By April MacIntyre Mar 10, 2009, 5:12 GMT
History channel continues its testosterone-filled lessons of great cultures and their battles with the series “Warriors” starring host Terry Schappert.
Terry Schappert in action, "Warriors" on History
Schappert is an engaging Green Beret who immerses himself (and you the viewer) in ancient cultures that honed the art of war. This series is on the heels of History’s “Battles BC” which is a riveting lesson-filled homage to the film “300” that reenact the classic battles.
"Warriors’" strength as a series is the painstaking research and accuracy the producers and host Schappert have utilized to bring the old stories to life.
Schappert explores the weaponry, tactics, training and even the psyche of these combatants of yore.
This Special Forces veteran is the perfect host for this series. Schappert began his military career 17 years ago with the 82nd Airborne Division. While assigned to a recon squad, he completed Ranger School. After serving in the Persian Gulf War, he became a Green Beret.
Since completing the Special Forces Qualification Course, Terry has been deployed on training and combat missions all over the world, most recently in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In addition, Terry is a licensed paramedic, has extensive martial arts training, speaks several languages, and holds a degree in anthropology.
Each Warriors episode also explores a climactic battle that showcases the warrior's strengths, weaknesses and life-and-death dramatic story of one of the world's iconic warrior groups; the premiere kicks off with the Vikings, then the Spartans, Barbarians and Samurai are featured in later episodes.
Terry is fully immersed in the warrior culture--from the weapons used to the pre-battle rituals, to the initiations, to battlefield strategy and tactics. The narration is punctuated with action-packed reenactments as Schappert thoughtfully explains the key individuals for each ancient skirmish who were born to lead, to fight and sometimes to die. It’s his genuine enthusiasm and sincerity in this project that makes it a compelling show, and highly recommended.
The premiere episode shows the Norse Viking culture, as Schappert experiences the fighting techniques of "the Hells Angels" of the Middle Ages. The genius design of the Norse long boats are also thoughtfully detailed, along with the secrets of the ancient Norwegians’ distillation of iron from the peat bogs laden with the metal from eons of erosion and run-off.
This is another fine example of taking history and injecting it with fresh eyes, energy and a vested perspective that yields a very entertaining and educating smallscreen experience.
History Channel is premiering Warriors on Thursday, March 12 at 10:00pm ET/PT.
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