I'm not sure if its been posted already, but I was wondering if anyone watched Over There last night, and if so, what did you think??

I suppose it might help if I mentioned that it was the show on FX which is based on the war in Iraq. I'm thinking this may be good if people watch, maybe more would pay attention to what is actually going on over there...

I saw about half of it. I didn't see enough to get the real gist. Bocchio (spelling) did "Hill Street Blues" and I could see the begining of his style of character development in it. But I am wary of anything the MSM would allow, since I don't trust their motives. I'll watch the next episodes a bit and decide what I think.

Thanks for the response. I thought it was pretty good. They didn't paint happy picture, which is what I was worried about. It seems like it will be good to watch. Hopefully they're getting input from real troops.

Dang, thought someone had seen the show.

The reality of being 'Over There'
TV producer Steven Bochco's new Iraq war drama, "Over There," follows the fictional exploits of an Army combat squad. Times staffers who have covered the U.S. military in Iraq watched and commented.



Tony Perry



Staff writer Tony Perry spent 10 months with 1st Marine Division combat units.



Do the characters seem real?

Yes



Do you discern political bias?



No



Would you embed with this squad?

No, they are too undisciplined.



Is it too entertaining?

No. "Over There" nailed it: orange sandstorms, fear of roadside bombers, anguish about families left behind, need for quick action in confused situations, daily examples of bravery and leadership. The drama and the dread of serving in Iraq is all there.

The show understands that the burden of sacrifice rests predominantly on the American working class and that, in American society, the battlefield is the only truly integrated workplace.

The mix of races, ethnicities and backgrounds may look like a war-movie cliche, but it's true to life.

If "Over There" falls short, it is in the desire to be nonpolitical. Marines believe deeply in the U.S. mission and are convinced that they are protecting their country.

To overlook that is to deny a fact that sustains the Marines in the face of hardship.

*

Rick Loomis
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/sunday...nday-commentary

I would love to see this show, but I leave for work just as it comes on.

What channel does it come on?

Wednesday nights on FX when Stephen leaves for work I had to coach last week, so I missed it.

It was on again last night at 10, so maybe Stephen can catch it on Sundays?

Think 'twas on durin' the day on Saturday or Sunday too.

Saw it after tapin' it last Wednesday and the previous comment on undisciplined troops was methinks spot on! Most of my combat experience was in Marine units where that wasn't much of a problem, eh?

Makes me wonder if Army troops really are like that. If so methinks 'twould explain their higher casualty rates.

When we jumped into Grenada the Rangers almost make a Marine jealous. I wouldn't call one of them undisciplined unless you need a good whipping. I'll vouch for the 82nd Airborne too.

Methinks I gotta qualify my previous remarks, since I didn't work much in the field with Army troops since the draft ended. Wasn't pleasant then as 'twas a real big difference between them and our Marines!

'Twas a while ago and methinks things've changed, but back in my younger days even the Army MP's that seemed to have big mouths and small brains in the Nam weren't all that disciplined, eh? Army troops in the days of the draft were what the ones in that show remended me of.

Well Doc, even Marine M.P.s have problems interacting with other human beings on a regular basis. It must come with the training or the job they have to do.

At 2nd Marine Division the MP's was right across from the comm center, you wouldn't believe some of the stuff we saw going on over there, it made the keystone cops look professional.

On more than one occasion I was getting off duty, open the door to leave then when I saw what the MPs was dealing with out in the hallway I would just shut the door, go back and have another cup of coffee, and hope it was gone by the time I was ready to leave again.

In addition to what I said before methinks you gotta take into consideration Rangers and Airborne ain't your typical infantry division doggies, they're elite forces where the malcontents get screened out in the selection process, eh?

I can think of someone who could be the poster child for malcontents who says he was in an Airborne unit Doc.

Honestly Doc, the Army got a lot better after Vietnam and consription ended. I've been to Fort Stewart on numerous occassions and from what I observed the 3rd ID has it all in one bag. I was at Fort Polk befor 2nd Armor moved to Fort Hood and I didn't see problems with the either.

Every Army base I ever went to they pretty much looked the same to me; a little overweight, scuzzy unpressed uniforms, and needing a haircut, you know, typical soldiers.

I think the disciplainary problems potrayed in this TV show are what they call artistic license.

Watched last night's episode with someone who just came back from Iraq and methinks she picked up on somethin' I missed. 'Twould seem the show's writers apparently researched and accurately portrayed the way Iraqi insurgents use innocent civilians as decoys/sacrificial lambs at check points.

Seems other members of their family are held hostage and threatened with a slow gruesome death if they don't make a run at the checkpoint as directed. Apparently 'tis done for a couple reasons, but mainly to make it seem our troops are killin' innocents for no reason.

She found out 'bout this from the son of another CGCS member, a Marine on the Joint Military Command staff she's known since childhood. Methinks I'd never read or seen reports of this in any news sources, eh?

Saw most of the show too. Had to miss part while the kids were sitting with me reading books. Pretty gritty stuff deserving the ratings it has.

As far as the media, I know I've read about the tactics being used in threads posted here. Don't know about TV news, I don't really watch it.

So far I am very interested in the show. Never having served myself, I do not know if my commentary is worth considering. But at least maybe I will understand the situations a little better than before. Some of the scenes remind me of a couple of the flashbacks my brother had while on morphine when we were talking on the phone.

The scenes where the man whose leg was blown off and comes off the morphine makes me very sad, as I know my brother had trouble with it too. The movie guy was lucky. His girlfriend/wife? stayed with him the whole time. My brother had to go it alone except for occasional family visits (due to him being in TX and the family in WA).

I will never forget the night I watched him (via our webcams) chew the top off his pain medication bottle at 1 AM. For those of you wondering why... his latest surgery on his left hand meant that it was all bandaged up. He said "Just like a f---ing Army doctor to give a one-handed man a child-proof prescription!" Typical jarhead! We both laughed at the ridiculousness of it all, though I could tell he was in serious pain by the muscles flexing in his face.

Anyway, enough rambling. I think the series shows enough realism to get the message accross about the difficulties faced by the soldiers and their families to have an impact on the average dimwit like me who has not seen combat.