Discussion:
'The Unit' judged, found...
(too old to reply)
Bill Crawford
2006-03-08 17:14:56 UTC
Permalink
...promising, but with an underlying "meh" factor.

That shouldn't even be POSSIBLE for this show just based on its
pedigree alone. Come on now...David Mamet and Shawn Ryan riding
herd on Dennis f'n Haysbert, Robert Patrick, Regina Taylor,
and...Scott Foley? Huh?

The basic premise: a super-covert special operations unit fights
the fights no one else can. The advanced premise: the loved ones
(wives) of the members of said unit (well, Unit) deal with being
the other women, after a fashion, in their husbands' lives. Okay,
fine, so it's _Desperate Housewives_ running into the Stony Man
action-novel series at about sixty. But it's MAMET and RYAN, so
what could go wrong?

Or, perhaps more accurately: why didn't it go more right?

Can't blame Dennis Haysbert. His character, Jonas Blane, is far
and away the take-charge asskicker who sells the universe of _The
Unit_. You can't blame Robert Patrick either, though his character
is more of the obligatory command-level REMF than at least I
expected. I can kind of point at Scott Foley's Unit newbie, Bob
Brown, and laugh a bit...but only a bit, since you HAVE to have
a newbie in a show like this. Mainly, it's not that he's a token
newbie to an elite unit--but that it's the guy from _Felicity_
with a gun. He never quite shakes that image here.

I REALLY can't blame Regina Taylor--DAMN if her Molly Blane's not
a thicker version of _The Shield_'s Claudette Wyms set on "a little
pissed," and she nearly sold the universe as hard as Jonas did.
No, I think I'd have to go with pointing a finger of blame at one
character: the utterly annoying Kim Brown (Audrey Marie Anderson).
She's the newbie for the other half of the show, the wives' part,
and she's...a bitch. Understandably so to some extent, now that
I'm NOT actually listening to her whine about moving boxes or taking
college classes off-base, but still enough of a bitch that you want
to see her take her lumps. (And NOT because she's sympathetic.)

The other blaming finger goes towards the A-story. It was very...
there. Not BAD, but not great either...it oddly felt rather paint-
by-numbers in places. New guy meets his bosses, new guy gets tested
under fire as the Unit--I'm deliberately not commenting on the name
here--deals with a terrorist hijacking in Idaho. Terrorists get
served, yadda yadda.

IN FRIGGING IDAHO. WTF?

The actual opening sequence of the pilot, where Jonas Blane and
some other Unit guys took out some sort of terrorist compound Over
There, was crackling and snappy...and how could you not love Dennis
Haysbert shooting a pack mule?...but the main hijacking story was
more minutiae and waiting and so on. Kind of like the pilot for
_Criminal Minds_. But, now that they've set up the basic rules of
the universe they can focus on screwing up the people who inhabit
it--and the show SHOULD benefit from it, if given the chance.

Having said that, though: while just about everybody involved is
deserving of a hit, perhaps most so the executive producers, I can
very easily see this show getting good press and still ending up
fading into Bolivian a la _Threshold_. I'm kind of expecting it,
really.

- bill, off to the showers
Bull Dagger
2006-03-08 17:21:25 UTC
Permalink
Kim is a bitchier version of Dana Delany and needs a facefull of
buckshot.

Were they trying to hook viewers into watching next week? With the
scenario presented in the goddamn pilot, you would think they were
trying to get themselves cancelled.
Satyr
2006-03-08 19:01:36 UTC
Permalink
They need to incorporate that show with Dennis Hopper and the guy from
Law & Order, since he seems to do that work every week!
Post by Bull Dagger
Kim is a bitchier version of Dana Delany and needs a facefull of
buckshot.
Were they trying to hook viewers into watching next week? With the
scenario presented in the goddamn pilot, you would think they were
trying to get themselves cancelled.
Satyr
2006-03-08 19:05:04 UTC
Permalink
E-Ring, that's the show!
Post by Satyr
They need to incorporate that show with Dennis Hopper and the guy from
Law & Order, since he seems to do that work every week!
Post by Bull Dagger
Kim is a bitchier version of Dana Delany and needs a facefull of
buckshot.
Were they trying to hook viewers into watching next week? With the
scenario presented in the goddamn pilot, you would think they were
trying to get themselves cancelled.
David E. Powell
2006-03-09 00:54:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by Satyr
E-Ring, that's the show!
Yep. It isn't bad from what I have seen. Dennis Hopper and Ben Bratt
both do great in it.
Post by Satyr
Post by Satyr
They need to incorporate that show with Dennis Hopper and the guy from
Law & Order, since he seems to do that work every week!
Post by Bull Dagger
Kim is a bitchier version of Dana Delany and needs a facefull of
buckshot.
Were they trying to hook viewers into watching next week? With the
scenario presented in the goddamn pilot, you would think they were
trying to get themselves cancelled.
David E. Powell
2006-03-09 00:54:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by Satyr
E-Ring, that's the show!
Yep. It isn't bad from what I have seen. Dennis Hopper and Ben Bratt
both do great in it.
Post by Satyr
Post by Satyr
They need to incorporate that show with Dennis Hopper and the guy from
Law & Order, since he seems to do that work every week!
Post by Bull Dagger
Kim is a bitchier version of Dana Delany and needs a facefull of
buckshot.
Were they trying to hook viewers into watching next week? With the
scenario presented in the goddamn pilot, you would think they were
trying to get themselves cancelled.
j***@gmail.com
2017-10-30 09:16:48 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bull Dagger
Kim is a bitchier version of Dana Delany and needs a facefull of
buckshot.
Were they trying to hook viewers into watching next week? With the
scenario presented in the goddamn pilot, you would think they were
trying to get themselves cancelled.
if we gonna shoot kims head of
wtf are we gonna do with weird ass egocentric lying stabbing fuckwhore tilly
but then again, writers are really good with depicting the murican iq
Russell Watson
2006-03-08 19:01:09 UTC
Permalink
On Wed, 08 Mar 2006 17:14:56 GMT, Bill Crawford
Post by Bill Crawford
Can't blame Dennis Haysbert. His character, Jonas Blane, is far
and away the take-charge asskicker who sells the universe of _The
Unit_.
And obviously a character who is going to have issues if the show
survives, as his Audie Murphy on the mirror indicates.
Post by Bill Crawford
You can't blame Robert Patrick either, though his character
is more of the obligatory command-level REMF than at least I
expected.
A REMF who's fucking a junior's wife, no less. Bad juju there.
Post by Bill Crawford
I can kind of point at Scott Foley's Unit newbie, Bob
Brown, and laugh a bit...but only a bit, since you HAVE to have
a newbie in a show like this. Mainly, it's not that he's a token
newbie to an elite unit--but that it's the guy from _Felicity_
with a gun. He never quite shakes that image here.
Glad I never saw "Felicity" so I got nothing to compare to. I liked
him. Of course that he would get to use the silenced .22 in an
operation before the ep was out was telegraphed a mile off. Kind of
surprised by the "sniper" designation Haysbert gave him, since the up
close shit he had to pull was a world away from what people who
typically rate that appellation are charged with. That was Capt.
Willard-style "breathe your last breath in my face" shit, there.
Post by Bill Crawford
I REALLY can't blame Regina Taylor--DAMN if her Molly Blane's not
a thicker version of _The Shield_'s Claudette Wyms set on "a little
pissed," and she nearly sold the universe as hard as Jonas did.
No, I think I'd have to go with pointing a finger of blame at one
character: the utterly annoying Kim Brown (Audrey Marie Anderson).
She's the newbie for the other half of the show, the wives' part,
and she's...a bitch. Understandably so to some extent, now that
I'm NOT actually listening to her whine about moving boxes or taking
college classes off-base, but still enough of a bitch that you want
to see her take her lumps. (And NOT because she's sympathetic.)
She's a necessary character to show that there is some dissension in
the ranks. You have to figure that to start with all the wives were
like that, and each new one gets the indoctrination to their lifestyle
she got. Haysberts' wife's "It's the history of the world" line was
probably the single best piece of dialogue in the show.
Post by Bill Crawford
The actual opening sequence of the pilot, where Jonas Blane and
some other Unit guys took out some sort of terrorist compound Over
There, was crackling and snappy...and how could you not love Dennis
Haysbert shooting a pack mule?
That shit rocked.
Post by Bill Crawford
Having said that, though: while just about everybody involved is
deserving of a hit, perhaps most so the executive producers, I can
very easily see this show getting good press and still ending up
fading into Bolivian a la _Threshold_. I'm kind of expecting it,
really.
I thought so too. It's the 2nd half of this season's "E Ring" with
better critical notices.
Bill Crawford
2006-03-08 20:24:46 UTC
Permalink
Post by Russell Watson
On Wed, 08 Mar 2006 17:14:56 GMT, Bill Crawford
Post by Bill Crawford
Can't blame Dennis Haysbert. His character, Jonas Blane, is far
and away the take-charge asskicker who sells the universe of _The
Unit_.
And obviously a character who is going to have issues if the show
survives, as his Audie Murphy on the mirror indicates.
It's a collaboration between David Mamet and Shawn Ryan. If there
was a person who WASN'T action-packed with issues on this show, I
would be wondering if it was a parallel-universe episode...
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Bill Crawford
You can't blame Robert Patrick either, though his character
is more of the obligatory command-level REMF than at least I
expected.
A REMF who's fucking a junior's wife, no less. Bad juju there.
Now that it occurs to me...did we ever see alt.Bree's husband?
Was he one of the two Unit guys who parachuted into Idaho?
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Bill Crawford
I can kind of point at Scott Foley's Unit newbie, Bob
Brown, and laugh a bit...but only a bit, since you HAVE to have
a newbie in a show like this. Mainly, it's not that he's a token
newbie to an elite unit--but that it's the guy from _Felicity_
with a gun. He never quite shakes that image here.
Glad I never saw "Felicity" so I got nothing to compare to. I liked
him. Of course that he would get to use the silenced .22 in an
operation before the ep was out was telegraphed a mile off. Kind of
surprised by the "sniper" designation Haysbert gave him, since the up
close shit he had to pull was a world away from what people who
typically rate that appellation are charged with. That was Capt.
Willard-style "breathe your last breath in my face" shit, there.
Yeah, "sniper" looks to be a fluid term on this show...
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Bill Crawford
I REALLY can't blame Regina Taylor--DAMN if her Molly Blane's not
a thicker version of _The Shield_'s Claudette Wyms set on "a little
pissed," and she nearly sold the universe as hard as Jonas did.
No, I think I'd have to go with pointing a finger of blame at one
character: the utterly annoying Kim Brown (Audrey Marie Anderson).
She's the newbie for the other half of the show, the wives' part,
and she's...a bitch. Understandably so to some extent, now that
I'm NOT actually listening to her whine about moving boxes or taking
college classes off-base, but still enough of a bitch that you want
to see her take her lumps. (And NOT because she's sympathetic.)
She's a necessary character to show that there is some dissension in
the ranks. You have to figure that to start with all the wives were
like that, and each new one gets the indoctrination to their lifestyle
she got. Haysberts' wife's "It's the history of the world" line was
probably the single best piece of dialogue in the show.
THAT was pure Mamet, my friend. If anything out of the pilot bore
his signature, the dialogue and attitudes were it. As for Mara--er,
Kim...you do make a very good point. Either she or Bob had to be a
rebel at first, in addition to newbie status, so it pretty much had
to be her.
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Bill Crawford
The actual opening sequence of the pilot, where Jonas Blane and
some other Unit guys took out some sort of terrorist compound Over
There, was crackling and snappy...and how could you not love Dennis
Haysbert shooting a pack mule?
That shit rocked.
Pretty much from the first minute, it was all "David Palmer who?
Allstate Guy what?" I can totally buy Haysbert as the star of an
action/drama show of his own...with maybe just a teasing hint of
Jack Bauer.
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Bill Crawford
Having said that, though: while just about everybody involved is
deserving of a hit, perhaps most so the executive producers, I can
very easily see this show getting good press and still ending up
fading into Bolivian a la _Threshold_. I'm kind of expecting it,
really.
I thought so too. It's the 2nd half of this season's "E Ring" with
better critical notices.
Is _E-Ring_ any good? I keep forgetting to catch an airing...

- bill, waiting patiently on the _Shield_ midseason gap
Russell Watson
2006-03-09 04:59:26 UTC
Permalink
On Wed, 08 Mar 2006 20:24:46 GMT, Bill Crawford
Post by Bill Crawford
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Bill Crawford
Can't blame Dennis Haysbert. His character, Jonas Blane, is far
and away the take-charge asskicker who sells the universe of _The
Unit_.
And obviously a character who is going to have issues if the show
survives, as his Audie Murphy on the mirror indicates.
It's a collaboration between David Mamet and Shawn Ryan. If there
was a person who WASN'T action-packed with issues on this show, I
would be wondering if it was a parallel-universe episode...
Good point.
Post by Bill Crawford
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Bill Crawford
You can't blame Robert Patrick either, though his character
is more of the obligatory command-level REMF than at least I
expected.
A REMF who's fucking a junior's wife, no less. Bad juju there.
Now that it occurs to me...did we ever see alt.Bree's husband?
Was he one of the two Unit guys who parachuted into Idaho?
I wasn't 100% clear on that myself. After they showed her in the rack
with the colonel I kept wondering which guy she was attached to, or if
he was even shown. That Haysbert returned from the op and was told by
his wife that the guy was off another assignment and that his wife had
only seen him 3 times or somesuch kind of indicated to me that he was
not with the team that took down the airliner, but I could be wrong.
Post by Bill Crawford
Post by Russell Watson
I thought so too. It's the 2nd half of this season's "E Ring" with
better critical notices.
Is _E-Ring_ any good? I keep forgetting to catch an airing...
I watched the pilot and about half the 2nd ep before throwing it over
for "Criminal Minds". I had a bit of a disconnect over seeing Dennis
Hopper who has always portrayed long-haired dope-smoking types
(typecasting if there has a ever been a case) suddenly playing a
career Army SOG type assigned to the Puzzle Palace on the Potomac. It
just didn't compute. I also have trouble taking Benji Bratt seriously
for some reason. Add to that the cliches that TV shows seem to riddle
military dramas with and I just couldn't really get into it.
KT3000
2006-03-10 19:59:31 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bill Crawford
Now that it occurs to me...did we ever see alt.Bree's husband?
Was he one of the two Unit guys who parachuted into Idaho?
Not one of the parachute guys but we did see him. We saw him in Afghanistan
(fade from the picture Tiffany was holding to him) and then back home as he
barely has time to hug and kiss Tiff before he's hauled off to the Cave for
new orders.
Post by Bill Crawford
Is _E-Ring_ any good? I keep forgetting to catch an airing...
I like it, but not enough to make it a must see. I think I've only one ep
complete. They were kodnapping a terrorist out of Afghanistan for interogation
before his cronies knew he was gone. The ground team snatched him, wrapped him
up in duck tape with big wire loop, and a C130 swooped down with a skyhook,
snagged him and reeled him in. Much better than _The Unit's_ initial outing.
KT3000
2006-03-10 19:59:44 UTC
Permalink
Post by Russell Watson
On Wed, 08 Mar 2006 17:14:56 GMT, Bill Crawford
Post by Bill Crawford
Can't blame Dennis Haysbert. His character, Jonas Blane, is far
and away the take-charge asskicker who sells the universe of _The
Unit_.
And obviously a character who is going to have issues if the show
survives, as his Audie Murphy on the mirror indicates.
The mirror still prominently labeled "Molly Blaine" from the frame shop.

Yaalah Halan
Kurgan the Crosseyed Assclown
2006-03-09 00:12:39 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bill Crawford
Or, perhaps more accurately: why didn't it go more right?
It felt like a bunch of soap-opera writers were trying to channel Tom
Clancy.
--
.
.
.
-----------------------------------------------------------
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rspw_peeps/
OscartheGrouch
2006-03-09 01:19:02 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bill Crawford
...promising, but with an underlying "meh" factor.
That shouldn't even be POSSIBLE for this show just based on its
pedigree alone. Come on now...David Mamet and Shawn Ryan riding
herd on Dennis f'n Haysbert, Robert Patrick, Regina Taylor,
and...Scott Foley? Huh?
snip

It's fuckin' CBS man, that says it all. They want to have a show like "24"
and "The Shield" with all the action, suspense, and grit. But CBS has no
grit. They gave us "Touched by an Angel" and Highway to Heaven." You think
the same people are going to turn out a "The Shield?" Can't happen on
network TV. Even if it could, it's still CBS. They're trying to make it
appeal to mom, dad, grammy, buddy and sis. Sure, they hired Ryan, probably
paid him a ton. But CBS is his boss. And it showed. No surprise here at all.
Brian Stinson
2006-03-09 01:31:40 UTC
Permalink
I only watched about 20 minutes of it. Not ready to judge from 20 minutes,
but from what I saw, it reminded me more of JAG than the Shield.
Bill Crawford
2006-03-09 03:14:20 UTC
Permalink
Post by OscartheGrouch
Post by Bill Crawford
...promising, but with an underlying "meh" factor.
That shouldn't even be POSSIBLE for this show just based on its
pedigree alone. Come on now...David Mamet and Shawn Ryan riding
herd on Dennis f'n Haysbert, Robert Patrick, Regina Taylor,
and...Scott Foley? Huh?
snip
It's fuckin' CBS man, that says it all. They want to have a show like
"24" and "The Shield" with all the action, suspense, and grit. But CBS
has no grit. They gave us "Touched by an Angel" and Highway to
Heaven." You think the same people are going to turn out a "The
Shield?" Can't happen on network TV. Even if it could, it's still CBS.
They're trying to make it appeal to mom, dad, grammy, buddy and sis.
Sure, they hired Ryan, probably paid him a ton. But CBS is his boss.
And it showed. No surprise here at all.
Hey, I kinda liked _Touched By An Angel_ (okay, Roma Downey is/was
ALL kinds of hot), and CBS has to be doing something right to be
dominating the ratings like it's been, but that's a damn good point.
Network TV doesn't play by the same rules as cable...and even Mamet
and Ryan can only push the proverbial envelope so far.

- bill, who forgot to mention the somewhat _Shield_-like opening
title card for _The Unit_ (uh HUH)
OscartheGrouch
2006-03-09 04:39:23 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bill Crawford
Post by OscartheGrouch
Post by Bill Crawford
...promising, but with an underlying "meh" factor.
That shouldn't even be POSSIBLE for this show just based on its
pedigree alone. Come on now...David Mamet and Shawn Ryan riding
herd on Dennis f'n Haysbert, Robert Patrick, Regina Taylor,
and...Scott Foley? Huh?
snip
It's fuckin' CBS man, that says it all. They want to have a show like
"24" and "The Shield" with all the action, suspense, and grit. But CBS
has no grit. They gave us "Touched by an Angel" and Highway to
Heaven." You think the same people are going to turn out a "The
Shield?" Can't happen on network TV. Even if it could, it's still CBS.
They're trying to make it appeal to mom, dad, grammy, buddy and sis.
Sure, they hired Ryan, probably paid him a ton. But CBS is his boss.
And it showed. No surprise here at all.
Hey, I kinda liked _Touched By An Angel_ (okay, Roma Downey is/was
ALL kinds of hot), and CBS has to be doing something right to be
dominating the ratings like it's been, but that's a damn good point.
Network TV doesn't play by the same rules as cable...and even Mamet
and Ryan can only push the proverbial envelope so far.
- bill, who forgot to mention the somewhat _Shield_-like opening
title card for _The Unit_ (uh HUH)
Don't get me wrong. Nothing against "Touched" or "Highway" (or little house
on the prairie for that matter, I *think* it was CBS too.) A different kind
of entertainment. It's just network TV plays by different rules than cable
and when they try to compete, the product is likely to, well, suck? They
have censors, they have standards and practices, they have sponsors they
can't afford to offend. And CBS especially has a goody-good history. We've
been spoiled. We've seen what can be done when you take away all the old
baggage network TV had. I wanted "the Unit" to be good too. I rooted for it.
Til I saw where it was headed. Then it was like, fuck you CBS. Don't even
try, you'll just insult us.
KT3000
2006-03-10 19:59:43 UTC
Permalink
Post by OscartheGrouch
Don't get me wrong. Nothing against "Touched" or "Highway" (or little house
on the prairie for that matter, I *think* it was CBS too.)
_Prairie_ and _Highway_ were NBC. _Waltons_ and _Touched_ were CBS. (My Dad
watched all of all of them.)
Rockboy
2006-03-09 07:44:28 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bill Crawford
...promising, but with an underlying "meh" factor.
That shouldn't even be POSSIBLE for this show just based on its
pedigree alone. Come on now...David Mamet and Shawn Ryan riding
herd on Dennis f'n Haysbert, Robert Patrick, Regina Taylor,
and...Scott Foley? Huh?
I have no idea who any of those people are.
--
Rockboy

Great words won't cover ugly actions
Good frames won't save bad paintings
ray o'hara
2006-03-09 15:26:20 UTC
Permalink
Post by Rockboy
Post by Bill Crawford
...promising, but with an underlying "meh" factor.
That shouldn't even be POSSIBLE for this show just based on its
pedigree alone. Come on now...David Mamet and Shawn Ryan riding
herd on Dennis f'n Haysbert, Robert Patrick, Regina Taylor,
and...Scott Foley? Huh?
I have no idea who any of those people are.
mamet is a bigtime movie writer/producer/director. he's know for movies like
state and main, the spanish prisoner, and many others.
shawn ryder is best known for shilling state farm insurance.


robert patrick was the liquid steel terminator in terminator two.
Slayah
2006-03-10 14:01:05 UTC
Permalink
Am I the only one who really liked the show?
Dennis Haysbert plays a Jack Bauer type! Loved it. Hated the wives,
though.
ray o'hara
2006-03-10 14:34:59 UTC
Permalink
Post by Slayah
Am I the only one who really liked the show?
probably
Slayah
2006-03-10 14:38:35 UTC
Permalink
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Slayah
Am I the only one who really liked the show?
probably
I do hope they kill off all the wives. And way would they give Dennis
Haysbert a wife that looks like Star Jones??? He should get someone more
like Halle Berry. Jeez!
Bill Crawford
2006-03-10 15:58:00 UTC
Permalink
Post by Slayah
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Slayah
Am I the only one who really liked the show?
probably
I do hope they kill off all the wives. And way would they give Dennis
Haysbert a wife that looks like Star Jones??? He should get someone more
like Halle Berry. Jeez!
Regina Taylor is a hell of a lot easier on the eyes than Star Jones,
if admittedly in the chunky mold. She channels CCH Pounder WELL,
though.

- bill, shrugging
Pat
2006-03-10 16:03:59 UTC
Permalink
Post by Slayah
I do hope they kill off all the wives. And way would they give Dennis
Haysbert a wife that looks like Star Jones??? He should get someone more
like Halle Berry. Jeez!
Must be CBS's nod towards keeping it real <snerk>. The only wife I
didn't like was the wife of the newest member, especially when she was
about to tell her sister what her husband was actually doing. I was
really hoping for a Jack Bauer smackdown from Jonas's wife. Maybe next
week . . .

Pat,
who actually liked the Unit
Mark Nobles
2006-03-10 20:42:20 UTC
Permalink
Post by Slayah
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Slayah
Am I the only one who really liked the show?
probably
I do hope they kill off all the wives. And way would they give Dennis
Haysbert a wife that looks like Star Jones??? He should get someone
more like Halle Berry. Jeez!
I didn't hate it, but It seems like they need to decide whether to make
this a chick-show (ala Desperate Housewives) about the wives waiting
and worrying back home while their husbands are out risking their lives
and occasionally dropping in to empty the trash, or make it a
dude-show (ala JAG) about what the husbands are doing while they are
away from home. Or could it be in the Lost vein, since there are 50
guys in the Unit, of whom we've seen only 4 so far, with different
people coming and going every week?

You know, one thing that makes it really different from most shows like
this as that Haysbert's character is a sergeant major. Most shows like
this, he's a Colonel, and Patrick's character is a major general.
Satyr
2006-03-11 19:33:24 UTC
Permalink
Post by Mark Nobles
Post by Slayah
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Slayah
Am I the only one who really liked the show?
probably
I do hope they kill off all the wives. And way would they give Dennis
Haysbert a wife that looks like Star Jones??? He should get someone
more like Halle Berry. Jeez!
I didn't hate it, but It seems like they need to decide whether to make
this a chick-show (ala Desperate Housewives) about the wives waiting and
worrying back home while their husbands are out risking their lives and
occasionally dropping in to empty the trash, or make it a dude-show (ala
JAG) about what the husbands are doing while they are away from home. Or
could it be in the Lost vein, since there are 50 guys in the Unit, of
whom we've seen only 4 so far, with different people coming and going
every week?
You know, one thing that makes it really different from most shows like
this as that Haysbert's character is a sergeant major. Most shows like
this, he's a Colonel, and Patrick's character is a major general.
What adds credibilty is that an E-9 is not only out planning and
executing missions, there seems to be no company grade officers at all!
In the real world of course, we all are aware that there are always
senior NCO's doing this particular job, an O-6 is always right there in
the field, and no one ever has any problem blowing off authority or rank!

The one thing I did in fact find consistent, was the bird colonel in bed
with one of his unit wives! Amazingly enough, that does occur much more
often than a SgtMaj out in the field doing G2, G4, C&C and of course he
seems to be the only one in the unit who is able to board a 737, no
armor, no NVG, and take out all the bad guys with what appeared to be a
40 cal or Barretta, all the while in plain sight! Everyone else was
suited up for the job, he just strapped on some webgear, grabbed a
weapon, and said "lets go"!
Russell Watson
2006-03-11 23:34:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by Satyr
Post by Mark Nobles
Post by Slayah
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Slayah
Am I the only one who really liked the show?
probably
I do hope they kill off all the wives. And way would they give Dennis
Haysbert a wife that looks like Star Jones??? He should get someone
more like Halle Berry. Jeez!
I didn't hate it, but It seems like they need to decide whether to make
this a chick-show (ala Desperate Housewives) about the wives waiting and
worrying back home while their husbands are out risking their lives and
occasionally dropping in to empty the trash, or make it a dude-show (ala
JAG) about what the husbands are doing while they are away from home. Or
could it be in the Lost vein, since there are 50 guys in the Unit, of
whom we've seen only 4 so far, with different people coming and going
every week?
You know, one thing that makes it really different from most shows like
this as that Haysbert's character is a sergeant major. Most shows like
this, he's a Colonel, and Patrick's character is a major general.
What adds credibilty is that an E-9 is not only out planning and
executing missions, there seems to be no company grade officers at all!
In the real world of course, we all are aware that there are always
senior NCO's doing this particular job, an O-6 is always right there in
the field, and no one ever has any problem blowing off authority or rank!
The one thing I did in fact find consistent, was the bird colonel in bed
with one of his unit wives! Amazingly enough, that does occur much more
often than a SgtMaj out in the field doing G2, G4, C&C and of course he
seems to be the only one in the unit who is able to board a 737, no
armor, no NVG, and take out all the bad guys with what appeared to be a
40 cal or Barretta, all the while in plain sight! Everyone else was
suited up for the job, he just strapped on some webgear, grabbed a
weapon, and said "lets go"!
Thanks! I'm usually the one it falls to to nitpick the technical shit
and just hadn't gotten to it for this show yet. You nailed it.
BTW, I think Haysbert's sidearm was the usual M92 that most folks
carry, though being SOG types I wouldn't have been surprised if he had
been carrying anything from an M1911A1 to an H&K USP.
Satyr
2006-03-12 02:48:20 UTC
Permalink
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Satyr
Post by Mark Nobles
Post by Slayah
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Slayah
Am I the only one who really liked the show?
probably
I do hope they kill off all the wives. And way would they give Dennis
Haysbert a wife that looks like Star Jones??? He should get someone
more like Halle Berry. Jeez!
I didn't hate it, but It seems like they need to decide whether to make
this a chick-show (ala Desperate Housewives) about the wives waiting and
worrying back home while their husbands are out risking their lives and
occasionally dropping in to empty the trash, or make it a dude-show (ala
JAG) about what the husbands are doing while they are away from home. Or
could it be in the Lost vein, since there are 50 guys in the Unit, of
whom we've seen only 4 so far, with different people coming and going
every week?
You know, one thing that makes it really different from most shows like
this as that Haysbert's character is a sergeant major. Most shows like
this, he's a Colonel, and Patrick's character is a major general.
What adds credibilty is that an E-9 is not only out planning and
executing missions, there seems to be no company grade officers at all!
In the real world of course, we all are aware that there are always
senior NCO's doing this particular job, an O-6 is always right there in
the field, and no one ever has any problem blowing off authority or rank!
The one thing I did in fact find consistent, was the bird colonel in bed
with one of his unit wives! Amazingly enough, that does occur much more
often than a SgtMaj out in the field doing G2, G4, C&C and of course he
seems to be the only one in the unit who is able to board a 737, no
armor, no NVG, and take out all the bad guys with what appeared to be a
40 cal or Barretta, all the while in plain sight! Everyone else was
suited up for the job, he just strapped on some webgear, grabbed a
weapon, and said "lets go"!
Thanks! I'm usually the one it falls to to nitpick the technical shit
and just hadn't gotten to it for this show yet. You nailed it.
BTW, I think Haysbert's sidearm was the usual M92 that most folks
carry, though being SOG types I wouldn't have been surprised if he had
been carrying anything from an M1911A1 to an H&K USP.
I think you are right on the firearm he was using, although in
hindsight, I am not sure it was a 45!
Russell Watson
2006-03-12 05:45:58 UTC
Permalink
Post by Satyr
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Satyr
Post by Mark Nobles
Post by Slayah
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Slayah
Am I the only one who really liked the show?
probably
I do hope they kill off all the wives. And way would they give Dennis
Haysbert a wife that looks like Star Jones??? He should get someone
more like Halle Berry. Jeez!
I didn't hate it, but It seems like they need to decide whether to make
this a chick-show (ala Desperate Housewives) about the wives waiting and
worrying back home while their husbands are out risking their lives and
occasionally dropping in to empty the trash, or make it a dude-show (ala
JAG) about what the husbands are doing while they are away from home. Or
could it be in the Lost vein, since there are 50 guys in the Unit, of
whom we've seen only 4 so far, with different people coming and going
every week?
You know, one thing that makes it really different from most shows like
this as that Haysbert's character is a sergeant major. Most shows like
this, he's a Colonel, and Patrick's character is a major general.
What adds credibilty is that an E-9 is not only out planning and
executing missions, there seems to be no company grade officers at all!
In the real world of course, we all are aware that there are always
senior NCO's doing this particular job, an O-6 is always right there in
the field, and no one ever has any problem blowing off authority or rank!
The one thing I did in fact find consistent, was the bird colonel in bed
with one of his unit wives! Amazingly enough, that does occur much more
often than a SgtMaj out in the field doing G2, G4, C&C and of course he
seems to be the only one in the unit who is able to board a 737, no
armor, no NVG, and take out all the bad guys with what appeared to be a
40 cal or Barretta, all the while in plain sight! Everyone else was
suited up for the job, he just strapped on some webgear, grabbed a
weapon, and said "lets go"!
Thanks! I'm usually the one it falls to to nitpick the technical shit
and just hadn't gotten to it for this show yet. You nailed it.
BTW, I think Haysbert's sidearm was the usual M92 that most folks
carry, though being SOG types I wouldn't have been surprised if he had
been carrying anything from an M1911A1 to an H&K USP.
I think you are right on the firearm he was using, although in
hindsight, I am not sure it was a 45!
If it's an M92 it would be 9mm. M1911 Colt was .45ACP but US dropped
it as the standard sidearm in the early-'80s to adopt the NATO
standard 9mm. Settled on the Beretta M92, which pissed a lot of people
off, since it's not even an American weapon, though I think the ones
our people carry are made here under license. My step-son carried one
when he was in the Navy and said they shoot fairly well. I'm a .45 guy
myself, preferring the 1911 or its civilian offspring, but for the
past several years I've had a Ruger P97 polymer frame .45. It's a nice
gun but doesn't have the natural "pointability" the Colts have. It's a
a snap to clean though, since the only parts that require oil are the
barrel, slide, recoil spring and connecting pins. Everything else is
plastic.
When I was in the USAF our cops didn't even carry automatics: their
sidearm was the S&W M15 in .38 Special. Always looked funny to me to
see a guy in fatigues with a small-frame revolver on his hip, as at
that time (late-'70s) everyone still associated the old Colt .45 with
military sidearms.
Satyr
2006-03-12 07:02:28 UTC
Permalink
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Satyr
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Satyr
Post by Mark Nobles
Post by Slayah
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Slayah
Am I the only one who really liked the show?
probably
I do hope they kill off all the wives. And way would they give Dennis
Haysbert a wife that looks like Star Jones??? He should get someone
more like Halle Berry. Jeez!
I didn't hate it, but It seems like they need to decide whether to make
this a chick-show (ala Desperate Housewives) about the wives waiting and
worrying back home while their husbands are out risking their lives and
occasionally dropping in to empty the trash, or make it a dude-show (ala
JAG) about what the husbands are doing while they are away from home. Or
could it be in the Lost vein, since there are 50 guys in the Unit, of
whom we've seen only 4 so far, with different people coming and going
every week?
You know, one thing that makes it really different from most shows like
this as that Haysbert's character is a sergeant major. Most shows like
this, he's a Colonel, and Patrick's character is a major general.
What adds credibilty is that an E-9 is not only out planning and
executing missions, there seems to be no company grade officers at all!
In the real world of course, we all are aware that there are always
senior NCO's doing this particular job, an O-6 is always right there in
the field, and no one ever has any problem blowing off authority or rank!
The one thing I did in fact find consistent, was the bird colonel in bed
with one of his unit wives! Amazingly enough, that does occur much more
often than a SgtMaj out in the field doing G2, G4, C&C and of course he
seems to be the only one in the unit who is able to board a 737, no
armor, no NVG, and take out all the bad guys with what appeared to be a
40 cal or Barretta, all the while in plain sight! Everyone else was
suited up for the job, he just strapped on some webgear, grabbed a
weapon, and said "lets go"!
Thanks! I'm usually the one it falls to to nitpick the technical shit
and just hadn't gotten to it for this show yet. You nailed it.
BTW, I think Haysbert's sidearm was the usual M92 that most folks
carry, though being SOG types I wouldn't have been surprised if he had
been carrying anything from an M1911A1 to an H&K USP.
I think you are right on the firearm he was using, although in
hindsight, I am not sure it was a 45!
If it's an M92 it would be 9mm. M1911 Colt was .45ACP but US dropped
it as the standard sidearm in the early-'80s to adopt the NATO
standard 9mm. Settled on the Beretta M92, which pissed a lot of people
off, since it's not even an American weapon, though I think the ones
our people carry are made here under license. My step-son carried one
when he was in the Navy and said they shoot fairly well. I'm a .45 guy
myself, preferring the 1911 or its civilian offspring, but for the
past several years I've had a Ruger P97 polymer frame .45. It's a nice
gun but doesn't have the natural "pointability" the Colts have. It's a
a snap to clean though, since the only parts that require oil are the
barrel, slide, recoil spring and connecting pins. Everything else is
plastic.
When I was in the USAF our cops didn't even carry automatics: their
sidearm was the S&W M15 in .38 Special. Always looked funny to me to
see a guy in fatigues with a small-frame revolver on his hip, as at
that time (late-'70s) everyone still associated the old Colt .45 with
military sidearms.
I see that the 45 might be in consideration for a comeback, although I
suspect it will be in the form of something new and expensive!
Russell Watson
2006-03-12 16:07:40 UTC
Permalink
Post by Satyr
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Satyr
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Satyr
Post by Mark Nobles
Post by Slayah
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Slayah
Am I the only one who really liked the show?
probably
I do hope they kill off all the wives. And way would they give Dennis
Haysbert a wife that looks like Star Jones??? He should get someone
more like Halle Berry. Jeez!
I didn't hate it, but It seems like they need to decide whether to make
this a chick-show (ala Desperate Housewives) about the wives waiting and
worrying back home while their husbands are out risking their lives and
occasionally dropping in to empty the trash, or make it a dude-show (ala
JAG) about what the husbands are doing while they are away from home. Or
could it be in the Lost vein, since there are 50 guys in the Unit, of
whom we've seen only 4 so far, with different people coming and going
every week?
You know, one thing that makes it really different from most shows like
this as that Haysbert's character is a sergeant major. Most shows like
this, he's a Colonel, and Patrick's character is a major general.
What adds credibilty is that an E-9 is not only out planning and
executing missions, there seems to be no company grade officers at all!
In the real world of course, we all are aware that there are always
senior NCO's doing this particular job, an O-6 is always right there in
the field, and no one ever has any problem blowing off authority or rank!
The one thing I did in fact find consistent, was the bird colonel in bed
with one of his unit wives! Amazingly enough, that does occur much more
often than a SgtMaj out in the field doing G2, G4, C&C and of course he
seems to be the only one in the unit who is able to board a 737, no
armor, no NVG, and take out all the bad guys with what appeared to be a
40 cal or Barretta, all the while in plain sight! Everyone else was
suited up for the job, he just strapped on some webgear, grabbed a
weapon, and said "lets go"!
Thanks! I'm usually the one it falls to to nitpick the technical shit
and just hadn't gotten to it for this show yet. You nailed it.
BTW, I think Haysbert's sidearm was the usual M92 that most folks
carry, though being SOG types I wouldn't have been surprised if he had
been carrying anything from an M1911A1 to an H&K USP.
I think you are right on the firearm he was using, although in
hindsight, I am not sure it was a 45!
If it's an M92 it would be 9mm. M1911 Colt was .45ACP but US dropped
it as the standard sidearm in the early-'80s to adopt the NATO
standard 9mm. Settled on the Beretta M92, which pissed a lot of people
off, since it's not even an American weapon, though I think the ones
our people carry are made here under license. My step-son carried one
when he was in the Navy and said they shoot fairly well. I'm a .45 guy
myself, preferring the 1911 or its civilian offspring, but for the
past several years I've had a Ruger P97 polymer frame .45. It's a nice
gun but doesn't have the natural "pointability" the Colts have. It's a
a snap to clean though, since the only parts that require oil are the
barrel, slide, recoil spring and connecting pins. Everything else is
plastic.
When I was in the USAF our cops didn't even carry automatics: their
sidearm was the S&W M15 in .38 Special. Always looked funny to me to
see a guy in fatigues with a small-frame revolver on his hip, as at
that time (late-'70s) everyone still associated the old Colt .45 with
military sidearms.
I see that the 45 might be in consideration for a comeback, although I
suspect it will be in the form of something new and expensive!
Special Forces people have carried the H&K USP in .45 for a while. I
wouldn't be surprised if it gets the nod. And yes, it costs $$$.
What's funny is that they ever dropped the .45 in the first place, but
it's a never ending cycle apparently. The Army started off with the
SAA 1873 (Colt Peacemaker) in .45 Long Colt as it's first more or less
"modern" sidearm (for this purpose we'll call modern anything that
fires self-contained cartidges). In the late 1800's they moved to the
.38. When US troops who were involved in the Moro uprising in the
Philippines stated coming back with tales of emptying their .38s into
charging Moros with no apparent effect the call went out to replace
them with a semi-auto of no less than .45 caliber, which has
approximately double the stopping power of the .38 according to
Hatcher's Tables of Relative Stopping Power. In the interim the Colt
New Service revolver (the gun Indiana Jones carries in "Raiders of the
Lost Ark") was issued, chambered for .45 LC, it could fire the new ACP
rimless ammo though use of half-moon clips. Entries in the trials came
from Colt in the form of John M. Browning's 1905 model, Savage Arms,
and what would become the Holy Grail of military handguns, a couple of
Parabellum P-08 "Lugers" chambered for .45. The Colt entry was sent
back for a few design changes and ultimately won the contract as the
model 1911, and became the standard US sidearm for 70 years. It was
then replaced with the 9mm, WHICH IS ESSSENTIALLY A .38!!! Now 20
years later they are talking about going back to .45 yet again! Your
gov't in action...
Satyr
2006-03-11 19:21:16 UTC
Permalink
but for the idiot scenes with the wife who was not aware she was married
to a GI, the show was not bad, for its first epsidoe, in its inagural
season!
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Slayah
Am I the only one who really liked the show?
probably
Satyr
2006-03-11 19:45:38 UTC
Permalink
but for the idiot scenes with the wife who was not aware she was married
to a GI, the show was not bad, for its first episode, in its inagural
season!
Post by Russell Watson
Post by Slayah
Am I the only one who really liked the show?
probably
Mike O'Brien
2006-03-10 16:04:12 UTC
Permalink
Post by Slayah
Am I the only one who really liked the show?
ok, it was just ok. gotta give it some time to develop..
Bill Crawford
2006-03-09 15:48:27 UTC
Permalink
Post by Rockboy
Post by Bill Crawford
...promising, but with an underlying "meh" factor.
That shouldn't even be POSSIBLE for this show just based on its
pedigree alone. Come on now...David Mamet and Shawn Ryan riding
herd on Dennis f'n Haysbert, Robert Patrick, Regina Taylor,
and...Scott Foley? Huh?
I have no idea who any of those people are.
In order of importance:

David Mamet: _Glengarry Glen Ross_, etc.
Shawn Ryan: head honcho for _The Shield_
Dennis Haysbert: the late David Palmer, _24_
Robert Patrick: the T-1000, and the other guy on _The X-Files_
Regina Taylor: perhaps best known for _I'll Fly Away_
Scott Foley: the guy from _Felicity_ <shrug>

- bill, wondering if Mamet will get a set of steak knives when CBS
kills this show
Evil Sideshow Bob 333
2006-03-09 16:47:27 UTC
Permalink
Bill Crawford <***@verizon.spam.net>, sometimes I doubt your
commitment to Sparkle Motion!
Post by Bill Crawford
- bill, wondering if Mamet will get a set of steak knives when CBS
kills this show
Always Be Closing!
--
FIRST EVER RSPWTNA ~ DIVISION CHAMPION
#37 RANKED POSTER IN RSPW

Beat on the brat,
Beat on the brat,
Beat on the brat with a baseball bat,
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh ho.

* * *
Bull Dagger
2006-03-09 16:37:59 UTC
Permalink
Post by Rockboy
Post by Bill Crawford
...promising, but with an underlying "meh" factor.
That shouldn't even be POSSIBLE for this show just based on its
pedigree alone. Come on now...David Mamet and Shawn Ryan riding
herd on Dennis f'n Haysbert, Robert Patrick, Regina Taylor,
and...Scott Foley? Huh?
I have no idea who any of those people are.
From this day forth, I dub you "UnderARockboy".
ray o'hara
2006-03-09 19:56:25 UTC
Permalink
Post by Rockboy
Post by Bill Crawford
...promising, but with an underlying "meh" factor.
That shouldn't even be POSSIBLE for this show just based on its
pedigree alone. Come on now...David Mamet and Shawn Ryan riding
herd on Dennis f'n Haysbert, Robert Patrick, Regina Taylor,
and...Scott Foley? Huh?
I have no idea who any of those people are.
From this day forth, I dub you "UnderARockboy".
clueless is better. fewre letters.
KT3000
2006-03-10 19:59:26 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bill Crawford
I REALLY can't blame Regina Taylor--DAMN if her Molly Blane's not
a thicker version of _The Shield_'s Claudette Wyms set on "a little
pissed," and she nearly sold the universe as hard as Jonas did.
No, I think I'd have to go with pointing a finger of blame at one
character: the utterly annoying Kim Brown (Audrey Marie Anderson).
She's the newbie for the other half of the show, the wives' part,
and she's...a bitch. Understandably so to some extent, now that
I'm NOT actually listening to her whine about moving boxes or taking
college classes off-base, but still enough of a bitch that you want
to see her take her lumps. (And NOT because she's sympathetic.)
Ditto. Another wives with the exception of Molly have got to go vote here.
Post by Bill Crawford
The other blaming finger goes towards the A-story. It was very...
there. Not BAD, but not great either...it oddly felt rather paint-
by-numbers in places. New guy meets his bosses, new guy gets tested
under fire as the Unit--I'm deliberately not commenting on the name
here--deals with a terrorist hijacking in Idaho. Terrorists get
served, yadda yadda.
Totally agree about the paint-by-numbers feeling. And if the terrorist had
been holding a deadman trigger the unit would have been so fucked. It crossed
my mind when Jonas entered the plane that might be were they heading. Dealing
with the aftermath of losing top members and a planeload of civilians while
still needing to conduct business as usual could make a very SR series. OTOH
Dennis Haysbert is the one best thing about this series and I sure didn't want
him to be the sacrafical cast member.
Post by Bill Crawford
IN FRIGGING IDAHO. WTF?
The actual opening sequence of the pilot, where Jonas Blane and
some other Unit guys took out some sort of terrorist compound Over
There, was crackling and snappy...and how could you not love Dennis
Haysbert shooting a pack mule?
Best sequence of the ep but even there I found nits to pick. One was that the
subtitles didn't contrast very well and were difficult to read in the time
provided. Second was that the missile explosion was both overdone and obvious
CGI. There were even giant flames shot up from behind the building the missile
impacted in front of.

Anyone watch with the CC on? Couple of good laughs and one excellent bit of
deleted dialogue.

- in Afghanistan the laser marker is the "label" marker.

- when Jonas tells the NG Rangers to get their gear and come, the cc is "get
your beer". lol

- at the end when Jonas calls back to Bo "Hey, ... Well done", the cc was a
more poignant "Hey, ... Brother".
Post by Bill Crawford
Having said that, though: while just about everybody involved is
deserving of a hit, perhaps most so the executive producers, I can
very easily see this show getting good press and still ending up
fading into Bolivian a la _Threshold_. I'm kind of expecting it,
really.
Yaalah Halan


Ken - noticing Dennis Haysbert carried _24's_ "star honchos don't wear their
helmets" over to this endeavor.
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