Over There on FX

[Crash]

Just watched it. Should be one of the best series I've ever seen. That's just because I never watch fiction television. I usually watch the military channel and the science channel.

But this show on FX is going to be absolutely great. Can't wait until next episode!

[Happydude]

what show?

[jeepnut]

Over there.

[gekko]

I was going to watch it, but decided not to.

Looks like it might be produced well, but I don't really think that's the unit to follow through Iraq.

[Crash]

3rd infantry devision.

there is this one part where they can't attack because they have a reporter, and it'd look bad in front of the libs... heh

[Crash]

episodes keep getting better and better... oooh so emotional!!!!!!

[gekko]

This show is an embarrassment to the troops. Worst modern-day war show I've ever seen.

[Professor S]

This show is an embarrassment to the troops. Worst modern-day war show I've ever seen.

Gekko, I' not a big fan of the show either, but I'm interested in your perspective. Could you elaborate on what you don't like about it?

[gekko]

Everything.

The tactics are completely off. The attitudes and the way the troops do their job is off. The way they are trying to force women into the story. Everything.

For example, episode 2. They start rolling up in a convoy, dispersion is way off they were almost bumper to bumper. Hollywood, ok, fine. Then they call up the humvee to the front over the radio, just to get him up there and talk face to face. Why not just talk over the radio? It makes for a boring TV show. Ok, fine. Then all the trucks turn around at once. WTF? Set yourself up for an ambush a little more. I've never seen, or ever heard of a unit that had an SOP like that. If they would've been attacked those trucks would've been unable to move and they all would've been wiped out. Anyway, forgot to mention he passes to the guy in the humvee the entire mission, which he should've known long before going out, but again, blame it on hollywood. So far, Hollywood can account for everything, but not those trucks.

Then they setup a VCP. Instead of using the wire they had on top of the humvee, they miraculously fill hundreds of sandbags an put them on the street. First of all, cars will be coming long before you get those sandbags filled. Second, your troops wouldn't care anymore after they filled all of those. Third, they didn't make the car slow down at all, they could floor it and go right through, and lastly, it would take an hour to move them off the road when it's time to go. There's VCPs setup all over Iraq, you would think the director by accident would at least find one on CNN.

So then they man this VCP, with both guys standing there all proper holding the SAW until sunset. Please. find me one guy who will stand there when no cars are coming. You just made yourself a nice sandbag chair, sit on it. It might not look good on TV, but we're not superhumans here, we don't enjoy standing, wearing 100+ lbs of gear, and carrying a 25 lbs gun for hours on end. When you can take a break, you do it.

Then the cars start coming, and they just light it up, like it takes 300 rounds to stop a car. The guy dies, and they just leave the car there. Maybe they would want to check it for a bomb, because considering the car was just trying to run the VCP, they shot it for fear of it being a VBIED. So now you shoot it, and it can still go boom. But no, they leave it there, wait for more cars, and destroy the little girl.

Seriously, I could critique every scene in this damn show. I understand things changing for hollywood, even the true stories look stupid to many in the military. But this is ridicules. With the thousands of vets out there, is it impossible to find one who could assist on this show a little bit?