Over There--a nasty review

[usersatch]

Did anybody watch it last nite on the FX Channel?

My short review. The plot, obviously, is about some infantrymen and supply guys/girls in Iraq. The acting is strained. The stories very contrived (the guy asking everyone how they got their nicknames?). The combat techniques...ungodly wrong and inaccurate!

Not sure about the Third Herd (3d ID), but this show made them out to be the most undisciplined bunch of legs I have ever seen. No noise and light discipline, a "shock" attack against a fixed position (this is the Army not the Marines), moving just a few feet apart from each other, the list goes on. And the dialogue between these guys is sooo wrong as well. These guys are an infantry unit and one guy asks the other if he is married? When I was an infantryman, I knew everything about everyone in my squad, I didnt need mindless questions about my Ranger buddy's marital status. Havent you spent any time training with each other? Just when I began to like the squad leader, he said or did something incredibly stupid. I liked the CO and the lieutenant was a knucklehead (as most are). And they have an understrength squad attacking roughly a platoon of fedayeen (sp?)? Where was the rest of the company to back them up? And the supply people went on the attack with the infantry guys. Yeah, that would happen. They finally get some 81mm support and then they do a mad charge...uhm, you might want to wait for the fire mission to end before you run right through the target area.

I was hoping for more from an FX creation (like the Shield and Rescue Me), but I guess Stephen Bochco botched it up.

[wild_Willie2]

FX Channel

No FX Channel where I live [;)][:D][8D]

[Graycompany]

I watched the 1st 40 min, it was awful. I couldnt take it anymore.

[Nikademus]

people who play WitP have time to watch TV????!!!! [:D]

[Terminus]

Apparently usersatch is not as committed a WitP'er as we thought! Shame! Shame![;)]

[drw61]

ORIGINAL: Nikademus

people who play WitP have time to watch TV????!!!! [:D]

You forgot, everyone needs 60 minutes a week away from WitP to maintain a well rounded life. [:D]

[usersatch]

I was watching AND playing. It's called multi-tasking, gentlemen!!! [:D]

[showboat1]

Amen brother.

I thought it sucked. It smacks of, see, the war really is bad, be against the war! Seemed more like an anti-war propaganda piece to me. And the acting was ATROCIOUS!!!!! And yeah, the writing sucked too. I can't believe Bochco is attached to this travesty.

[Beery]

I could kind of tell that it was going to suck when I watched the previews. The acting was a little strained even in those soundbytes. I recorded it on DVR though, and I have yet to see it. I noticed it had a huge rating disclaimer - something about nudity. All I can say is that if it sucks, it had better have a WHOLE lot of nudity in it, and it had better not be just a bunch of guys' butts, LOL.

[carnifex]

I liked it.

But then again I don't get upset watching the Battle of the Bulge with US tanks painted as panzers. Guess I should be more anal.

[usersatch]

Yes, you should STRIVE to be way more anal! [:D]

Say a mantra every morning..."today, i WILL be more anal. today, american tanks made up to look like panzers will give me a case of the ass."

repeat

[P_DEX]

I watched most of the show but couldn't really come to grips with the fact that (to me)it attempts to paint soldiers a bit on the "man, what did I sign up for?" mentality. Reading lots of books over the years that have enlightened me on military training shows me that Bochco hasn't really done his homework. I know our soldiers are MUCH more professional, MUCH more focused than this show made them out to be. They know what the hell is going on over there. If you don't then you get hurt or die. Bocho seems to present most of the guys in his show like fresh-out-of-basic draftees or something.

I'll watch a couple of more episodes just to give it a shot (it WAS only the first episode). But I fear in the long run this show will never represent what our soldiers are REALLY going though "Over There". I don't know, maybe that's not what he's trying to do. It is Hollywood, you know. But I think a tad more truth and less hyperbole/editorialism would make a much, much better drama.

If any military guys are serving right now (or not, for that matter), I'd be very interested to hear their take on the show, if they bothered to watch .

[parusski]

I agree. Work on your anal ability. I nearly puked watching this propoganda. 40 minutes was my limit. I then went back to the real world---WitP

[TheHellPatrol]

ORIGINAL: drw61

ORIGINAL: Nikademus

people who play WitP have time to watch TV????!!!! [:D]

You forgot, everyone needs 60 minutes a week away from WitP to maintain a well rounded life. [:D]

Damn straight! That's why i was playing/testing Crown Of Glory[:D] and forgot about the new show...guess i didn't miss anything

[Titanwarrior89]

The show did suck![X(]

[Grognard]

Hoping this is on topic....

Always wanted to poll fellow vets about realism in TV and/or cinema.
Best/most realistic movie about my contemporaries IMO was "84 Charlie Mopic".
The dialogue was spot on. Beaucoup. There it is......

Anybody see it?

[Hanal]

It was ok, and since there are few non HBO TV series I watch anymore ( Lost and FOX animation are two), I'll give it a chance....

[Poopyhead]

I had taped it and did not see it until last night. The only part that they got right is that we do have soldiers fighting in Iraq. The only "Hooah" I did, was when I puked my guts out.

[Erik Rutins]

Here's a pretty good analysis of the show:

http://www.facesfromthefront.com/content/view/104/3/

[RBWhite]

Bochco must be taking advice & direction from Moore[:D][:D][:D]



Rick White