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I am responding from my perspective as a multi-tour (more than a decade) Marine Corps veteran.
Any television shows or movies about the US military receive an extremely scrutinizing and critical eye from me for their balance of authenticity vs Hollywoodization. As far as ratings go, the average producer, executive producer, director, continuity controller, costume director, casting director, stunt coordinator, screenwriter, scriptwriter, entertainment historian, fluffer, makeup artist, actress, actor, stuntman, stuntwoman, etc. will always torpedo the former to uphold the latter. I do understand that no production has to be or should be 100% authentic nor even 60% authentic as far as depictions of the military. However, when they are TOO Hollywood fir for me, in I am immediately turned off, and that’s what I do: turn them off. As such, they only have about one or two of the first episodes of a tv series and the first twenty minutes or so of a movie to impress me.
The NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) television series franchise spun off from the JAG (Judge Advocate General) television series. When both of the shows were first announced, I was originally excited and looked forward to their pilots. After watching them, however, that enthusiasm quickly turned to disappointment due to their overall unrealistic portrayals of the military service, military personnel, military protocols, military life, everything. I was not able to hang in as a fan, way too Hollywood for my tastes.
DISCLAIMER: prior to anyone admonishing me for having an opinion with which you may disagree, or anyone who finds fault with my reasoning for how I arrived at my opinion, please keep in mind that you also make personal decisions and form your own opinions about things based on what you find important. You have things that you like and do not like, just as I do. I will not make any attempt to change your mind on this topic, and no amount of opposition to me will make me change mine. Thank you.
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This post was edited by Randy D at August 12, 2020 9:48 AM MDTBut Merlie, I’m well aware that it’s just a tv show, and like I already stated, I know it doesn’t have to be accurate. Personally for my tastes, it’s not something I want to watch. No matter how much a show is liked by other people, if you don’t want to watch it, your opinion of it is what you go by. I’m sure you don’t watch/like every single show that I watch/like, and your reasons for that decision process are your own.
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