Matt Smith reviews the final episode of Catch-22…
The final episode of Catch-22 is an episode of two halves. A lot like the series as a whole, this episode strives to consciously chop and change tone at will, hardly sticking to one bag of tricks.
The first half of this final episode plays out in a fashion almost from a 1970s BBC sitcom, replete with silliness and boisterous music to heighten the feeling that this is all one big farce. Indeed, despite his belief that his testicles have been blown off, Yossarian is the subject of some amusing visuals as he hangs from a tree and parades into town like an over the top cowboy. This section of the episode feels more like a conventional sitcom, wherein he even tries to fool the armed men that eventually turn up, his ‘rescuers’, by pretending not to speak English and pleading with his fake mother not to turn him over. It’s funny, with just a hint of the desperation that Yossarian has felt throughout the entire series. It was probably a good idea not to have this sort of farcical tone throughout the series too, as the second half of this episode plays it much straighter and is all the more rewarding for it.
However, the question must be asked about why the producers felt this adaptation was needed. What questions were they trying to ask or answer themselves? Is war Hell? Well, yes, and those that don’t already know that probably aren’t watching Catch-22. Did enlisted men get pushed too far? Indeed, and the second half of this episode plays with the juxtaposition of conventional, farcical comedy versus darker, cynical tones in order to show this. In fact, the entire series could probably be called a successful adaptation in that it was faithful to the multiple paradoxes and repetitions featured in the book.
But did the series give us anything new? The ending, ambiguous and seemingly indecisive, doesn’t even give a fraction of the hope found in the novel’s ending. Is Yossarian destined to keep completing bombing runs, never hitting his target number despite hitting targets on the ground? Read the book to find out. Though, in watching the show most viewers have probably already read the book.
On the one hand, six episodes might have been the required number, before the repetition of sun bathing, swimming, bombing run got too repetitive. It also means high intensity (intestines spilling out is just one highlight from the series) is not an issue, given the short period of time. This feeling of intensity is palpable but, for those with a nervous disposition, there are of course the presence of ad breaks for beer and cars (good combo) to help viewers feel better. Perhaps not quite the tonal shifts the creators of this show were wishing for.
On the other, would more episodes have given greater scope for character development? Could we have seen more of the reverend? Or Orr? Or is this just a reviewer wanting to spend more time with characters, as opposed to needing it?
Catch-22, overall, is a beautifully shot, well thought-out spectacle. It takes some time to get into, but in the end its jarring tonal shifts and seemingly nonsensical, circular conversations are just part of making this a great adaptation of Joseph Heller’s masterpiece.
Matt Smith
