WHITHER "OVER THERE"?

In several of the reviews for 'Over There', mention was made of the fact that this drama about the War in Iraq is probably the first to be actually made and broadcast during the war it depicts.

As an example, here is what Alessandra Stanley, Queen of the Obscure References had to say in her New York Times article:

"Until now, television shows also dramatized fighting from a safe remove: series about World War II like "The Rat Patrol" and "Hogan's Heroes" were made in the 1960's. (The true horrors of war were veiled even in dramas, like "Combat!," also made in the 60's and now on DVD and in reruns on cable.) The antiwar comedy "M*A*S*H" began in 1972 before the Vietnam War was over, but it was set in Korea. "China Beach," a dark-edged series about nurses in Vietnam, went on the air in 1988."

There are built-in hazards to making 'Over There' a contemporary look at the war. And one of those problems is something I hope we're all rooting for.....

"The top military commander in Iraq set a tentative timetable for 'fairly substantial' U.S. troop reductions by next spring - if Iraqi forces are able to pick up the slack.

Gen. George Casey said drawing down the 135,000 U.S. troops in Iraq will also depend on establishing an Iraqi constitution by October and successful elections in December.

'If the political process continues to go positively, if the developments with [Iraqi] security forces continue to go as [they are] going, I do believe we will still be able to make fairly substantial reductions after these elections - in the spring and summer of next year,' he said in Baghdad.

At a joint news conference with visiting Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari welcomed Casey's words, saying, 'We desire speed in that regard.' "
- from several news sources

So if the troops do start coming home sooner than Bochco might hope - for a long-running series, that is, I suppose the series could then focus on the post-traumatic stress the returning soldiers might experience.

Or they could be spun-off into other series......

I've only seen the pilot episode so far, same as most folks. And most of the characters so far seem to be kind of cliched.

But Erik Palladino is a cool actor, (I thought it was a mistake to lose him from 'Joan Of Arcadia'), and I like what he has to offer as Sgt. Scream in this show.

I could see him become a tough cop with lingering emotional problems; sort of an upgrade to the idea from 'Blind Justice'.

But Bochco blew it with that show, and 'NYPD Blue' was 86'd last season. So perhaps Sgt. Scream could be farmed out to one of the procedurals. 'CSI: NY', 'Law & Order', 'The Closer', 'Cold Case', or 'Wanted'.

The sergeant doesn't seem the type to have been an FBI agent before being called into service, so I don't think he'd be part of 'Without A Trace' or 'The Inside' - oops, sorry. As much as I liked that show, it's already been cancelled.

I suppose Bochco could go all out and create a gimmick show like 'The A-Team' and 'Broken Badges'. He could
keep the entire squad together back in the States and they fight crime under their war nicknames of "Angel", "Double-Wide", "Mrs. B", "Dim", and "Beau" - and all led by Sgt. Scream.

I can see it now: "The Scream Team".

BCnU!
Tele-Toby