Graham Smith Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Stars Earn Stripes is a new competition show on NBC. I watched some of the first episode and can't decide if I sort of like it or sort of hate it. It was interesting to see stars (although that is really rather stretching the definition of star) taking on a mock military assault. And troubling to see a couple people having real problems in the water. Didn't they find out how well people could swim before they jumped in the water with a load of gear on? What was rather troubling was to hear some of the "I didn't know how hard this stuff was" comments. Sorry, but that sounds a lot like a bad movie script. In any case, if you have something like On Demand, you might want to give the show a look. If nothing else, it'll be good for a giggle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuke8401 Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 I wachted it. As a shooter I wanted to know the distances, some camera angles made it look close, some far. On the practice range it seemed they were shooting out to about 100yds which for a non-shooter would be a challenge. I too was surprised that they didn't think to ask; hey can you gays/gals swim? I mean swim with gear? For shooters and especally military it will be like a cop watching a cop show; we will pick it apart. I guess it came in second to "Hell Hotel" on fox. David E. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Personally, won't watch it. I think it devalues our military and mocks their service for $. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retarmyaviator Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 I did not watch it, mainly because I hate all reality shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckS Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 You can watch the episode on line: http://www.nbc.com/stars-earn-stripes/episode-guide/season-1/596504/amphibious-assault/episode-101/596544/ I watched to see General Clark. Things are tight in the defense industry and I guess he couldn't find a good job? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint-M Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Personally, won't watch it. I think it devalues our military and mocks their service for $. Pretty much my take on it. I did see a highlight where one of the contestants said, "It's cool to have an opportunity like this because people like me don't get chances to do this stuff." :wacko: Couldn't think of any other place to do stuff like this, huh? CM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 You can watch the episode on line: http://www.nbc.com/s...ode-101/596544/ I watched to see General Clark. Things are tight in the defense industry and I guess he couldn't find a good job? I didn't watch it because it looked dumb. I am saddened that Gen Clark played a role in it. He was my very first Battalion Commander in 1979. That man was so respected that people saluted him when he didn't even see them. I got a gig as a driver on BN Staff for the Operations Officer. He told me,"Sanders, that man will be the President some day, you watch." Almost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Religious Shooter Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I thought it was fine. I'm going to watch it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9X23Guy Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 +1 MarkCO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glockman1000 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Personally, won't watch it. I think it devalues our military and mocks their service for $. Pretty much my take on it. I did see a highlight where one of the contestants said, "It's cool to have an opportunity like this because people like me don't get chances to do this stuff." :wacko: Couldn't think of any other place to do stuff like this, huh? CM Stephen Colbert talked about it on his show. Something to the effect of if they wanted to know what it would have been like to be in a military battle, they should have enlisted. That pretty much made up my mind that this show is nothing but a circus for sheep. Funny that an anti-gun network wants to get ratings by turning war scenarios in to games. If they really wanted reality send them to a hotspot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retarmyaviator Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 You can watch the episode on line: http://www.nbc.com/stars-earn-stripes/episode-guide/season-1/596504/amphibious-assault/episode-101/596544/ I watched to see General Clark. Things are tight in the defense industry and I guess he couldn't find a good job? The sun has pretty much set on Clark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagdrag Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 (edited) Personally, won't watch it. I think it devalues our military and mocks their service for $. Pretty much my take on it. I did see a highlight where one of the contestants said, "It's cool to have an opportunity like this because people like me don't get chances to do this stuff." :wacko: Couldn't think of any other place to do stuff like this, huh? CM Stephen Colbert talked about it on his show. Something to the effect of if they wanted to know what it would have been like to be in a military battle, they should have enlisted. That pretty much made up my mind that this show is nothing but a circus for sheep. Funny that an anti-gun network wants to get ratings by turning war scenarios in to games. If they really wanted reality send them to a hotspot. Ironically, this is similar to what General Clark said about civilian gun owners who wanted to own and shoot military style weapons like AR/AK. I'm only watching because I love guns and shooting. If this gets more people into shooting, it's a win for me. Edited August 16, 2012 by bagdrag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianF Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I won't watch it because reality tv is a garbage. It does make a small mockery of our military to think that these "celebrities" can go through however many weeks of potentially choreographed military tactics and understand what it is all like. To each their own but I can't stand any reality tv, so this is a no in my book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Religious Shooter Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Do you guys know that each star contestant is paired with a Veteran? A FAST Team Marine, two SEALs, a Delta Force soldier, a police officer, ... one of them was a sniper with something like 170+ credited kills. And that the contestants are playing for donations to their favorite first responder? Wounded Warrior, etc.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retarmyaviator Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 (edited) Personally, won't watch it. I think it devalues our military and mocks their service for $. Pretty much my take on it. I did see a highlight where one of the contestants said, "It's cool to have an opportunity like this because people like me don't get chances to do this stuff." :wacko: Couldn't think of any other place to do stuff like this, huh? CM Stephen Colbert talked about it on his show. Something to the effect of if they wanted to know what it would have been like to be in a military battle, they should have enlisted. That pretty much made up my mind that this show is nothing but a circus for sheep. Funny that an anti-gun network wants to get ratings by turning war scenarios in to games. If they really wanted reality send them to a hotspot. Ironically, this is similar to what General Clark said about civilian gun owners who wanted to own and shoot military style weapons like AR/AK. I'm only watching because I love guns and shooting. If this gets more people into shooting, it's a win for me. In past statements Clark has been decidedly anti gun. http://blog.riflegear.com/archive/2009/03/17/wesley_clark_maching_guns.aspx A quick internet search will bring up other examples. Fortunately his political career is over. Edited August 17, 2012 by retarmyaviator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianF Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Do you guys know that each star contestant is paired with a Veteran? A FAST Team Marine, two SEALs, a Delta Force soldier, a police officer, ... one of them was a sniper with something like 170+ credited kills. And that the contestants are playing for donations to their favorite first responder? Wounded Warrior, etc.? My personal opinion is that reality tv is garbage. Being an Air Force member, I applaud the fact they are giving to these great organizations, but for me it doesn't take away the fact that reality tv is staged solely for ratings. If it were truly real, put these people through actual military training. That would be more interesting to see them no longer get pampered from their difficult lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not-So-Mad Matt Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Am I the intended audience for this show? No, I'm not. If they mistook me for a celebrity and invited me to take part, would I? In a heartbeat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caz41 Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 My take on it is that it sucked big time! I will say if you are going to make a show featuring celebrities, then get some real celebrities. Those are the best they can come up with? At least find a few people who actually played military/LE on TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RammerJammer Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I watched part of it and I have seen a bunch of previews. It really bothers me how they keep calling it real and talking about how real it is. Blow up 4 contestants on the first episode then make them all go out everyday after that for a few months then call it real or just focus on the fact that it is an obstacle/shooting show. There is nothing real about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 If they mistook me for a celebrity and invited me to take part, would I? In a heartbeat. That's a good point. And that may be what caught my attention in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not-So-Mad Matt Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 It really bothers me how they keep calling it real and talking about how real it is. The way they kept repeating how real it was bothered me, too. I liked the way the real operators reacted though: "This is just recess for us." Compared to shooting an action movie though, I suppose it did seem real: live ammo, single take, no stunt double, etc. By the way, does anyone know what that incoming fire was? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RammerJammer Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 It really bothers me how they keep calling it real and talking about how real it is. The way they kept repeating how real it was bothered me, too. I liked the way the real operators reacted though: "This is just recess for us." Compared to shooting an action movie though, I suppose it did seem real: live ammo, single take, no stunt double, etc. By the way, does anyone know what that incoming fire was? Training sims. They will take off a hand and seem pretty burly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilkenstein Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 I didn't watch it. If they want to make it real, they should have mopping contests. Or have them show up at 0400 for something that doesn't kick off until 0900 and whoever falls asleep last wins. Rifle cleaning and beret shaping contests, now we're talking. And lets not forget landscaping with nothing more than a camelback and standard issue black leather glove shells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 Since I started this, I decided last night to watch a whole episode. I liked some of it but some of it was rather annoying. I will say that repelling off a helicopter or down the side of a building is not exactly something the average person will be comfortable doing. I've done a lot of rappelling and I've trained people to rappel, including some fire department people - and that first step will tighten you up. I've seen men freeze on the rope and I've had a few moments myself where it took a few extra moments to make that first step. So seeing the "stars" fighting back fear to do what they did, was interesting. And then they went and completely ruined it when one of them said something like "putting it on the line just like first responders do every day." I thought I was going to puke. Sure, it took a heck of a lot of guts to do what they did. And they deserved the credit that their "operators" gave them. But they were hardly putting anything on the line other than their pride and maybe a clean pair of shorts. That's the real problem. The stars are trying hard to do a good job and I think that they really appreciate just how good their "operators" (hate that word) are. But there is a degree of mutual and self-congratulation that more or less dilutes the whole thing. I don't know how much of their comments are scripted but too many things sound like sound bites to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Front Man Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Caught the last 5 minutes last night; just in time to see someone get swept by a competitors rifle ! Kind of lame kind of fun... We all know the generals past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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