Generation Kill (HBO Miniseries)

[Jouster]

From David Simon and Ed Burns of "The Wire." Adapted from the book by Evan Wright. 7 hour miniseries. Starts this Sunday.

Here's some reading/listening/viewing, if you're so inclined:
The Official HBO Page (http://www.hbo.com/generationkill/)
An Interview with Ed Burns at Salon (http://www.salon.com/ent/tv/feature/2008/07/07/burns/index.html?source)
Another Interview, this one in the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/arts/television/06wils.html)
An NPR Interview with Simon and Wright (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91846806)

[nadsat droog]

Anyone planning on watching the show has a lil bit of homework to do. Alan Sepinwall (http://sepinwall.blogspot.com/) recommends reading this guide before you watch: Generation Kill: Everything you need to know about who's who and what's what. (http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2008/07/generation-kill.html)

Apparently it might be a bit confusing trying to differentiate several groups of soldiers all wearing the same uniform in similar humvees.

[tobypdx]

<a href="http://blog.nola.com/davewalker/2008/07/hbo_sets_drama_series_in_treme.html">Article on David Simon's next HBO project about New Orleans called "Treme"</a>

[MrDys]

Holy shit that was good. Like. Holy shit.

[charles star]

Holy shit that was good. Like. Holy shit.
Ziggy is just as annoying as a marine as he was as a wannabe dealer. Which is probably why David Simon cast him again.

I liked the episode but I didn't think it was particularly groundbreaking - it shared screwed up orders/officers with (among other movies) Three Kings and Heartbreak Ridge, counterproductive personal engagement with Iraqis with Three Kings and odious/macho Marines/infantry with Jarhead and lots of Vietnam movies.

Still, its a keeper and I'm going to follow this series through.

[TimBuktu]

At the very least, I'm interested to see where this is headed. Is this based off of the Rolling Stone writers articles or something?

[Jouster]

Yes (they later were expanded and released as a book, also called Generation Kill).

[Teaflax]

I gotta hand it to Alexander Skarsgård. If I hadn't known he was Swedish, I would probably not have noticed it. Not an absolutely perfect accent, but 99% there.

[skechada!]

I couldn't believe how many jokes they were able to sneak in, mostly in the background, mostly at the end of scenes, right before a cut. All either awful "pussy" or race jokes, or gallows humor, but very very funny jokes that added a layer of realism. There also seems to be a lot of 'inside' jokes like ever present Skittles, etc. Very cool.

I really enjoyed the first episode, and given the writers I expect to enjoy the full series.

[yumitree]

the skittles thing isn't really an inside joke. it is, according to that generation kill primer droog linked, a marine staple.
the only skin mag seems to be hustler, though... i wonder if it's product placement.

[Rick Paulas]

That was pretty fantastic. I also felt Ziggy was annoying (at least, at the start of the second season), but sticking him in this role is a masterstroke. He's perfect for it.

Did anyone else hope the hip hop end-music from The Wire was going to fade in during that last shot?

[TomHicks]

http://www.slate.com/id/2195528/

This is a piece on Slate from Peter Maas, who was embedded with the troops during the Iraq invasion. He has nothing but praise for the TV show and is impressed with the deep level of detail in the show. In fact, Maas opens his piece talking about his memories of the red candy bags. He talks about some stuff that comes up on the future episodes in order to discuss the themes of his piece, but I don't think any of it is spoilerish -- there is nothing about, say, the fate of any of the Marines.

[Teaflax]

there is nothing about, say, the fate of any of the Marines.

Fates? They have fates? Gee, thanks, Mr Spoiler.

[TomHicks]

This show, just like The Wire, just keeps getting better and better -- and the story and characters become more complex.
This last episode was really impressive and entertaining. The fact that Godfather (evacuating the injured boy) and the screamy-shrill sergeant major (the soldier losing his helmet) made solid, logical points really pulled those characters back from being cliches.

[ProfessorShutYoMouth]

I thought this mini-series was a piece of crap based on the first episode, but I'm getting into it now...the part in episode two when they went headfirst into that hostile town was pretty sweet.

[MrDys]

Probably the most appropriate place to post this, in light of the board monsters eating the old one:

'Wire' actress 'Snoop' arrested on drug charges (http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-snoop0821,0,4256715.story?track=rss)

[nadsat droog]

I don't know why I haven't posted since the show began but I love it and I'll be sad to see it end. The book was enthralling and fills in a lot of gaps, but the show has it down to a T for the most part. I recommend the book if you even liked the show a little bit. It's really interesting to see what's going through the minds of these guys - their reasons for joining/leaving the marines for example.

Just like The Wire, the show has a high rewatchability value. I've only watch a few of them more than once but I pick up on things that I missed out on the first time around. Most of the background chatter is hilarious.

Here's a really interesting article written by James Ransone (Person/Ziggy) about how the show changed his life. (http://www.malibumag.com/site/article/james_ransone/)

And here's a short video interview with the real Eric Kocher. (http://www.bigthink.com/the-world/the-middle-east/12132)

[MonManka]

Fates? They have fates? Gee, thanks, Mr Spoiler.
um...its a show about marines in war. every episode in the back of my mind i think someone is going to die. stop being naive these people aren't invincible.

[Jouster]

I hope you weren't serious with that comment (because Teaflax wasn't with his).

[TimBuktu]

They really don't cut you any slack with the military jargon, that word document helped clear up some things. My girlfriend likes the show, but is completely lost half the time.

I really liked the end of the last one, with the dialogue under the credits. A nice extended explanation of why they treat each other like they do, and a perfect place for it.

The whole series keeps confirming my worst fears about what went on over there... and what continues to go on... Basically a cluster fuck.

[TomHicks]

um...its a show about marines in war. every episode in the back of my mind i think someone is going to die. stop being naive these people aren't invincible.


SPOILER ALERT!
Gay Rudy does not die, as evidenced by the fact he is playing himself in the series.

[Jouster]

David Simon is going to be on The Colbert Report on Wednesday (10/29).