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Warship - the 2008 TV version
On Five Monday 19th May at 9pm. Six-part series.
This new, six-part observational documentary series is filmed onboard the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious during a four-month deployment. The programme follows the professional lives of the crew as well as the personal stories of the young men and women who are thousands of miles from home. In the first episode, problems plague Illustrious's departure from Portsmouth and the crew members are assessed to see if they are battle-ready. The mighty Illustrious aircraft carrier is about to set sail on a four-month deployment. With a crew of 1,000, this 22,000-ton floating city - nicknamed 'Lusty' - is home to all manner of sailors, from stewards to engineers, officers to deckhands. The ship's projected route will take it through the Strait of Gibraltar, across the Mediterranean and through the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean, where it will support Harrier jump jets serving in Afghanistan. The man overseeing this massive operation - two years in the planning - is Captain Steve Chick, on his first mission in charge of an aircraft carrier. "Obviously, there's an element of nervousness for anybody in taking command of a ship for the first time," he says. "Getting to know the ship, getting to know how it handles, getting to know the people." Captain Chick's crew includes a large number of new recruits, each of whom has his or her own reason for signing up. Lieutenant John 'Sid' Little left a job in a clothes shop to serve as a trainee weapons engineer. "It wasn't really what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, so I thought I'd make a career choice and join the navy," he says. Trainee warfare officer Suzie Williford sees the navy as her calling. "I realised this is what I wanted to do," she says. "I wanted to drive ships. I wanted to be in command." Nineteen-year-old John Farnsworth, meanwhile, was attracted by the prospect of playing for the ship's football team. Before Lusty can depart British waters, the crew members must pass tests to prove they are battle-ready. Tensions run high as a team of tough naval inspectors arrives onboard to stage a series of mock battles. Kitted out in fireproof suits, the sailors are put through their paces in everything from firing weapons and fighting fires to first aid and cooking meals under pressure. "You've got to get it right," says inspector Captain Michael Cockran. "If you get it wrong, people get killed." Unfortunately for the Lusty's eager but inexperienced sailors, they fail the first test. The ship docks in Portland, Devon and crew members are allowed 48 hours' shore leave to let their hair down as only sailors know how. But when yet another problem strikes the engines, rumours circulate that Illustrious must return to Portsmouth for a two-month layoff. Is the trip over before it has even begun? |
I thought Portland was in Dorset... :ugh:
Let's hope this doesn't turn out to be the sort of programme in which we are breathlessly informed of how many football pitches would fit on her flight deck or how many London buses would equal her length. |
Let's hope this doesn't turn out to be the sort of programme in which we are breathlessly informed of how many football pitches would fit on her flight deck Its about one for a Brit aircraft carrier isn't it? (5 a side that is) :E |
The Telegraph described it as "not quite the recruitment series of Sailor in the 1970s", but certainly worth a look.
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I wonder if it will be as good as Carrier that was shown on PBS in the US/online.
Cracking programme that. |
It would be very interesting to compare 'Warship' with 'Sailor'.....
As well as the programmes, perhaps a comparison of the RN's capabilities then and now would also prove....interesting :hmm:. |
Warship series
Sailor was just superb, if sad that it was the Ark's last commission.
What about the series about HMS Brilliant in 1995? I seem to recall a memorable run in Istanbul and a WEM getting himself in bother for slugging an officer. The much earlier (1973-1977) docu-drama "Warship" about HMS Hero (PHOEBE in disguise) was required viewing. Incidentally, there are some lovely photographs of her in the Phoebe Bar in the Bournemouth Pavilion. I don't remember many such series about the RAF... :E |
ExScribbler, what about Squadron from the early 80's?
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I wonder if it will be as good as Carrier that was shown on PBS in the US/online. |
Squadron - Good concept, P!sh acting and some poor stories. Did have a Phantom killing a Jag in the first one though.
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Yeah! What ABOUT Squadron! What a pile of sh1te! Bring back Fighter Pilot and the flying milkman!
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'Squadron'
Yes, but the 'Phantom killing Jag' was a bit close to home at the time after recent events !
There was also a sequence as I recall of a Harrier GR3 managing to straddle a target vehicle with Matra 155's ! " Good shooting, Biffo ! " - More like sheer b***dy amazing ! ' Warship ' wasn't too special either, long on dull scripts & short on action footage - better off watching ' Thunderbirds ', as a Test pilot I knew remarked ! There is an hotel near Sandhead, by the West Freugh range ( the scrapyard was nearby ) which has the quite impressively detailed damage-control flooding diagram of the 1970's Ark Royal. |
A Phantom killing a Jag? Script writer's poetic licence, surely? :E
Sorry, I'd forgotten "Fighter Pilot"; according to t'interweb that was the one which upset Their Airships when it showed a young officer at home - eating baked beans. :ugh: Anyone remember "A Piece of Cake"? "Behind you, Ginger!" "Take that, you dirty Hun!" etc., etc.. Oh dear. |
exscribbler, I have a copy of the book "Fighter Pilot" that accompanied the series. An old library was throwing it out - we're talking about 20 years ago, now!
The six "characters" in the series were Trevor Lewis, Robbie Low, John McCrea, Martin Oxborrow, Rhoderick Smart and Alistair Stewart. The BBC made a documentary on board HMS Eagle in the 1960s. Will report back as my dad has a copy and I'm seeing him later in the week. |
BBC Series
What about "Test Pilot" c1985/6?
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RAF TV Series
Surely the best was 'Get Some In'. Truthful and accurate!
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Was a very unfriendly jaguar though, it had shot down a Puma. Also had a strange capacity of being able to change camouflage in flight between of the RAF and Oman AF scheme and back. Saying that I do remember somebody writing a latter to ‘Points of View’ or whatever show did its role at the time saying why did the Phantom change colour scheme when it launched a missile??? Of course if you really want to go down market on RAF Drama, there is always the 1995 ITV one off ‘Strike Force’, made Squadron look totally brilliant. Most of Squadron was filmed before the Falklands, as some of the Harriers in it, later fought in the war (According to the bible on the subject, Falklands – The Air War), so maybe the final script of the first episode of Squadron was written before the incident on 25 May 82.
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EAGLE in the 1960s... Sea Vixens... Scimitars... Gannets... Perhaps a Buccaneer or two...
Heaven. Get Some In here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Some_In! |
There was also that 80s series based at a secret CRP somewhere in Scotland, forgot what it was called...truly awful television!
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Slightly off topic, there was the BBC 'Comedy' All along the watchtower (1999). I say 'comedy', that is at least how the BBC described it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Alo...wer_(TV_series) |
Did anyone see "Making Waves"? Utter pap... so bad that even ITV had to pull the plug on it.
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Fighter Pilot
What happened to six "characters" from the Fighter Pilot series - Trevor Lewis, Robbie Low, John McCrea, Martin Oxborrow, Rhoderick Smart and Alistair Stewart.It would be interesting to know where they all moved on to and how their careers developed.
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I heard a buzz from my oppo in Fleet that the good ship Lusty lost something important a few days ago......anyone else heard that?
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Relevance? Oh no, that went years ago..............
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'Lusty' loses...
Please god, tell me it was only an aircraft ( with no-one in it ) or weapon system, not something vital like the Admirals' wardrobe ?
Not referring to any particular Admiral on board now, by ratios of such types to ships at least 3 ? " Relevance " - thought that went out of the window when we saw the poor sods going to fight in 'Top Gun' being loaded with practice / acquisition AIM -9's ! |
Lusty Loses:
Err, a bit of side netting?
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Just watched Warship. Pleasingly, there was only one breathless comment and that was about the engines having the same power as 200 family cars. Is that a family car like a VW Polo with 75bhp or an Evo VIII with 400?
Wrens look a little different these days, too... := Next week we get to meet "the big boys" - cue shots of Harriers landing on. Hmm. :ugh: |
And the usual crap about London buses end to end. But so far so good.
Exscribbler is right. The WREN's have come on in leaps and bounds since my day!!! |
I agree about the Wrens but then they always did have the best uniform (probably now have the same as the guys). Always were a few looking hot at the NAAFI bop:).
Thought the show was overall pretty good, but the breakdowns are surely the result of the 'stop-start' nature of ship's deployment these days; itself a reaction to spending cuts. Limited spares and many months spent in port. Good to see the good humour of youth and their sense of optimism. Flug |
Pretty good show, although personally I reckon the Wrens at Yeovilton and Culdrose were pretty unbeatable in my day. (Maybe just because I got luckier back then!) I was never advised to get that close to jolly jack returning on board late at night, needed to keep a trusty regulator close to hand to beat them down and chuck them in irons.
Not sure about this 'big boy' stuff though, but worth watching again to see. I reckon the tech problems are facilitated by dear old twojobs Des:yuk: and budgetary problems. |
exscribbler, I have a copy of the book "Fighter Pilot" that accompanied the series. An old library was throwing it out - we're talking about 20 years ago, now! The six "characters" in the series were Trevor Lewis, Robbie Low, John McCrea, Martin Oxborrow, Rhoderick Smart and Alistair Stewart. The BBC made a documentary on board HMS Eagle in the 1960s. Will report back as my dad has a copy and I'm seeing him later in the week. Seem to remember a few great characters on there including one youngish looking Sea Vixen or Bucc pilot who describes night carrier traps as "A bloody hairy business!" |
Gareth,
I live next door to a retired Admiral who agrees wholeheartedly - reckoned the ' Vixen was " like flying a tank " even in daytime- and god knows what it was like in the coal-hole ! He neatly side-stepped the problem by giving up flying to drive ships - probably a good move financially, but not very red-blooded by true FAA standards. I am a well known Harrier fan, nevertheless I still can't see the logic of such brutes as Sea Vixens & Buccaneers on what were even then relatively small carriers ( I know about blown surfaces etc & general engine / weapon development status of the time ). The other Admirals' on the spot -comment on Bill Bedfords' first carrier landing by Harrier - " Usually, new aircraft arrive ever heavier & faster, what impressed me most today was the total absence of fright on the deck - a complete reversal of trend ! " - Has a lot going for it, seems to me - even the JSF is alledged to be too heavy for 'Ocean's deck, so I presume that means we're stuck with one platform or relying on allies still. P.S please check your PM's. DZ |
Charizard: Presumably you were also told that if the OOD was thumped by Jolly Jack with a skinful it was his (the OOD's) fault. That OOD looked as if he knew what he was doing as he was very grey-haired for a Lt. If moored to buoys a good ploy was to make the boat stand off until the noise-makers all sobered up or at least calmed down - which takes some cojones at 0330!
The "big boys" will doubtless show us a thing or two next week; I can't wait. :E I recall that a Civil Serpent who was proposing that Observers' flying pay be reduced was treated to a night landing in a Sea King on the usual heaving deck. The proposal was not proceeded with - but as that was some years ago things may well have changed. |
I have to grudglingly admit that I actually didn't think the programme could hold a candle to the US "Carrier" series. Overly dumbed down, and I didn't think it really painted the military in a massively positive light, quite unlike its american counterpart. Mind you, I shouldn't really be expecting much more from C5, bless 'em.
Maybe that's just me though! |
Sorry. Found it rather boring, and didn't watch it to the end.
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Will no doubt turn into the same old series that focuses primarily on a few onboard "celebrities" or those who think they are. Normally a gob****e steward
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Utter garbage
What an load of drivel.
Thought initially they must be concentrating on all the first trippers because all the experienced hands did not fancy cameras being pointed at them. As the programme progressed it dawned on me what an inexperienced bunch of amateurs were masquerading on a front-line warship. The fiasco in (disputed) Iranian waters started to make sense. The fiasco about having to return to port because of fridge plant and O.W.S. failures started to make sense. What was that rubbish about shaft problems at the end of the programme about? Either problems with shaft bearings/thrust bearings were apparent or they weren't (and clearly they weren't) leading me to assume that either the Engineering staff were massively incompetent or they had agreed to "pretend" to allow a typical channel 5 "cliffhanger". Interesting shot of the ECR, is it necessary to have about 40 people in there? Hopefully it was a case of "oh goody lets get on the telly". Incredible to think P&O manage to operate 110,000 tonnes cruise ships with TWO engineers on watch? Just spoke to a couple or ex RN mates as I thought it was just me over-reacting. One couldn't watch it to the end and the other said he was embarrassed to watch the level of incompetence on show. |
I'll save you all watching it, this is what (probably) happens.
Interview with Skipper's, Navvy's, random senior rate's wives and a token Wren's husband on their thoughts about forthcoming separation. Shots of kids playing on lawn on married patch. Ship filmed leaving dockyard wall to waving crowds of families. Straight into a firex where random senior rate (see above) is DCO. A quick ADEX to give the ops room some camera time. Scran time where the supp officer informs us how many eggs the ship will get through on it's deployment and how many times round the world the bog rolls used by the Wren's mess would go. A flyex with various aviation niff naff and trivia thrown in. Down to the messdecks where gobby steward (who was badly doing incident board operator in previous firex) introduces us to his unique brand of cheesy humour and cliches as he shows us around his mess. Clubswinger orbitting menacingly just within shot. Interview down Wrens mess with token wren stoker in ovies full of grease. She is missing home but realises there is a job to be done and its what she signed up for. Captain is on the bridge, the sun is setting and he outlines his aspirations for the forthcoming deployment. End of episode one, Next week...A safeguard fire in an EDC, a wren is support party team leader. Somebody is medivac'd and the naafi runs out of Tomyam flavour potnoodles:} |
Nice transit from officer accomodation to mess deck where JJ (aka Shiner the Twin) wakes his oppo to meet the camera team. Why didn't they show the bit where he leaned out of his bunk and smacked him in the gob?
My God! No Pot Noodles? How ever will they survive? |
They are saving themselves for the flightdeck cock 'n arse in Valleta.
Also exclusive footage of the flightdeck net maximum weight trials with a Merlin:} |
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