Catch-22
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While there has been plenty of tragedy so far inCatch-22, Episode 5 is fittingly the shit-hits-the-fan episode.
They evenly pace each discrete event, allowing them to convey individual impact until it reaches a cumulative crescendo.
In between, Yossarians mental state finally starts to crumble.
Cathcart quickly denies his request, but Yossarian hitches a ride with one of Milos planes anyway.
But when he arrives, he finds Rome in a state of complete disarray.
The brothel has been raided and closed.
On top of that, Inez believes Yossarian is trying to exchange the ring for sex.
Hes dismayed when she pantomimes a handjob and soon walks away from the girl entirely.
Better still, Heslov doesnt actually show Aarfy throwing Michaela off the balcony.
Davies and Michod re-create the scene from the book when the military police raid the apartment following Michaelas death.
After all, theyre not gonna put good ol Aarfy in jail.
Heller never explicitly follows up on Aarfys fate beyond that moment in the novel.
Unfortunately, it ends up being a moot point.
As he walks out the door, Scheisskopf mentions that his wife sends her regards.
Yossarian realizes that as long as Scheisskopf is in charge, hes never going home.
But as Yossarian slowly floats to the ground, he watches the plane to see if Orr jumps.
All of Yossarians friends are now gone.
His worst fear has come true.
Hes all alone, with shrapnel in his testicles, tumbling toward land with three more missions to go.
Mission Count
I wasnt wild about how the big Milo set piece plays out.
Even better is when he tells him he hopes he dies just before he jumps out of the plane.
Abbott plays the rage very, very well.
The episode closes with Vera Lynns rendition of Well Meet Again scored over Yossarian slowly parachuting to the ground.
