Case Number 15451: Small Claims Court

THE DANGEROUS MISSIONS COLLECTION

History Channel // 2008 // 752 Minutes // Not Rated
Reviewed by Judge David Johnson // January 15th, 2009

The Charge

Go on the job with the world's most dangerous missions.

The Case

The History Channel has another dose of studs doing things you would never want to. Whether it's disarming mines or negotiating with hostage takers or parachuting behind enemy lines during World War II, I very much doubt that your pansy-ass would have the gumption to embark on these -- dangerous missions!!!

Four discs, sixteen installments. Watch them and weep:

Disc One
"Silent Wing Warriors:" the original stealth fighters of World War II.
"U-Boats:" riding around in a tin can underwater.
"Forward Air Controllers:" sitting ducks in Vietnam.
"Ice Road Truckers:" it's a road made of ice -- and they truck on it!

Disc Two
"Daredevils:" risking their lives for the amusement of 9-year-olds hopped up on cotton candy.
"Timber:" logging for crazies.
"Tank Crews:" rolling around in World War II.
"Minesweepers:" not the game.

Disc Three
"Dangerous Missions of D-Day:" military elites given special assignments during D-Day.
"Marine Raiders:" more World Way II action, featuring hit-and-run assault units.
"Forward Observers:" intelligence-gathering on the battlefield.
"Pathfinders:" parachuting behind enemy lines.

Disc Four
"Rescue Swimmers:" pretty self-explanatory.
"Merrill's Marauders:" Hirohito's worst nightmare.
"Assault on Iwo Jima:" even more Pacific theatre action.
"Hostage Negotiators:" freeing hostages, one pit-stained short-sleeved button-up shirt at a time.

This isn't really a contiguous season of television, but an anthology of stand-alone features all containing a similar theme: doing these jobs will likely get you killed or maimed. In that respect -- the killing and maiming potential of said missions -- the set wildly succeeds. The spotlighted career paths are interesting, varied, lethal...and a bit dated, judging by the hostage negotiators' bodacious '80s wardrobes. Whatever. The content stands on its own, and anyone interested in an entertaining amalgam of men and women putting their bodies in harm's way would be well-served by these Dangerous Missions.

Nothing much to the disc presentation though. Full frame picture quality and 2.0 stereo with no extras.

Scales of Justice
Judgment: 80

Perp Profile
Studio: History Channel
Video Formats:
* Full Frame

Audio Formats:
* Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo (English)

Subtitles:
* None

Running Time: 752 Minutes
Release Year: 2008
MPAA Rating: Not Rated

Distinguishing Marks
* None

Accomplices
* IMDb
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt1229901/combined