As I joined up in 1959, I really enjoyed watching the pilot episode where the young girl from a very dysfunctional low class family joined the army on a whim. Many of the experiences mirrored my own, the pleasant recruiting sergeant laying on the charm - we got a ride to the railway station when going for our induction, but returning after signing on were told to make our own way to the station and carry our own bags! The big difference between then and now was that women were a separate branch and did not train for combat, so I was spared the route marches, extreme physical training, cross country runs, etc. and going to a war zone.
Where I felt that it stretched credulity was when Our Girl was sent to Afghanistan as the only woman in a crowd of men, even sleeping in the same tent as the men. Then to turn the show into a cliched romantic triangle soap opera killed it. For a disciplined married Sandhurst trained officer obviously from an upper class to fall for a rough working class East Londoner with an argumentative big mouth was a real stretch, setting aside the fact that he was breaking army rules and could have been court martialled. Putting a lone female into a close group such as they were is asking for trouble. the first time she disobeyed orders should have been her last.
Considering that Afghans do not hold women in high regard, and that they have been trying to throw out the invaders, Russian, Americans, British, etc. for 50 years, to send a woman soldier as part of the invasion force is highly offensive to them and like a red rag to a bull. Far from winning over the hearts and minds of the people, they are earning their hatred by trying to destroy their culture. Why not send male medics into supporting combat groups, and why was the woman sent alone.
Then there was the totally wrong romantic triangle. The private answering back to superior ranks and questioning the officer's love for her while they were inspecting a possible booby trap, her constant disobeying orders, Smurf having a meltdown at the checkpoint, the officer having a relationship with a low ranking private is totally prohibited and all three could have been court martialled.
If they had concentrated on the military aspects, dealing with the effects of returning home after the heightened excitement of military action, and laid off the soap opera, I would have made it to Season 2 and beyond. The portrayal of the woman as rule breaking maverick from the wrong side of the tracks who saves the team was just too PC for real.
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