Commando on the front line, Episode 4.

[Eddie]

It's repeated on ITV4 tomorrow Artist, last week's episode is on at 2200, with last night's at 2230.

[Fitness_Freak]

The programme is more of an advertising campaign trying to get more people applying. The Marines are a lot of fighting solders down and this programme as well as adverts in cinemas is trying to boost the profile of the Marines. This doesn't do the programme credit as it doesn't give a true account of training. It's an embarrassment to the core.

[davidemmerson]

Fitness_Freak

Deleted the shite I posted. But no offence intended in what I posted.

[Sully]

I'd say both

Dave, I think you'll find that Fitness Freak is a bootneck so he'll know what the Corps (Core) is. I don't think you mean any offence but t'internet sometimes makes things come across not as intended?

[Brian-]

It's a shame they dedicated so much time to Terry John if he didn't even make it. I don't think it would be an exaggeration to say they have spent at least 1 whole episode on him so far... That's 20 minutes that could have focused on the actual training, rather than the life and times of the interesting minority figure.

I thought the footage from Afghanistan made it look like the Marines have it easy and do absolutely sod all, other than decide which DVD to watch. There are plenty of videos on Youtube that show more action than this programme!

Chris Terrill keeps saying how incredibly tough the training is and how the Royal Marines are among the best soldiers in the world, so why has he decided to make them look like the Boy Scouts? If you'd never heard of the Marines before seeing this show, you wouldn't believe him would you?

[jabcrosshook]

Well actually it's been having quite a good effect on peoples opinions, on a different forum which is totally unrelated to the military which I often visit, someone started a thread on the commando series and the general consensus is that people now have a huge amount of respect for the Royal Marines which they didn't have before because they had never been shown anything like it or come across anything to do with the Royal Marines.
Also there some threads on various entertainment/TV forums discussing this programme and people can't give enough praise for the Royal Marines now.
You may not think it but people are seeing John Terry and seeing how hard training is on an individual.

[Dave_1987]

Maybe their concentrating on one person to make it more personal to the viewer and its easier to see what effect the training has on a person. When Terry John was first on screen he looked like a bit of an idiot and a bit immature but you can definitely see the difference the training has had and how he's changed. They probably wouldnt have been able to show this by giving 1 recruit 1 minute each week. Also someone else mentioned that this programme probably isn't for the likes of people like us(wannabes) - we already know we want to join up. The programme is getting better each week though I think.

[Ali3]

I dont think its chris terrils fault, he had the right idea by getting amongst some of the training which is why i thought '55year old commando' was awesome.
However ITV have clearly tailored it and attempted to make it into a drama of will Terry make it or won't he. Also making it quite comical in parts, obviously with the intention of keeping ratings up, as 7 episodes of hard blood, sweat and tears thrashings simply isnt what the general public like to see.
This may be a consequence of the failure of 'SAS are you tough enough'

I have flicked through the book in Waterstones and first hunch believe this is much better as he is freely able to portray at length the reality of recruit training. Barely 30mins a week doesnt give Chris Terrils year long documentary justice- I wonder how he feels about the programme?

However, I do believe this programme does give a human face to the Royal Marines and doesn't portray them as 'meatheads.'

[Fairy_Dust]

Maybe now he's been MD'd and it's been said he joined the Royal engineers it will switch to another character in the troop? I like the London geezer, can't remember his name, about 24 years old I think, he doens't really make a show for the cameras.

Is this really a good way to get more recruits? By making a show about the RM that makes it look easy, there will be some disapointed people showing up at lympstone unless they've done more research than watching a programme. A mate of mine who has put his chit in to leave the marines told me theres another 1500 marines who are also waiting to leave.

Let's see what happens in next weeks show with out St Vincent, but I didn't find him that bad anyway, not the worst person to end up having in your troop.

[Chas]

Fairy Dust,

As you may know the Corps is 580 short on current manpower.
What credence is there to the proposition that there are now a
further 1500 wanting to put their chits in and leave ? If this is
the case then the situation is extremely dire and the future will
be very bleak similar to the situation prior to the Falklands. It
was primarily Operation Corporate which ensured the future for
the Corps. Now if you are correct the future must again be under
the microscope and possibly in jeopardy.
It behoves every person interested in the Corps to promote it
to the best of their ability.

[Dangermouse]

anyone got a youtube link for the latest episode?

[_chris]

No youtube but ITV have the videos on their website, click on the links under catch up videos on the right hand side of the profile http://www.itv.com/News/commando/about/default.html

[Artist]

It's a shame they dedicated so much time to Terry John if he didn't even make it. I don't think it would be an exaggeration to say they have spent at least 1 whole episode on him so far... That's 20 minutes that could have focused on the actual training, rather than the life and times of the interesting minority figure.

I thought the footage from Afghanistan made it look like the Marines have it easy and do absolutely sod all, other than decide which DVD to watch. There are plenty of videos on Youtube that show more action than this programme!

Chris Terrill keeps saying how incredibly tough the training is and how the Royal Marines are among the best soldiers in the world, so why has he decided to make them look like the Boy Scouts? If you'd never heard of the Marines before seeing this show, you wouldn't believe him would you?

At one stage I thought they might film Mr Johns having a Wa*k in the early hours prior to turning to for a spot of guard duty!!!!

I ain't a racist in any way shape or form but....by heck he got on me tits no messtins.

Artist

[lodge939]

this show could have been so much better. just the kind of program i want to watch, yet its a complete disappointment

[Alfa]

I dont think its chris terrils fault, he had the right idea by getting amongst some of the training which is why i thought '55year old commando' was awesome.

I disagree, I think by getting too involved he wasn't able to stand back and make a proper documentary, he embroiled himself in the story. I mean how can you truly focus on making the best documentary you can while you're also training to pass the Commando tests?

I also find it no surprise that the 55yo Commando was a far better programme than the actual series, in my opinion, as I've stated before I think he was more interested in achieving his own ambition of showing he could "hack it in the Marines."

I'm not having a go at you or anything though as you're more than entitled to your opinion.

I did think this last episode was better than the previous ones have been but then that didn't exactly take much, here's hoping it carries on improving.