Combat! (TV Series) The Mockingbird (1966) User Reviews

Tense Episode

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 23 April 2019]

The German commander plots with a German officer to pose as the American pilot Lt. Asher to infiltrate and destroy the French underground. Meanwhile Lt. Hanley, Caje, Kirby, and Pvt. Banning are seeking out the Intelligence Officer Capt. Thorpe that has important information. They see the American airplane crashing hit by a German airplane and rescue also Asher. While returning to the Allied lines, they stumble upon a German patrol and Asher attracts them and uses the situation to kill Banning and Thorpe, but is wounded by the Germans. Capt. Thorpe survives seriously wounded and they head to a French monastery to seek shelter. But Asher continue to sabotage the group attracting the attention of German patrols.

"The Mockingbird" is one of the most tense episodes of "Combat!". The great performance of Jeremy Slate convinces and the situations created by the spy Lt. Asher are believable. The conclusion is very satisfactory. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Imitador" ("The Impersonator")

The Mockingbird

[jmarchese · 7/10 · 24 October 2014]

"The Mockingbird" is a story of suspense & intrigue when a German spy, Lieutenant Asher (played by Jeremy Slate) gets sidetracked from his original mission to infiltrate the French underground. After hooking up with Lieutenant Hanley odd events keep happening until eventually great suspicion must be investigated.

Interesting to note "The Mockingbird" was written by Reverend Thomas A. Conway and heavily involves a monastery and it's occupants. One cannot help thinking it's based on a true story.

The story flows; the plot is realistic. But it lacks too much with respect to actual Combat. In addition, no one really steps it up in the field of actors. And what could be more dull than a monastery for a setting. Jeremy Slate plays a real snake in the grass but with little emotion or pizazz. It's hard to imagine what Teleplayists' Esther & Bob Mitchell could have done to adapt "The Mockingbird" to make it more interesting. Without outstanding acting, suspense & intrigue do not cut it.

Director Peyser did a good job with what he had to work with and the scenes are realistic. The ending is fun to watch.

But this episode just did not keep my interest very well.

Intriguing, gripping episode

[grantss · 9/10 · 14 June 2022]

Why is it that many of the best Combat episodes involve German imposters? It does add a layer of intrigue and deception to proceedings and this is no exceptiion. Excellent episode.

A Geman spy!

[lor_ · 17 September 2023]

Guest star Jeremy Slate represents excellent casting, as he's an agent for the Germans posing as an American lieutenant flyboy to infiltrate and get vital information about the French Resistance. Vic has the week off, so Rick is leading the regular squad.

Slate's cover story is quite convincing, as they see him parachuting in distress from an American plane hit by a German fighter. One key complication is that Rick is accompanied by a captain from Intelligence, played by genre veteran John Agar.

An interesting aspect of this story is that the viewer is put in the unusual position of identifying with Slate, the enemy, as we watch his apprehension of being found out as a spy. That's because the set-up shows the German commander setting him off on the mission, rather than haivn the story begin after he parachutes and leaving his true identity a secret for us to discover along the way. Lots of untranslated German and French dialogue is utilized as German soldiers are after the Americans (including Slate, who they would only know as an American, not aware of his spy status) and hold a group of French clergymen hostage, who are sheltering our heroes.

Story structure gives Rick and his troops relatively smaller roles for a change as the focus is on the bad guys plus the French. Slate tries to kill Agar, who's seriously wounded but able to identify him as a spy.

An extremely suspenseful episode that keeps one guessing.