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2 • May 27 - June 2, 2018 • Brainerd Dispatch By K.A. Taylor TV Media F or much of the western world, war is either something of the past or something happening far away. Acts of wartime heroism and sacrifice are honored periodically throughout the year, but seldom are they deeply re- flected upon. Television and films have long tried to bring the realities of war to those who will never experience it themselves. Notable small-screen at- tempts include "M*A*S*H" and "Band of Brothers," but these seldom possess the grit found in big-screen depictions. 2017 saw the exception to this, with the premiere of Histo- ry's "SIX," which has its season 2 premiere appropriately airing on Monday, May 28: Memorial Day. "SIX" is a high-intensity, high- stakes drama that takes its in- spiration from the real-life SEAL Team Six, a prominent component of the U.S. Armed Forces military di- vision focused on coun- terterrorism. Each epi- sode delves into the split-second deci- sions that members of SEAL Team must make, and how those decisions have a lasting effect both for the team members involved and for the surround- ing community. Although the team isn't adverse to providing aid if possible, the mission at hand is always top of mind, with the nation's security of primary im- portance. SEAL Team Six is comprised of quite a diverse cast. Barry Sloane ("Longmire") is Joe "Bear" Graves, the team's senior chief special war- fare operator. Providing support are Kyle Schmid ("Being Human") as Alex Caulder and Juan Pablo Raba ("Narcos") as Ricky "Buddha" Ortiz. Rounding out the cast are Jaylen Moore ("Bad Moms," 2016) as Armin Khan and Edwin Hodge ("Sleepy Hol- low") as Robert Chase III, fellow spe- cial warfare operators. After the events of season 1, SEAL Team Six re- quired a new member, found in Eric Ladin's ("Bosch") role as special war- fare operator first class, Trevor. Season 1 of "SIX" wasted little time wading into the moral grey zone of war, with senior chief special war- fare operator Richard "Rip" Taggart (Walton Goggins, "The Hateful Eight," 2015) quickly reduced to for- mer senior chief special warfare oper- ator after shooting a man who had claimed to have American citizenship. A few years later, while earning a liv- ing working in private security at a Nigerian school for girls, Rip was tak- en hostage, prompting his former team to find and rescue him. The team's relentless hunt did not go un- rewarded, but a betrayal resulted in a violent assault on Rip, filling fans with unease as they desperately longed to know the character's fate. If the trailers and promos are any indication, it does appear that Rip is still alive — for now, at least, as he appears to be comatose. Sea- son 2 finds the team on the hunt for the man behind Rip's shooter, a powerful figure known as "The Prince" (Nikolai Nikolaeff, "Dare- devil"). The Prince is aware of SEAL Team's quest for vengeance, but he will not hold back or com- promise on his own personal de- sires, seemingly fearless in the face of the six. While Trevor may be the latest member of the SEAL team, Laden isn't the only fresh face in season 2. Olivia Munn ("Miles from Tomorrow- land") plays the role of CIA opera- tions officer Gina Cline, who seem- ingly has a tense past with some members of the team. While little is known about Gina pre-premiere, she appears to be a means of communi- cation for the team, able to press cap- tive terrorists into providing the infor- mation required to locate and take down The Prince. Her fearless, deter- mined spirit makes her a formidable ally for the team, but for them to truly succeed, trust must be established. Much of the show's success stems from its gritty and authentic portrayal of covert military operations, particu- larly in terms of how the characters battle with their own sense of duty and morality. Rip's actions right at the start of the series exemplifies this. During a promo spot for "SIX," Gog- gins noted that Rip's decision to shoot was merely him "reacting to the trauma he's been under over the course of his time in the service." Ad- ditionally, "SIX" doesn't shy away from complicating traditional notions of friend and foe. Even those initially seen as villain- ous can have understandable mo- tives, and for Goggins this is essen- tial. Viewers may have wanted to side with Rip, but Goggins believes that it was "as important to him to tell [his captor's] story as it was to tell [his own] story." Fleshing out both the terrorists and the SEAL Team mem- bers may put some at odds with the show, but such an act holds much sig- nificance in times like ours, when hero and villain are often simply a matter of circumstance and perspec- tive. In humanizing warfare and con- flict, "SIX" challenges viewers not to forgive the violent actions of others, but to consider the trauma that may have led to someone committing such acts. The story always keeps SEAL Team Six at the forefront, but also reveals that even the toughest of soldiers battle internal emotions and are weighed down by the endless on- slaught of despair, doubt and aggres- sion. Redeeming moments are found when the team can conquer its tasked mission, validating the uncer- tainty of actions past and promising a rewarding future. Perilous pursuit The hunt is on for The Prince in season 2 of 'Six' Cover Story this week Olivia Munn as seen in "SIX" Conan Kanye West is under fire for an interview with TMZ where he described slavery as "a choice." You know, it's never a good sign when the moral high ground in a room is held by the people of TMZ. 7-Eleven has announced they are going to be offering healthier options for their customers. The CEO said, "We want our customers to live to be as old as one of our hotdogs." Yale University has taken back the honorary degree it gave Bill Cosby. It's particularly embarrassing because it was a PhD in chemistry. Some critics are now saying that NASA will be unable to use Space X's rocket because it's too small. However, SpaceX insists that's just the cold weather. The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon A growing number of people are going to e-sport arenas to watch other people play video games. It combines the thrill of going to a live sporting event with the thrill of having an unemployed roommate. I saw that Amazon is raising the price of its Prime membership by $20. Which sounds like a lot, till you remember what it feels like to make eye contact with a cashier when you buy a 40-pack of toilet paper. Facebook is coming out with their own dating service. So now you can meet someone on Facebook, before dating them, breaking up, and then stalking them on Facebook. Saturday was the White House Correspondents Dinner, and Trump called it "a very big, boring bust." This is the first time in history Trump has called a big bust "boring." Late Laughs 001720942r1 001692364r1 BAXTER • ALEXANDRIA • PERHAM • CROSSLAKE 7419 Forthun Rd. • Baxter, MN 56425 218-270-2663 www.advantageseamlessgutters.com Thank you for your service & protection Let us protect your home and your family with a Valor gutter guard system from Advantage Seamless Gutters today! Memorial Day Savings! 10% OFF Full Home Seamless Gutters & Valor Gutter Guard System Expires 6/30/18 See dealer for details. Some restrictions may apply.

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