Band of Brothers

Having watched the entire six-disc box set in a 12-hour sitting, we’ve since undergone treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. This WWII HBO miniseries about Easy Company is like Saving Private Ryan (without the sappy story) times a thousand. It’s full of more explosions and brutal battles that any human should have to endure. Unlike other DVD box sets of TV shows, Band can be watched over and over. And since there are so many characters involved in all 10 episodes, watching them back-to-back is ideal in order to keep up with them all. The stand-out episodes of the bunch: the panic attack–inducing drop into Normandy in “Day of Days,” and the episodes centering around the Battle of the Bulge (“Crossroads,” “Bastogne,” and “The Breaking Point”). The Band of Brothers packaging, in a classy camouflage tin, is possibly the best we’ve ever seen, and the “Field Guide” (interactive maps, soldier profiles, military glossary, and other useful intel) complements the series perfectly. The best and funniest extra in the set, however, is Ron Livingston’s (Office Space) hour-long video diaries, which document the 10-day actor boot camp. Man, actors are pussies. Ten-hut! Move out!