The Rat Patrol

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  • 1966
  • 2 Seasons
  • 7.4  (1,958)

The Rat Patrol was an action-adventure television series that aired on ABC from 1966-1968. Set during World War II in North Africa, the show followed the exploits of four men who made up a special forces unit known as the "Rat Patrol." The four soldiers, Sergeant Sam Troy (played by Christopher George), Corporal Jack Moffitt (played by Gary Raymond), Private Mark Hitchcock (played by Justin Tarr), and Private Tully Pettigrew (played by Lawrence Casey), were tasked with disrupting German operations in the desert. They were aided in their mission by their expertise in desert warfare and the use of a specialized four-wheel drive vehicle mounted with a machine gun.

The Rat Patrol was created by Tom Gries, who came up with the concept after watching an episode of Combat! that featured a vehicle-mounted machine gun. The show was produced by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts, who had previously worked on shows such as Hawaii Five-O and The Mod Squad.

The show was a hit with audiences, thanks in large part to its thrilling action sequences and the chemistry between the four leads. The show was also notable for its use of actual stock footage of tanks and other vehicles, which helped add to the realism of the show.

One of the most prominent members of the cast was Eric Braeden, who played the role of Hauptmann Hans Dietrich, the commander of the German forces in the area. Braeden's portrayal of Dietrich was noteworthy for its complexity; while he was undoubtedly the show's villain, he was given more depth than the typical one-dimensional villain found in many other television shows of the time.

Another notable aspect of the show was the fact that it was shot on location in Spain. The desert landscapes of Andalucia were used to stand in for North Africa, giving the show a distinctive look and helping to make it stand out from other shows of its era.

Despite its popularity, The Rat Patrol only ran for two seasons. There were several reasons for this; for one thing, the show was expensive to produce, thanks in no small part to its use of real tanks and other vehicles. Additionally, the show faced competition from other popular shows like Mission: Impossible and Star Trek.

Despite its relatively short run, The Rat Patrol remains fondly remembered by many fans of classic television. Its blend of action, adventure, and realism helped set it apart from other shows of its era, and its legacy can still be seen in some of the action shows that followed in its wake.

The Rat Patrol is a series that is currently running and has 2 seasons (61 episodes). The series first aired on September 12, 1966.

The Rat Patrol
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Seasons
The Kill at Koorlea Raid
26. The Kill at Koorlea Raid
March 18, 1968
The Rat Patrol is ordered to accompany a British sniper on a mission to assassinate a brutal German general, but Troy decides that capturing the general alive is a better plan.
The Never Say Die Raid
25. The Never Say Die Raid
March 11, 1968
Troy and Hitchcock are captured by a German colonel who plans to force them to radio misinformation back to their headquarters. Meanwhile, Moffitt and Pettigrew's rescue attempts are sidetracked by an Italian lieutenant.
The Tug of War Raid
24. The Tug of War Raid
March 4, 1968
Troy goes undercover to receive a locket of microfilm from a female French Resistance fighter, but both get captured by Dietrich. After Troy refuses to divulge the location of the locket, Dietrich sentences them both to hang.
The Hickory Dickory Dock Raid
23. The Hickory Dickory Dock Raid
February 26, 1968
The Rat Patrol is assigned a mission to safeguard POWs being held at a German repair depot that will be targeted by bombers, but Moffitt becomes unreliable after he receives word that his kid brother was killed in England.
The Double Jeopardy Raid
22. The Double Jeopardy Raid
February 19, 1968
The Rat Patrol is at odds with a group of young partisans when the irregulars endanger the plans of an Allied offensive by attacking an SS camp.
The Field of Death Raid
21. The Field of Death Raid
February 12, 1968
A German colonel, crippled in an earlier raid by the Rat Patrol, captures Troy's brother in a plan for revenge.
The Touch and Go Raid
20. The Touch and Go Raid
February 5, 1968
Dietrich and his men gain access to an Allied munitions dump by capturing the Rat Patrol and assuming their identities.
The Decoy Raid
19. The Decoy Raid
January 22, 1968
Dietrich questions an SS captain's methods of conducting the war when a village's typhus serum is confiscated to exchange for capture of the Rat Patrol.
The Fatal Reunion Raid
18. The Fatal Reunion Raid
January 15, 1968
Moffitt must set aside his personal feelings for an old flame when the Rat Patrol employs her as a guide to rescue her husband, a French rocket scientist, from the Germans.
The Boomerang Raid
17. The Boomerang Raid
January 8, 1968
A lieutenant is dropped off by submarine to set up naval barrage coordinates, but Troy becomes suspicious after the officer seems more interested in mapping the Allied positions than the German ones.
The Pipeline to Disaster Raid
16. The Pipeline to Disaster Raid
January 1, 1968
A British general rescued in the desert insists on leading the Rat Patrol on a mission to destroy a German oil pipeline despite his poor condition.
The Street Urchins Raid
15. The Street Urchins Raid
December 25, 1967
A street urchin tries to sell aerial photographs of secret German installations that Troy hid before being captured by the Gestapo.
The Two If by Sea Raid
14. The Two If by Sea Raid
December 18, 1967
Moffitt infiltrates a German-held lighthouse posing as an electrician in order to learn the details of a naval convoy carrying Tiger tanks that is headed for North Africa.
The Fifth Wheel Raid
13. The Fifth Wheel Raid
December 11, 1967
A British colonel returning from a staff meeting regarding an upcoming Allied offensive is captured by the Germans under suspicious circumstances. The Rat Patrol is ordered to either rescue or kill him before he can be interrogated
The Life for a Life Raid
12. The Life for a Life Raid
December 4, 1967
Dietrich corners the Rat Patrol in a cellar along with a pregnant woman who has a valuable map and a resistance fighter who has a personal score to settle with her.
The Violent Truce Raid
11. The Violent Truce Raid
November 27, 1967
A British major brings charges against Moffitt after his attempt to destroy a shipment of contaminated plasma results in it being captured by the Germans, and only Dietrich has the evidence that can save Moffitt from a court-martial.
The Hide-and-Go-Seek Raid
10. The Hide-and-Go-Seek Raid
November 20, 1967
The Rat Patrol must infiltrate a chateau on the island of Rhodes to rescue the son of a British general who has been kidnapped by the Germans.
The Kingdom Come Raid
9. The Kingdom Come Raid
November 13, 1967
While supervising the transport of new anti-aircraft shell fuses, Hitchcock is wounded by a deserter when the convoy is attacked by a German recon unit.
The Do-Re-Me Raid
8. The Do-Re-Me Raid
 
Troy allows himself to be captured by Dietrich in order to rescue a famous entertainer who is being held in a German POW camp.
The Death Do Us Part Raid
7. The Death Do Us Part Raid
October 30, 1967
After an ambush by Dietrich, Troy is wounded and the other members of the Rat Patrol are captured on a mission to find a German supply depot. Troy, assisted by a beautiful Irish missionary, must find a way to rescue his team members and a young boy.
The Darkest Raid
6. The Darkest Raid
October 16, 1967
Troy infiltrates enemy headquarters by posing as a wounded German captain in order to heist a cache of confiscated diamonds that are destined for Berlin
The Love Thine Enemy Raid
5. The Love Thine Enemy Raid
October 9, 1967
Troy accidentally shoots a German nurse during an attack on a supply convoy, and the Rat Patrol must decide whether to sneak her into a nearby German field hospital or let her die and continue their mission.
The Darers Go First Raid
4. The Darers Go First Raid
October 2, 1967
Troy decides that the Rat Patrol's only chance to destroy a supply depot inside a fortress is by capturing a German tank and using it to get past the enemy guards.
The Trial by Fire Raid
3. The Trial by Fire Raid
September 25, 1967
The Rat Patrol's mission to destroy a German supply train faces complications after Dietrich loads the train with Arab civilians and Troy gets captured.
The David and Goliath Raid
2. The David and Goliath Raid
September 18, 1967
After their jeeps are destroyed and Tully is wounded behind enemy lines, the Rat Patrol's only chance for survival is to infiltrate Dietrich's encampment.
The Truce at Aburah Raid
1. The Truce at Aburah Raid
September 11, 1967
The Rat Patrol and Hauptmann Dietrich's unit agree to a pause in the fighting to rescue a young Arab girl from a well, but the arrival of another German unit complicates the reluctant truce.
The Do-Re-Mi Raid
208. The Do-Re-Mi Raid
November 6, 1967
The Patrol is ordered to rescue pop star Mickey Roberts (singer Jack Jones), who is a P.O.W. in a small Afrika Korps compound, with the S.S. also turning up to make Roberts into a propaganda coup.
Description
Where to Watch The Rat Patrol
The Rat Patrol is available for streaming on the ABC website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch The Rat Patrol on demand at Apple TV Channels, Amazon Prime and Pluto TV.
  • Premiere Date
    September 12, 1966
  • IMDB Rating
    7.4  (1,958)