Six

This went from a 7 for the first season to a 6 for the second season. It went from a good solid entertaining show about the Navy Seals, to trying to be another Homeland. It's not Homeland. Not even close. I wish they just stuck to being what they were good at in the first season.

This is by no means a full review, but the first episode shows that the crew put in a lot of effort and time into getting the tactics, equipment and firefights down. The script is lacking a bit, but if you were expecting the next Breaking Bad or The Wire, I don't think this is the show for you. This show is a breath of fresh air amongst all the cop shows, political dramas, fantasy, and crime shows. A good military show that keeps it real and portrays the SEALs in a human light rather than a larger than life and infallible superheroes. If you've spent your time around vets like the SEALs or other SOF members or are one yourself, I think you'll find the show suitable as a good drama to check out. Also, if you've read the article "The Crimes of SEAL Team 6", you'll know some of controversial things done on the show are true to real life.

Six is at once an action-packed drama and a fresh look at many realities of war, even those which some viewers may not want to see or actually believe take place. But perhaps even better, the show does an earnest and honest job at demonstrating the human side of the modern warfighter, and the double lives they live. From Vikings to Six, History is telling some great stories via the medium of great drama. With Six they made a solid decision in their choice of writers and producers with proved talent who are veterans in the military genre, as well as actual war veterans, lending credibility to the scripts and production. And the show hit the jackpot with the leads they cast in actors who are able to convincingly play the roles of the nations most elite, in all their grime and glory.

So I have a family member who is a retired SEAL officer. And the only insight I get from him is this. Real SEALS do not talk about or brag about their accomplishments. And they are real people with real life issues. What they do for a living can magnify these real life issues. Six does a great job of capturing what they do on and off the field of engagement.

I suggest you watch the entire season before you decide what you think of this show. It builds and the payoff is worth it. I was frankly shocked by the graphic nature - not of the battle scenes which ought to be graphic, but the raw language, emotion, sexual scenes, etc. Perhaps my shock was that this was the History Channel, but I think it is not gratuitous in this instance. It is appropriate, given who these characters are - highly trained tactical warriors. It's what they do and therefore, it identifies them because you can't be one than the other, no matter how hard you try to assimilate into our cushy society.

I reserved my review until I saw the last episode of Season 1 (which was nothing short of tremendous). The body of work so far is top notch. The characters are totally believable to me and the directing, cinematography and story line are excellent. If you like Platoon, Saving Private Ryan, and the rest of that genre, you will not be disappointed.

...not in the life of a commando nor in the universe of TV-shows. To keep it short: Well made, good actors. In regards to the story: We will see. I have only seen the pilot so far and I think it's too soon to make a final verdict.

But I would like to address some of the reviews on this show:

• Sex: I only remember one brief sex scene. And there wasn't even much skin involved. Guys: this is a show about humans and humans have sex - you are the product of such an event neither you like it or not. But hey, I'm from Europe and I will burn in hell for my liberal views anyway... :)

• Scalping: Do some research. There ARE allegations in this direction. Are they true? I don't know. But obviously it's not totally invented by the writers of the show. I neither apologies their possible doings nor do I condemn them as a whole. However: Is it true, it is distasteful even if the enemy uses similar tactics in psychological warfare. Killing them should be enough and do the trick.

The only criticism I have is that the guys are shown as very impulsive and sometimes with low self control. I would assume that that's not very realistic. But what do I know...