My Fighting Season

My Fighting Season is a riveting and uncompromising series that goes beyond the usual portrayal of wars shown in television. This National Geographic Channel's powerful six-part series is a groundbreaking immersion into the daunting realities and raw experiences of American soldiers actively deployed in Afghanistan in 2016.

Saying that My Fighting Season is realistic would be grossly understating the lenghths the series goes to place viewers smack-dab in the middle of the action. Its standout feature is the footage taken from the soldiers' own helmet cameras which are real, raw and immediate - capturing not only the intensity of the firefights but also the quieter moments midway between confrontations. The production team compiled thousands of hours of footage taken during these soldiers' combat tours to create this powerful portrayal of war like never before.

The series uniquely combines personal stories with action-packed footage, providing an intimate window into the human side of military service. It focuses on the unfiltered experiences and emotions that come with their duties and the camaraderie they forge while battling together against the Taliban. We see their fears, their anticipation, their courage, and their resilience as it naturally unfolds, providing an unabashed look into their fighting season.

Serving as a sequel to the 2014 documentary series, "My War Diary," My Fighting Season maintains the same innovative execution. However, it shines even brighter with more advanced helmet cameras and personal devices the military now has; this means better quality footage and even more compelling narratives.

Each episode follows a group of soldiers in the heat of battle, with names you come to know and faces you don’t forget. It offers a near-verbatim account of their missions, so vividly represented it seems as if you can feel the sand crunching beneath your boots, the adrenaline rush of having to act on the spot, and the relief of coming through on the other side. All the same, it remains careful to avoid glorifying the violence, instead highlighting the bravery of these soldiers and the complexities of a modern war.

The series toggles between intense battle scenes and quiet moments of reflection, where soldiers contemplate their own actions, consider the cost of war, and grapple with the lasting impact this will have on their lives. It inevitably forces viewers to think about war on a more personal level too, prompting questions about morality, sacrifice, and the trauma so often left in war’s wake.

These raw video footages are amazingly intertwined with interviews taken after the soldiers have returned home. In these, they look back on their time in Afghanistan, reflecting on what they experienced and how they felt, giving audiences an even deeper understanding of the toll serving in a war can have on an individual’s physical and mental health.

My Fighting Season uncovers what life under such demanding conditions means for these soldiers: their determination, their fears, their hopes, and their homesickness. It also sheds light on the different roles within the military - there are army medics who are the first responders when a comrade goes down, snipers, infantrymen, and higher-ranking officials who strategize. This provides a broader understanding for viewers about the mechanics of how a fighting season unfolds.

The series also doesn't shy away from showing the grittier, darker aspects of war. We see the soldiers coping with loss - of life, of sanity, of innocence, and of hope. It also handles the delicate balance of power as soldiers interact with local communities, a mix of fear, tension, and the longing for peace.

In conclusion, My Fighting Season is not just a series about war; it is an innovative and sobering exploration of heroism, sacrifice, and humanity. Its unique approach and the intimate perspective it offers make it an unmissable watch. It will leave you with a sense of reverence, a newfound understanding of war, and a deep appreciation for these brave soldiers who risk it all.