also the terrors our brave soldiers endured during their tours of duty in that hellhole, both those from the USA and my Aussie compatriots. I take my hat off to you all, as well as to the screenwriter, the producers, the director, everyone who worked on it in any capacity, and to all the actors who took me right there and still live in my heart.

And it will come out again even though I know the script almost off by heart now, because no matter how many times I've seen it, my emotions come rolling to the surface and I'm glued to the screen until those final credits are done. Bravo and thank you!

The first episode got me hooked. I really enjoyed the major plot lines and the casting of the main characters along with their secondary cohorts, but unfortunately, the more the series progressed, the more disappointed I became.

Having two careers that encompassed both the film world, as an assistant editor, and sitting in court proceedings listening to evidence and police procedures for hours on end as a court reporter, there were huge holes in both.

Continuity was lacking, the script often didn't make sense and was too corny or over-the-top in 'telling' rather than 'showing', several of the extras over-dramatised their scenes, there should've been more research done into police work and procedures, and as usual with a lot of North American drama, any true action was way over the top.

Directors and producers could learn a lot from the majority of their British, European and Australian counterparts, as subtle can often be more real and certainly more believable. Everyday storylines in TV series and movies should be as close to real life when it comes to reactions and dialogue; they don't need to be overly done as a way to drag viewers in.

I will watch the next series because I'm now invested in the main characters, but I really hope they focus more on making scenes more true-to-life and acting that's believable from guest characters.