Top Shot: The Awesome Marksmanship Reality Show

So, it doesn't look like there's a thread for this show, but I'm hoping there's some fans.

What does everyone think of this season? There's been some awesome weapons and challenges. It seems like there's a lot fewer military guys this time around. I don't mind the ex-military folks, but after last season when they all kind of grouped together and looked down on legitimately good shooters like Jay Lim and Jamie (granted, Jamie was Navy, but they hated him for whatever reason) I'm glad they're mixing it up.

Who do you want to win? One of the things I like about Top Shot is the majority of the contestants seem like good people. There's a few jerks every season who I don't want to win and as long as they don't I'm good with the outcome. This season, as long as Jake doesn't win everything's peachy for me. It'd be nice to see Big Mike take him out in an elimination challenge though.

If you've never watched Top Shot, you should check it out. Basically, they get a bunch of marksman from different background, with different proficiencies and divide them up into two teams. Each week there's a team challenge with different weapons and maybe some physical challenges as well. Whichever team loses the challenge has to vote for two people who will face each other in an elimination challenge. Whoever loses the elimination challenge gets sent home. The weapons aren't always guns. You'll see bows, slingshots, tomahawks, throwing knives, blowguns and cannons.

It's awesome because for the most part the show is entirely about skill. There's nothing subjective about it. Cooking, singing and fashion contests have a lot of opinion and personal taste involved. With Top Shot it comes down to whether or not someone can hit a target. It's also great to see a show where the contestants are almost always supportive of each other, even if they're one different teams. Sometimes, you can see people from opposing sides practicing for a challenge with each other. Eliminations usually end with brotherly hugs and handshakes. When a contestant loses, they're never angry.

The first two seasons are on Netflix instant and the third season is running on the History channel, though the season is nearing the end.

I LOVE Top Shot!
Unfortunately, we dont have access to cable so we have to watch it on Netflix. That means we have only seen seasons 1 & 2. But every time we watch an episode we go straight outside and do some target practice. Now my 13 yr old wants to take archery classes! She is getting really good with the 22.

I agree with what you said about most of the contestants being decent people. No one is perfect but for the most part they seem to be good folk.

It's kind of like Jersey Shore if they had guns.
Would be better if they didn't do it in a reality show fashion

I like Top Shot. It's a decent show.

Last season, Jamie was hated mainly because he was so secretive. He didn't want to say that he was an Operations Specialist. And for good reason. It isn't a gun related rating. Neither is being a rescue swimmer. But he qualified on everything he could, just like I did when I was in the Navy.

This season is ok, aside from Jake Zweig. The dude is not a team player. That is not how real Seals act. I'm really hoping that Mike took him out into the parking lot and beat the crap out of him as soon as the cameras were done rolling.

The dude was a Seal for less than 3 years. With about a year spent in training, he was a Seal for less than 2 years. Then he cried "racism" and quit.

Then he went on to be a football coach at five different colleges in the last 5 years. I wonder why. Probably because he's a dick.

I'm really hoping he gets eliminated soon. I know if it were me, I'd vote him into elimination every single time just because of his attitude.

Originally posted by allenidaho
I like Top Shot. It's a decent show.

Last season, Jamie was hated mainly because he was so secretive. He didn't want to say that he was an Operations Specialist. And for good reason. It isn't a gun related rating. Neither is being a rescue swimmer. But he qualified on everything he could, just like I did when I was in the Navy.

This season is ok, aside from Jake Zweig.

I got that they didn't like Jamie because he didn't talk about what he did in the Navy, but he was able to put up in the competitions. He kept showing that he was able to shoot well. That should've been enough, in my book. I'm not a military guy so maybe it's just something I can't understand, but in a shooting match being able to shoot well should be enough to earn you some respect.

I totally agree about Jake, though I was scared Mike was going to stomp him and get himself disqualified. Zweig doesn't act like anyone with any kind of discipline, self-control or respect for others should. I'm starting to think he's just crazy. He got sent to one elimination and started raving about how he wasn't going to stand for being sent to every elimination.

Where'd you get all that information on him? That's wild.

Sounds like an interesting concept for a show. Of course leave it to TV producers to find and exploit the fractures between the military's 'tribes'.

I'd like to see this show done with hard nosed folks from across the world though. A few FARC guys here some Mujaheddin there and some Chechens to round it out. It wouldn't happen but hey I can dream.

He was featured in an article about ethnic diversity in our Special Forces that is floating around the internet here somewhere. I found it while looking for information on the guy. Honestly, I didn't think he was ever a Seal at all, with the way he was acting. But turns out he wasn't lying.

The information on his football coaching at so many different schools came from his own bio written to promote his motivational speaking crap. Just google the name "Jake Zweig". You will probably find them both.

I saw a couple of episodes. It's interesting, but didn't grab me. Neat concept though. Just that all of these different areas are COMPLETELY different skills... I mean, being an expert marksman with a bow is WAY different than with a gun, or a thrown knife, etc.

reply to post by FEDec


You might like Top Sniper better. It's an international competition.
This is the description from Netflix: This documentary series goes inside the annual International Sniper Competition held at Fort Benning, Ga., in which two-man teams from around the world are tested to the limits of their precision and endurance. Held in simulated war conditions, the contest requires elite military and law enforcement marksmen to display a variety of skills, including aerial and long-range shooting, stalking, camouflage and urban combat.

It's much more about the tech. aspect of the profession and has competitors from armed forces from around the globe. Very interesting stuff.