I have tried really hard to like this show. I have watched it religiously since it came on. I have to agree that it is the most incomprehensible piece of sludge I've ever seen.

First off, it's freaking boring. I've been waiting with anticipation for something to happen. They waste some Iraqis, mostly the wrong ones, sometimes the right ones, nobody EVER gets hurt. You have the idea that there are American casualties, and you glimpse them from afar, but it never happens to any of the characters. So far the biggest drama has been the juvenile pissing contest between different officers. Big deal--there is a fucking war going on. You simply will not convince me that US Marines in their first combat action obsess about who gave what command to whom and who's "a team player." Captain America? Yeah right. He's right out of the Island. I know and have known many Marines (who universally think this show is dried dogshit), and cannot imagine a one acting like these guys in any way.

You neither know anything or care at all about any of the characters (with the exception of the one Marine who can't stop talking--I'm ready for him to run over a pound of Semtex). Oh, another thing--who the hell is anybody? I can identify one or two characters by name. You have no idea what anybody's rank is. The whole show is this cutesy culture study. Gee, check out these Marines, they have a lingo nobody understands, and they grab ass and joke about fucking and masturbating. They don't give a shit about who they kill, but wait, this guy suddenly does--or not, but anyway, they grab ass, tell more jokes about fucking and masturbating. Repeat. Repeat. Huh?

It sucks, but I'll probably watch it anyway, that's the sad part. Maybe I'll re-run Band of Brothers for the 97th time.

From the episode I watched last night and from another forum, that Lt. (ell tee) who seems to have been ostracized by the other officers in his unit, wrote a book of his own once he got back.

That might be worth reading.

For all the detractors of Generation Kill, that's how the military is in general:

"Hurry up and then wait."

"Hours or days of mind numbing boredom sporadically interrupted by moments of shear terror."

i.e. the fog and friction of war .

I don't know what it's like in the Marines or in the Army, but from this once former company grade officer in the Air Force, once an "Oh" pins on Major (O-4) they all become dicks.

It seems everything from them especially between full bird colonels (O-6's) all stems from ego and some insane dick measuring / seed spitting / pissing contest.



And the lower ranks and I assume especially the enlisted Marine troops unfortunately get caught in the middle, and get all jacked around.



Imagine how you would act if you were shipped to the other side of the world and stuck with people you had no choice over.

You have to do something to entertain yourselves.

quote:

Originally posted by Chills1994:
From the episode I watched last night and from another forum, that Lt. (ell tee) who seems to have been ostracized by the other officers in his unit, wrote a book of his own once he got back.

Lt. Fick did: One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer.

I'm not having much trouble following the show, but that may be because I read the book (which won an award from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation) prior to watching.

I think it's been pretty good. Maybe not up to band of brothers, but good TV none the less. It's one guys view of his time with those Marines. I usually avoid Iraq was stuff cause it gets super preachy and political but I'm just not getting that with GK.

Good on HBO for putting it on Sun nights. I'll keep sending them my $15/mo.

I don't see what is so confusing. It's a group of Marines driving around in Humvees, jumping from task to task and location to location at the whims of their arrogant leaders (who are primarily interested in self-promotion). They're not properly-equipped or armed, and they have a fair share of morons among the officers and enlisted personnel. They aren't a wondrous fighting force, but they usually come out ahead because the enemy sucks even worse. The show summarizes the entire American experience in Iraq. You give people action and they complain about the lack of realism; you give them realism and they complain about the lack of action.

Glad to see others have shared my experience with this trainwreck. What a snooze-fest. Next week, I'll make better use of the 9:00 hour on Sunday night.

yes....very boring...and disappointing.....

It rained here last week sooooo.....I think I'll do something useful when this thing comes back on like......count the gravel in my driveway.....I may have lost some.

quote:

Originally posted by TLK:
You give people action and they complain about the lack of realism; you give them realism and they complain about the lack of action.

Ummm... what makes you think it's realistic?

The book was written by a fairy-ass Rolling Stone reporter who had no clue about what he was seeing or what the people around him were doing or why they were doing it.

Are you saying Jan Wenner would hire someone who didn't make a point of knowing what he's talking about and consistently telling the truth? Oh, my shattered illusions.

Saw part of one episode. Didn't finish it. I thought it sucked.

quote:

Originally posted by tanksoldier:

quote:

Originally posted by TLK:
You give people action and they complain about the lack of realism; you give them realism and they complain about the lack of action.

Ummm... what makes you think it's realistic?

The book was written by a fairy-ass Rolling Stone reporter who had no clue about what he was seeing or what the people around him were doing or why they were doing it.

You do realize several Marines, who I would assume are not "fairy-ass" (as if that has anything at all to do with being able to accurately and objectively report events), from the book/series were involved in the production. If they say the series is accurate, I take their word for it since they were actually there. As for the reporter not knowing why they were doing shit - the same could be said for most of the Marines at times.

quote:

Originally posted by tanksoldier:
The book was written by a fairy-ass Rolling Stone reporter who had no clue about what he was seeing or what the people around him were doing or why they were doing it.

Which is why the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation gave it the Gen Wallace Greene Award (The Greene Award is given to the author of the outstanding nonfiction book, published during the preceding three years pertinent to Marine Corps history), the commander of 1st Recon ordered his officers to read the book for the enlisted men's view and several of the NCOs in the book have said it is accurate.

He must have gotten something right.

The book had to be interpreted for the screenplays. The book may have gotten awards, but the HBO series is a huge cluster fuck.

I think it really boils down to the simple fact that this war does not give opportunity for high drama--nor do I think this show intends to depict it. I have never been involved in OIF, but I am willing to believe that GK's depiction is perhaps largely exactly how it is. The problem is, hours of boredom punctuated by moments of terror do not an entertaining show make. Nobody really wants to watch 7 episodes of guys burning shit, talking about quiff, and playing grab-ass, even if that IS what they do.

That said, it seems to me that much more could be done with the material. Ed Burns, who did "The Wire" for HBO, is producing it, and I can't help but feel that the whole show is nothing more than a vehicle for Generation Y's to talk a lot of shit, shoot guns, and pose, much like The Wire (an infinitely better show, BTW). Unfortunately, I don't think the slick street dialogue translates too well to the USMC or to OIF or to war in general, so I think the guy's out of his element. It's incongruous. I was struck that nearly every enlisted man comes across as a total Gen Y airhead, while the officers and NCO's, who are largely the same age and background as the airheads, are the typical, even stereotypical, jarhead. The show reminds me of a 2000's version of The Dirty Dozen.

Ahh, it's a war show. What else are you going to watch on Sunday night?

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
The book had to be interpreted for the screenplays. The book may have gotten awards, but the HBO series is a huge cluster fuck.

I think it may meet their intent better than you think. Both are about a small unit where no one has a big picture view to put together into a coherent plot. As far as the series has gotten, they've been involved in a big feint that none of the characters below Godfather (or maybe his staff) know about; things don't make sense to most of the characters. So it's intended to be more a series of experience scenes than have a more traditional plot.

Doesn't make it more watchable or better entertainment. The book is easier to follow, if only because you have a better picture of their movements.

Also, it's not, of course, an accurate portrayal of conditions on the ground now or at the height of the insurgency. If I remember the chronology correctly, they're maybe about two weeks into it here, in early April 2003.

Ever since that stupid book (and movie)"Jarhead", I don't bother with these type of shows. They suck, are inaccurate, and are pushing an agenda. To someone who's been there...they are just retarded.

quote:

Originally posted by Zcar:

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
The book had to be interpreted for the screenplays. The book may have gotten awards, but the HBO series is a huge cluster fuck.

I think it may meet their intent better than you think.

Then more's the pity.

uh ..huh........counting gravel...that's what I'm gonna do

I've watched every episode so far and I really like it. I've never been in the military so I really have no personal reference on the accuracy.

One of my best friends was in 1st Recon back in 1998 and he still talks to his buddies from that unit who are still in the service. They were emailing him about the show and it seems they were satisfied with it. From conversations I've had with him, the show depicts a lot of the relaisms of the downtime during Marine Corp service. A-hole officers, orders that make no sense, rednecks, gay jokes, and a lot of sitting around.

I don't think it's possible to make a movie or TV show that is 100% accurate. Even documentaries that capture real footage are often edited in a way that takes from the reality. All that aside, I still think the show is good. The characters are believable and the action doesn't seem over-dramatized. Also there doesn't appear to any large political statements being made. I think it's funny too.

I really took offence to the chaplain’s scene. I am a member of the clergy of a local church in the Tampa, FL area.

Years back I had the privilege to do the prayer at the retirement ceremony of a member of the Spec Ops. Community at McDill AFB in Tampa Florida. The assembled body was composed of "snake eaters" and "spooks" and was held in what I think was a briefing room in the container at Spec. Ops..

I was treated with the up most respect by the base commander at the time and also I believe at the time was Gen. Franks who was in command of Spec Ops. They were very nice to me and called me Chaplin even though I was not one. All the military personnel there treated me with the same respect.

The only thing I could figure out for the treatment I got was that those who go in "harms way" want the blessing of God being that they are so close to meeting Him. I.e... No atheist in a fox hole.

But, what do I know, I am only a civilian.