I don't ever recall seeing this show on The History Channel on British TV . Hardly surprising because despite claiming to be military history it does have a definite American flavour which won't tickle the taste buds of an international audience . It's almost a Fox News version of military history . Think of Stephen Ambrose flag waving style history meets Call Of Duty meets MTV and you're well on the way to understanding what this show is about . It's jingoistic war porn for salad dodging computer game obsessed Americans which is very sexy if you like that type of stuff but leaves a slightly bad taste in your mouth Episode 6 features a criminal shoot out with the police in LA and one wonders if this is the type of show that appeals to people who are obsessed with gun fanatics who would love to get involved in a shoot out with the cops ?
Every episode centres around an American led battle so if you're expecting an episode featuring the likes of Waterloo , Verdun or Stalingrad you will be disappointed . If the battle doesn't feature the Americans then it didn't happen hence we get episodes exclusively centered around the likes of The Battle Of The Bulge , Okinawa and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan . Some of the episode headings are misleading . Season Two's " Afghanistan's Deadliest Snipers " doesn't feature snipers at all but war porn featuring fire fights between " American warriors " and the Taliban . If you're expecting the longest sniper kill in history by Rob Furlong in 2002 then you'll be shocked to find he's conspicuous by his absence . It should be remembered that Furlong was a Canadian soldier so maybe that's why he isn't named checked . Since then Furlong's record was beaten by British Army sniper Craig Harrison . Don't expect a Hollywood movie featuring Harrison or Furlong any time soon . Another irritant is the over use of expressions and phrases that belong only to American English hence we get " American warriors " and " These guys were totally hardcore fighters " etc etc
What stops SHOOTOUT being dumped alongside DEADLIEST WARRIOR in the deranged televisual guilty pleasures bin is the technical merit it brings to a tired formula of talking heads interviews , reconstructions of battle and computer graphics . It's superbly edited and never boring but its in your face style is rather tasteless and over whelming and while it may claim to celebrate courage it seems to constantly and subjectively wave an American flag in a way not even John Wayne could have envisaged
Every episode centres around an American led battle so if you're expecting an episode featuring the likes of Waterloo , Verdun or Stalingrad you will be disappointed . If the battle doesn't feature the Americans then it didn't happen hence we get episodes exclusively centered around the likes of The Battle Of The Bulge , Okinawa and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan . Some of the episode headings are misleading . Season Two's " Afghanistan's Deadliest Snipers " doesn't feature snipers at all but war porn featuring fire fights between " American warriors " and the Taliban . If you're expecting the longest sniper kill in history by Rob Furlong in 2002 then you'll be shocked to find he's conspicuous by his absence . It should be remembered that Furlong was a Canadian soldier so maybe that's why he isn't named checked . Since then Furlong's record was beaten by British Army sniper Craig Harrison . Don't expect a Hollywood movie featuring Harrison or Furlong any time soon . Another irritant is the over use of expressions and phrases that belong only to American English hence we get " American warriors " and " These guys were totally hardcore fighters " etc etc
What stops SHOOTOUT being dumped alongside DEADLIEST WARRIOR in the deranged televisual guilty pleasures bin is the technical merit it brings to a tired formula of talking heads interviews , reconstructions of battle and computer graphics . It's superbly edited and never boring but its in your face style is rather tasteless and over whelming and while it may claim to celebrate courage it seems to constantly and subjectively wave an American flag in a way not even John Wayne could have envisaged