Top Shot on History Channel

[mm6mm6]

I just finished watching Top Shot on the History Channel (in HD!). My wife and daughter watched it too.

First off, I was very entertained. I was surprised and pleased to see Colby Donaldson from Survivor as the host. I always liked Colby on the three Survivor seasons he competed in. I think he did a great job hosting Top Shot, even if he had similar moments to Survivor's Jeff Probst.

I think anyone who is a shooter should enjoy the show. Remember that it's tv and this show is made for both those who understand shooting and for those that don't. I think it did an excellent job of treating firearms with reverence and respect without being over the top.

This is also a show not just about shooting competition. It's about getting along with others and helping your competitors.

The slow motion camera shots of the guns and empty cases and bullets hitting their targets is simply amazing.

The personalities of all the shooters will probably come into play even more as the show whittles down the competitors each week.

The biggest thing that just amazes me is that a show like this is even on television. We have taken huge strides in the gun world and it's wonderful to be able to sit down on the couch with my family and watch this kind of entertainment.

You can learn all about the show here:

Top Shot — History.com TV Episodes, Schedule, & Video

It's re-airing again during the week and I am assuming it will be On Demand if you have that option with your cable or satellite provider.

I DVR'ed it and I will be keeping all the episodes!

 

[kennyb]

yep...i watched it as well....good stuff

 

[~tc~]

Not to spoil it for people who haven't seen it, but the right guy was eliminated IMHO

 

[Smith357]

I watched the show and found it entertaining, though I have issues with the shows format. I was under the impression it was going to be a shooting competition, but from the looks of the first show a large portion of the competition is going to be a popularity contest.

 

[David LaPell]

I liked it because the competition centered around guns that were not multi-thousand dollar tricked out guns. They used 03 Springfield's and Moisin Nagants, commonly found rifles (plus the M14 and the Soviet semi auto rifle they had). Next week, Beretta 92's.

 

[35Rem]

Pretty dumb that the first competition didn't let everyone shoot before there was an elimination. I bet one of the better shooters was eliminated tonight. Not really into the exploding targets, but its TV...

 

[~tc~]

Pretty dumb that the first competition didn't let everyone shoot before there was an elimination.

I agree, but ...

I bet one of the better shooters was eliminated tonight.

Can't hit an 8" or 10" target with a 30-06 at 100 yards in 30 shots? With a spotter?

I can't imagine the producers expected it to take that long, and that most everyone on the team was expected to shoot.

He may indeed be one of the best marksmen in the world, but he for damn sure wasn't on that day (or the next at the elimination challenge, although those targets appeared to be MUCH smaller).

Not really into the exploding targets, but its TV...

Oh, come on - I want to know where to get them/how to make them myself!

 

[Jellybean]

Thanks for the warning, I hate "reality" shows like that regardless if they are about firearms, musical talent, survivability or interior decorating.

 

[sigp220.45]

I watched and really enjoyed it. I was happy to see Colby as well, and I like the personality aspect of it. I was glad that young kid waxed the super ninja everyone was kow-towing to. Next week looks good, too.

I was just watching it while I built up some DVR time on "Breaking Bad". When I had enough built up to be able to watch Walt and Jessie without having to sit through commercials I tried to change over. My wife and sister, both non-gun enthusiasts, said - "Hey, lets watch the rest of this. I want to see who wins."

There's some value in a series that appeals to a wider audience and shows guns and shooting in a fun and entertaining light. If they had launched into a history of the development of the Mosin Nagant most people would have reached for the remote.

 

[Pasifikawv]

Saw all the previews for Top Shot and auto tuned my receiver for the debut....

Totally disappointing... Too much soap opera, not enough shooting....

They glossed over the range time, but focused tons on participant personalities...

Shoulda known with a "survivor" host... I hate those soap opera reality shows...

Coulda been a great series if it had focused on the competition and marksmanship with various weapons and firearms. Instead, a pop culture waste of time... Between shootings, they coulda focused on the history and/or development of the firearm/weapon being used in the challenge instead of the he said/she said personality fluff...

I found myself surfing away when all the soap opera reality crap was on and trying to time it right to surf back to watch the shooting...

There were a few good moments that capruted my interest- about 7 minutes of quality surrounded by 53 minutes of crap.

 

[xopher88x]

I watched. I didn't really know what to expect. I was hoping for more of an exhibition type format where the shooters try to one-up each other or something, as opposed to an elimination style reality game.

There is one show that comes on History every now and again (I don't know the name of it, or any of the shooters off the top of my head) but it consists of "impossible shots" that have supposedly take place in history. They try to recreate the circumstances a la Mythbusters. Shooting the noose rope from a gallows, severing it for instance. There's also a fella on this particular show (I'm sure he's famous in pro shooting circuits) who can throw 5 or 6 clay pigeons in the air and shoot them all with this 12ga before they hit the ground. I could watch that all day.

I also think the voting system on Top Shot is a little overdone where you shoot the target of the person you think should go into the elimination round. I think they should duel. JUST KIDDING! I'll still watch. And I'll stop complaining now.

 

[ldausmc1369]

Top Shots

Too much survivor BS! The gentleman who shoots the clay birds is Tom Knapp, one of the best in the world. Saw him break the world record at a Ducks Unlimited Festival in Memphis several years ago. Spent some one on one time with him. He's a real pleasure to talk to and is ready to give pointers on how to fix a problem shotgunning, provided you can articulate the problem concisely.

 

[xopher88x]

Yes, that's him. "Extreme Marksman" is the name of the show I mentioned. I think I just watched the whole show in clips on Youtube.

 

[wbraswell]

I like exploding targets. I like Survivor too. I don't like many shows with "stars". I'd rather see shows with real idiots, instead of shows with famous idiots pretending to be real. Acting isn't a talent unless it's live and on stage.

 

[MoHawk]

I just finished watching the 1st episode of Top Shot. I never watch live anymore, I DVR all shows so I can skip the commercials. I really didn't know what to expect since I did no research on the program. For the first show I liked the fact they choose to use 4 well known and available rifles from WWI to Vietnam. I have personally fired 3 of the 4 and know what a challege it is to fire different weapons in a short time while sighting for wind. The aspect that troubles me is I doubt they chose the contestants strictly on their shooting abilities. Most reality shows have psychologist on the staff that participate in the contestant selection. They want conflicting personalities that will create constant tension amoung the contestants to make the show more interesting to the average viewer. Even better if they have a couple of near fights. If you close your eyes, Colby sounds just like Jeff Propst on Survivor. I suppose that should be expected since Colby participated on Survivor 3 times. Contrary to some reality show, they did appear to vote off the correct contestant, Mike. However if the Red Team had advanced past the first competitors that outcome may have been different. Slow motion shots of the bullet strikes were good. As another poster stated more colorfully, about 7 minutes worth of content and 53 minutes of wasted time.

 

[Homie]

I expected something more fro the promos.

That shoot-off was way too slow for any kind of conditioned rifleman and the "spotters" were no help at all. There are hundreds of REAL shooters across the country that would have won that.

Just another BS reality show!

Good shooting.

 

[Frank237]

Thanks for the warning, I hate "reality" shows like that regardless if they are about firearms, musical talent, survivability or interior decorating.

+1,000! I'm sure we are going to have "good guys" and "bad guys" as well as many emotional situations. Though IF they are in fact treating firearms fairly I do approve of that.

Reality TV simply SUCKS in my opinion. Contrived from start to finish...and idiots think its REAL.

I'll pass and use my time for something useful.

FN in MT

 

[Gutpile Charlie]

I watched it and was dissapointed. Not enough about the "shooting" and too much about "personality."

The firearms used were common and most shooters could relate to them.

I really didn't think that the shooting displayed was really all that good. It seemed too easy.

I'll not give up on it, but will give it another try.

 

[Snapping Twig]

El Stinko!

All the drama made me want to ovulate.

Can the host, bring R. Lee Ermy - now you've got a show.

 

[popgun]

two thing I dislked was Colby calling the 03 the longerst serving rife when there was a Mosen Nagant, and the fact tat they did not use the flip up site on the 03 or remove the front sight protecter.