So We Finally Watched The Unit | Green Berets React to the "Hit Show" The Unit

[@FNGACADEMY]

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[@waterbornesapper7953]

Hey guys. I really enjoy your content. Keep up the great work. So I have a request. It's not a television show or a movie. It's a video game. I know, i know. But before you go judging, this isn't a Call of Duty or anything like that. The video game Medal of Honor 2010 was inspired by real operations that took place in the early days of the Afghanistan war. It involved CAG, DEVGRU, Rangers, and there was mention of Green Berets and allied Afghan forces in cutscenes. Some of the operations/missions featured were Robert's Ridge, Operation Redwings, and Anaconda to name a few. It would be interesting to get you guy's opinions and views on how this game portrayed authenticity. Especially if you get any CAG, DEVGRU or Ranger guests on your show. Even if you don't do an episode on this game, check it out for yourselves. I'm pretty sure you can watch someone else play the game all the way through on KZbin. Sappers Lead The Way!!!

[@MoonBeamLaser]

The Unit will always have a spot in heart. I am a fan of popcorn action flicks of the 80s and 90s so it doesn't bother me.

[@jonathansonnier3078]

Exactly it you go into it knowing it’s entertainment not accurate. Make it better

[@bboness713]

I loved that show! Not accurate but tells a cool story.

[@mojoi_iv_v7_i975]

Agreed. But as much as I loved the show, even I can't defend how far off the rails they went at the end. That final season is pretty much unwatchable.

[@Graydog-sx6le]

It was a cool show. At that time there were no other shows that covered the military in any way. Eric Haney the writer was actually an operator and I was surprised at some of this but still was a fun watch back in the day.

[@AkodoGarou]

​@@mojoi_iv_v7_i975 yeah, that last season was destroyed because of the writer's strike. There was a lot more was supposed to happen, but got canned.

[@harr77]

The Unit might not have been militarily accurate but it was fun tv. Watching Dennis Haysbert bad ass around for an hour was a joy.

[@FreedomFighter2112]

I served 21 years in the US Army and was an Airborne Ranger, Master Gunner, etc. My commander went on to serve 5 years with Delta Force and this TV series was our favorite. Granted, this episode, was far fetched. This usually happens because was the Pilot show and had to be greenlit. However, if you continue watching the Series, you will see that it leans more to the realistic side of Delta Force. Also, keep in mind that this show was based on Eric L. Haney's Memoir "Inside the Delta Force". He was the on-site Military Advisor the the 4 seasons of the Show. Again, the initial couple of episodes were far fetched but eventually, it reverted back to the most realistic Military Tv series most of Veterans have ever seen...including Eric Haney

[@craddatzm]

The Unit was Freaking awesome show… leaving the drama of the wives aside 😂

[@michealsealy1908]

The unit was the first military tv show I watched my dad and I use to watch it all the time miss it so much. Fun fact the creator of the show was Delta force CSM Eric L. Haney.

[@alavila8373]

Very much enjoyed Haney's book. Think I read it twice and listened to it once on audio books. However, he wasn't not Delta's CSM. He picked up Sergeant Major, left Delta, and moved on to another unit based in Panama if I remember correctly, where he became their CSM.

[@steventhomas2936]

Facts

[@Gearparadummies]

​@@alavila8373In his book Haney says the moment he was promoted to CSM he had to leave the unit because the Unit's CSM billet was already filled. I believe he ended his 20 in the 193rd Infantry Brigade and retired in 1990 IIRC

[@fastgas1212]

Fun fact...the fictional Fort Griffith the commander of the base on the sign was a one E.L.Haney

[@bboness713]

The Unit was an awesome show! Definitely not a documentary but very entertaining.

[@FNGACADEMY]

everyone loved it back in the day

[@BA-kd6gs]

The guy in the wheelchair is a former unit member and works on guns as a hobby since he used to be a range instructor

[@JonNo86]

I remember also breaking this apart hard the first time I watched it, and then I watched a behind the scenes interview with Eric Haney, who was one of the first graduates of Delta selection, the executive producer, the tech advisor, and the author of the book this show is based off of. He broke down this episode and justified almost every move that was made, including the reason of why he didn't wear body armor while taking the plane. He said it was because they were trained not to because you wouldn't want to get your kit stuck on a passenger seat while flowing through the aisles. Speed was the key. Also the reason for the 1911 was the fact that Delta made it a point for decades for them to be the most qualified operators in the world with the 1911.

[@williamflowers9435]

Do you know where to find the interview? Or what show it was on?

[@williamflowers9435]

Given the time period this was made, 1911 was definitely appropriate

[@DaddyWhiskey]

I know if you buy the box set it has the commentaries as part of the menu choices. The first season or two he was fairly involved but after that I think they moved away from that.

[@nekaeljones3086]

I saw that interview too

[@ChrisJones-fm6wp]

@@williamflowers9435 You can get most of the same information from Haney's book Inside Delta Force. You should also know he was PNGed by the Delta community for how much info he put out to the public. There's debate about how much of what he said is credible but other than RUMINT there's nothing of substance out there disproving what he said.

[@BroJacksonTradez]

The Unit was a little corny at times but regardless for the time it was actually a really good show. PS...the unit commander actually retired and went on to be the number 1 salesman for a well known insurance agency. So Delta really equips operators with some skills that easily translate to civilian life..

[@t4ntr420]

No he became president and best friends with jack bauer

[@Topgunphoto]

the show "jumped the shark" once they had the wives starting to help.

[@isaiahmarquez9717]

@@TopgunphotoThat’s when it all went sideways. Even my wife, who loved the show, said this is stupid.

[@BroJacksonTradez]

@isaiahmarquez9717 the irony is that the producers did that to try to get a bigger female interest lol

[@Mike-in-Texas]

The Unit was my favorite show and it broke my heart when they took it off the air.

[@The_Isaiahnator]

Man, I love this show. One of my favorite aspects is that the wives are just as capable as the husbands, but in their own way. Are they Tier-1 operators? No. But they hold down the homefront; provide emotional support (and logistical support when the episode calls for it); and show why they're worthy of the husbands they married. Everything about the relationships on this show emphasizes the importance of teamwork. P.S. Max Martini (the actor who played as Mack Gerhardt) also played as the SEAL commander in _Captain Phillips._ He was the one who gave the order to execute just as the SEAL snipers took out the Somali pirates.

[@plunkettoverland1895]

The Unit was an early 2000s show with 1980s TTPs. Eric Haney had been out of the Unit for a very long time and many of season 1-2 plots were adapted from his book (for which he was PNG'd, I believe). Watching it, you could see some of the legit (if dated) elements trying to shine through the Hollywood filming. After the writers' strike, it turned to absolute trash. At the time, though, there was nothing like it. I mean, before that we had The A-Team.

[@woofan25]

The ep you should see is Dark of The Moon

[@richardmeek3312]

i second that

[@StarWarsFreak2111]

To be fair to the show, this was just the Pilot episode, it does get better in later episodes.

[@Alfeco-dm7uk]

Tour of Duty is an American military drama television series based on events in the Vietnam War, broadcast on CBS. The series ran for three seasons, from September 24, 1987, to April 28, 1990, for a total of 58 one-hour episodes.

[@BrownCornelius000]

Tour of Duty is solid. I still catch old reruns from time to time.

[@ryhk3293]

Ah, I haven't thought about this show in a long time. Best show intro theme music of all time, for sure. Have never rewatched it so I can't confirm on how well it's aged. I remember as a kid thinking it had jumped the shark when the helicopter pilot went on a solo rescue mission on foot into the jungle,and the platoon of regular joes morphed into an SF/SOG team. And the killed off the one Asian guy.

[@gman21266]

CSM Eric L. Haney was a Co-Producer of this tv show. He was also a founding member of Delta - and he lasted far longer than most in The Unit. Now I could tell you a LOT more about him - because I worked with him for 2 and a half years in Central America back in the late 80's -- before these guys were born. But I won't bore you with war stories... Instead, what I will tell you is that Haney is an absolute LEGEND among legends. He was 100% Professional 100% of every day. Extreme dignity and honor and mentality - and skill. And he ALWAYS protected our military. He caught a lot of flack when he wrote "Inside Delta Force". But the flack he caught was stupid because he never actually gave away any secrets. And the same goes with this tv show. And quite frankly it is disturbing to see a couple of Green Berets trashing this show without clarifying that Haney made sure it was NOT realistic and without giving him props for doing so.

[@Excalibur01]

I remember really liking this show when it first aired

[@Romo69]

Great start, horrible last couple seasons

[@Excalibur01]

@@Romo69 It got too much with the internal drama. I was in it for the military action parts, which as I got older and more educated, there's a LOT of wrong in this show

[@FVCKCOMMUNISTS]

@@Romo69 EXACTLY

[@charlessanders4337]

@@Excalibur01it really went off the deep end when Heney left. Up until then it was at least somewhat close to realistic. After that they went full crazy conspiracy.

[@jongorden4717]

My dad and I loved watching the Unit! I actually went back and watched it again a few years ago. Seal Team was great to fill that void

[@LDmagnum]

I remember watching the unit with my dad when i was a kid, great show….. Mr. Grey was always my guy

[@edwinv777]

Thank you FNG Academy, Sean, Kurt and Abel, you guys rock for everything you do and have done. Please give it another chance to "The Unit", if you could, when doing so, do it for the Season 3, Episode 7 ""Five Brothers", where a covert op goes sideways. Would like to get your take on the tactics, first-response and trauma medicine shown. Thanks again, and keep up the good work, you guys are the best!

[@arvidfalk5719]

Yes, it would be great if they could do episode 2 (?), the one with the downed team and the extended fight with the Taliban, and then the Five Brothers one.

[@ricardorayg.9820]

Seriously Give it a shot it's an awesome ass show

[@648tico]

I think the problem is that they are not watching the episodes. They are skipping to certain parts without any background

[@isaiahmarquez9717]

@@648ticoUnless any of them were actually Operators themselves, I wouldn’t put too much stock into their opinions. The show did have a former Operator as technical advisor. Plus, SF guys usually have a chip on their shoulder about CAG anyway…..even though they want to be one.

[@Andy-te1mw]

I swear you guys could make tshirts out of half the funny stuff you say. Awesome episode.

[@markthompson7503]

Loved The Unit. One of the very few TV shows I ever bought all the seasons on dvd.

[@williamflowers9435]

If Eric Haney is still around, you should have him guest host

[@SENSEICARR]

It’s my favorite TV show I rewatch it every year

[@DrJapan]

1. Start early - during high school. 2. Improve willingness among the young. 3. Unite your population. and thanks for finally watching THE UNIT. Its like an Israeli Mcgayver on steroids :) Dennis Haysbert is great! for something made in 06, its not all that bad. Remember what other stuff you had on TV... A-team was completely Ludacris and I loved watching it...

[@simpleman9244]

For what it’s worth… this is the first episode. There are like 50 different wild scenarios they go through in the series. I understood a lot was unrealistic but the storyline was actually pretty cool

[@evanbravo6-166]

I can’t lie when I was a young man this was one of my favorite shows. After watching your breakdown I could not stop laughing. Great job. On another note I spent 28 years in the NYPD, and I worked from time to time with the FBI. A lot of them are just lawyers with guns.Some are clueless. Some are the real deal but man I could tell you stories that would leave you scratching your head.

[@arvidfalk5719]

We grant you all your points - still the best military show, though ;) And innovative at the time. The tactics were good if not exactly flawlessly realistic like in some more recent shows, but the atmosphere, the dialogue, and the decent tactics were groundbreaking at the time, and still fantastically enjoyable. When your other buddy comes in, maybe do some of the later episodes with some of the longer gunfights also. The pilot was a one off and the style changed quite a bit.

[@The_Isaiahnator]

Watching you guys rip into one of my favorite shows was funny and painful at the same time. It's been a few years since I watched it, so I guess it was time to remove my rose-tinted glasses with the benefit of hindsight. It's obvious that the creators were leaning into the power fantasy of being an operator, and treated the characters more like globetrotting swashbucklers (i.e., James Bond) than actual operators.

[@TheWarriorSolution]

I absolutely LOVED The Unit back in the day before I joined the military and knew what I was doing... I have great memories, but I can't watch it today without yelling at the screen.

[@enzov9772]

Season 2 Episode 8: Natural Selection was probably one of my fave episodes.

[@circulati]

You guys were on fire in this one 😂 It must be annoying to watch silly shows (from a tactical pov) but it’s so much fun watching you reacting to them, they bring out the best in you 🎉

[@FNGACADEMY]

thank you!

[@alavila8373]

DO THIS EPISODE NEXT!!!! Ok. As far as I'm concerned you guys can skip Beers and Breakdowns of any other episodes of the Unit except for Season 2 Episode 17: "Dark of the Moon". This episode should be right up your alley. As SOF I'd like your per perspective on how they organize and defend what they call a Logistic Camp in Afghanistan. Reminds me of a little COP in Afghanistan but with CONEX boxes as opposed to Hescos. They come in and reorganize the camps defenses and repel repeated assaults. Plus you can watch this episode without watching any others episodes for context. DO THIS EPISODE NEXT BECAUSE YOU PROBABLY WON'T EVER GET TO IT OTHERWISE!!!

[@WayneKing53054]

Also it was the only episode without the wives.

[@stevegraves7040]

there is some over the top stuff in The Unit but it is a good show. Also if you watch the whole series that guy in the wheel chair is a former team commander that is still employed by the unit as a gunsmith.

[@richalqhemist2032]

One of my favorite shows from childhood. Bought my dad the DVD series several years ago. And I’ve rewatched the entire series many times over!

[@rickyroost7732]

All comments well taken. I still loved the show and how they developed each character. There were some great things to learn from Snake Doctor about how a good leader behaves.

[@lordstarck2982]

From I don't know how many years my ringtone is The Unit theme song!❤

[@Frank-uw5xq]

Me too on a Blackberry

[@TheWarriorSolution]

Same. Been the Unit ringtone for like 15 years now. XD@@Frank-uw5xq

[@JrRodriguez-ty2fr]

Mine was the ring tone the beep beep on the unit show characters cells

[@brandonandbubbawashington6239]

Fellas, the old guy was former CAG too. That's why he has access to all those assets and the contacts with the sheriff in town.

[@seank7325]

I seem to recall Eric Haney did a "Making of ..." short where he explained his rationale for the one dude taking down the plane himself...

[@totoroutes5389]

The show is about the top tier Delta alpha team that on occasion gets their orders directly from the president in person, so, they can arrive at a command post and if necessary answer any questions on a need to know basis. Will you be reacting to a few more episodes?

[@mouradmorojack1246]

The episode with school hostage situation is one of the best !! Also the SERE ONES TOO !! & lastly the one over in the Panama with agency asset !! In my opinion !! But you rock as always !! Kurt 😂 you’ll get there . Keep it up 👍🏾

[@hondomclean6759]

Dark Side of the Moon was my favourite in Season 2 That's where they get caught out in a temporary outpost whilst capturing 3 taliban members and spend all night getting assaulted.

[@648tico]

I was spec ops in the Corps but I loved this show

[@ryank5424]

I swear this one is probably the most fun I've had watching one of your videos. I mostly liked the show back when it on, but the way you tore this episode apart was just great.

[@oifphoenixTwitchTV]

A fun show that I still love. It was made for civilians.

[@VeryFastRodi]

It is quite a later episode, but would be fun to see a reaction too. That episode has a lot of scenes with the selection for "The Unit" Episode: Natural Selection

[@markschaap2668]

Its a TV show guys,no realism just popcorn. loved the show

[@brandonandbubbawashington6239]

Fellas, youve gotta watch the whole show. Top had the info from the sigint.

[@Cpt-Pugwash14]

I absolutely loved this show when i was a kid :)

[@myveryfirstname]

It's about mutha fucking time 🎉👏👏👏👏👏. I've been waiting so long for this one.😄👍

[@j-fb3158]

You guys are the best!! I needed the laugh today. Thanks

[@ShawsOwn]

Watching you guys work into doing the intro is just like waiting for a post briefing.

[@richardmeek3312]

i know you guys are just doing the first episode but there are a few others to check out one pays homage to the movie green berets with the sky hook balloon and all that was cool

[@isaiahmarquez9717]

Funny thing is, a SF Team In Afghanistan EARLY ON used donkeys. It’s not exactly a secret, either.

[@carlhamilton6628]

Hey guys! I’ll donate 100USD if you do the episode “natural selection” season 03E08 with Tyler… give it to some vet out there that needs it!

[@ericheikkinen9110]

I would love to see this

[@SargNickFury]

@@ericheikkinen9110 Is that the episode where he has to play cabin boy for his exfil?

[@gambitucla]

@@SargNickFuryNah. “Natural selection” is the episode where the one character has flashbacks of his time enduring Unit Selection. One of my fav episodes in the series, whether it’s accurate or not.

[@SargNickFury]

@@gambitucla Gotcha....I never watched it that much. I just remember the episode where a member had to play gay cabin boy on a yaght to ex-fil back to the states......lol it was the last straw.....lol

[@pkt1213]

I enjoyed the first season of The Unit. It was enjoyable to watch. After that, it went off the rails.

[@JohnM-vh5bm]

This is such a great and entertaining review. Like others, I watched the show and liked it. but liked your review more! My fingers would be numb from listing all the classic quotes y'all had.

[@panpiper]

I much enjoyed that series.

[@uslawman1983]

I get what you guys are saying but.. In order to enjoy some shows you have to remove your "plausibility hat" for awhile and just enjoy the ride. The Unit was one of those shows. And I'm one that enjoyed it thoroughly.

[@danielcote5841]

The ONLY question that needs to be answered from The Unit is : how long would the CO would keep breathing if he was diddling one of his operator’s wife 🧐

[@Romo69]

Happens quite a bit more then you probably realize

[@FVCKCOMMUNISTS]

NOT VERY LONG.

[@williamflowers9435]

Probably depends on who the operator is… if he’s a p*ssy hound himself a la Jimmy McNaulty, he might not give a…

[@col.strayga1389]

A long time the overwhelming majority of colonels are Remf that never leave the wire except to shake hands with big wigs and to the air field to leave theater.

[@KillMonger592]

Special Ops: Lioness Some cag stuff in there along with some SOPs we can use ur opinions on. Recommend u watch all 5 or 6 episodes then do the breakdown.

[@EJ-mu3he]

I was watching one of the other episodes and thinking to myself, “god, an episode on The Unit would be hilarious!” Thanks guys 😂

[@WoWDontu]

My favorite show back in the day. Please breakdown the SERE episode.

[@nekaeljones3086]

This review hurt really bad because I love that show but it was fucking hilarious😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@troyallen2574]

The who Sgt Black and Sgt White bit was hilarious lol

[@LT_Xander]

When I first started watching this episode of B&B I was like “Whoa. Sean, put the hat back on, my guy.” I did not want to see how balding Sean has gotten. But then as the show went on, I think the hat was holding Sean back, because this was the funniest I’ve ever seen Sean, by far. Love the show guys. Abel, if you’re going to have Sean with sunglasses on, can you at least setup the lights to be even? The whole show it looked like Sean had big-o crazy bug eyes. Thanks!

[@SniperSpec0ps]

One of the very few shows where the suspension of disbelief was worth it. They got canceled on a cliffhanger in the story though, which sucks.

[@PoliticallyInsensitive]

I thought The Unit was pretty good until the last season. If i remember correctly there was a writers strike. I was however always waiting for Dennis Hayesbert to ask if i was in "good hands".

[@MyTruth1771]

Oh damn! Yall did The Unit!

[@The2ndFirst]

Oh sweet baby Jesus. Here we go. KURT!

[@markroberts1283]

OMG, I almost pissed myself watching this reaction. I hope you do more of the unit. Great job.

[@bigogre7186]

Can't wait until you do an episode review of SEAL Team when they have to assault an airplane. I can only imagine the reaction after seeing this episode of The Unit

[@liamulrich5274]

That last bit was very tongue in cheek

[@Helixur]

Man you guys are late lol. The unit got me through deployments 🎇. "What we know they're CAG man " killed me 😂

[@TobyBarrows]

Can I recommend Ultimate Force It was a UK show about the SAS in the early 2000 showing Counter Terrorism, Recon, Undercover showing what the 'MRF' & later 'The Det' did in Northern Ireland (Was mostly SAS/SBS operators). Chris Ryan was also Executive producer. I would recommend S1E1,2 or 4 or S2E1+2 which is a double episode where they find out too late that it's a politically disastrous op and the politically manoeuvring inside the Military and by the politicians covering themselves/the govournment

[@johnnyguitar6639]

UF was a great show. But as all these type of show they have to water it down with heavy drama. That being said.Some of the operations they did. Was based on real events. Though heavy dramatized and prolonged for tv.

[@nickm6670]

I think the believability factor suffered because the source material was dated, as was the production advisor's experience. The show used Cold War era dynamics and tactics, but then randomly sprinkled in modern elements that made the show less authentic. They should have either made it a period show or completely modern.

[@user-ml4ts7jw1k]

Huge fan Buck! I was wondering if you were ever going to do anymore wine and ration videos? Those were great! Keep it up mate!

[@andy47456]

MY FAVORITE SHOW, I can't wait to hear your critique!

[@gochi6542]

Love it when Buck is on his bullshit. Great episode, fellas 😂

[@gen3kali877]

Former CAG commander confirmed operational donkeys during an interview on another show.

[@chrisrenaldo643]

if I recall, the dude on the phone is a disabled Unit member, who may or not still be 'connected' or working with an alphabet agency. and the location is something of a 'base' with all the necessary gear, coms, etc. again, it may have been staging for a planned operation. and from previous episodes, the white dude is a pilot. and of course, it's TV and this scene is probably 15-20 years old. that said, you guys are the Siskel and Ebbert of the Special Ops world. enjoy immensely.

[@michaelkoppenhoefer5910]

This show provided good comedy when we watched in Afghanistan

[@diddlethepoodle4812]

I loved the unit. Good cast. Well written. Good story line. To bad they cancelled it.

[@gob7116]

Goes to show how far television has come. CBS comes up with The Unit way back when then comes up with SEAL Team recently. Helluva glowup, but back then, the unit was all anyone had lol

[@FNGACADEMY]

true it was the shit back then

[@gwat34]

To be fair to the writers about the second schene, the guy they were visiting was a retired Delta CSM. So, he would be well stocked with weapons, commo and what not.

[@jonathanshiflet5450]

This is how civilians HOPE it works: we have someone who is an expert that can overrule all the bureaucrats with access to all the best gear at a moments notice. They just don't realize everyone has to fill out paperwork.

[@andrabook8758]

"Less cheek, too much hole" .....is basically like 90% of all military movies! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I'm stealing this line now.

[@shady2493]

Watching this show in Afghanistan with the boys in 2006, the conversation was pretty much exactly the same😂

[@jacksutherlin9773]

Would love to see your all's take on the Amazon Jack Ryan series!

[@stuartfury3390]

its awful

[@pkt1213]

There was a blog on JWICS of what the episodes would actually be like. I remember there were 2 of Jack trying to get the VTC to work and 3 of Jack waiting to get his travel approved. 😂

[@ryangranias9129]

I laughed for like 3 minutes at the car insurance joke hahaha

[@DFR55921]

You guys should react to "The Eight Hundred". It's a story of the 1937 Battle of Shanghai where Chinese officers and soldiers create a defense at a Warehouse from the invasion of the Japanese army.

[@noerosas7691]

On one of their episodes with Tyler Grey, you can really see the difference between SF guys and Delta.

[@ziggamon]

Oh heres another forgotten GWOT show, check out "Over There". (Yes the first half of the season was very corny as well LOL, but started to pick up steam the last few episodes but got canceled)

[@jfnero9730]

Brilliant 😂😂😂 you guys are FAF!!!! Do a separate channel where you just take piss out of bad films 👍👍👍👍👍

[@jackson857]

I loved the Unit. You guys should do Strike Back next.

[@MrPopeye722]

I picked up the first few seasons bootleg on the pier in Singapore. Brings back memories.

[@iatros0838]

"Where's the CIA? Not here? Call them and tell them to 'Shut Up'!"

[@srsmedic8285]

That was hilarious

[@angelmedel7598]

Sean has the whole Richard Brake look going on, I love it !

[@bobicabayo]

The Unit was cool!

[@flyboymike111357]

Cag has a counterpart in the FBI called HRT, and they often operate side-by-side overseas. Domestically it is all HRT. Even though HRT has a history of turning tense situations into unnecessary gunfights. I can't see CAG being used in their place over national guard SF guys and/or the HRT.