Vietnam and War have nothing to do with this story.
Hitchcock talked about "McGuffin".. a plot device that had nothing to do with the actual story. "Psycho" had the stolen money early in the movie that ended up having nothing to do with the real plot.
Here it is War and Vietnam.. Pip could just as well have been seriously injured in a mountain climbing accident or hit by a stray bullet in a Bank Robbery gone bad resulting in a shootout on the streets.
Like many TV Dramas of the time, this is about Redemption. Our desire to undo the bad things in our past and just how much we are willing to sacrifice to erase our past sins.
This episode stands out because of Klugman, you really feel his soul being torn out and his desperation.
Did he receive a 'Gift' or just an hallucination? That depends on the viewer.
Hitchcock talked about "McGuffin".. a plot device that had nothing to do with the actual story. "Psycho" had the stolen money early in the movie that ended up having nothing to do with the real plot.
Here it is War and Vietnam.. Pip could just as well have been seriously injured in a mountain climbing accident or hit by a stray bullet in a Bank Robbery gone bad resulting in a shootout on the streets.
Like many TV Dramas of the time, this is about Redemption. Our desire to undo the bad things in our past and just how much we are willing to sacrifice to erase our past sins.
This episode stands out because of Klugman, you really feel his soul being torn out and his desperation.
Did he receive a 'Gift' or just an hallucination? That depends on the viewer.