What Is Your Favorite Military Television Show or Station RallyPoint Nation?

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 22:20:40 -0500

I like the Military History station on cable and Mail Call is my favorite program, because you learn so much history on all aspect of the military. I actually met Gunnery Sergeant R. Lee Ermey at Fort Benning, Georgia in 2007 when I was a Senior Drill Sergeant.
Mail Call was a television program that appeared on the History Channel and hosted by R. Lee Ermey, a retired United States Marine Corps Staff Sergeant, (given the honorary rank of Gunnery Sergeant in May 2002). The show debuted on August 4, 2002 as part of the 'Fighting Fridays' lineup. Most episodes were 30 minutes, but from 2007 through the show's end in 2009 some episodes were 60 minutes.
During each episode, Ermey read and answered questions submitted by viewers regarding weapons and equipment used by all branches of the U.S. military now or in the past, as well as by other armed forces in history. Ermey often took his viewers on location to military training areas to film demonstrations and consult with experts. When not on location, Ermey broadcast from a set resembling a military outpost, including a tent, a Jeep, and various other pieces of military gear which changed throughout the series. At times, he would also have a bulldog - usually symbolic of Marines, especially drill instructors - on his show as well.
Comic relief was provided as Ermey inflicted DI-style verbal abuse on his viewers or tests the effects of various weapons on watermelons (the host's "sworn enemy") and paint cans, as well as occasional appearances of "Mini-Lee", an action figure styled in Ermey's likeness, often seen berating a luckless G.I. Joe figurine. His demeanor as host was similar to the character "Gunnery Sergeant Hartman" portrayed by Ermey in the Stanley Kubrick film Full Metal Jacket, though this attitude was shown only towards his viewers (e.g., ordering viewers to return after a commercial break) and not the military special guests. Older viewers might compare him to Sergeant Vincent Carter, a character in the Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. television program.

The program had several DVD video releases, including selected episodes from seasons one through seven, as well as a blooper video called Mail Call: S.N.A.F.U..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_Call

http://military.history.com/schedule

Mail Call - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mail Call is a television program that appeared on the History Channel. It was hosted by R. Lee Ermey, a retired United States Marine Corps Staff Sergeant who had received the honorary rank of Gunnery Sergeant in May of 2002. The show debuted on August 4, 2002 as part of the "Fighting Fridays" lineup. Most episodes were 30 minutes, but from 2007 through the show's end in 2009 some episodes were 60 minutes.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Dec 30 at 2014 10:44 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 22:44:38 -0500

I had to think long and hard about this one. So many have come and gone, some that I enjoyed at the time but they look awful if I view them now. Many more that I've forgotten. Strangely, I'm drawn back to Combat with Vic Morrow. We watched it on Armed Forces Radio and Television in Vietnam. I believe that we enjoyed it because it portrayed the kind of war that we wished we could have fought. That's not to say that ours was less of a war, less of a purpose, less of a struggle. It's just that soldiers who fought in WWII didn't have to measure success in bodies counted. We did...

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Dec 30 at 2014 10:51 PM

LTC Stephen C. — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 22:51:25 -0500

Well, SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL, my favorite military TV show was "The West Point Story (aka West Point)"! It aired during the 1956 - 1958 seasons. The Official West Point March by Philip Egner was the show's theme song.

"The West Point Story", produced with the full cooperation of the United States Department of Defense and the United States Military Academy, was said to be based on actual files documenting many of the real-life dramatic occurrences at West Point over the years. Names and dates were altered in order to protect the privacy of the real people portrayed, however. The program was hosted by a fictional cadet, Charles C. Thompson (portrayed by actor Donald May). (This paragraph taken from Wikipedia).

Well, this really isn't my favorite military TV show, but I do remember watching a few episodes with my father, who served in the Navy during WWII.

It was a pretty good show and I just thought you might be interested is some of the older military shows that appeared on TV.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Dec 31 at 2014 12:30 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 00:30:09 -0500

You could put the Gunney on a cooking channel and I'd watch it. I love Mail Call. When are those watermelons gonna learn?

Response by SFC Michael Jackson, MBA made Dec 31 at 2014 9:51 AM

SFC Michael Jackson, MBA — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 09:51:55 -0500

Growing up, it was Gomer Pyle USMC. Today, my favorite is a show called " Dude, you're screwed". It isn't exactly a military show, but it has green beret, former navy seal, former Army Scout, and former Royal Army member. They're taking turns being dropped into remote locations, with little survival gear, being given 100 hours to find civilization or rescue.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2014 11:16 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 11:16:14 -0500

Considering how rare it is for a modern TV show to focus on the military you either have to go with the classics or choose from a relatively modern TV mini series. I think my favorite is Generation Kill. It nailed so many of the small details that normally ruin a show with a military setting for me. They even got that little chirp that our radios make right.

Response by GySgt William Hardy made Dec 31 at 2014 12:30 PM

GySgt William Hardy — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 12:30:41 -0500

I liked Combat back in the early 60s. I first watched it on AFRTS (AFN) when I was a dependent and my dad was stationed in Germany the first year it came on the air. It stuck to the soldiers' stories more than most. I really liked the mini-series Band of Brothers and Pacific. While I enjoyed Gomer Pyle, USMC, I don't consider it a military show . . . just a comedy with people in uniform just like Sgt. Philco back in the day. M*A*S*H was a really good show. Tour of Duty was good and so was China Beach until they lost sight of the story line and turned it into a soap opera.

Response by SSG Christopher Parrish made Dec 31 at 2014 1:49 PM

SSG Christopher Parrish — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 13:49:31 -0500

I can't remember the name, but it was a reality type competition show on USA. The host was Rudy from the 1st Survivor, the SEAL, and it was various operators competing in real World situations. It wasn't the best by any means, but it was cool to watch these top notch guys compete in situations they'd all been in.

MASH is always a favorite, especially after I found out that Alan Alda served in Korea.

Response by 1SG David Niles made Dec 31 at 2014 3:02 PM

1SG David Niles — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 15:02:33 -0500

Armed Forces Television, because that would mean that I was oversea's.

Response by COL Roger Lintz made Dec 31 at 2014 6:47 PM

COL Roger Lintz — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 18:47:19 -0500

Baa Baa Black Sheep which was about Marine fighter pilots from VMF-214 flying the F4U Corsair in the Pacific during WWII. I never missed an episode. I should've been a Marine fighter pilot since my birthday is 10 Nov same as the Marine Corps. Oh well, there's always the next life.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Dec 31 at 2014 9:01 PM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 21:01:15 -0500

Mail Call SNAFU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnP17YCFs8I

ABSOFREAKINLUTELY AWESOME R. LEE ERMEY Mail Call SNAFU Xtra Salty bloopers reel wombat23 USMC...

Couldn't find this for a long time, so I wanted to share. Wish all the history/science/discovery/natgeo stuff was here for everyone to watch. I wouldn't mind...

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Dec 31 at 2014 9:57 PM

MSG Brad Sand — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 21:57:25 -0500

Different shows for different seasons.

As a boy, Combat. then Baa Baa Black Sheep, Tour of Duty. and then the Last Ship.

If you are looking for a historical show, I hope you had the H2 channel and were able to watch Full Metal Jousting. Really like toward the end when they kept sending the 'winners' to the hospital.

Response by SP5 Joel O'Brien made Dec 31 at 2014 11:31 PM

SP5 Joel O'Brien — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 23:31:09 -0500

"Victory at Sea" was a documentary of WWII situations from a Navy perspective. Using newsreel and actual wartime footage, it showed, for it's time, a very real and gritty look at how the war progressed. On a lighter note, "McHale's Navy", about a PT crew that seemed to get away with everything, was a lighthearted look at the second world war as it took place in the Pacific. Lesser known favorites of mine, "Roll Out', about the "Red Ball Express" during WWII, and, "Six O'clock Follies", set at an AFVN TV station in Vietnam.

Response by SSG Stephen Arnold made Jan 1 at 2015 12:02 AM

SSG Stephen Arnold — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 00:02:31 -0500

M*A*S*H is a perennial favorite (at least up until the point that Alda decided it needed more "reality").

In recent years, we enjoyed watching "The UNIT".

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 1 at 2015 1:20 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 01:20:25 -0500

War Stories with Oliver North was one I liked. Love the Military Channel now AHC (American Heroes Channel).

Response by PO2 Steven Erickson made Jan 1 at 2015 10:35 AM

PO2 Steven Erickson — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 10:35:35 -0500

A few years ago, I found "The Unit" on TV. Got hooked immediately. It's one of those RARE shows where I cared about every one of the recurring characters. And the fact that the Sergeant Major was also Pedro Cerrano!

Response by SGT Brian Nile made Aug 11 at 2015 9:01 PM

SGT Brian Nile — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 21:01:57 -0400

I like Mail Call Sarge!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2016 3:16 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 15:16:21 -0500

When I was a kid the show Tour of Duty was awesome.