10 Great TV Shows Starring The Cast Of Friends

David Schwimmer only stars in one episode of the seminal HBO miniseries, but what an episode it is. He’s the focal point of the first episode, playing Herbert Sobel, the officer in charge of training Easy Company, with whom we’ll spend the remainder of the show.

Schwimmer is simply perfectly cast here. As Sobel he’s an intelligent and ambitious military careerist but one whose booksmarts outstrip his actual ability. He hectors his charges with the intention of building them up, but once they hit the field, he falls to pieces. In a similar manner to Ross’ more dislikable moments, Sobel is portrayed as a man intent on proving his own masculinity, often at the worst time possible. He aggravates superior officers and winds up reassigned to a lesser post.

The rest of Band Of Brothers is of course superb, still an awe inspiring piece of work at so many years’ remove, but Schwimmer’s turn is the most surprising and perhaps the most engaging of the bunch. It’s almost odd that it didn’t lead to more dramatic work for the actor.