"Over There" Reviewed Over Here
Well, I tuned in and watched the pilot episode. It was rather gritty and intense, but in a Hollywood, Saving Private Ryan-wannabe-kind-of-way. I don't know how I feel about it, though, in relation to current events. I think it might make for interesting drama, but what I hope is that it doesn't get confused, by people, with real life. This series is still a work of fiction. So long as people can detach it from what is really happening in Iraq, I think it might turn out to be a decent drama series.
What I didn't like (and I don't want to completely judge it before seeing more episodes) was how every soldier (the characters of the series we were introduced to) seemed to be presented as someone stuck in his environment; people who had no choice, and did not want to be over there. That doesn't sit well, with me.
Laura Ingraham this morning, bottom of the first hour, mentioned this review, in which several vets from the Iraq war bagged the show. Laura hadn't seen it herself; but she took pleasure in reading soldiers complaining about the unrealistic elements in the tv series. For the most part, what they seemed to be complaining about, is not the stuff I'm concerned about. I'm concerned about any politics and political influence this series might have. What Laura and the reviewers seemed to pick on, is just small potato stuff which I excuse for drama. It happens in all dramatic renditions of the real world. You have to change things (I'd say, even for security reasons, we should not always have to know the exact operational procedures) to make for good drama and good tv, even if it means sacrificing some realism. For instance, the review from the soldiers complain about such details as how roadside bombs aren't marked with little white flags on them; but the point is to give the IED a marker, for the benefit of the viewer who is made to see what is about to occur, before it does.
You have to just accept this for what it is: it's Hollywood.
So what more can we expect, but contrived dialogue, false-to-life realism, etc. ?
Anyway, I plan on tuning in again. I just am skeptical about whether or not any series where the Iraq War is the backdrop, can actually stay uncontaminated, politically.
What I didn't like (and I don't want to completely judge it before seeing more episodes) was how every soldier (the characters of the series we were introduced to) seemed to be presented as someone stuck in his environment; people who had no choice, and did not want to be over there. That doesn't sit well, with me.
Laura Ingraham this morning, bottom of the first hour, mentioned this review, in which several vets from the Iraq war bagged the show. Laura hadn't seen it herself; but she took pleasure in reading soldiers complaining about the unrealistic elements in the tv series. For the most part, what they seemed to be complaining about, is not the stuff I'm concerned about. I'm concerned about any politics and political influence this series might have. What Laura and the reviewers seemed to pick on, is just small potato stuff which I excuse for drama. It happens in all dramatic renditions of the real world. You have to change things (I'd say, even for security reasons, we should not always have to know the exact operational procedures) to make for good drama and good tv, even if it means sacrificing some realism. For instance, the review from the soldiers complain about such details as how roadside bombs aren't marked with little white flags on them; but the point is to give the IED a marker, for the benefit of the viewer who is made to see what is about to occur, before it does.
You have to just accept this for what it is: it's Hollywood.
So what more can we expect, but contrived dialogue, false-to-life realism, etc. ?
Anyway, I plan on tuning in again. I just am skeptical about whether or not any series where the Iraq War is the backdrop, can actually stay uncontaminated, politically.
posted by The WordSmith from Nantucket at 7/28/2005 07:29:00 AM
7 Comments:
Roger Hitchcock, subsituting for Rushtoday, read an e-mail from a Master Sgt. based in Iraq, who was absolutely furious at the way the soldiers in Iraq were depicted. I didn't see the show either so I would have to reserve comment, but I think if soldiers who are actually there were offended by it, there maybe something wrong with it.
I don't know. I'd need to hear from a larger sample of military. I'll scout around for anymore reviews and comments by military personnel who watched it.
I was only really bothered by what appeared to be soldiers who seemed like victims of their circumstance, without a single character who seemed to be there out of patriotism, pure and simple. I know they exist. The closest one, I'd say, is the guy whose leg got severed by the IED (sorry if this is s spoiler) toward the end of the pilot; but even he joined because his football scholarship money was not enough to finance him through college.
I hope you are well!
Mark, your comments about Roger Hedgecock, the former Mayor of San Diego, now one of Southern California's best known radio commentators was nice. He is a great guy and usually has some right on commentaries. And, he drives the left nuts, today especially the Cindy Sheehan types are burning up the internet yelling. Might want to check out thetruthaboutiraq.org and see what the moonbat brigade said after the site owner had positive things to say about Roger. Also Roger's main site is rogerhedgecock.com.
As far as the TV series, I was a little disappointed at the storyline and think that it might not be accurate. I felt the same way about NCIS, but, for a different reason (remember the bungling of USS Iowa investigation among others). Like Wordsmith, I am going to give it time to gage how the troops on the ground feel about it.
And I am offened that the characters are protrayed as those less fortunates. In actuallity, we now have some of the most educated GIs ever in the service. Many special forces soldiers, especially those who are joint services are college educated and have some real technical skills. Reenlistments in country are high and second term reenlistments across the board are high. Those are the guys who are there now or have been there already.
For mlwhitt, it is a mixed bag right now, but, my guess is it is left slanted as anything coming out of mainstream Hollywood.
God bless our President and those who serve. R/ Bosun
Bos'un...I hope you do realize that this post was made in late July; and that the series is now, thankfully, in the tanker.
I watched every episode.
It did not get any better. I had another post a week earlier on it. The milblogs I've read since never gave it a hooah.
I did not realize that it was that long ago. I thought that I recently watched a couple episodes, were they reruns? I had heard that the series was not good and I guess I finally was able to watch via rerun. Otherwise, my timeline was way off. Guess that what I saw was accurate that there was a leftist slant and that the writers protrayed the soldiers as less fortunates.
I really do not have much time at all for leisure. Except, now I have every Sunday evening blocked off for "24." That is about the only show that I watch besides the News and Food Channel.
Did you ever hear from Holmquist again?
I think Homquist was a glitch poster.
I can't keep stride with when 24 is on. I do follow Battlestar Galactica, which has new eps starting tomorrow.
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