Deadliest Warrior S1

Okay, true confession. I really like this series. Yeah, I know it's a guy show, and it can be gruesome, so it is kind of a `guilty pleasure' but I really enjoy the combat simulations and who would win if: for example a Spartan were to fight a ninja. I particularly like it when the opponents are evenly matched or I particularly like one of the competitors. The Shaolin have been my favorite so far. The monks were classy, honorable and peaceful and yet also quite deadly.

The basic premise of this show is to compare the chosen weapons of each group, and then compare them to another group of warriors. So you might get the IRA- for instance- vs Al Quaeda or The Mafia vs. The Yakuza. Weapons experts discuss the various weapons used and how much damage they might do in combat. They test this using dummies, blocks of wood, pig carcasses or other targets. The matchups can be a bit odd, sometimes spanning centuries, and so it doesn't always seem entirely fair, but It is interesting nonetheless. After the major weapons are discussed, a combat simulation is ran pitting the two fictional warriors via computer, and the results are shown in a filmed reenactment. The results can be surprising sometimes too. The group you think might win, sometimes has an Achilles heel which fouls them up. You never can tell.

I think the show is well worth a watch for history fans, and fans of historical warfare, but I should warn you now, it's not for kids, the squeamish or those who might be impressionable to violence, because there is a lot of it. I sometimes just skip sections to see the ending with the reenactment of the final battle, if I get squeamish or am not into the matchup.

This is a very interesting show, and it has been renewed for a second season, which I'm looking forward to. Can't wait to see howt he Celtic warrior does.

I enjoy this show, I really do. The direction and production values of this show are five stars. Excellent. The announcer also does a great job. The crew of three who return each week: Desmoulin, Geiger and Dorian do a great job interacting with the historical reenactors. The reenactors that return each week are a lot of fun, week in and week out. So enthusiastic. Excellent casting. However...this show needs to improve in one crucial area: the way it comes up with its final results. These problems are best reflected by briefly examining two controversial episodes, "Ninja vs. Spartan" and "Pirate vs. Knight."

To begin with, I thought both episodes had many good and bad points. I thoroughly enjoyed the run-down of various weapons and how they were used. However, the episodes turn on the outcome of the "state of the art" (does anyone under 40 even use that phrase anymore?) computer program by Geiger and it was clear to me that both outcomes were highly unrealistic. Further, the results seemed skewed.

For instance, how does the Ninja, who is using advanced technology and tactics, lose to the Spartan while the Pirate, also using advanced tech and tactics, defeats the Knight?

Regarding the Pirate's "win," obviously, Geiger's "state of the art" program did not take into account the 50% rate of jamming represented by the demonstration of black powder weapons on the show. I am well-read regarding military history and tactics and it is my opinion that a Knight could stand a good chance of defeating a well-trained soldier from any era up to the introduction of rifled barrels and shaped slugs. The idea that a Johnny Depp rip-off could defeat a fully kitted Knight simply because the Pirate had several unreliable black-powder weapons secreted on his person is laughable.

I think we all know who was behind these ridiculous outcomes and SpikeTV apparently knew as well. No more Geiger in 2011's 3rd season. I'm interested to see how the show improves without him.

3 Discs, 9 Episodes, 387 Minutes Widescreen Edition being released May 11, 2010

Who is the "Deadliest Warrior"? "Deadliest Warrior" is Spike TV's ultimate macho fest that answers age old questions that guys have been sitting around asking for years (apparently): Who would win in a fight? A Spartan or a Ninja? A Pirate or a Knight? A Viking or a Samurai? All very unlikely match-ups due to different points in time or region and later on in the series it gets more specific with: William Wallce or Skaka Zulu? I.R.A. or Taliban?.....Wow, really?

It takes the reality TV interview format in some ways and a so-called team of experts steps forward for each side. They usually have weapons experts, history buffs, and sometimes a big strong man like "The Iceman" Chuck Liddell showing up to demonstrate the force a gladiator's spiked fist weapon could exert on a dead pig body. Some sort of medical professional is on hand to come out and say what ribs would be broken and what would have happened to an actual body. They even take computer read-outs of speed and calculated force exerted on the victim when determining the effectiveness of certain weapons and strategy.

The funniest part of this series is the smack-talk that the teams end up engaging in. Like in the first episode of Apache vs. Gladiator you'll hear a lot of "Oh yeah? Well, a Gladiator has this much armor so your little knife action isn't going to do any good." "That's what you think, you don't even know how quick and deadly the Apache is! He could shoot you with arrows and you'd be dead before you even KNEW it!" "Your mom!" Ok, that is paraphrasing...and a bit exaggerated but it's not far off of the intent which makes the show hilarious. It is a fun male fantasy communicated with charts, fun graphics, and a CGI formulated battle sequence between the two foes at the end of the episode when all talk of weapons, skill, intelligence, and strategy are exhausted. There is also the bonus of learning a bit more about what it was like to be in certain historical times as these figures and about what they had to deal with on a day to day basis....but mostly, it's about what will happen if I use this really old sharp weapon on a gel bust or a dead big and how much blood splurts out or watching the head get taken clean off and going "OOOOOHHHHH! Did you just SEE that???"

The second season of "Deadliest Warrior" began April 20th and kicked off with a 90-Minute special "Deadliest Warror Season 1: Back For Blood." The second season will have 13 one-hour episodes will all new warriors, bigger tests, deadlier weapons, and more unprecedented matchups. Some matchups in the second season will be Attila the Hun vs Alexander the Great, Jesse James Gang vs Al Capone Gang, Nazi SS vs Viet Cong, KGB vs CIA (I think I saw that in "Alias"...), and Vlad the Impaler vs Sun Tzu.

Bonus Features:

The Aftermath: Post Fight analysis is an episode by episode discussion with the experts about why the fights went as they did and talking again about how certain weapons are wielded and respond to viewers' forum posts about how realistic or not the fights were. The host of "The Aftermath" has a very heavy Scottish accent which is entertaining to listen to his enthusiasm for warriors. The Producer's roundtable is just another episode of "The Aftermath", the sum-up show responding to the "Deadliest Warrior" and how the show came about with a debate about who the greatest warrior in history would be and the argument it raised. Once doing the show, they decided they didn't just want to be another historical documentary but also be as bloody and gory as possible while being accurate to the facts. It is "weapons porn" for the prop master! The Season One wrap-up again just talks about the different battles over the season and the ones they'd like to do next time and the viewer feedback they received.

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