I grew up in the sixties, a time when the military was
frowned on by a vast number of people in this country. Rather than focus that
anger at those in charge it was the men in uniform who were coming back from
Vietnam who received that anger. Soldiers who had done nothing but their duty
were spit on as they disembarked from planes. They were called baby killers.
The reclamation of the American soldier took years to take place, scarred by a
war that was left behind.
The honor of the military existed but the public perception
was what needed to change. The first Gulf War helped that to an extent. The
Iraq War did as well. Finally the focus shifted from the armed warriors of the
military to those responsible for their being sent off to other countries. And
rather than being attacked on their return people remembered how they were
treated before and made sure it never happened again.
I mention this because for years the depiction of those in
the military seemed fueled by those who despised them. When you look back at
films made after the Vietnam War what we got was the vet depicted as insane and
homicidal (TAXI DRIVER) and movies depicting those who fought in Vietnam that
suited those claims of baby killers (CASUALTIES OF WAR, PLATOON). They weren’t
presented as heroes. Even extending into the 2000s we saw soldiers depicted
poorly in films like JARHEAD and HURT LOCKER. But that’s begun to change.
Rather than focus on things that went wrong films are now being made that
depict the heroism and good done by the military. Last year that concept made
its way to television with the series SEAL TEAM.
If you’re not familiar with the term SEAL in the military it
is the elite Special Forces team, the best of the best. The name SEAL stands
for Sea, Air and Land teams. This is a group trained in tactics to be used
against enemies in combat as well as other missions planned for them. Consider
it a scalpel being used to remove a cancer rather than using a cannon to do so.
With that in mind CBS this past year created the series that
focuses on one team and its members. They team is led by Master Chief Special
Warfare Operator Jason Hayes (David Boreanaz), a married man who oversees
everything his team does both on and off the battlefield. As the series opens
Team Bravo is dealing with the loss of one of its members. The loss is felt
hard by all team members but especially Hayes who feels responsible for all of
his men.
The series focuses on the training of the team as well as
various missions they are sent on but has several recurring stories that run
throughout. One of those involves Special Warfare Operator Clay Spenser (Max
Thieriot), a second generation member. He wants to be the best he can, to be a
part of the team, but he’s hindered by the fact that his father wrote a tell
all book about his time in the team. This leads to the rest of the team having
issues with him, feeling that they were betrayed by his father and unsure of
how well they can trust him as well.
A second story involves the fallen comrade from the series
opening. While helping his widow go through his things to dispense with, Hayes’
wife comes across a picture of the man with another woman. Discovering who this
woman is and finding it has the possibility of involving potential terrorists
has Hayes’ delving deeper into her background while not making the rest of the
team aware.
Other side stories run through the show as well. But the
main focus remains on the missions they are sent out on, a new one each week.
Torn from the pages of current events these involve things like a ship held
hostage in the South China Sea to the evacuation of an embassy in South Sudan.
One episode deals with the trade of an Army deserter for prisoners being held
at Gitmo. Another involves a potential dirty bomb. And of course the majority
of episodes deal with missions that take place in the Middle East, the current
hotbed of military action.
I’ve read reviews of the show that have taken shots at the
acting involved and have to take issue with those criticisms. Every performance
on view here to me seems not only competent but done well. Boreanaz who could
have set back and done nothing more than collect residual checks for his
involvement in shows ANGEL and BONES instead has put himself front and center
as the focal point of this series. If he were not up to the task the series
would collapse. It doesn’t and he shows what he’s capable of here. The rest of
the cast is up to what’s required of them as well. Each displays the necessary
qualities of a team, not just in the characters that they portray but as an
ensemble in a series as well.
The show offers plenty of stories to focus on surrounded by
enough action to keep viewers watching. It’s well produced and most likely will
continue for some time. Most importantly, at least for me, is that we once
again depict our soldiers as both human beings and as heroes. Being placed in
harm’s way more than once and coming home again they deserve this sort of
treatment. It’s a refreshing change of pace and one that should be welcome.
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