[N8 v2.0]

It is on FX (channel 248 for you DTV peeps).

Good show. Thoughtful.

Info: http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/overthere/main.html

 

[Westy]

I saw about 5 minutes of it. The only thing I took away from it was the overdramatic bad acting. I'll have to give it a second chance at some point.

 

[arboc!]

ive seen it, im surprised that they can say sh1t and like words on tv (non-sat.)

 

[N8 v2.0]

I watched couple episodes last night... and thought it was pretty good.

 

[Andyman_1970]

It looked cool until I saw the troops getting out of a UH-1 Huey........which we don't use anymore............I mean come on. Sorry I'm too much of a geek to get past that, if they can't make the show technically accurate, I'm not interested I'll watch a documentary or something.

 

[bushwacker]

It looked cool until I saw the troops getting out of a UH-1 Huey........which we don't use anymore............I mean come on. Sorry I'm too much of a geek to get past that, if they can't make the show technically accurate, I'm not interested I'll watch a documentary or something.

I didn't watch the show, but, huh?
The Navy and Marine's still use the UH-1N variant, and it is supposed to be phased out by the UH-1Y in a couple years. I don't know about the Army.

 

[Andyman_1970]

I didn't watch the show, but, huh?
The Navy and Marine's still use the UH-1N variant, and it is supposed to be phased out by the UH-1Y in a couple years. I don't know about the Army.

These on the show were the single engine UH-1H types that the Army used to use, plus I think the show is about soldiers in the Army not Marines.

 

[XtCamZ]

You gotta be ****ting me... You don't like the show because the helicopter they used was a different variant of the actual model they use??? You're right, you're definitely a geek.

Back on topic, I love the show and try not to miss it. FX has some kickass shows now: The Shield (my all time favorite), Rescue Me, Over There, Starved, 30 Days, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Nip/Tuck, King of the Hill, and Married with Children. Not to mention the only 3 reality shows are actually good: Cops, Nascar 360, and 30 Days. And you can't leave out Fear Factor, nothing like watching a bunch of hotties do crazy/dumb stuff.

 

[Andyman_1970]

You gotta be ****ting me... You don't like the show because the helicopter they used was a different variant of the actual model they use??? You're right, you're definitely a geek.

They haven't used that helicopter in like almost 10 years, if they want it to be believable (at least for me) then I'll need to see some Blackhawks on there - I can't get into the story if the whole time I'm watching it going "that's wrong, nope they don't use that, etc..........."

Anyway, I know...........nerdalert..........I'm just a stickler for accuracy, it must be the engineer in me...............

 

[Ciaran]

They haven't used that helicopter in like almost 10 years, if they want it to be believable (at least for me) then I'll need to see some Blackhawks on there - I can't get into the story if the whole time I'm watching it going "that's wrong, nope they don't use that, etc..........."

Anyway, I know...........nerdalert..........I'm just a stickler for accuracy, it must be the engineer in me...............

I'm the same way with movies set in a medieval time period. I have a hard time watching Braveheart because the Scots did not wear kilts at that period in time. I can't watch medieval movies if the armor or weapons are wrong either. It just bugs me.

I understand where you're coming from.

 

[H8R]

My buddy who was in the first gulf war says there is one big mistake on that show; no one talks that much in a fire fight.

No one should get on TV lacking acting skills like in that show either, but that never stops TV producers.

Meh, I think it sucks.

 

[XtCamZ]

They haven't used that helicopter in like almost 10 years, if they want it to be believable (at least for me) then I'll need to see some Blackhawks on there - I can't get into the story if the whole time I'm watching it going "that's wrong, nope they don't use that, etc..........."

Anyway, I know...........nerdalert..........I'm just a stickler for accuracy, it must be the engineer in me...............

I'm a mechanical engineer, and I'm still not that anal. You ever think that maybe they couldn't acquire a Blackhawk to use? or even the appropriate Huey? If I was that much of a stickler, I couldn't stand to be around myself.

 

[mwill]

I dig the show I've seen every episode. FX has the best shows on TV the shield is bad a**, along with all there other original shows.

 

[Andyman_1970]

I'm a mechanical engineer, and I'm still not that anal. You ever think that maybe they couldn't acquire a Blackhawk to use? or even the appropriate Huey? If I was that much of a stickler, I couldn't stand to be around myself.

So CGI one in, like they did on Band of Brothers with the D-Day night jump.......now that's a well done production.

Being an engineer and an airplane geek doesn't help..................

I'm only this much of a stickler on a few things.......my lawn, my bike, my car........LOL j/k.

 

[-dustin]

i loved Band of Brothers.

how many episodes of Over There have aired? 2 or more? i saw 2 last night, and thought they were pretty good. would like to hear from more veterans as to how accurate it is.

 

[Zark]

I'm a mechanical engineer, and I'm still not that anal. You ever think that maybe they couldn't acquire a Blackhawk to use? or even the appropriate Huey? If I was that much of a stickler, I couldn't stand to be around myself.

Ding Ding. The Sikorskey Blackhawk is only available to the military and government agencies and not for commercial use. Hence, they couldn't get one. Kinda doubt the Army has many to loan out either.

As for the show, I don't have cable, so I don't care.

 

[PoserNewbie]

Ding Ding. The Sikorskey Blackhawk is only available to the military and government agencies and not for commercial use. Hence, they couldn't get one. Kinda doubt the Army has many to loan out either.

As for the show, I don't have cable, so I don't care.

So, what about movies such as Blackhawk down? How did they get one? Does not look like CGI to me.

 

[ohio]

So, what about movies such as Blackhawk down? How did they get one? Does not look like CGI to me.

Movie funded by the Pentagon?

 

[Zark]

So, what about movies such as Blackhawk down? How did they get one? Does not look like CGI to me.

Good point. One thing is "Blackhawk Down" has the freaking helicopter in the name, they had to work that out ! "Over There" is TV, so smaller budget may play into it too the situation. Maybe the Army doesn't want to loan equipment to more acurately depict a war that is more unpopular by the day to the American public. neaky:

 

[Discostu]

I haven't seen it, so i can't comment, but i did read this.

When television meets reality, strange things happen. A recent example of that is a new television show, “Over There.” The show tries to portray the experiences of American troops in contemporary Iraq. But the show also tries to deal with the demands of television dramas. This means, well, that accurate "reality" is apparently out of reach.

“Over There” is not just unique in that it is dealing with ongoing events, but the people actually involved in those events are able to see the show. Illegal copies of the show have made their way to the troops (either via video captures sent via CD, or those same files snagged online via Bittorrent). The troops are not impressed. Some are appalled, although rather saltier language is used to express their reactions.

What bothered the troops the most was how poorly the actors dealt with very important things like combat and security. There are several hundred thousand Americans who have been to Iraq, gotten the combat training needed to survive there, and could have advised the shows creators on how things are actually done. Many troops winced as they watched the actors make one fatal mistake after another. It would be funny, it it weren’t for the memories of friends who made those same mistakes and got killed or injured because of it.

Maybe its for dramatic effect that the show depicts a single hummer out in the middle of nowhere, with no one paying much attention to local security. SOP in Iraq is two vehicles, minimum, when you go outside the wire (leave a base camp), and careful security measures whenever you stop. You can get away with the “lone rider” motif in most parts of the world, but not in Iraq.

Another hilarious bit, to troops who have been (or are still) there, is the depiction of senior officers (like colonels) wandering around without a security detail. Can’t understand how they would miss this. TV and movies loves to show security details. And the ones in Iraq are well trained and all business. Oh, and colonels shooting hummers to prevent troops from doing something? Doesn’t happen. The military has their own colorful ways to deal with disputes and disagreements, but blasting a hummer says that the trigger-happy officer has problems with his “command presence.” If the writers had spent some time talking to troops who have been to Iraq, they could have gotten some entertaining, and much more realistic ways to handle that.

And then there was the episode where the bad guys had some Stinger missiles. Where were the “reality consultants” for the show when this got written? The bad guys in Iraq have access to thousands of Russian made portable anti-aircraft missiles. Getting their hands on Stingers would involve a major victory over American troops, something not likely to happen, or go unnoticed. Stinger missiles are very well looked after, and their probably aren’t many in Iraq anyway.

Scenes involving the interrogation of prisoners come off, to the troops who have been involved with actual interrogations, as some kind of parody of a parody. What are the shows writers using for source material? Again, the great tragedy here is that the reality of these interrogations is lot more entertaining than the parody portrayed in "Over There."

Along those lines, the troops get really upset at the way G.I.s are portrayed in combat. American troops are taught, again and again (until the get it right), the proper moves to use in a firefight, or when threatened with attack. The show’s writers could have just referred to video taken by embeds during the 2003 invasion. Those vids showed how it is done, but bear no resemblance to the tactical travesties portrayed in “Over There.”

Hollywood makes a big deal of sending their actors to a brief “boot camp” before they shoot a war movie. Perhaps, for shows like “Over There,” they should have sent the writers and directors. Bu what’s really annoying to a lot of the troops is that many family and friends will believe “Over There” is an accurate portrayal of operations in Iraq. The troops will have to spend lots of time and effort repairing that damage. Oh, and the show hardly bothers to portray the troops using email (which is a major morale item for those serving over there), or playing video games (a major recreational activity when off duty.)

It’s uncertain what the target audience for “Over There” was, but ratings have been plummeting since it first premiered last month. They defiantly lost the military audience, and many civilians as well. Perhaps it will soon be over for “Over There.”

 

[Changleen]

N8 likes it. It must be good. He said it was 'thoughtfull'.

 

[TheMontashu]

They do not have a Military advisor for the show, it showed troops smoking weed while on duty and doing other such things unbecoming of a soldier, that show is ment to portray what is going on and I think it is rediculus that they are showing thins that are going to make our troops look bad, that is the last thing they need right now.

 

[sanjuro]

They do not have a Military advisor for the show, it showed troops smoking weed while on duty and doing other such things unbecoming of a soldier, that show is ment to portray what is going on and I think it is rediculus that they are showing thins that are going to make our troops look bad, that is the last thing they need right now.

Where is John Wayne when we need him:

The only pro Vietnam War movie made....

 

[Repack]

They do not have a Military advisor for the show, it showed troops smoking weed while on duty and doing other such things unbecoming of a soldier, that show is ment to portray what is going on and I think it is rediculus that they are showing thins that are going to make our troops look bad, that is the last thing they need right now.

Ummm, the troops over there ARE smoking weed. One of my good friends is there now. I haven't had a chance to ask him his thoughts yet but much of what I have seen is either directly in line with what he has told me or looks like fiction designed to demonstrate how f'ed up war is. He told me that I could make a lot of money sending booze and weed over b/c none of the military mail gets checked. (Nips are the best though b/c they are easy to hide.)
As for helicopter details, I don't care. My brother did some time with HSL 37 (Helicopter anti-submarine squadron lite) in Hawaii 2 summers ago. Their nickname is "The Hollywood Squadron" b/c of all the movies they have been in. They were in one of the Jurasic Park movies as well as the Bruce Willis flick Tears of the Sun. Kinda funny seeing anti-sub Seahawks used as SEAL vehicles. They don't get pay for doing the movies but the studios do tip well. I think he said that they got $10,000 for doing Tears. They used the money to fix up their officers break room- leather furniture, pool table- all top-notch.

I didn't hear anyone criticizing Saving Private Ryan for using trucks that were not in service until Korea and later in the landing scene or for using P51s as ground-attack aircraft. P47s were used for that.

Sorry, just some useless trivia but I do like the show.

 

[Andyman_1970]

Kinda funny seeing anti-sub Seahawks used as SEAL vehicles.

Except the SH-60's look ALOT more like the Navy HH-60's that are used by the SEAL's (they were used in the 1st Gulf War by the SEAL's as long range pilot rescue) than the Army UH-1 looks like the Army UH-60...............

 

[PonySoldier]

... in the landing scene or for using P51s as ground-attack aircraft. P47s were used for that......

Not entirely true...

....and were free to roam over the countryside and through the towns and cities, destroying at will. The sweeping Mustangs were released to ravage German convoys, trains, antiaircraft gun emplacements, warehouses, airfields, factories, radar installations, and other important things that would be impractical to be attacked by bombers.

 

[Repack]

Not entirely true...

....and were free to roam over the countryside and through the towns and cities, destroying at will. The sweeping Mustangs were released to ravage German convoys, trains, antiaircraft gun emplacements, warehouses, airfields, factories, radar installations, and other important things that would be impractical to be attacked by bombers.

I know. I just felt like perpetuating a pointless pissing contest about what kind of equipment is used under what circumstances.

 

[Andyman_1970]

I don't see it as a "pissing contest", I'm not trying to prove how much I know, just an inaccuracy that I found got in the way of the story.

 

[Repack]

I don't see it as a "pissing contest", I'm not trying to prove how much I know, just an inaccuracy that I found got in the way of the story.

Pissing contest was the wrong word. I do that a lot- type before thinking . I am very close firends with a number of veterans from several wars. My brother is an officer in the Navy. I have heard so many incredible storries that I would rather see an accurate message then have every detail be correct. Its impossible to include everything, even with a project as comprehensve as Band of Brothers. One of the things that I like abour Band of Brothers is that it was written for viewers who have some knowledge of WWII events but can still be appreciated by those who don't. I do not know enough about what exactly is going on in Iraq to say the same thing about Over There, but from emails and conversations with my buddy who is there now, they seem to be getting at the heart of various issues, even if they do use the wrong helicopter.

 

[Ciaran]

Where is John Wayne when we need him:

The only pro Vietnam War movie made....

Marion's dead from smoking too many cigarettes.

 

[Repack]

Marion's dead from smoking too many cigarettes.

Peter san! Peter san!

 

[MudGrrl]

I think that the show is extremely lacking in good taste. I was appalled when I first read about it, and I am still stunned that anyone would think that this was a good idea.

You wouldn’t film a drama about people jumping out of a collapsing building after 9-11.

I think this show has set a new low for ‘entertainment’. We’re reverting back to the days of the Coliseum and the public is blood thirsty. We’re waiting for the lions to tear apart the slaves. Pass the popcorn.

And, from what I understand, the actors sck. Yeah, they attended ‘boot camp’…..and it was ‘really tough on them’, and they have a whole new ‘respect for the military’….. It basically boils down to being military because it’s ‘cool’. Kind of like when everyone was wearing Dog Tags. Dog Tags are for identifying dead bodies, not a friggin fashion statement.

There’s better ways to support the troops.

 

[Ciaran]

I think that the show is extremely lacking in good taste. I was appalled when I first read about it, and I am still stunned that anyone would think that this was a good idea.

You wouldn?t film a drama about people jumping out of a collapsing building after 9-11.

I think this show has set a new low for ?entertainment?. We?re reverting back to the days of the Coliseum and the public is blood thirsty. We?re waiting for the lions to tear apart the slaves. Pass the popcorn.

And, from what I understand, the actors sck. Yeah, they attended ?boot camp??..and it was ?really tough on them?, and they have a whole new ?respect for the military??.. It basically boils down to being military because it?s ?cool?. Kind of like when everyone was wearing Dog Tags. Dog Tags are for identifying dead bodies, not a friggin fashion statement.

There?s better ways to support the troops.

There?s better ways to support the troops.
Yup, like bringing them home.

 

[spam16v]

ive read a couple posts but i've been there done that and refuse to watch that CRAP

 

[TheMontashu]

There?s better ways to support the troops.
Yup, like bringing them home.

IF you bring them home now then all of the troops that have died will have died in vain.

 

[.:Jeenyus:.]

IF you bring them home now then all of the troops that have died will have died in vain.

So what do we need to do over there before we bring them back?

 

[ohio]

IF you bring them home now then all of the troops that have died will have died in vain.

If you bring them home now, then all who have died would have died for a net negative.

It's not until we actually clean up the mess that we can say they've ONLY died in vain.

Depressing, huh?

 

[Changleen]

The constitution looks GREAT! Not at all part of the problem.

 

[TheMontashu]

If you bring them home now, then all who have died would have died for a net negative.

It's not until we actually clean up the mess that we can say they've ONLY died in vain.

Depressing, huh?

The troops think that the cause they are fighting for is noble, have them stay clean up the mess, that is what they feel they are there to do and that it is a good cause. Weather you think that what they are doing is bad or what ever does not realy matter in deciding weather the troops come home or now. The troops in iraq feel good knowing that they are rebuilding the country.

 

[ohio]

The troops in iraq feel good knowing that they are rebuilding the country.

Spend a lot of time asking the troops what they feel, do you?



(Actually, I think the majority DO feel that way... but I still find the post pretty presumptuous)