In the same fashion as Band of Brothers, HBO brings us another powerful and gripping miniseries set during World War II. The Pacific is a ten-part miniseries exploring the lives and stories of three US Marines: Robert Leckie, John Basilone and Eugene Sledge.

Pfc. Robert Leckie (played by James Badge Dale)

Robert Leckie was from Philadelphia and the youngest of 8 kids from an Irish Catholic family. He worked as a sportswriter for a local New Jersey newspaper before the war. He joined the Marines after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and fought in the Battle of Guadalcanal and Cape Gloucester.

Sgt. John Basilone (played by Jon Seda)

John Basilone, originally from Buffalo, New York, enlisted in the US Army 1934 and served in the Philippines before being discharged in 1937. He enlisted again in 1940, this time with the Marines, and was assigned as a machine gunner with the 7th Marine, 1st Marine Division. He was recognized and awarded the Medal of Honor when he single-handedly fought the Japanese by himself after his team fell against the Japanese forces. For three days, he held the defensive line against the Japanese, not stopping for rest, water or food.

Pfc. Eugene Sledge (played by Joseph Mazzello)

Eugene Sledge was from Mobile, Alabama, and had an older brother who was a lieutenant in the Army. He comes from a family with a long history of serving as soldiers. Some of the officers in the Confederate Army during the Civil War belonged to his family. He wanted to enlist in the Marines with his best friend, Sidney Phillips, after Pearl Harbor was bombed, but complications from rheumatic fever prevented him from doing so. He tried again a year after and was assigned to the 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division.

There are three episodes left in this miniseries. And I suggest, if you missed the others, catch up on those first before watching the last three episodes.

The 2009 Emmy Primetime Awards has just wrapped up with Neil Patrick Harris at the helm. This year, they’ve changed things a little bit and grouped all the awards according to their genre. First up was Comedy, then Reality, Miniseries, Variety and, last but not least, Drama.

So, do we agree with the winners?

Comedy

Outstanding Lead Actor – Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Outstanding Lead Actress - Toni Collette, The United States of Tara
Outstanding Casting - 30 Rock
Outstanding Directing – Jeff Blitz, The Office “Stress Relief”
Outstanding Supporting Actor – Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Outstanding Supporting Actress – Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies
Outstanding Writing – Matt Hubbard, 30 Rock “Reunion”
Outstanding Comedy Series – 30 Rock

Reality

Outstanding Host – Jeff Probst, Survivor
Outstanding Reality Competition Program – The Amazing Race

Miniseries

Outstanding Lead Actor – Brendan Gleeson, Into The Storm
Outstanding Lead Actress – Jessica Lange, Grey Gardens
Outstanding Supporting Actor – Ken Howard, Grey Gardens
Outstanding Supporting Actress - Shohreh Aghdashloo, House Of Saddam
Outstanding Directing – Dearbhla Walsh, Little Dorrit Part 1
Outstanding Writing – Andrew Davies, Little Dorrit
Outstanding Miniseries – Little Dorrit

Drama

Outstanding Lead Actor – Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Outstanding Lead Actress – Glenn Close, Damages
Outstanding Directing – Rod Holcomb, ER “And In The End”
Outstanding Supporting Actor – Michael Emerson, Lost
Outstanding Supporting Actress – Cherry Jones, 24
Outstanding Writing – Kater Gordon and Matthew Weiner, Mad Men “Meditations In An Emergency”
Outstanding Series – Mad Men

What do you think? Do you think someone else should have won? Generally, I do agree with the winners. They all deserve it, but the voters seem to have chosen the right person to win the award.