Programmer’s Page: Military Tales of Valor

The entertainment landscape has always been a welcome home for series that examine the sacrifices of those in the nation’s military. Not only do audiences naturally respond to patriotic tales, but these universal stories of heroism and sacrifice tap into our primal need to follow characters whose feats are greater than our own. Meanwhile, the fight against terrorism over the last few years has helped draw our attention to the super-secret subset of the military known as special forces, with several new shows giving us a glimpse into this world from various angles. Perhaps we can give History Channel some credit for starting the trend in January with the launch of “Six” starring Walter Goggins as a Seal Team Six member in harm’s way. Now broadcasters have followed suit as the new fall season gets underway, with NBC last week premiering “The Brave” about an undercover military unit and CBS premiering “Seal Team” only two days later. Not to be left out, The CW on Oct 9 will premiere “Valor” starring Christina Ochoa and Matt Barr as combat helicopter pilots with the Army Rangers. Long story short, they go on a mission. It goes horribly wrong. Let the conspiracy ensue… At Summer TCA in August, Valor set itself apart from the other military dramas by highlighting the female military experience front and center. “We had very positive feedback when it came to having the female element in the forefront, having a female point of view and kind of a new storyline to go with that,” Ochoa told critics. “I think that, for the most part, they are very dedicated to giving us authenticity, whether it be on set we also have two wonderful veterans, female veterans, in the writers’ room.” With the overwhelming success of CW parent Warner Bros’ “Wonder Woman” in theaters (not a military drama per se, but Gal Gadot does storm a WWI battlefield at one point), it’s perhaps only fitting that Valor’s premiere will lead into The CW’s own female-driven contribution to the DC comic-book universe: “Supergirl.” But whether the focus on heroic females derives from superhero fantasy or grounded reality, one thing’s for sure: Audiences can’t seem to get enough. And that’s a welcome trend in TV and beyond. – Michael Grebb