Separating fact from fiction in a specific area...

[Staiduk]

OK; I'm asking this because I REALLY don't know how to answer the questions I have regarding a video I saw.
I accept it's probably my fault; I cancelled my cable and got rid of my TV 10 years ago; there simply wasn't anything good on at all. Therefore; I missed Mad Men, Weeds, Breaking Bad and all the other 'good' shows (that seem to focus on glorifying criminals, IMO) Entertainment networks crow about. Well; I didn't see them - I can't say I missed them in the least.

But when I see some utterly stupid, pointless thing like this; I can't help but wonder just how much of the decline of television I haven't observed. The video is an utterly pointless, testosterone-pumped "reality" show pitting Canadian soldiers against United States Force Recon Marines (a force I have great personal respect for) and Armed Civilian Contractors.

I think it is no spoiler to mention that the Canadians come in a distant third in this imaginary competition; hence the question.

Look - I haven't had TV for more than a decade; nor do I want it. So I might be a dinosaur when it comes to these stupid 'reality' shows. But - when watching the video - what the Hell? Did any of the six guys shown EVER even go through Basic Training?


By the time I deployed to my first tour in Bosnia; I was already Assault; so had skills and training not available to Line soldiers. But even in Basic at the age of 18 I could put 10 rounds through 5 targets at 25m with a Browning in six seconds flat. That's not expertise; it's basic handling. This 'competition' is not merely testosterone-driven; it is completely wrong. NOTHING here even comes close to 'reality'.

OK; I might just be whingeing over a stupid video but come on - surely there must be one kernel of truth in a so-called 'reality' show?
Well, there isn't one here. All parties act like stunned high-schoolers playing with paintball guns ; not serious, professional soldiers. If THIS is the reality of TV then I don't want it back. I prefer honesty, thanks.

(stalks away, muttering.)

[expat]

Television today seems to be aimed at the lowest common denominator. In the USA it is for those who start sentences with, "hold my beer and watch this" and in the UK with "yer, like, I was like, yer just doing, like......"

About the only TV I watch now is the news and stuff I have bought/obtained on DVD. Ozzy got me into Bluestone 42, a comedy about a British bomb disposal detachment in Afghanistan (yes I said comedy) , it is brilliant and I can't get enough. Mind you, it does help if you are an ex British serviceman to understand it.

Matt

[Webb]

I used to watch Bluestone 42. Did they ever make a second season?

[Jetranger]

FYI

Yup TV went to the Dogs a long time ago !!

I cancelled my cable back in October 2007 , haven't had TV since, I just watch a few DVD's every once in a while.

saved myself 53.00 a month, and with that money I saved, I was able to but a few Carenado Aircraft and Captain Sim Aircraft, and Bank Roll the rest.

Nowdays I just watch old TV Show like the Twilight Zone, Mayberry RFD, I Dream of Jeannie, 70's Hawaii 50, Magnum PI, or I'm out in my shop tinkering around, or on my Flight Simulator - - or - - chasing sum hot cute thing around town in my 2011 Challenger.

Now that's Reality, once I catch dat der cute tang, who needs reality TV

[Webb]

Thanks uTorrent!

[Staiduk]

(Chuckle) Thanks folks. It was a silly post I admit; I just hadn't appreciated just how low TV had sunk to. And I admit the fact that 'Canadian Soldiers' were being parodied in this way got my goat a bit. I don't think I'm bragging at all that if I selected the two worst soldiers of my Section from my third tour of Bosnia and put them in this questionable competition they wouldn't only win; they'd leave the other comptetitors hogtied and hanging from the trees. (I've fired perhaps 5,000 rounds from a Steyr AUG under combat conditions; after a certain point you have to work to miss a target with that thing. Superb piece of kit; nearly as good as our C-8's.)

Oh - and JetRanger? Hope you don't mind, but I've saved that second pic as a wallpaper. Lovely curvy...er...fenders.

[Romulus111VADT]

If you want to see just how low TV has sunk; Google the reality (yea right) TV show, "Honey Boo Boo". I've NEVER watched the first episode; the promo commercials were all I'd ever need to see to prove to me that there are some seriously mentally challenged individuals in the world.

I seriously think that the US has more than it's fair share. Being an American all I can do is shake my head in disbelief that people waste their time watching such idiotic programs. The stupification of America is well underway and reality TV is paving the way.

My 2 cents worth.....

[Fozzer]

I seriously think that the US has more than it's fair share. Being an American all I can do is shake my head in disbelief that people waste their time watching such idiotic programs. The stupification of America is well underway and reality TV is paving the way.

My 2 cents worth.....

..... ....

....it must make you wonder/regret why your ancestors moved there in the first place.... ...!

Mind you, Rom, ....we have more than our fair share of "fruit-cases" over here as well, when it comes to all sorts of things.... including TV Reality Shows >..."Big Brother", etc)... ...!

The utter stupidity of the Human Race is beyond belief!

Example: I get this e-mailed to me every day... http://news.kron4.com/

Paul...sheltering under a stone... ...!

[expat]

I used to watch Bluestone 42. Did they ever make a second season?

I am just tucking in to season two and three has just been commissioned....

Matt

[mustangaroo]

Yea verily I let my eyes drink from the tube of inanity out of boredom. There are few channels worth the effort and even the history channel disappoints because I lived through most of the recent things and feel compelled to throw the b.s. flag when I see liberties being taken with what I remember. Let us hope that the people in charge of what we are being told is good actually come up with shows that make us think. It occurs to me that Shakespeare has not been improved upon....ever. He could tell a story with enough twists and turns to keep even a street urchin riveted and that was in the 1600s. On the other hand there is an on/off switch but when you PAY for the service you feel COMPELLED to watch it.

[Romulus111VADT]

I'm paying DirecTv $130.00 per month to watch bloody reruns. Even the premium channels run movies to death. HBO and StarZ give you movies that have been rerun to death back in the 80's. HBO will give you a first run movie about once a month. Encore is running old 80's - 90's reruns of sitcoms and shows like Magnum PI. I can't tell you how thrilled I was to see reruns of Different Strokes on a channel I pay extra for.....wish I could figure out how to type more sarcastically. IFC and Sundance channels even let you enjoy the commercials that you went to premium channels to avoid.

I get a big laugh out of Cinemax when they try and entice you into including them in your program choice with free previews. Not once have they ever shown anything that wasn't already rerun to death on HBO and the programing is pitiful. They got dumped 10 years ago.

My DirecTv stays on the music channels 90% of the time. My wife insists on having the service and despite my repeated bitching about paying such an outrageous price for bloody old programs that are available on FREE TV; it doesn't do any good.

I've got one darn expensive radio!

[alrot]

Thanks uTorrent!

<-------from me too

while I still have the right to have cable tv ,and before the goverment shut it down ,I paid it with pleasure ,I hate all realities shows ,but I love HBO, Movie city cinemax etc oh! .....and I almost forgot Playboy TV

and I paid what it would be $200 USA a month ..its a priviledge right now here to have cnn


Alex

[Staiduk]

I'm paying DirecTv $130.00 per month to watch bloody reruns.

Tell me you're not freakin' SERIOUS!
130 a month for the shlock they put out nowadays?

Join us, friend. Turn that stupid box off and throw it away. Join the 'Anti-TV' crowd; you'll have more fun.

[ViperPilot]

What's interesting about the recent spate of 'reality' TV shows (Gold Rush Alaska, Bering Sea Gold, and others) is that a lot of them were produced by UK television production companies, with mainly UK crews.

staiduk - do yourself a favor; look for the old TV shows you remembered from your youth, and watch those. Even the mediocre ones are better than some of the swill that's on at this very minute.

Better yet... have a peek at the new COSMOS: A Spacetime Journey. It's the continuation of the Carl Sagan classic, written by his widow Ann Druyan and Steven Soter (both worked on the original with Carl), and hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson.

That being said... you guys have your 'soaps', and I have mine... the re-imagined BSG.

[Steve M]

Back when we could watch television for free it was so much more interesting.