The Best Show! SEAL Team (2017- 2021) || TV Series Review

I always enjoy action-packed, adrenaline pumping shows and movies especially those focused on espionage and military warfare. Imagine my excitement when I found this series on a streaming site sometime last year. And it's been trending for some years and somehow I missed it. I watched the trailer of the first season and was immediately hooked. This is a great show worth watching again and again.

SEAL Team (2017- 2021) is an American military action drama series created by Benjamin Cavell that ran for seven seasons. It was produced by CBS Studios for about six seasons and later picked up by Paramount+ for production of the final season. It stars amazing actors and actresses like David Boreanaz, Max Thieriot, Jessica Paré, Neil Brown Jr., A. J. Buckley, Toni Trucks, Judd Lormand, Raffi Barsoumian and Beau Knapp.

This series revolves around US Navy SEAL’s Bravo Team with Jason Hayes (David Boreanaz) as team leader. The plot centers on how this team plans and executes dangerous missions sometimes across the globe, risking their lives. Apart from focusing on their careers as a Navy SEAL member, the show also delves into their personal lives and all the job demands of them. This includes realistic views of their mental health, and how they handle traumas and fallouts of tours.

Characters That Pique My Attention

David Boreanaz as Master Chief Jason Hayes: He's the team leader of Bravo team. Not only does he run the missions, he looks out for his teammates and makes sure they return home safe. I admire the sense of brotherhood that the cast portrays. Their job is dangerous, life-threatening and what better way to pull through than to stick together and watch each others’ backs. Jason is tough, brave, resilient yet funny. Beneath his tough guy facade is a man constantly battling his demons. He comes close to dying many times in this show but he always leads his team to safety. I enjoyed Boreanaz's performance. He portrays his character in realistic and fascinating way.

A. J. Buckley as Sonny Quinn a.k.a. Bravo 3: I always look forward to seeing this character in every episode. He is loud, impulsive, loyal to a fault, sometimes volatile yet funny and smart. He is the team's explosive guy. He is always at his best in action and I enjoy his ruthless side. He's good at hiding his traumas behind humor and aggression. Buckley’s performance is quite entertaining and unforgettable. He is one of my favorite characters in this series.

Max Thieriot as Clay Spenser a.k.a. Bravo 6: This character is truly unforgettable, in my opinion. He is the brains of the team. He's smart and performs well under pressure. He actually broke my heart. He’s killed off the show unexpectedly, at a time when he's getting better at his job and connection with his teammates. This made me cry. His demise somehow splits the team apart. Thieriot’s performance is unique and excellent.

Neil Brown Jr. as Raymond "Ray" Perry, Bravo 2: This character is the most annoying. With no sense of loyalty, he's always shady. He feels entitled, always wanting more regardless of how well his wife loves and supports him. He puts himself first before the others. Though I felt pity for him when he was kidnapped and tortured in some episodes. After that incident, I went back to disliking him again.

Toni Trucks as Lieutenant Lisa Davis: She is also one of my favorite characters in this show. I admire her a lot because she gives viewers a realistic perspective of how life in the force is for women. She ensures hardship and humiliation, and is constantly pushed to prove herself on a job built for men. Her growth shows strength in a different form—not just on the battlefield, but in leadership and strategy.

Overall, the cast’s performance is outstanding and they embody their characters very well.

My Review And Rating.

This is one of the best series focused on military combat and warfare, in my opinion. Coming close are S.W.A.T., NCIS, and 24. This military show stands out in a unique way. Benjamin Cavell grounds it in reality by balancing the characters’ work and personal life perfectly. We see them in action on the field and even better, enjoy seeing them at home with family and friends. The combat scenes are quite intense and realistic. It is obvious that much military consultation and research was done before shooting this show.

The directorial style is amazing and scene arrangements are done excellently. The cinematography is well done and smooth. The visuals and transitions are impressive with quality imagery and good CGI. Their costumes are also perfect.

I very much love this series because it portrays sensitive themes that the military sometimes shy away from such as: the cost and consequences of war (both physical and psychological), moral complexity of war, veteran PTSD, survival, family dynamics, women's survival in male-dominated environments, and identity. All these themes are explicitly depicted in each character's story.

Rating this movie, I will give it 9 stars out 10. It's one of the best action TV shows with brilliant casting and acting. The tension and action sequences will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you enjoy military warfare, you'll love this.

https://youtu.be/3k9o6y-wjMg?si=GkeNbJ7voxkQzsCl

All images above are from the movie screenshots

Poster image source

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