Top Shot

This is a the best reality show out there. I watch this when I couldn't stand 'Survivor'.

The herd gets culled by at least one contestant on each episode. The choice of who faces elimination are more about politics than performance ability. It is often personal relationships that determine who gets the axe.

The first season, I picked the ultimate winner on the first episode. The man was so obviously formidable, that he personally dominated the group from the first moments.

The second season had no greatly dominant contestant. The eventual winner was almost certainly successful because one of the contestants threw the match. Hopefully, that will not happen on season 3.

There is some obvious limit to how outrageous the series can make the events without losing a contestant to death or injury. The third season premieres tonight and I look forward to each episode.

I would like to know the location of the facility where they tape their episodes. They purposely do not say to avoid having unwanted spectators during the taping of the episodes. I am guessing somewhere in the California mountains from the terrain seen on each episode.

When one of the contestants, Jake Zweig, recently quit the program it threw the format into turmoil. An anonymous group of officials were then called to decide how to procede. It would be nice to know who these officials are and if they are merely the show's producers.

One more thing, where does Colby Donaldson go at night when the contestants are bunking in the hunting lodge that serves as their contest home?

I have only one major complaint, perhaps only my personal taste. Will Colby Donaldson PLEASE shut up with the inane play by play comments during each contestant's performance? The audience can perfectly well determine the relative success of each contestant's efforts without Colby feeling he must explain to his audience of 8 year old children.

I expected so much more from this show, I expected it to be a competition, the best shooter wins, you know, like Olympics, or soccer or any other sport. Sadly, it is much more a show than a competition. Regardless of what I just said, I would still love it, if the director, or creators, would change one element. A very crucial one.

There is probably no way that one could make shooting seem more show like, any more movie like than those people did. I felt like watching a sports movie, with lots of cuts and you don't really get the whole picture, basically just snaps, tension, result and comments. I understand the reverse of that would mean a dry show, but they didn't need to go so far. Let me give you an example: two competitors are shooting steel plates at the same time, the camera pans from one guy, to the other guy, to the targets being hit, then cue a slow-motion shot, then randomly mix all of those and repeat. It is impossible to follow or know what is happening just from watching, you see a guys face, hear a shot, and you hear the host saying: it's a hit! If you saw the show, do you really find this appealing? No, I didn't think you did.

Would it not make 10 times more sense to just point the camera at the targets and leave it there, while shooting is in progress, listen to comments and see what's happening in real time? The archery and the knife throwing are unbelievably unrealistic. And if I forgave the bow and arrow.. - how do you shoot a knife? I know, with a GUN! I don't want to see the next season.

...for this "franchise"? I'd love to see another season, but obviously it's not in the works. I like to see the variety of weapons, the competition shooting and the way that "pressure" affects otherwise awesome marksmen. I could do without the "house" part of the show, but I guess it does let you know who is loved and hated, which has a lot to do with the elimination part of the show.

If anyone knows anything about the future of this show, please let me know. I've searched the web and can't find anything about there even being a future for it. I understand that Colby and his brother have capitalized on the popularity of the show by setting up a ranch that allows people to schedule "vacations" that put them on the ranch and get the opportunity to do shooting that resembles the show's challenges. I'd love to get a chance to be on the show and/or visit the ranch and do some of the shooting challenges. I love the fact that this show puts GREAT shooters under pressure and shows how they fare when there is a little sweat on the brow!

Please HISTORY CHANNEL, bring the show back for another year. I love performance based "reality shows". Because even though the people elected for the elimination challenges aren't always the "weakest", when it comes right down to it, you have to hit the targets under pressure to move on. It's 110% fair.

What an embarrassment to the US military!! He single handily made me stop watching the show, and write a review to a show that I actually liked. The show needs to drop the drama and do a little better vetting their contestants.

I would like to start by saying I hate reality shows. I can't stand the premise of them and the politics involved. When I heard about this show, it honestly didn't pique my interest but the thought of having a game show style series with guns at least made it interesting enough to check out. I am a strong supporter of firearms and the fact that a television show was out there that portrayed guns in a positive and safe manor was a good thing in my opinion. I started the show during the first season and the first two episodes were a little weak, but after that it started picking up momentum. The show doesn't have too many reality show elements except for the losing team voting two members to an elimination challenge. The difference from most reality shows that I've seen being that instead of the person who garnered the most votes just packing their bags and leaving, two of them get voted in and face off in an elimination challenge. So even if someone got more votes than someone else, it doesn't mean they're going home. They have a chance to fight their way back to the game.

There's some side interviews with the contestants and a little bit of footage of them mingling around they house they have to stay in. So you get to know the competitors and which ones to like and which ones you wish get sent home. But about 80% of the show is training and challenges. There's been some drama that's very annoying in each season, but it's significantly less as each season has progressed (season 4 is currently airing as I write this) So if you like reality shows, you'll like this one. If you don't like reality shows, you still might like this one. If you love guns, then you will probably find satisfaction in how the show portrays weapons.