"Over There"
 

WOW! Pretty intense. Should give us all plenty of debate material...from both sides of the aisle.

Randy

damn, i missed it. I really need to get my MythTV box built...

Was it good?

It's your war, enjoy it from your couch.

Ding! round one........:rolleyes:

Good show from what ive seen so far.

Is it realistic or overdone?

I've been there, done that. What's your lame a$$ed excuse?

Randy

As with most lefties, all they have is lame a$$ed excuses.

Len, that's a great question. Since I've never actually seen a torso blown off a set of legs while it was running, the way they showed it last night seemed real enough.

The dialogue seemed to be pretty accurate. The Army Sgt. who was involuntarily extended for 90 days, and then assigned to lead a squad of "virgin" soldiers into a combat situation. This guy was not happy, but was intent on doing his job, which started with keeping his men alive.

Definitely worth the look see. Since it was on FX, I'll bet they's show encore broadcastings.

Randy

Randy,

It's just that I remember watching a few Vietnam movies with my father and he would usually blow up with a "bull****, it didn't work like that", or"JC! where did they get their information".

So.... I'm always a little leary of these "war movies"

FWIW, my brother did say that Blackhawk Down was pretty accurate. He was there and part of the 10th Mountain Div .

So I'm just curious.

Randy, I thought it moved pretty slow. As my wife said, they had to introduce everyone first. Rescue Me started off fast, as did The Shield, so I guess I was expecting more.

Len,,,,don't even get me started on Blackhawk Down. The freekin game companies have put out a playstation game entitled Blackhawk Down. This is classless and out of taste, even for Capitalism. OK, I'm better :(

Is that a lame assed excuse for going to war or for not going to war. Inquiring minds want to know.


Did not see this. Is it a new series? I don't watch much TV.

I think your father and I must think alike! ;) I realize Hollywood needs to sensationalize and even over-dramatize things for the sake of creating an "interesting" movie, or tv show (anyone ever watch JAG? :rolleyes: ) But sometimes they really can overdo things.

About "Over There" last night, as Brian (Westy) said, they did have to introduce the characters, but I can honestly say that for every character they introduced, I have served at one time or another with someone just like them. And I am not exagerating.

It seemed they set up only the US characters though, except for some Arab journalists, but I did miss a few moments of it (darn dog just would not wait...he had to go outside. :) ) but they may have set up one or a few of the Iraqi characters too.

Really though, it is worth an hour to watch it.

Steve, "Over There" is a new series on the FX channel. Comes on Wednesday nights at 10:00 (local time). Not sure what time in your neck of the woods.

Randy

You didn't miss anything other than possibly the arrest of the Iraqi officer that commanded the soldiers at the Mosque.

I think the show is just going to be around the squad that was introduced last night.

Pretty good show, IMO. It did start off slow compared to The Shield and Rescue Me, but I think it'll probably pick up.

Its so COSY, isnt it? My prediction- an episode about a righteous raid on some bad guys in the desert which involves foreign press being duped into beleiving there was a WEDDING MASSACRE. Our hero will be powerless to stop the rampant press, and as he loads a wounded buddy into a into an evacuation helicopter, he will turn his chiselled jaw to camera and and offer a few well chosen, rueful tough guy words, bemoan the press and what they tell the folks back home. Then he will sling his weapon and walk off into the desert...

Someday, this will all look as belevable as big John in the Green Berets. Or do you guys still think that film is a documenatry?


http://www.thehistorychannel.co.uk/text_only/tv_listings/full_details/World_history/programme_2082.php

Hollywood and the Pentagon
Sat May 7th at 11:00pm


A reconstituted Iraqi village, somewhere in Texas.In fact, a movie set. They're filming a made-for-TV movie about one of the most famous episodes of the Iraq war: the heroic rescue of U.S. Private Jessica Lynch. The operation has sparked controversy with the official military version has been contradicted by several investigative journalists. But that matters little here. The script is top secret, and the film is already in production. On the set, a U.S. Army official oversees the operation and has direct control over the script.



The American army's involvement in Hollywood war films may surprise some. In fact, the secret services have had close ties with American filmmakers for several decades. "Top Gun," for instance, was filmed with the support and approval of the U.S. Army.



There is even a special bureau, the Film Liaison Office, that oversees these issues for the Pentagon and the Capitol. It has a clear mission: studying the scripts of American war movies, deciding whether to offer them support or not, depending on their relevance to the country's military leaders. One director might be loaned combat jets and ships, and all their equipment, enabling him to shoot a film. Another director, whose script displeases, may be refused any kind of support. That was the case for instance with "Platoon," deemed overly critical of the Vietnam War. It is then up to the producer to look for shooting locations and equipment outside the United States. Often, at considerable cost.



In his Pentagon office, the head of the Film Liaison Office makes no secret of his goals: flattering the U.S. Army, winning support for its actions on the battle field, and encouraging more soldiers to sign up. In short: pure propaganda. Scripts are cut and watered down; characters are changed; the historical truth is fudged. Few great war films have escaped the influence, or even the censure, of the U.S. Army. That has been even more true over the past two years. The recording of history has sped up considerably since Sept. 11, with the war in Afghanistan and the recent war in Iraq. Certain filmmakers are in league with military officials. Just weeks after Sept. 11, the U.S. Army and secret services directly asked Hollywood directors to come up with ideas- in the utmost secrecy of course. Hollywood is now creating series based on information and ideas supplied by the Army.

Stu, you are really a trip, buddy. Judging from your response in this thread, my guess is that you did NOT see the show. And your response is exactly what I've come to expect from you: vehemently spouting off about stuff you know nothing about.

Had you actually seen the show, you would have seen that they don't portray the US Army as some perfect entity that doesn't make mistakes. You would have seen the way the soldier's themselves were bad-mouthing their own Army. You would have seen the US military portrayed as the imperfect organization it really is. But instead, you ramble on, without a clue of what you're talking about.

I know you're in Australia, where perhaps they don't air this program. If they do air it, watch it. then come back here and comment. If they don't air it, well, the best advice I can give you is "It's better for YOU to remain silent and have people think YOU are a fool, than it is for YOU to open YOUR mouth and remove all doubt." ;)

Randy

This is beautiful. Pure genius.

I suppose the "Film Liaison Officer" should make it his goal to make sure the US and it's military looks bad??? Are you serious?

What a joke.

- Skip

Randy- good show, bad show, I dont care, its TV, old man. I only watch PBS anti Bush docos and game shows. And I often find it hard to tell the difference.

Im sure the show is grittily real, and portrays the military, warts and all. As you say.

Im making a comment on the cosy relationship(collusion?) between the liberal media who produce such stuff and the US military.

What are you doing?

Obviously trying to depict the realities of war on a TV (or movie screen) has to be nearly impossible, but I have to admit "Saving Private Ryan" pretty much freaks me out every time I watch it. I think that movie is a masterpiece.

Mike

I agree! In my opinion, the best war movie ever made.

Man!! And I thought my life was boring!

Hey, Brian, maybe ol' stu should get himself a John Deere!? ;)

Randy

Oh yeah, 101 degrees tomorrow and the blue will be sitting in the yellow seat. But remember, I have a cup holder and I know how to use it.

Re: "Over There"
 

If the show is not 100% propaganda then perhaps other markets will welcome it. "Over There" on right after "Bay Watch" in the foreign markets..........makes sense to me.

Better yet broadcast it in Iraq and see how they like our perspective. Although it might be resticted to the Sci-Fi channel over there.

Even better yet, instead of filming it in Texas, film it in Iraq - after all the fighting is in it's last throes and it's really safe over there now. :rolleyes:

Real, not real...I don't care. I like war shows. I especially like shows on FX. "The Shield" rocks. But, I missed "Over There" this week. Does anybody know if it replays a second time during the week?


IROC - especially the opening war sequence when the Higgins boat drops the ramp and the soldiers get machine gunned as the ramp hits the water. Man...that is disturbing.


Dan

A soon-to-be relative is on the show. I'll get his take on it when I see him in a couple of weeks.

Sherwood
(rubbing elbows with the stars)

Absolutely. I talk a big game, but I have a feeling I'd be doing the fetal position thing in the back of the boat. Incredible. I don't know if I could handle it.

Mike

I think what's obviously overlooked by those that are bad mouthing it without even seeing it, is the fact that it really isn't about the war. It's about the relationships that will developed over the course of the show. The war is just the stimuli that brings the people into the situation.

That's like saying that Battlestar Gallactica sucks because we all know our Space Shuttle and NASA aren't anything like that. It's fiction, meant for entertain not edjucation.

But then again, this being said in a world where entertainment is dominated by that 'reality show' bullcrap that clutters the airways. Perhaps those that don't care for the show would like it better if the writers could have the actors eat bugs and suck on intestines......

Ok, so I had a chance to watch it. It replays on Saturday nights if you miss it on Wednesday. It's not bad and I'll continue to watch.

As for the pilot episode, I'm not so sure an on-line assault toward the Iraqi's in the open under a friendly mortar attack was the best maneuver tactic they could have selected...but it is just a show after all.

Dan

"That's like saying that Battlestar Gallactica sucks because we all know our Space Shuttle and NASA aren't anything like that. It's fiction, meant for entertain not edjucation."

Some commentators point this aspect out:
This is the first time in history there's a TV series about a current war. The strange thing is that we have to watch a fictional TV show to know how it's going in the real deal. We're suppose to get the real news (nitty gritty) by watching the evening news, like we did in the VN era. Since imbedded journalists are limited to report only what they can see, so we turn to a fictionalized account of the real thing. Ironic juxtaposition.

Sherwood

Yeah...it's too bad the press will only give us the stories that fit they're own slanted agendas. It would be nice to hear of some of the good things that happen "over there".

Randy