Generation Kill - Region 2 DVD

Generation Kill, spread over seven episodes, follows the opening 40 days of the Iraq war, as viewed through the eyes of Marines’ First Recon Batallion. From there, the show pans out to give a snapshot of the horrors, dramas and sheer brutality of war. It does it though with genuinely three-dimensional characters, who have frailties, moments of humour, friendships and backgrounds. And the show allows space to genuine explore these, much to its credit.

Much like The Wire, Generation Kill doesn’t concern itself with cliffhangers, big action sequences or gimmicks. This is solid, grown-up drama, that treats its viewers as adults and is all the better for it. Granted, it’s not going to be to some tastes, and there are periods of inactivity that may test the patience of some viewers, but this is just the kind of television that people tend to complain that companies don’t make enough of. Well, they just have, and Generation Kill very much deserves success as a result. --Jon Foster