Combat Hospital

I've tried a lot of new shows over the years, and have found one thing... as I re-watch early episodes of my favorite shows, rarely is a hit born overnight, and rarely would I have stuck with even my most favorite show (LOST) after the first few episodes alone.

There's a lot of ground work to be laid with Combat Hospital, but I like the casting,and am anxious to see some potential story lines evolve further. It has enough to engage me - I was looking forward to the second episode this week and sought it out deliberately.

Haven't said that about many shows this last year.

We'll see how it evolves but so far, it has my vote!

During the time this drama is set, I was deployed to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center as a member of the USAF medical corps. While a number of the depicted situations weren't perfectly accurate, they did portray the essence of combat medicine and captured many of the emotional dynamics as well.

I liked very much how the many conditions and dynamics of deployment were at least broached: insurgents, local terps, illicit recreational sex, lesbian (bisexual?)soldiers, military politics, reaching out to locals and some of the inherent trust issues that exist on both sides, and the heartbreaking violence requisite of life during wartime.

Not all kudos here, for the writing and character development could have been better, and had the tendency to lapse into stereotypical characterizations, i.e., arrogant surgeon (Dr. Hill), idealistic internist (Dr. Trang), over-achiever female surgeon (Dr. Gordon), and no-nonsense commander (Dr. Marks). Also a number of plot twists disappointed for their already-done expectedness in other media.

I appreciated this show and its complex elements; of course the medicine wasn't perfect nor were the uniforms/military protocol, but all in all, it was a rather insightful look into military medicine at its finest--saving lives under the incredible pressures of war. Additionally, I do make the note which must be bared in mind: Hollywood (or Toronto), rarely depicts occupations and their intricacies accurately simply for lack of dramatic effect. It is the provenance of the creative arts to take license with 'the truth.'

All said, I enjoyed this show and was able to comfortably relive some events from my own life, which was an engaging experience. For a fairly comprehensive look into combat hospital life, check out the 2008 documentary by Terry Sanders, "Fighting For Life" filmed at stateside and in-theater military hospitals.

Finally, in reading the varied reviews here, I find the disinterest/criticism of certain comments to be less about the content of the show and more reflective a commentary on the American (and Canadian)public's apathy toward these wars and its less than one percent of Americans engaged in them. I hope some entity will find the wherewithal to reincarnate this show and bring this much-needed perspective back on air in the future.

Why are summer shows frequently better than the regular season? Furthermore, why are many of the British and Canadian shows better? Is it the actors' training, the scripts, all of the above?

In any case, I think that Combat Hospital has excellent scripts and great acting. Anyone who thinks this is a M*A*S*H knock-off is very mistaken.

I understand the concern expressed by the Canadian veteran, but I respectfully disagree. I think that more people need to be reminded of the sacrifice our Coalition forces are making. I think that it is more likely that people will watch a drama vs another documentary. I believe that it shows a caring and concerned medical staff.

I hope it gets picked up for the fall season.

Well....I am up for new shows and thought this was worth watching. Sad to say, it is just too hard to get through. The acting is fine and all.....but for some one who has been to Afghanistan multiple times, I was hoping for something more realistic. The story lines have no depth and the scenes are unrealistic. Example....episode 2 starts with a tarantula walking across the shower wall and the Canadian Doctor shoots it. Later it is referred to as a camel spider. Anyone who has seen a camel spider knows what they look like and they are very aggressive. That was no camel spider. The show is not gritty and not powerful enough to get veterans to watch it and be impressed. Maybe that isn't the focus group intended....but that is the group really passing judgment. Suggestion for the producers/writers and directors.....go for something along the line of The Unit if you can't muster up HBO quality (The Wire/Rome for example). The Unit was exciting to watch, good story line and fine acting....even close to something that is realistic. Too bad it got cut as the story line was just developing. Just hope this show gets better....still watching and jury is still out.

Combat Hospital is where M*A*SH left off, in a way. I am expecting a HORSE-M*A*S*H episode with the old school cavalry (how Potter rode away to come back someday). In 1999, after eight years my being an EMT-P and starting Civilian /Military rescue training near Great Lakes ,Illinois. I had to go good-Samaritan leave(before 9-11)to take full time out from rescue and, cull the field(horse stock) of my horseshoeing business and care for my then 90 year old parents day-in-day-out. I always followed M*A*S*H re-runs. Then alone I moved back to New Mexico desert four years and found your show very, very understandable at my age 55+. I want to be on this shows' set someday. Though I do not yet see the charm form the Hollywood movie that led to M*A*S*H; COMBAT HOSPITAL is (and can be) more graphic as reality sets in for the brave, mobile and tactical army.