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These half hour episodes are too short, I wait all week for something interesting to watch, get all moist in anticipation, it starts and then it's over, abit like sex for some people really.
Nothing much went on, just John Terrys philosophical views of life, walked some big distances, some people got lost and then some rabbits and chickens died, but never the less it was entertaining/interesting.

Im still not over impressed with this TV series.

Its a FANTASTIC idea!

But 30 its with adverts etc is just too short.

They focus on about 5 members of the troop, noone else gets a mention!

Some of the stuff is cool though.

N.B. Do not be put off by my comments.

I watched the programme with my oppo who won a King's Badge
in 1957. (And yes I am that old. ) We were not impressed.
A much better programme was the TV series COMMANDO made
for Westcountry Television, produced and directed by Charles
Thompson.This was based on the book by Hugh McManners titled
COMMANDO Winning the Green Beret. It is a week by week brutal
account of 638 Troop from the day they joined until passout with
the King's Squad. This course ran concurrently with the AACse.
4/92 who are also detailed in the book. Hugh McManners was in
29Cdo. Regt. RA for 13 years. In the Falklands he served with
the SBS as Naval Gunfire Forward Observer and was honoured
with a MID. He retired as a Major and is also a qualified para.

I rate the current programme as 3 out of 10.

Try to get a copy of the book COMMANDO. ISBN 0-563-36981-7.
Publisher Network Books.

It has excellent photos and details all the assault courses with plans
and diagrams showing the obstacles. e.g. the bottom field and the
endurance course etc. It qualifies the intensive training, physical
hardship and mental pressure, ending with the gruelling Commando
Tests. All this was demonstrated in that specific TV programme.

I hope the current programme improves. At present it is unstructured
and the episodes are far too short. Likewise we have not seen many
of the characters. Finally it does not show how damn hard the course
really is.

Good luck to all who try- Go for it.

Chas.

I agree with you Chas. Personally the stuff they have been showing in the videos are under par with the training I'm currently doing. I can spend a day ruck marching and plotting my own courses in the forest without a problem. It looks just like a bunch of really intense boyscouts.

I know it is more promotional then anything, however, if people join based on what they see so far, I'm assuming like you said they are going to be very mistaken. It must be much much harder then what we have seen so far. With only 5 people graduating from the original 49, your looking at roughly a 10% pass rate, which is pretty sad. I hope there training intensifies and shows why the beret is so worth it.

I've got the book you mention Chas, it's not bad at all. His book Falklands Commando was excellent as well.

It's a pity that they haven't released a DVD of the series as I'd really have liked to see it.

Regards
T_T

I haven't actually seen this new series. All of these reviews help a bit, makes it seem like I'm not missing much. Obviously I'll still check it out when I get the chance.

I also remember the series COMMANDO, I must have only been 13 or 14 when it was aired but it was a good series I remember. It actually started my interest in the marines. Didn't know the details about the author of the book however, thanks for that.

If you get to see it again you'll notice that the troop boss on that programme was Lt Ward who sadly was killed (by then a Major) in the early days of the Iraq invasion. He was hugely popular with that troop and also when I knew him a little later in one one the TACP teams. A great loss to the Corps.

The quote just before the 30miler was great tho (may have got the odd word wrong) but:


This is, for you; the combination of 9 months training,

Blood, Sweat, and Tears for everyone of you,

Through the ups and downs you have experienced emotionaly, and physically to exhaustion,

Only 8 hours now stand between you and getting a green beret,

Tell yourself;

If you feel you cannot go on;


you will take one small step,

One small step more,

For in truth, in honesty,

The largest of feats are completed,

By the smallest of steps added together repeated.


This is the last hurdle, lets see it happen, 30miles 8 hours.

I'l see each and every one of you at the end.

We can only hope that when the series is shown in the New Year we will see more footage and get a better insight. The lack of time for each episode plays a big part in any current disappointments. This may well be rectified when the series is shown in hour long episodes.

I think that due to the time slot they have (30 min) they can't focus on a everything and everyone, so they obviously cut it so it focuses on the interesting/odd characters as well as the shocking (for most civvis anyway) parts of training. They wouldn't get anyone watching if it was just them doing gym circuits, so I can see why the program is the way it is. Bottom line is it's better than another house make over show, hands down.

I read the McManners book, it was very good, I liked the way it did a bit on the AACC as well. I don't think Chris Terriel (sic?) has done a bad job at all, but ITV haven't made the episodes longer and are therefore wasted his hard work!!!

I've watched the first 2 episodes of the 55 year old Commando, and Terreil is a pretty sound guy. In fact he said this:

"Pain is temporary but a Green Beret lasts forever"

Wise words indeed