Over There

Fifty years from now, when television historians look back on this era, they will shake their heads in disbelief that a program as masterfully crafted as OVER THERE could not survive more than 13 episodes.

A product of the FX network, OVER THERE followed the lives of a diverse group of American soldiers on their first tour in Iraq. Chronological storytelling was used to perfection as viewers are with them from the moment they board the plane en route to their frightening new reality. We share their horror and shock when innocent civilians are mistakenly struck, when roadside bombs obliterate limbs, and when the best of intentions produce the most dreadful of results. On a more personal level, we see them contend not only with bullets and bombs overseas, but with adultery and family tragedy back home. We see Iraq not through a political lens, but through the eyes of those fighting for survival every single day.

None of the effectiveness of OVER THERE could have been achieved without the right cast. Producers deserve a lot of credit for this ensemble, led by Luke MacFarlane (Pte. Frank "Dim" Dumphy), Erik Palladino (Sgt. Chris "Sgt. Scream" Silas), Keith Robinson (Pte. Avery "Angel" King) and a surprisingly good Kirk "Sticky" Jones (Maurice "Smoke" Williams). Adding a female perspective are Lizette Carrion (Pfc. Esmerelda "Double Wide" Del Rio) and Nicki Aycox (Brenda "Mrs. B" Mitchell). These soldiers are all too complex and human. Dim is a college man shell-shocked by the carnage before him. Angel is a man of strong faith who signed up out of anger. Sgt. Scream drops hints he wants out of the army but has nothing to go back to. The interaction between such distinct personalities is one of the series' strongest assets.

For a show that was with us for so short of a period, OVER THERE certainly did not lack memorable moments. There are ethical dilemmas, such as when the soldiers find a stash of money that one of their own could desperately use back home. There are inspirational times, like when a soldier who lost his leg in an explosion valiantly continues with his life. Cultural barriers, media manipulation, and challenges in training Iraqi soldiers were among the many other topics covered.

One of the biggest criticisms of OVER THERE was that it never took a stance on such a contentious conflict. Few seemed to understand that this was part of its genius. Rather than get locked into a political debate, the show sought merely to present the war as it is. Whether the numbing violence we see is worth it or not is up to us. Indeed both sides of the war could study this program and use it to back up their point of view. You will be entertained regardless of your position.

In the end, OVER THERE was canceled because not enough people appreciated it. It's been said that the public may not have been ready for such a faithful adaptation of an ongoing conflict, with men and women still dying each and every day. That is understandable, but it doesn't necessarily make the loss of such a brilliant piece of work any easier to take.

I have no idea how technically accurate "Over There" is. As a soldier who rose in the ranks from "E nothing" to flag rank I can tell you I've never seen a truly technically accurate portrayal of war from Hollywood. I've been impressed with "Saving Pvt Ryan" and "Platoon" but even with their bevy of advisor's still got things wrong. To obsess over the type of helicopters used for medevac missions is kind of silly, old Hueys are easy to come by but unless your the military or a select few Blackhawks are hard to come by. What is accurate or at least close is the spirit that "Over There" portrays. The boredom, pointless orders for political reasons and the moments of abject terror are all pretty close to what goes on. Ssgt "Scream" is the quintessential NCO getting the job done and keeping his men alive. As far as the rest of the characters I've known them all, the philosopher, the malcontent, the super trooper you'll find them in any Infantry unit. I like the fact they portrays wounds very graphically. Too many people think being wounded is a minor event, get shot go to the aid station and back to the unit, that's not the way it is folks. "Over There is well acted and deserves a second season. With all the garbage on TV such as the repetitive and very boring "Nip Tuck" at least they can do is give OT a second chance.

OK so for credibility let me give you my background. I was a Sergeant in the Marines from 1997-2001. While I was not grunt as I am sure most of you weren't either although you like to talk like you all are. I was a riflemen before my MOS though. OK, so you all complain that they make soldiers look stupid, get over it. In "Full Metal Jacket" they made Marines look like robots, but hey that's what your called to do which is follow orders. It's a TV show. Then some captain wanted to say that NCO's don't yell at their troops. Well I don't know how it's done in the Army, but if there is one thing I learned in the Marines it's that cussing and yelling causes people to get things done. I think the staff sergeant that they casted was an awesome fit. He reminds me a mini Vin Diesel. Now I am not saying that all the drama is not needed and that they portray all the soldiers as coming from broken homes. I agree that all of that crap is not needed, but look past it and enjoy the show for what it is. I mean you all want to show what life is really like over there. Sure let's show them standing at their post all night without an incident that would be entertaining. Then someone wanted to complain about a Huey being there and not a blackhawk are you serious. I mean the Marines have Hueys so is the Army the only force over in Iraq. I think you guys are taking this way to seriously. As for portraying you in a bad light. I say to hell with em all. Quit worrying about what everyone thinks and just win the war. Deal with the politics later. I love the show as you can probably tell. Some complain about the stereotypes in the show. Well the black guy ratted out the other black guy about not opening the trunk so let me guess that shows integrity and courage for starters. So I don't see how they are portraying them to be only bad people. I guess I just see it from a different view.

Over There is an amazingly well acted and thought provoking show. It really brings home the people part of war and what's happening in Iraq. I'm really getting attached to these characters. The casting of this show was well done. I am a new fan of each and every one of these soldiers, although Eric Palladino has always been a favorite of mine. I'm glad to see him in this role, which he is so well suited for. As with anything, I'm sure there are aspects of it that are not completely authentic, but it's close enough to convey the spirit of what takes place in war. I also like the way the show deals with the personal lives of the soldiers, showing the struggles that occur and accelerate when people are separated in this manner.

Interesting that various people have seen this as either right or left wing propaganda, and that some see it as portraying the troops as idiots or wimps while others see it as honoring them. That indicates that some people are seeing their own biases more than what's actually on the screen. The more pre-set their views, the less they appear to like this program.

I'm a retired Marine - served 20 years, enlisted and officer, a lot of it in the infantry and related fields - and I think this is more realistic in its portrayal of the atmosphere and interactions than 90% of films about the military. I dealt with some Sgt. Screams and Lt. Mad Cows in my time, and those characters are believable. The troops strike about the right balance of smarts and immaturity, newbie awkwardness and trained-in automatic competence, for kids new to combat.

This program deserves a wider audience and more seasons.