Flash Reviews: Carrier [television]

Carrier (2008)
Documentary; USA
10 episodes, 60 mins each

---

Do you have stereotypes about the military? Do you think you know what it's like? Think you know what kind of people join? Well, unless you've been in the military yourself, you have no fucking idea. I'm not saying that because I don't like you or think you're stupid. On the contrary, I was once like you, dear friend. And then I watched this 10-part documentary miniseries from PBS called "Carrier". Now my eyes have been opened.

When you first consider watching what amounts to be a 10 hour documentary about life on an aircraft carrier it might not seem like it's worth the time and effort, but trust me - it is! "Carrier" is not only an interesting lesson on the inner-workings of a massive military vessel and a peek into the complex world of military procedure and hierarchy, it's more than anything a great character drama. The men and women that populate the USS Nimitz each have their own backstories, their own motivations, ideals, relationships and baggage that inform who they are and how they've come to be living and working on an aircraft carrier during wartime. The series does a great job balancing their personal lives with their military lives and depicting how they influence each other. Even if you're not remotely interested in war, the military or anything related to "the man", I still highly recommend checking this series out because despite the subject matter it's also a great documentary that will probably make you cry like a little girl.

Give this some time if you're into: war, politics, documentaries, personal stories, military procedure, Battlestar Galactica