While viewers couldn’t get enough of the series, many critics were less than impressed and felt that the Jack Carr novel adaptation was both uninspired and over-the-top, and weighed down by a muddied screenplay, giving the show’s first season a lackluster 40% in comparison to fans’ 94% Popcornmeter score. If you’re someone who agrees with the critics and is searching for a show that offers a more realistic look at the elite military unit, then the CBS hit SEAL Team is the perfect choice for you; let’s check out why the exciting series is just waiting to be binged.
‘SEAL Team’ Provides a Realistic Look at the Lives of the Elite Unit
Hollywood veteran David Boreanaz has been killing it on the small screen for nearly two decades, with the charming leading man having starred in the fan-favorite hits Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Bones before further cementing his TV status in the action military drama SEAL Team. Boreanaz stars as Jason Hayes, the respected leader of a Navy SEAL unit known as Bravo Team, who helps his fellow members prepare for and undergo dangerous missions all around the world. The engrossing series also features the additional talents of familiar faces like Max Thieriot (Fire Country), Neil Brown Jr. (Insecure), and Mad Men alum Jessica Paré.
SEAL Team ran for seven seasons and explored all the intense training and execution that went into carrying out these high-stakes missions on a moment’s notice, while also shining a light on the impact the demanding job has on them and their loved ones. Creator Benjamin Cavell (Justified, Homeland) and the network went to painstaking lengths to ensure the drama was as realisticas possible, as former Navy SEALs Mark Semos and Kenny Sheard were heavily involved in the writers’ room and with the storytelling, while more than 70% of its crew were veterans.
Similarly, nearly all the stunt team for the series was composed of former special operators, all of whom drew upon their own personal experiences in the line of duty that helped SEAL Team feel like a genuine representation of the revered military unit. The show was also heavily inspired by former Navy SEAL and executive producer Mark Owen (real name Matt Bissonnette), who penned the memoir No Easy Day and played a crucial role in the assassination of terrorist Osama bin Laden. Boreanaz’s character, Hayes, even wore Bissonnette’s actual military-issued helmet instead of a lighter prop to pay tribute and add an extra layer of authenticity.
‘SEAL Team’ Powerfully Pays Tribute to the Military & Their Families
Throughout SEAL Team‘s stellar seven-season run, audiences were immersed in the daring and unpredictable world of the special operations forces, with Bravo Team courageously putting their lives on the line as they were deployed for covert missions that resulted in unfathomable stress, strain, and burdens for their concerned loved ones back home. Another intriguing element of the drama is that they had an actual veteran involved in front of the camera, too, as Tyler Grey, who played Trent Sawyer, A.K.A. Bravo 4, was a former US Army Ranger and appeared in 107 of its 114 total episodes.
The hard-hitting military drama was a certified knockout that kept audiences endlessly entertained with its electrifying action sequences, compelling stories, and the heartfelt depiction of the bond shared between SEAL team members, and it’s no surprise that the series has a fantastic 85% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.9/10 IMDb rating from users. SEAL Team was even “This Is Our Six” certified by the military, which is a highly prestigious honor that acknowledges the show’s commitment to accurately portraying the lives of the fearless servicemen and women. When discussing the unexpected realism of the riveting series, Tyler Grey told Military.com:
“That’s our goal. That’s everyone’s goal. I want veterans, active duty, and veterans and active duty’s families to watch it, and the public that has no connection maybe to veterans in the military, to watch it and just go, “Oh, I understand these people and their families better.”
