How realistic is this wartime drama?

August 1, 2005 - While the broadcast Fox Network has had a sketchy reputation for its handling of shows that are a little odder than typical fare - any Wonderfalls or Firefly fans out there? - the FX Network has been building a strong rep for edgy shows like Nip/Tuck, The Shield and Rescue Me. Intensifying their "HBO of basic cable" lineup, they now tackle the ongoing Iraq War with NYPD Blue and Hill Street Blues creator Steven Bochco’s new series Over There.

With the war such a polarizing subject with strongly-felt views on both sides, it’s tempting to laud Bochco and FX for even attempting to produce a show that tries to portray the experience for our GIs while the war is under way. But, based on only this first 44 minutes, it’s hard to judge how well they’ll accomplish their mission.

We’re quickly introduced to what can be assumed will be our core cast, a squad under the command of "Sgt. Scream" (Erik Palladino). "Smoke" (Kirk "Sticky" Jones) is a racist Compon reefer head; "Dim" (Luke Macfarlane) is a Cornell grad with an older wife; "Doublewide" (Lizette Carrion) is the obligatory tough female Hispanic soldier; "Angel" (Keith Robinson) is a gospel singer who joined the Army after missing the cut for a national choir; Bo (Josh Henderson) is a former Texas QB who doesn’t understand why he doesn’t have a nickname yet; and "Mrs. B." (Nicki Aycox) is a frightened girl who really shouldn’t be in the Army.

The language is salty and the battles are bloody, particularly one close encounter between an attacking Iraqi and a grenade, so the "viewer discretion advised" warnings should be heeded. It’s not gratuitous, though, and if war was portrayed as a bloodless activity punctuated by rough, tough soldiers exclaiming "Aw, shucks!" it would be ridiculous and unbelievable.

While the producers have been diligent in stating that they don’t have an agenda or a pro-war or anti-war slant, it’s easy to discern some of what their views are, particularly the rules of engagement which have more to do with public relations than effective tactics.

One questionable decision is the use of generic heavy metal music to score the battle scenes. It turns what should be harrowing combat into a music video and I wonder how long it’ll be before the anti-war crowd complains that war is being made to look like an extreme sport to up recruiting numbers?

While the performances are uniformly solid and the script has moments of insight, the broader picture is shakier. The characters seem too pat and put together to satisfy a diversity checklist. While the military is comprised of all types of people, when a show presents an obvious one-of-each-major-people-group array, it feels contrived.

Also lacking in this episode is much of the "over here" story - the parts focusing on the lives of those keeping the home fires burning. To that end, a technically improbable scene of the soldiers sending video e-mails home is included, but other than showing one wife having serious fidelity issues, it is thin stuff so far.

While the series itself is bound to get deeper in its story and characterizations, this first chapter on its own isn’t very compelling. In a questionable marketing move, the pilot episode is being released on DVD only a week after its broadcast debut as if the inevitable complete season set won’t be eventually released or reruns for free won’t be aired.

Score: 5 out of 10

The Video

The picture is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen and while it’s better than what most people have seen in their cable or satellite releases, it falls short of the capabilities of the format.

The show has a stylized visual look with heavy color filtering (e.g. night scenes are shot in a black and green pseudo night-vison manner) and while colors are good, overall detail is fuzzy. It goes beyond the expected gritty look into just plain messy territory. Black levels are good and shadow details, when relevant, are respectable.

While there aren’t any drastic flaws like print damage or macroblocking in the shots with lots of dirt being blown up, the lack of fine detail and minor edge-enhancement holds the score down.

Score: 6 out of 10

Languages and Audio

Audio is in English Dolby 2.0 Surround without any subtitles. With few exceptions, audio is pretty strictly front-loaded with very little surround activity. Compounding the omission of subtitles is the fact that several times, important dialogue was lost in rapid delivery or gunfire and without the option to turn on the subtitles, the points were lost.

Bottom end is also sorely lacking, leaving battle scenes bereft of the visceral punch a mortar blast and gunfire should have. No offensive distortion or hiss was noted.

Score: 6 out of 10

Packaging and Extras

The disc comes in your standard military-issue keepcase without an insert. The opening anti-piracy ad and trailer for this series have to be chapter-skipped to access the main menu.

The only extra on this release is Over There: An Inside Look, a 16-minute EPK with interviews with Bochco, writer-director Chris Gerolmo and the Marine technical advisor, S.Sgt.. Sean Thomas Bunch, himself a two-tour vet of Iraq. Of the cast, only Palladino is heard from. It’s generally superficial which is to be expected with the whole season’s run still in its future - now’s a bad time for retrospection - so it’s more a commercial than anything.

Score: 2 out of 10

The Bottom Line

While the series itself may shape up to be a fine show, this DVD, being only a single episode, is a poor introduction and a poor purchase value by itself.