History Channel’s shooting-related reality TV show, Top Shot, debuted Sunday night.
Does it have all the typical reality TV weirdness? Yes. Did an exceptionally accomplished shooter and instructor get eliminated in the very first episode? Yes. Is the show going to be about drama first and shooting skill second? Yes.
But, is this a mainstream television show highlighting responsible adults enjoying firearms? Yes. And for that reason alone, it’s worth watching and supporting.
You can see an extended video preview of the show at Hulu.
pistol-training.com friend Caleb from Gun Nuts is still in the running, and was on the winning team tonight. Congrats on your excellent crawling-through-a-thicket demonstration… oh yeah, and good shooting, too!
Top Shot airs Sundays at 10pm Eastern. If you missed tonight’s episode, it’s replaying Tuesday at 10pm and Wednesday at 8pm.
Train hard & stay safe! ToddG
The survivor-esque bits of the show were nauseating, but I can endure those bits of unpleasantness for the sake of having a shooting show in the mainstream. Personally I would like to see the setup of the shooting competitions covered more in depth since that’s the stuff gun nerds really care about anyway.
The reaction to the first show on internet forums has been predictable, I suppose…no shortage of people who insist on saying that the first eliminee (is that even a word?) must have really “sucked” to be the first one off. These people obviously have no clue what attaining a grand master rank in USPSA actually means.
That he was highly regarded by everyone on the show who knows what a GM rating actually means ought to be a clue about what it represents as far as shooting skill goes.
I think we were all surprised to see Seeklander be the first out; but I don’t want to detract from Kelly’s skills. He’s a great guy and an extremely accomplished rifleman.
The wife and I watched it last night, wile she does shoot with me and attend some training classes she could really care less about waching shooting on tv. That said she Loved the show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So Im with ToddG on this one let everyone you know that its a good show to watch.
And I’ve traind a bit with Mike and the guy can Shoot!!!!!!! I hope he enjoyed the time that he was there.
Anyone want to spoil it for those who haven’t seen it and explain why a pistol shooter was stuck competing with a rifle against an accomplished rifleman?
I only ask because I’ll never end up seeing it.
TimC — When the producers first started trolling the web for contestants, I got an email. My immediate reaction was simple. No one has ever looked good on reality TV. The editors know that it’s drama, not reality, selling the show and selling ad space. As such, I can’t claim to be surprised that a great guy like Mike Seeklander (who’s not just an outstanding shooter but someone who has served this country as both a Marine and a federal agent) was made to look bad as part of the kick-off to the show.
Mark — Long story short, the team picked two guys to complete for elimination. Mike was one, the 1000yd kid was the other. The elimination event was a long distance precision shoot, which they knew going in.
I agree with your review, Todd. Yes, it had it’s share of “Hollywood Drama” moments that were to be expected, but it showed shooting in a positive light. It was worth watching.
i really need to buy a tv. sounds like quality viewing.
Saw it and I can see how most would think that the show made Mr. Seeklander out to look bad. I think that those that have shot multiple disciplines will understand otherwise. While I doubt that any of the competitors is one-dimensional, different shooters have different specialties. Seeklander was disadvantaged by his first spotter’s inability to spot impact or trace. In the end, Kelly’s skill reading wind won the elimination competition of the day. For those that thought it was unfair for a pistoleer to go up against a rifleman in precision rifle contest, it was the luck of the draw. The same elimination could have gone the other way with pistols which happens to be the subject of second episode. I can only imagine that archery and trap/skeet will be in future episodes and expose the strengths and weaknesses of the remaining competitors’ experiences.
I personally thought the “voting” pistol shot placements were kind of funny. I would expect most of those guys to drill 10 ring at that range.
I know I was disappointed by the show, based on the initial trolls for participants I was expecting it to be 3 gun on crack (ie different weapons outside the norm). Instead it’s turned more into Survivor with guns (in fact they use some of the same shots).
So you don’t get the see the strengths of each shooter across the entire, it’s simply luck of the draw. I would’ve loved to see someone like Mike, a pistolero, murder the 1000 yard wonder kid in the pistol competition next week.
You know, I hate the reality TV show added drama nonsense, but I think you make a great point — it’s really nice to see shooting in a positive, mature light for once.
Hopefully this is a trend.
Thank you for posting the link to Mike’s bio. The editing is always unfortunate for somebody in this kind of thing, but you’re right that they’re portraying shooters in a neutral/positive light. I was going to skip it based on one or two threads on forums, but I’m happy that I read your post and watched the full first episode on Hulu.
Reality TV? Yes. The kind of reality TV that I’m willing and happy to support/view? Absolutely.
I was suprised to see the outcome based on Mr. Seeklander’s resume and practical experience. As a Marine he has some prior training with open sight rifle shooting especially at 100yds. I think his spotter provided poor help on his effort to nail the 100yd target. That said the blue team also was hampered in poor spotting technique and light experience with open sight rifle shooting. Mike’s bio from the show includes competition experience with high power rifle, so go figure.
What Mike did demonstrate was high class sportsmanship. He carried himself very well in the national spotlight of defeat. In fact he also predicted and wanted to compete against Kelly in the shoot off, in his comments made prior to the voting. This outcome will benefit Mike as he moves forward, a man that gives respect also garners respect.
Uh, the show is ‘interesting’
was it just me, or did Ben look like he had a stick up his butt while he talked?
I didn’t really see the show as portraying Mr Seeklander in a bad light. He took responsibility for being the guy behind the sights and made it clear that he wanted to compete against the best opponent possible in the elimination, I assume, to prove he belonged there. I do have to say that Brad guy’s excuses for his performance in the second show, if not a result of clever editing, were a bit ridiculous. I won’t spoil it for those who haven’t seen it, but it got old quick.
David – Glad to hear that. Another friend made a similar comment to me. Perhaps it’s just because I know Mike that I was too sensitive to the way he was portrayed.
As for Brad, I’m with you. Don’t know him and don’t want to judge him based on the show, but they’re certainly working very hard to make him look like a whiney girl.
I really wish they’d have put more movement into the pistol challenge, but I guess square-range type shooting is best when you’re dealing with people who have limited or no experience with pistol shooting.
So Todd, now that the whole season 1 is out there, you signing up for season 2?
Not just no, but hell no. I watched world-class shooters made out to look like idiots, idiots made out to look like heroes, and normal guys made to look like everything from bumbling fools to evil masterminds.
I’ll say it again: No one ever looks good on reality TV.
But dude you’d be a perfect fit for that show! Hell I’ll join you. lol