From the creators of 'The Wire,' 'Generation Kill' launches this Sunday
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- July
- 9
As I mentioned in this post, my NetFlix queue has been booked for foreseeable future with the first four seasons of “The Wire.” After years of being intimidated by the show’s complex plots and myriad characters, I finally latched onto it in its fifth and final season. Upon my introduction to David Simon and Ed Burns’ ubiquitous series about life in Baltimore from the streets to the schools, I was hooked in a major way. Now halfway through Season 2, I feel “The Wire” is right there with “Deadwood” in terms of the best TV drama I’ve ever seen.
I was already intrigued by that production tandem’s next H-B-Opus, the seven-part miniseries “Generation Kill,” which chronicles young Marines’ first 40 days of America’s invasion of Iraq in 2003. But it was downright serendipitous when I realized that James Ransone, the actor who played one of “The Wire’s” wildest Season 2 characters (Chester “Ziggy” Sobotka), would be one of the stars of “Generation Kill.”
Ransone’s re-emergence shouldn’t be too much of a surprise, considering how much HBO (rightfully) recycles its talented series cast members. Former “Deadwood” actors popped up frequently on “John from Cincinnati,” for example. Devout “Jericho” fans (AhemAmyVernonCough) might also recognize the scrappy actor, who played Daryl in the 2007 episode “A.K.A.” of the recently canceled CBS series.
In addition to Ransone, the “Generation Kill” ensemble cast includes Alexander Skarsgård (son of Stellan Skarsgård; not to be confused with “Jarhead” star Peter Sarsgaard), Lee Tergesen, Jon Huertas and Stark Sands.
After the break is a partial transcript of HBO’s “Generation Kill” synopsis.
Based on the award-winning nonfiction account of the same name by Evan Wright, the journalist embedded in the lead Humvee of First Recon’s Bravo Company’s Second Platoon, the miniseries is a precise retelling of the early weeks of the military campaign from the point of view of the guys on the ground: the non-commissioned officers and platoon-level commanders who led the way to Baghdad.
Real events are depicted. Real names are used. As much as possible, the film employs the precise dialogue reported by Wright, a Rolling Stone correspondent assigned to First Recon Battalion during their last weeks in Kuwait. The filmmakers made every effort to recreate Wright’s account of Bravo Two Marines riding from the Kuwait border into the slums of Baghdad.
“GK” debuts Sunday at 9 p.m. EST.
(Photo courtesy of HBO.)
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on Wednesday, July 9th, 2008 at 3:48 pm by Chris Serico.
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This one's absolutely going on the DVR list. Looks like terrific, riveting stuff. From the previews it looks like they're going for a road trip vibe as they travel through Iraq. Good stuff.