My 14-year-old son is not only big into history, he's also big into warriors. So watching Spike's Deadliest Warrior has become a family affair in our house. I guess they've been playing a lot of marathons lately, because I'm seeing one ferocious battle after the next, each pitting one fierce historical warrior against another. I am learning so much! I'd never heard of William Wallace or Shaka Zulu, but last night, I got a primer on both of these tough warriors. William Wallace was a 13th century Scottish Knight who had an epic poem written about him and inspired films like Braveheart. Shaka Zulu was a Zulu king who reigned during the first half of the 19th century and was eventually assassinated by his half-brothers. That's tough!
Deadliest Warrior is beautifully violent and pulls no punches in telling us exactly how to lop someone's head off with a sword or pierce a vital organ with an axe. We get step-by-step instructions on how a Shaolin Monk uses twin hooks or how the Italian Mafia wields a Tommy gun. From brain matter to entrails to gut spillage, it's all there.
Deadliest Warrior not only re-enacts each warrior's skill on such foes as a dead pig or a human form (made, I hope, out of synthetic material), but they also show real people battling it out. I'm still curious as to how they re-enact these fights without killing each other. They look so real!
My son is really into this show, and I'm still unsure whether this is a good thing. "Mom, get in here! You've gotta see this guy's skull get crushed!" And the commenters on Spike are so into it, but at the same time, pretty funny. Someone wrote: "Go Wallace. I want to see at least one knight win this season." My thoughts exactly.
Other battles on Deadliest Warrior have included Yakuza vs. Mafia, Green Beret vs. Spetsnaz, and I.R.A. vs Taliban, with the experts giving in-depth analysis on each warrior's weaponry, armor, speed and agility.
Hey, if I ever need to know how to use a flame thrower or a spiked ball of death, I'll be ready. Especially if I come up against a Viking or a Ninja.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-07-2009 @ 5:54PM
tristanh12 said...
This show is definitely one that I find interesting. Ive never seen something more interesting that puts dream fighters to the test using the advanced powers of science, biomedical engineering, physics, and computer simulation.
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6-08-2009 @ 12:26AM
MIke said...
Yeah entertaining show all around. My friends come over and we debate the pros and cons of the warriors. It's fun
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6-08-2009 @ 6:12AM
Xina said...
You have never heard of William Wallace OR Shaka Zulu? Yes, I admit it I am very surprised.
My two older boys both enjoy this show, as does my husband. I just started watching it, and I have to say I agree with most everything you just wrote.
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6-08-2009 @ 11:57AM
Jessie said...
My boys are totally into the show too. When I walk by the TV and they are watching DW, I stop, sit and watch. I find myself saying things like wow, ewww, gees, wow - the show kind sucks a person in even if you aren't into blood and violence. I watched Braveheart battle scenes through my fingers.
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6-08-2009 @ 11:58AM
Pingles said...
Sorry, but the one episode I saw was so atrociously "acted" that I turned it off. Very similar to Time Warp this is fascinating material ruined by a series of directorial decisions.
The two "warriors" were angrily confronting each other over which weapon was more powerful and their hostility was so forced I thought I was watching WWE. To make matters worse, the hosts were shouting out how amazing every strike of the weapon was when the action was very obviously pretty standard fare.
Again, a GREAT concept but tough to watch.
Maybe I just saw a bad episode.
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6-10-2009 @ 2:24PM
Nobes said...
Did I read that right? You've never heard of William Wallace?
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6-10-2009 @ 4:36PM
Jane Boursaw said...
Xina and Nobes - Yes, you read that right! I've never heard of William Wallace or Shaka Zulu!
Other deadliest warriors I've never heard of: Yakuza, Spetznaz, and Maori! Hanging head in shame. I'm so history-challenged. But that's why I've got you guys and my son and Deadliest Warrior to keep me up to speed on these killing machines. :-)
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6-12-2009 @ 9:30PM
theron said...
I liked the show at first but I noticed that when they test each warriors weapons in a given category thay hardly ever give them the same test,.. at least it didn't seem so! and I agree with the guy that said he felt like he was watchin WWE all the guys do is argue for 99 percent of the show. I guess the lamest thing I've seen on the show is the spetznaz guy doin flips on the ground and looking all fancy,...all that's gunna do is get you shot. altough the spartan and ninja was a good one :)