Stars Earn Stripes

[Cabbage Patch]

Just watched the first episode of Stars Earn Stripes, the new NBC reality series where celebrities are teamed with military or police specialists to conduct military missions.

It was surprisingly decent. The celebrities were all in great physical condition, they were all decent shots, and they all seemed highly motivated. The pace of this episode was a little slow, but that should pick up, and I never lost interest.

My main quibble is how dramatically they enhanced the explosions. In the exercise the celebrities had to take out a tower with a grenade launcher. They were clearly firing inert training ammo (the misses didn't explode), but when they did hit it the tower blew up in a dramatic blast. Then they shot targets with rifles, and every time they hit one the target blew up. Rifle bullets don't do that, the targets were clearly rigged with explosives to make the hits look more impressive. NBC must be using the same pyrotechnic experts on this show that used to work on Dateline!

I like the celebrities, I found the missions believable and interesting, and I liked the general tone of the show. I'll never be a fan of Wesley Clark (long story based on serving under him long ago), but I can put up with his presence. I think I'll keep watching.

[kc2]

Cool!

[HaveCrowBarWillTravel]

I kinda dug the show too. I was very disappointed in the two brothers floundering around in the water though.... especially Terry Crews. How you let Todd Palin and a WWE model show your big strong self up?
It messed up "Expendables" for me.

[Cabbage Patch]

I kinda dug the show too. I was very disappointed in the two brothers floundering around in the water though.... especially Terry Crews. How you let Todd Palin and a WWE model show your big strong self up?
It messed up "Expendables" for me.

I find it hard to judge those guys too harshly. I'm a weak swimmer, and all my water experience was in pools. My first time on the Recondo course, hitting that cold, cold river water with my gear on, I lost it bad and had to be rescued too. I had nothing in my training or personal experience to prepare me for the shock. A little time to gather my wits and I was able to do it on my next attempt. Those guys had the one chance to sink or swim.

[reaper239]

Just watched the first episode of Stars Earn Stripes, the new NBC reality series where celebrities are teamed with military or police specialists to conduct military missions.

It was surprisingly decent. The celebrities were all in great physical condition, they were all decent shots, and they all seemed highly motivated. The pace of this episode was a little slow, but that should pick up, and I never lost interest.

My main quibble is how dramatically they enhanced the explosions. In the exercise the celebrities had to take out a tower with a grenade launcher. They were clearly firing inert training ammo (the misses didn't explode), but when they did hit it the tower blew up in a dramatic blast. Then they shot targets with rifles, and every time they hit one the target blew up. Rifle bullets don't do that, the targets were clearly rigged with explosives to make the hits look more impressive. NBC must be using the same pyrotechnic experts on this show that used to work on Dateline!

I like the celebrities, I found the missions believable and interesting, and I liked the general tone of the show. I'll never be a fan of Wesley Clark (long story based on serving under him long ago), but I can put up with his presence. I think I'll keep watching.

sounds like they were using some of the same style targets as top shot, they use exploding targets to indicate a hit in certain scenarios.

[Leedo2502]

I thought that show was god-awful. I think that it doesn't do anything to narrow the civilian/Military divide if anything it broadens it with cartoonish action and giving civilians the idea "if Todd Palin can do it what took so long to find bin Laden?"
I think NBC should fire the producers that came up with that show and maybe do a show where they interview real soldiers that saw real combat, and get our real stories.