New season of Top Shot

[74novaman]

But...If all the drama and trash talk is what it takes to draw a larger audience (and that's what the producers feel is needed), then I believe it is a "necessary evil" to expose more people to the sport of shooting...which is a good thing.
I for one am very glad this show exists.

Besides, without the back stabbing and fighting, I probably wouldn't be able to get my wife to watch with me.

Agreed. I don't mind a little bit of friendly competition, etc. But if they turn Chris the country boy vs the sniper from NJ into this seasons Adam vs Kelly, I'll be mad.

Adam was a jerk last year, and highlighted all the aspects of emotional immaturity that anti's attach to all gunnuts.

[jimlongley]

I used to be a heck of a competitor 20 years ago too.

Me too, except it was fourty, fired expert with plain old 1911s straight out of the armory, came in fifth in regional high power matches, placed in the medals regularly in .22 rimfire, but all that is the stuff of memories now.

I haven't quite decided what to do about the show, I know my wife will want to watch it just for the shooting aspect, and I enjoy that myself, but that amount of drama is just not natural to the shooting teams and scenes I have been involved in since I was a teenager.

Yes, there is always some background tension "Man, if Frenchy hadn't dropped that shot in offhand we would have taken high aggregate too." But I think the show works at creating the drama, and I would be much more interested in watching one where the eventual outcome was determined by raw score over all the disciplines instead of who votes for whom.

Missed the first show, will try to look it up online if I can generate the interest and if the wife pushes me.

[Keith B]

Yep, I watched it. I was suprised that the blue team did so poorly. I think last season had better shooters. I mean we have people on there with no credibility. The guy from Wetherford that got eliminated was a Junior Champion, he is far from being a Junior any more. Just because you could shoot when you were a kid doesn't translate to today. I used to be a heck of a competitor 20 years ago too.

Hopefully it will get better. I rally liked it last season. I saw recently were Ian that won last year now has a job with Crimson Trace. Good move on their part.

In the shooters defense, this isn't your weekend trip to the range. There is a TON of pressure on them; cameras in your face, $100,000 on the line plus a $2000 Bass pro gift card per challenge, producers pushing you to be more animated, knowing millions of viewers are watching you screw up on national television, other team members wanting you to do well, but eventually going to try and beat you, the personal drama that DOES take its toll on you when you deal with others and can't get away from them, being away from home and not seeing your family, not counting the foggy conditions, cold rain and wind they were dealing with, and using weapons they may have never seen, much less handled and practiced with.

Bottom line, it is a reality show and they will focus on the drama to try and draw viewers who like that kind of thing. I really don't, but overlook the drama between shooters portion to see the challenges and who let's their overconfidence and bravado overrun their skills, and who really does handle all the pressure well to win out in the end.

[Jasonw560]

Bottom line, it is a reality show and they will focus on the drama to try and draw viewers who like that kind of thing. I really don't, but overlook the drama between shooters portion to see the challenges and who let's their overconfidence and bravado overrun their skills, and who really does handle all the pressure well to win out in the end.

What I thought was a good departure from other un-reality shows is the fact that they based their decision on whom to eliminate by performance, not personal feelings. They thought the two "pistol pros" performed badly, and they nominated them. It wasn't all this "Well, she started it, and she's such a female dog that I hate her, and that's why they're out." The contestants said, "They are supposed to be tops in their field, and they did not perform." They also had one more challenge to stay in, and not some arbitrary ruling.

I'm also a little confounded. I don't know if the producers are trying to get more women to watch the show, or if they just don't realize that people (men and women) who watch the show think that the drama and in-fighting is, for lack of a better word, jejune for the viewing audience.

[O6nop]

Bottom line, it is a reality show and they will focus on the drama to try and draw viewers who like that kind of thing. I really don't, but overlook the drama between shooters portion to see the challenges and who let's their overconfidence and bravado overrun their skills, and who really does handle all the pressure well to win out in the end.

What I thought was a good departure from other un-reality shows is the fact that they based their decision on whom to eliminate by performance, not personal feelings. They thought the two "pistol pros" performed badly, and they nominated them. It wasn't all this "Well, she started it, and she's such a female dog that I hate her, and that's why they're out." The contestants said, "They are supposed to be tops in their field, and they did not perform." They also had one more challenge to stay in, and not some arbitrary ruling.

I'm also a little confounded. I don't know if the producers are trying to get more women to watch the show, or if they just don't realize that people (men and women) who watch the show think that the drama and in-fighting is, for lack of a better word, jejune for the viewing audience.

"un-reality" had me confused, I guess that was a sarcastic intention. But I agree, they have that opportunity to redeem themselves regardless of why they were chosen to go to the elimination round. I would guess that later in the season, those jejune reasons will be the ones used.

"jejune" I wish you had thought of a better word, I had to look it up . It appears to mean childish or juvenile.
The shows that are produced the way the non-drama watchers want them to be can be found on American Rifleman, Shooting USA, Best Defense and other Outdoor Channel shows. I think making this a show like those would be, for lack of a better word, tautologic.

[Jasonw560]

Yes, I was being sarcastic with the "un-reality" comment. Sorry. As for jejune,I guess I could have used "dull", "insipid", "inane", "vapid", or "banal" as well. I just like expanding people's vocabularies.

I like those shows on the Outdoor Channel, American Rifleman TV, et. al. However, as many people watch reality shows, the tautology would be lost on them, as the general public wouldn't watch "Best Defense" etc... Of course, the ratings would plummet. so I guess having a little innocuous action and banter between people might make it a little less mundane for the masses.

[buck000]

I missed the first part (flintlock challenge?), but enjoyed the rest of the show.

Somehow, I knew the Asian woman would be picked dead last. Nothing racist, sexist here on my part, but maybe on the part of the pickers. ;)

For the elimination challenge, I turned to my wife and said, "I want 10 acres and one of those." She laughed, and even though she's not into guns, agreed...!

The 1911 challenge was pretty cool, too, and hey, it was a 1911!

[RECIT]

I don't understand why the producers chose participant(s) with poor attitudes/sportsmanship though. The sniper from NJ and his massive head/attitude are already getting on my nerves.

I too was very surprised some of the "PRO's" did not do better than their novice opponents.

[mbw]

I have been thinking about why the Pro pistol shooters didn’t shine as well. Then I remembered that they are not Bull’s-eye target shooters and that was the challenge. They were trying to hit a pool ball behind an obstruction at varying distances. Those Pro shooters are accustomed to trying to hit a steel plate or silhouette with a Race Gun and move on to the next target as fast as possible. They are not practiced at precision shooting like a rifle shooter or Bulls-eye competitor is.

[RECIT]

I have been thinking about why the Pro pistol shooters didn’t shine as well. Then I remembered that they are not Bull’s-eye target shooters and that was the challenge. They were trying to hit a pool ball behind an obstruction at varying distances. Those Pro shooters are accustomed to trying to hit a steel plate or silhouette with a Race Gun and move on to the next target as fast as possible. They are not practiced at precision shooting like a rifle shooter or Bulls-eye competitor is.

BUT and this is a huge but...I would think they have more trigger time behind a pistol than most of the other shooters. Its silly to not think that practice no matter what kind, is practice. The Pro's have the skills, the mindset and, the experience to overcome the obstacles us mere mortals can not.

[Skiprr]

I have been thinking about why the Pro pistol shooters didn’t shine as well. Then I remembered that they are not Bull’s-eye target shooters and that was the challenge.

Brian Zins is, though, and he didn't do very well with the challange, either. NRA pistol competition is his claim to fame. Actually, I expected his first shot would be low and into the wooden post because I assume that basic 1911 is set for a combat sight picture, and I would expect Zins would be used to a six o'clocksight picture. But his first shot was high and left.

Next episode is going to include paintball competition ( ), and the elimination challenge will be with a Thompson sub; that one should be interesting.

[The Annoyed Man]

Wish me luck guys!

j/k

What are you saying? Are you saying something?

It was a poor attempt at humor.

That caught my attention too, as Athena Lee (one of the competitors) is from Katy

[O6nop]

Wish me luck guys!

j/k

What are you saying? Are you saying something?

It was a poor attempt at humor.

That caught my attention too, as Athena Lee (one of the competitors) is from Katy

Well, I wasn't fooled... as far as I understand, the shows are taped way in advance. The actual winner has already been determined, we are just seeing the edited episodes of performance thatares past. (maybe that's why it's on the History Channel). So, he wouldn't need luck if he already knew the results.

[C-dub]

Wish me luck guys!

j/k

What are you saying? Are you saying something?

It was a poor attempt at humor.

Not bad. I was just checking.

[Bullwhip]

It was okay, I liked the guns they picked (sharps, 1911 GI, .44 Mag). I like watching those big lead bullets work.