FX Series ‘Over There’ – Steve Bochco: You’re Late

FX is touting Over There, a new series about the war in Iraq – a fictional drama about an event that is still unfolding everyday. That seems about as useful as a miniseries about 9/11. This new ‘epic drama’ promises to show us an unflinching portrait of the war and it’s impact on our servicemen and women (my pessimistic side wonders if it will show the impact on the citizens of Iraq). But there’s one problem:
This war is already being chronicled every day.
From every side and every opinion. We can already read what the soldiers are thinking – both during deployment and when they get back home. We can already read what the Iraqis are thinking – both before the invasion and during the occupation. We are already inside this war every day.
Blogs, for me, remain the way to chronicle your intersection with history and in this case a TV drama isn’t going to come close to the daily updates from inside the war zone. Not with nice lighthing and clean faces but by men and women and children from many countries that are engaged in an epic struggle that they may not always understand (God knows I don’t).
We are post-fiction. We get enough of that out of the White House.


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19 responses to “FX Series ‘Over There’ – Steve Bochco: You’re Late”

  1. Eugene Hernandez Avatar
    Eugene Hernandez

    There needs to be more of this type of programing. It makes us feel this war because most of us don’t feel shit about this war. It needs to be on prime time on all the major network and cable stations. Everything you mention about post- fiction is true but this type of programing bring it home. We’re TV folks, put this war at the level of those who need to be reached.

  2. CW3 BERT Avatar

    WHERE WAS THE ATTACK AIR SUPPORT?….JUST LIKE IRAQ (bushie’s QUAGMIRE) …NOT ENOUGH AIRCRAFT OR KILLER TYPE PILOTS!

  3. STEVE Avatar
    STEVE

    MOST AMERICAN’S HAVE NEVER SERVED IN THE MILITARY SINCE WE HAVEN’T HAD A DRAFT IN OVER 30 YEARS. THESE PRO WAR REPUBLICANS , AND BUSH SUPPORTERS, MAY NEED A LITTLE TASTE OF WHAT A WAR REALLY IS. MAYBE THIS PROGRAM WILL HELP EDUCATE THEM SOME. WAR IS NOT A COMPUTER GAME!!!
    FROM: A VIETNAM VETERAN!!!!!!

  4. anonymous Avatar
    anonymous

    Was looking forward to the show … unfortunately I heard “G– D—” more times in the first three minutes than I’ve heard in the last three years. I know way too many men over there that … though they may swear … refuse to curse their God who watches over them.
    Three minutes of episode one is all you’ll ever get from me.

  5. George Avatar
    George

    Thank god for this fabulous series! It is so wonderfully surprising to see American soldiers portrayed as honorable heroes worthy of respect. It is amazing to compare and contrast this show to the abortion Michael Moore vomited out.
    War is a hellish business and warriors are never perfect, both themes being presented starkly in the pilot episode.
    However, our troops are out there every day taking the battle directly to Islamic Radical enemy. We owe them more gratitude than we can ever give.
    I wish that more of the reflexive anti-bush, anti-war on terror types would watch this program to see the sacrifices being borne by our troops, feel empathy for them, and support them in their push for victory.
    I understand Steve’s post and I can only imagine what hell he saw and how betrayed he felt by the traitors here at home during Vietnam who refused to fight the war and win it decisively. My experience comes from Operation Desert Storm. We had the support of the American People, we had a leadership with a fighting spirit, we won decisively, and we came home. The only problem was Bush Sr’s deferrence to the UN quislings who set the war’s 3 objectives, neglecting to include total victory and removal of Hussein.
    Our troops fighting for us deserve the same things. They deserve the support of the American People, they deserve a leadership with a fighting spirit, and they deserve to win decisively and come home to a hero’s welcome.
    I cannot understand the way this war is being fought. We face an enemy of roughly 150 million very motivated radical islamists with increasing access to Chemical, Biological & Nuclear weapons. They have demonstrated that they can succesfully conduct complex operations on the American mainland. This makes them far more dangerous than Germany or Japan, neither of which seriously threatened the mainland. They have declared war on America. They have repeatedly attacked and have been repeatedly ignored.
    You may trust Hans “Sgt Shultz” Blix or Kofi “What Me Worry?” Annan to secure America from these threats. Not me. I’ll always trust the American soldier.
    WWII was won by an American people united in their cause and their shared sacrifice. Where are the victory gardens? Where are the tire and paper drives? Where is the Congressional Decalaration of War? Where is the sacrifice and focus? Where is the fighting spirit?
    America needs to conduct this war the same way WWII was conducted, total war resulting in total victory and ultimately resulting in Germany and Japan being some of our most reliable allies and trading partners.
    Bush needs to press the battle to Syria and Iran. We have the world’s finest fire and maneuver army. Playing nursemaid in Iraq merely makes our troops sitting ducks. They have battles to win. The terrorists will follow them into Iran and Syria and Iraq will flower into a fully functioning democracy once the terrorists depart.
    FROM: A DESERT STORM VETERAN!!!!!!

  6. MacStansbury Avatar

    As a vet from OIF…this was laughable. I’ve been around that kind of cussing since the 80s, and if you take that out, and the body-count…then you’re left with…what? a bunch of dregs of society who have no redeeming qualities.
    thank you, Steven Bochco, you’ve figured out what the American Soldier is, a low-life who can’t get a real job. thanks, Steve. glad you cleared that up.

  7. Army Infantry vet Avatar
    Army Infantry vet

    I served over 20 years in the Army on active duty, including in both ODS and OIF.
    Based on the first two episodes, this series inaccurately portrays military life both “over there”, and on the home front. That’s too bad, because a lot of effort has apparently gone into this series, and the inaccuracies seem, as much as anything, to come from a purely superficial knowledge of Soldiers and the military.
    Examples:
    Active duty Soldiers don’t stand around in the motor pool getting high right before a combat deployment. Monthly random drug tests and 100% unit pre-deployment drug tests are a part of Army life.
    Blatant racism is just not a major problem among Soldiers in combat. That is not to say that no racism exists in the Army, but it is not the major issue for most Infantry squads in combat.
    The Army sends casualty assistance teams to notify next of kin in person when Soldiers are killed or wounded: telephonic notification does not happen.
    There are NO “beer runs” in Iraq.

  8. JB Avatar
    JB

    Hey all! I am writing to see if anyone has taped any of the Over There series, my husband is currently delpoyed over in Iraq and I managed to tape the first show for him but missed the second. If anyone could be help I would appreciate it. My email is:
    mexipoo@yahoo.com I am willing to pay you for shipping the tape and return it to you as soon as possible

  9. Jeb Avatar
    Jeb

    Utter piece of propaganda crap. Every one of my 4 acquaintances that have been in Iraq including a cousin on my wife’s side is furious at this show. The only accurate thing Bochco portrays is the sparse living conditions and the close camaraderie and simultaneous personal conflicts. Other than that, each and every one of them believes this show has a purpose to it. To tear down the will of Americans as to what they are trying to do and trivialize the every day efforts and actions of the troops on the ground as well as the leadership. This is a travesty. I would like someone, anyone, to detail to me which group of seasoned vets they are using as advisors to write this script. Answer? NONE!

  10. AfricanHealer Avatar
    AfricanHealer

    FOOLS… It never ceases to amaze me how people will pick something apart. This show is not intended to focus on the specifics of combat strategy, deployment or equipment. ITS ABOUT THE PEOPLE and their inevitable struggle between duty and common sense. Its supposed to get us talking about the war and its effects not wasting time on swearing or what technical advisors are utilized.
    Soldiers, civilians and children are all getting blown up “over there”. I think we can all agree on that. The point is: is ANYTHING worth that? Isn’t there any OTHER way of settling our differences? Those of you who are so freaked out about technical inaccuracies are just like the Bush White House – completely ignoring the REAL point.
    I’m thrilled that there is some creative and poignant effort going on to depict some sort of glimpse, no matter how flawed, into what’s happening for our people and those who unluckily live in that region. I am so tired of the sanitized network news that I will settle for this faux reality show. I have always believed that people who truly see and experience war will not wish to wage it, at least not lightly. I’ve never met a vetran who’s seen a significant amount of action really WANT to have more. They’ll do it because they have an incredible sense of honor but they don’t WANT to partake in the carnage.
    If anyone really wants to support our troops they will pull their head out of their derrier and look at the bigger picture of what this show is trying to inspire.

  11. Linda Miller Avatar
    Linda Miller

    Our son is in Bagdad, Iraq this is his second trip to the Middle East to fight the same war. He has been taken away from his loved ones time and time again. But, He’s a born and bred U.S.Soldier. We as his parents, although hard to watch at times , aplaud the creators of this show. And every week we experienced what our Son might be going through while “Over There”.

  12. afiza Avatar
    afiza

    i like this show because even though it might not be as accurate as in real life out there,however,it makes me realize what our troops are going through over there for the cost of freedom.after watching the show now i appreciate a hell of lot more for what they are doing out there. i just hope that this whole thing is over with soon and they come home safe so we don’t have to make another episode of “over there”

  13. afiza Avatar
    afiza

    personally i think that this show depicts some about the reality of situations over there. when i watch this show i really get emotional and after watching this show i now appreciate a lot more what our troops do for freedom out there. i just wish this whole thing is over with so that there would be no need to make another episode of “over there”

  14. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    You are a Fucking Idiot Liberal Fuck!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  15. Andy Wibbels Avatar

    You forgot tree-hugging, anti-Christmas, bleeding-heart and ACLU-loving.

  16. Bob Carstens Avatar
    Bob Carstens

    i have been watching your program every time it is publicized. I thought maybe it had been banned-discontinued because it has not been on lately. i came across it tonight by accident not knowing it was back. Please continue it. I am an ex-Marine served Nov 54 thru july 58.
    I was in the Far East Jan 55 thru November 57. Please continue your program .. it says things that need to be said. It is my belief that our present leadership has betrayed the values that I thought our country stood for … it has made me ashamed to be an American … i admire our servicemen to the extent that they serve our country under very trying circumstances … and posssibly forcing them to fight for questionable reasons … As Herman Goering of Nazi Germany said, “People can always be brought to the bidding of leaders …. all you have to do is tell them they’re being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country.” (I would not be surprised if the CIA is monitoring this … If the CIA is monitoring this let them stick it up their ASS)

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  18. sadaqa Avatar

    A man is trying to understand the nature of God and asked him: “God, how long is a million years to you?”
    God answered: “A million years is like a minute.”
    Then the man asked: “God, how much is a million dollars to you?” And God replied: “A million dollars is like a penny.”
    Finally the man asked: “God, could you give me a penny?” And God says: “In a minute.”

  19. Debbie Avatar
    Debbie

    Steven Bochco This is one of Steven Bochco’s great works. I enjoyed the entire series, just like everything he writes. I look forward to another season of OVER THERE. Also, aould love to see something along the line of NYPD Blue.

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