Fighting Season

This excellent mystery series shines a light on what our soldiers and their families face fighting overseas, and more importantly coming home. Totally gripping and heartbreaking in parts. Excellent acting from the leads and some newcomers I didn't know. Best series I have seen this year.

I won't lie to you I have no idea about the army, especially the Australian army, I don't know about their rules or anything related to them, but the drama and mystery in this show is enough to keep you watching and biting your fingernails, the whole 6 episodes, Jay Ryan's performance was MAGNIFICENT, so were Ewen Leslie and Kate Mulvany's, but in my opinion Jay was the best, I would have loved to say the same about the wives characters and little boys, but well, they're secondary characters and we can let them pass, if you have the chance to watch it, don't miss it, you won't be sorry.

Ideally I would give this show no stars. As a veteran of the Afghanistan war I gave up watching it after the second episode, anything to do with the military in this show is 100% inaccurate. The ceremonial dress uniforms are worn wrong, not ironed correctly, not sure how the infantry combat badge is awarded to someone who only has the Australian Defence Medal (4 years service), the medal precedence is in the wrong order. Not sure what year this is meant to be set but infantry units no longer wear the dull cherry beret (It was only worn by 3 RAR, who are no longer paratroopers or located in Sydney). The F88S used in the series was taken out of service in 2010 and replaced with the F88SA2. The so called patrol base was built wrong it needs a hesco basket wall around the perimeter. The landrover was never used by any deployed unit outside of special forces, the preferred vehicle was the bushmaster PMV. If there was a military advisor used their credentials need to be checked.

I don't know who your military adviser was but I hope you never paid them. Everything military in this series was incorrect, from the way they carried their weapons to how they wore their uniforms. Lanyards were worn on incorrect side, berets and slouch hats were worn incorrectly, hats and berets were not bashed correctly, medals were worn incorrectly and more importantly most actors worn them not in order of precedence. All those soldiers who were from teds platoon would have been wearing at least the NATO Medal with ISAF clasp, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Australian Active Service Medal with ICAT Clasp and the Infantry Combat Badge. Some of them in last episode wore only the Australian Defence Medal (For 4 years service) and the Infantry Combat Badge only. I am a veteran and I was appalled with the wearing of the medals plus the numerous other mistakes made by the Military adviser and the Director. I am sure I can speak for other veterans that these type of mistakes should never have happened. If you want to make a series or film about Australian campaigns then get it right the first time.

I don't know if there are any mistakes in the Army rules, but I don't think that's where you should judge the series. It's a very compelling and suspenseful series, with outstanding performances, most notably by Jay Ryan, Ewen Leslie and Kate Mulvany. The first two were nominated for the Australian Logie Awards 2019 - Nomination for most outstanding actor. Fighting Season is a very delicate and respectful tribute to the troubles that soldiers returning home from Afganisthan (or other expeditions) have to face, with very strong effects on their character and feelings and consequences on family relationships. They often suffer in silence and fall ill with PTSD. Soldiers and men, strong, but also so fragile. Heroes and victims at the same time. Not to mention the touching and heartfelt tribute from Jay Ryan / Speedo to Anzac Day.