Pensacola: Wings of Gold

I really like Pensacola, it's a perfect mix of action, drama and war... But I like the first episodes much more than the later ones, I liked the actors more, that is...

So, if I had to recommend the series to anybody, all I'd like to say is: Watch it!!!

This is like eating a tub of ice-cream when depressed or lonely. No nutrition, but feels good in the moment and guilty later.

A mindless watch, but strangely compelling. The suspension-of-disbelief requirement is high, the action is a pastiche of The A-Team. The social elements surrounding the core (daughter, girlfriend etc.) add value and are the chocolate sauce holding the whole thing together.

there are F-18 at NAS other than the Blue Angels. And yes, the show has very little to do with P'cola, besides the name.

Here are ways that it does: 1)no mountains, but the only time the actually show the mountains is after they have taken off and have gone some distance to run flights. You don't have to go very far for mountains. Alabama has them. 2)Their beaches....not quite as nice as they really are. 3)palm trees??? if you have ever been to P'cola in the winter, you know that palm trees won't survive that well. I don't think in the 9 years that I lived there I ever saw a palm tree like the ones on the show. Even the ones there now, don't look half as good. 4)They never say that the entire base is commanded by a Marine, just the people they report to... which is the way it would actually be, Marines in charge of Marines. And obviously you have never told these thoughts to a Marine, because I know a few that would kill you for saying that they work for the Navy. They may be branched off of the Navy, but they don't work for them. You aren't military either, because none of the branches work for the other, they all try to work together.

While the show may not have been the best, there were some good aspects of it (both casts). I never got to watch it when it was on because P'cola didn't show it till 2 am on Sat. But now I am getting back into it. And every so often they show something from home. The intro usually has the "City of Five Flags" sign that is at the main way into the city. A few epis ago I saw one of the cast actually reading the Pensacola News Journal in one of the epis. And every so often you get a second or two of footage that is actually from P'cola.

You have to remember it is television. Most shows take place in NYC or LA or a major city cloe to there. P'cola isn't a major city (you're lucky if it is a city) and it is now where near NYC and LA. Most of the show was probably filmed in Cal. somewhere south of LA, probably San Diego. It is cheap to film there and it is only a few hours away. No one would actually want to go out to P'cola and spent 3 months there to film the show. It would cost a fortune. But they tried.

Just give the show a try if you want. It really isn't that bad. Just don't go to P'cola looking for what you see on TV.

The first season was excellent with its four Marines -- the Sea Dragons. The show was about "teamwork" with its exciting story lines about how four people come together as a unit. They are intelligent and respectful of one another, their superiors, and their assignments. The first season portrayed women and male/female relationships in a very positive manner, without the degrading cheap attention-getting tricks like boobs, bodies, bikinis, and the sexual innuendo that slimed across the screen in the second season. Yes, the Sea Dragons are the best of the best, and first season took my breath away.

Is this show to be taken seriously? Or is it meant to be a strange cross between TopGun and HotShots. Years ago (like the late 50's) this would have been a major TV hit but today it's almost beyond camp! Major Dad was more realistic than this Turkey. However as long as it's on "JAG" won't have to worry about being the worst military theme show on TV.