In all honesty, the first episode just aired last night in the Netherlands. Giving my opinion after having seen only one episode's not completely fair, but still....I just felt to write this
It doesn't get more realistic than this, be sure of that. I've read another review in which the reviewer states that it's a beautiful and exciting show... well believe me, it's horrible and very emotional.
The only thing I could think about whilst watching this episode was, man, what a total chaos. Officers arguing while being out in the open after an explosion of an IED killing two soldiers and wounding another one. Of course it was a stressful situation but really, what happened was exactly what the Taliban wanted, panic, even by the platoon sergeant.
Some later the squad went on a patrol mission to "eliminate" a Taliban stronghold, which obviously didn't happen. Whilst on patrol they were walking in a valley being surrounded by higher grounds/mountains full of Taliban snipers, they were literally sitting ducks and of course they were being shot at resulting in two wounded, one heavily which was the doc. Again, the platoon sergeant, in my opinion was mainly responsible for this, screaming: 'Get up! Get down! Scatter! etc'. Indecisiveness and chaos.
In my opinion, these two actions resulted into creating unnecessary danger for the the two times the medevac choppers were called in. Fortunately these choppers stayed unharmed.
After seeing this episode I just feel pity for these soldiers, they seemed so powerless.
It surprised me how good their moral stayed after these deceptions. Maybe it wasn't moral after all, but just anger and lust for revenge. I've heard a dozen times that they were gonna kill them some Taliban with their supreme US weaponry and the pride of serving their country.
Serving your country is of course something you can be proud of. But really, what are they doing in Afghanistan? It's still a mess and these young men left traumatized and some physically disabled for life.
Still I'm curious to see the next episodes, seeing what really happens intrigues me. I wonder if these men still would sign up if they knew what they'd go through.
It doesn't get more realistic than this, be sure of that. I've read another review in which the reviewer states that it's a beautiful and exciting show... well believe me, it's horrible and very emotional.
The only thing I could think about whilst watching this episode was, man, what a total chaos. Officers arguing while being out in the open after an explosion of an IED killing two soldiers and wounding another one. Of course it was a stressful situation but really, what happened was exactly what the Taliban wanted, panic, even by the platoon sergeant.
Some later the squad went on a patrol mission to "eliminate" a Taliban stronghold, which obviously didn't happen. Whilst on patrol they were walking in a valley being surrounded by higher grounds/mountains full of Taliban snipers, they were literally sitting ducks and of course they were being shot at resulting in two wounded, one heavily which was the doc. Again, the platoon sergeant, in my opinion was mainly responsible for this, screaming: 'Get up! Get down! Scatter! etc'. Indecisiveness and chaos.
In my opinion, these two actions resulted into creating unnecessary danger for the the two times the medevac choppers were called in. Fortunately these choppers stayed unharmed.
After seeing this episode I just feel pity for these soldiers, they seemed so powerless.
It surprised me how good their moral stayed after these deceptions. Maybe it wasn't moral after all, but just anger and lust for revenge. I've heard a dozen times that they were gonna kill them some Taliban with their supreme US weaponry and the pride of serving their country.
Serving your country is of course something you can be proud of. But really, what are they doing in Afghanistan? It's still a mess and these young men left traumatized and some physically disabled for life.
Still I'm curious to see the next episodes, seeing what really happens intrigues me. I wonder if these men still would sign up if they knew what they'd go through.