Poll: Deadliest Warrior, Crap and Poor-Taste?

[SsilverR]

Yeah I always thought that show was extremely bias, You make some good points with the whole "wow hardcore" thing I do think those guys should show a little more respect.

 

[Hawgh]

Well, there's certainly not anyone who's in danger of coming out of the show with their brains tickled. Still, I don't really think you should put much consideration into a show which is primarily based around stabbing, bludgeoning or shooting pig cadavers with random historical weapons.

Poor taste, no. Grow thicker skin.

 

[ZickyJackz]

As it's been said, It is Spike Tv. The Station with a show called "MANswers".


That said, I do kinda enjoy the show. Seeing the Weapons and fights are entertaining enough. Although, I do think the show on Terrorist and such are in poor taste. But in the end, those episodes do just what they're meant to do; Get people talking.

 

[Saelune]

I do agree with you. They need to be fair and show multiple scenarios. Ninja vs Spartan is two different fights when one is face to face, and one lets the Ninja actually BE A NINJA! Real ninjas arent Naruto.

The worse was Green Barrets vs Spetznaz. They were too similar from the start and had noe xcuse not to test them the same exact way.

 

[Hides His Eyes]

You're reading far, far, far too much into it. The show is light entertainment, not factual documentary. Don't take it seriously.

Light entertainment based on deadly serious issues.

Then again, I like South Park.

 

[Helscreama]

I've read a couple of the comments (About two pages), I personally really like the show because it is just stupid fun, it is the kind of arguements you would have with your mates at a house party...

If you think to much into it ofcourse it's shit but then again, the same can be said for EVERYTHING!

 

[xXAsherahXx]

The show isn't very accurate as far as results go, and it's incredibly biased towards America. Have you seen America lose a face-off a single time? No, because this is 'Mericuhhh!!!!!!

The FBI should have lost, and the CIA should have lost. Everybody knows tasers don't work for shit against moving targets behind cover, it's just bullshit. And on the latter episode, the way they won was pure shit, the KGB had much better gadgets.

I've seen American units lose loads of times. SWAT vs GSG9 (I think that was the matchup), Special FOrces vs Spetsznas etc

I don't recall seeing them losing any of those times. Perhaps it's my bad memory, or your bad memory. More likely mine though.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

You're reading far, far, far too much into it. The show is light entertainment, not factual documentary. Don't take it seriously.

I agree to a certain extent but "Wow, hardcore" while watching IRA bombings is in supremely poor taste.

Light entertainment based on deadly serious issues.

Then again, I like South Park.

Serious issues indeed, and the 'Hardcore' comment was unwise to say the least, but the show doesn't set out to intentionally offend. It may do so accidentally, but now and then everyone offends someone accidentally.

I'd be worried if many people believe their 'science' though. When comparing two data sets (as the show does) the first rule is that the two data sets must have been produced under identical conditions. Just thinking back to a few episodes I've seen I can remember the Viking vs Ninja weapon tests where the Ninja weapons were swung by Gymfreak McSteroid and the Viking weapons by a long-haired hippy type who had the muscle tone of a limp elastic band. Other examples include the SEALS vs Spetznaz episode where the SEALS grenades were tested for 'lethality' against unshielded targets in an enclosed space (to amplify the blast) and the Spetznaz grenades were tested out in the open against lightly shielded targets. The data collected by their 'analyst' is so badly skewed in favour of one party over the other that they may as well just state at the start of the show "We'd like these guys to win!" and be done with it.

Maybe I'm not viewing the show as your average viewer would (having been a data analyst myself for the last fifteen years) but to me the entire show screams "total piss-take!". It's just a televised version of those 'X vs Y' arguements people get into, and as a result the situations are totally hypothetical and any conclusions drawn are ultimately meaningless.

It is cool to see what ancient weapons to do ballistic gel dummies though.

Errrr....not be this dude, but u got some stuff wrong. It was Viking vs Samurai and it was Green Berets vs Spetznaz. thats all I wanted to say. >_<

you have to consider that they are condensing several days of testinf into an hour long show, they actually do run several more tests and cherry pick the most entertaining ones for the show...

The sides in question don't really matter though, as the results are bogus. I appreciate that they boil down a week of testing into an hour long show, but if they get the weapons' strike PSI readings for one army from 'Average Joe A' and the other army's PSI readings using 'Steroid Junkie B' they can test as long as they damn well like, the data is invalid. Now, if they used a mechanical pneumatic arm whose force could be accurately monitored and repeatedly duplicated, I'd be more inclined to believe their findings. But they don't.

The bottom line is that the show is just harmless (and usually inoffensive) fun, not meant to be taken seriously. They just throw CGI and re-enactment gear at the oldest question around, "Who would win in a fight between...". In fact there is a similar show right here on the Escapist - it's called No Right Answer.

 

[Lethos]

Yeah, I can't watch this show. I'm the type of guy that is incapable of watching shows based on historical events and mythology unless they are factual. You should of seen me when I was watching 'Clash of the Titans' and Hades was repeatedly said to be evil.

You know what that makes you? A pendant.

Know what's great about pedants? Absolutely nothing.

I'm a pendant? And here I thought I was an earring.

 

[Exocet]

My main problem with the show is the way they test weapons and how they seem to always try to make Americans try to win.Infact,they only lost once ,and it was to a far better opponent.Even then it was a really close defeat.I blame the target audience.

They only look at how impressive wounds a weapon can make.Your weapon can kill a target in one accurate blow? No,you get a disadvantage against the guy who has a unwieldy weapon and goes nuts on a target.
It's not weapon comparison,it's a dick-waving contest.

Then there's shit like a Roman legionnaire having a balista for 1 on 1 combat.A siege weapon.For one on one fight.

But the biggest punch to the balls was the Napoleon vs Washington episode.First of all,they're making Washington look like he won the war on his own.Guess from what country his weapons and tactics came from? Hint,it starts with "F"
Next,they're trying to compare who's army would win,yet fight with not alot of men and at close range.This makes a hell of a difference when one side has the weapons and tactics to fight against armies that are tens of thousands strong,with long range fights that can go on for hours and hours,and the other almost improvised weapons.
I'm sorry,but a bunch of nails in a cannon is not as efficient as real grapeshot,that can actually kill at more than 50 meters.
Lastly on my rant,since when is a odd,never to be seen again sword design better than a cavalry sword? A weapon that would see action until a few random battles in WWII.

Napoleon should have won,he has a whole goddamn era named after him,and was only beaten by the Russian winter,and a second time by a combination of Prussian and British soldiers outnumbering him,and his stubbornness.

 

[Flyingchciken93]

They only compare weapons, never tactics, terrain or the intented enemies of the warriors weapons.

I have seen them compare tactics and weapons on every episode ive seen.

Now, I say that the IRA vs Taliban episode was in poor taste for a few reasons. Firstly because according to the show the IRA (Irish Republican Army, a group of terrorists trying to make Northern Ireland part of the Republic of Ireland) are "freedom fighters" fighting for "the freedom of Ireland". The show is incredibly sympathetic to them (but not to the Taliban of course) despite the fact that the IRA were terrorists, who killed innocents.

In fairness the IRA never did anything to america so why should they be treated the same as the taliban(who have done things to americans) by americans.

I want people clear that the IRA are terrorists, not freedom fighters, not oppresed liberators.[/qoute]

You obviously have none of the facts if thats what you think.

Alright, time to answer some objections it seems.

Objection 1) Well, what episodes have you seen? Because I have seen ninja's do one on one fights to the death with gladiators, individual pirates fight on land, the Vietcong fight in a straight up typical battle and a Roman Centurion fight on his own. As far as I've seen, they care little for tactics.

Objection 2) Does that give me an excuse, as British, the right to not care about the Vietcong, the Norway killer guy and the genocide of the Hutus by the Tutsis and treat them and the disasters they were involved in an insensitive and tactless manner?

Objection 3) Well, what are the facts then, because as far as I see it, the IRA *are* terrorists (they waged a campaign of terror in order to get what they want) against a democratic country in which the common man had decided not to agree with what the IRA stood for (read: not oppressed, not the common person's fighter).

First, ive seen basically every episode and until this tread had pretty much forgotten the simulated fights at the end, but those simulated fights have nothing to do with the test results except the outcome, they load the weapons strenghts and weaknesses into a computer which tells them which weapons are overall better. the simulated fight and their terrain and tactics have nothing to do with it its just for entertainment.

Second, Oh your british that explains our hatred of IRA, the people willing to fight against your governemts oprression of Ireland.

Third, The IRA are indeed freedom fighters giving that their goal is ultimately the freedom of Ireland from British rule. Id say the only people who dont agree with what the IRA truly stand for despite their "terrorrist" label is you british.

 

[maxriderules]

The only problem is, the majority of people in Northern Ireland would rather be in Britain than the Republic of Ireland, while most of the British 'opressors', as you call them, really don't particularly mind. It's like the opposite of Vietnam- in a democratic vote, the Vietnamese would rather be Communist, and side with the North Viet Cong. On the other hand, I suppose democracy is only useful if everyone agrees with America.

 

[Ironic Pirate]

Its popularity is a testament to the fallen state of modern society.

I find this post absolutely hilarious.

On the one hand, I hope you're making a joke. On the other, it's even funnier if you aren't.

If you aren't, please explain yourself. I really want to hear your reasoning.

 

[Jabberwock xeno]

You're reading far, far, far too much into it. The show is light entertainment, not factual documentary. Don't take it seriously.

But it pretends to be serious and factual, it acts like it is hard science. Maybe I am reading to much into it, but maybe it should make it clearer that it is light entertainment.

I like it.

It's a really fun show.

That, and this season, they are taking a LOT more into account. I've talked with a few of the guys personally.

Just because you only see x tests on the show doesn't mean thats the only tests they do. Theres a ton of stuff they can't fit on the show that they still test.

 

[Turigamot]

Yeah, I can't watch this show. I'm the type of guy that is incapable of watching shows based on historical events and mythology unless they are factual. You should of seen me when I was watching 'Clash of the Titans' and Hades was repeatedly said to be evil.

You know what that makes you? A pendant.

Know what's great about pedants? Absolutely nothing.

I'm a pendant? And here I thought I was an earring.

Proof. Though I admit I chuckled.

 

[Lethos]

Yeah, I can't watch this show. I'm the type of guy that is incapable of watching shows based on historical events and mythology unless they are factual. You should of seen me when I was watching 'Clash of the Titans' and Hades was repeatedly said to be evil.

You know what that makes you? A pendant.

Know what's great about pedants? Absolutely nothing.

I'm a pendant? And here I thought I was an earring.

Proof. Though I admit I chuckled.

Then I am good for something and therefore disprove your previous statement of us pedants being good for nothing.

Second, Oh your british that explains our hatred of IRA, the people willing to fight against your governemts oprression of Ireland.

Third, The IRA are indeed freedom fighters giving that their goal is ultimately the freedom of Ireland from British rule. Id say the only people who dont agree with what the IRA truly stand for despite their "terrorrist" label is you british.

Oh boy did you open a can of worms. I would say killing innocent people, who had nothing to do with the occupation of Ireland, counts as terrorism in the same way that the Taliban killing innocent Americans, who had nothing to do with the Middle East counts as terrorism.

 

[CrystalShadow]

If it's on Spike, you shouldn't expect the program to have any intellectual integrity.

Now, if this were a program on Discovery Channel, you may have a case.

Discovery channel? Well, the shows themselves may be alright, but internationally, the subtitles are pretty atrocious.

Being bilingual sometimes shows up how bad translations can be.

I mean, doing weird things with sayings that exist in one language but not the other is one thing...

But getting a show on a 'science' channel that translates 100 miles an hour into something rediculous like 3450 meters ^2, (getting both the unit conversion, AND the unit and type of measurement wrong is pretty galling. I swear I saw things that weren't even close.

It's not like saying 100 miles is 180 kilometers - instead of 161. It was more like saying 100 miles is 340,000 newtons.

Way off in both units and scale.

 

[Dagda Mor]

Now, since the Escapist is generally one of the more enlightened areas of the internet...

AHAHAHAHAHA.

Ahem.Honestly,The Escapist is like YouTube,but with better grammar,and SLIGHTLY less idiots.Honestly,just look at the comments on any Zero Punctuation video.As to answer your question,I find the commentary largely tasteless,but the show as a whole to be worth watching.The reason they didn't use actual 20-man volley fire in that episode was because they had restricted the battle to four on four.As for other tactical oddities,I imagine that they don't talk about them because they consider the weapons testing to be more important,and they can only show so much in 15-20 minutes.I've always assumed that they do take tactics into consideration,but they don't talk about them on air very often,and they just put them into the simulation.

 

[dalek sec]

You're reading far, far, far too much into it. The show is light entertainment, not factual documentary. Don't take it seriously.

I agree with this statement.

I just find it pure, mindless fun, I really could care less about who it considers the 'badguy' of history, William Wallace was actually well educated and not as savage as they made him out in the episode where he fought shaka zulu, but does it personally offend me? No, not really. No offense to you, but I think you're taking this a bit too seriously.

Pretty much this as well. It's mindless fun with some cheesy fights at the end of each episode. It's not a documentary or anything, just sheer mindless fun and entertainment and I would have it no other way!

Just repeat to yourself "It's just a show, I should really just relax!".

(Cookie for anyone who get's that last line.)

 

[crepesack]

I just like laughing when they have their "combat simulator" do its magic. It's quite clearly a weighted random number generator. Hilarious.