June 19, 2007

What to Watch: Coming Up on Cable

National Geographic Channel premieres its new Critical Situation series with a (quite literally) amazing pilot — U.S. Air Force Capt. Scott O'Grady.

Tube Stake: Programming Reviews by Seth Arenstein

• TUESDAY, JUNE 19

Critical Situation: Downed Pilot, 9pm, National Geographic Channel. The reputation of National Geographic Channel as an astute storyteller is reinforced by this intense episode, which kicks off its new Critical Situation series. Tonight's series opener recounts the June 1995 incident where U.S. Air Force Capt. Scott O'Grady was shot down by a Serb missile.

As you might recall, O'Grady somehow was able to eject, although he landed in enemy territory and had to hide—with only a few packs of water—in a Serbian forest for days.
 
Nat Geo was fortunate to be able to tap O'Grady (that's him, above) as a guide to the step-by-step recounting of this survival story that might have been rejected as too fantastic if it were submitted as a script. O'Grady's presentation is anything but fantastic or over the top—his recitation of the ordeal he experienced is told by him with a dispassionate tone that one associates with a military man.

Fortunately, Nat Geo takes a cue from O'Grady, never overdoing the drama in this story, which essentially was a multi-faceted cat-and-mouse contest, with O'Grady's rescuers potentially facing danger from Serb forces.
 
One of the great touches is that Nat Geo allowed Serb military and paramilitary officers involved in hunting down the pilot to tell their side of the story. The chase between O'Grady and his mates and the Serbs and theirs makes for gripping television. Nat Geo tells the story simply, letting the dramatic events—and best of all, O'Grady—do the talking.

All times ET/PT unless otherwise noted.