Top Shot (Season 4)

[Madcap_Magician]

Whenever I watch Greg, I think, nobody could have made it onto the show and still be that incompetent unless he was doing it on purpose.

Maybe he's trying to rack up $10k in Bass Pro Shops gift cards.

 

[Nugilum]

Remember, the producers needed someone for "the drama factor". I think they picked a beauty of a drama-king.

 

[CraigC]

The Top Shot/Top Guns references to the Kentucky Pistol were a mess.

I agree, they were all over the map with their terms and historical references.

I'm still trying to figure out why they didn't use patches.

As well as why everyone looked to be SOOOO uncomfortable shooting one-handed. Can't wait to see the episode with the atlatl.

Greg is a goofball and reminds me of the dork from high school (graduating 1992, do the math) who had 5000 "jumps" in Vietnam. At least he's funny to watch and not as annoying as past macho-types.

 

[HOOfan_1]

No easy way to pick 2 based on that challenge. Each shooter got closer to the target, as expected.

Despite what Tim thought, Chris didn't stop being a team player.....Tim did. He wanted it to be about vendetta, and that is what sunk him.

 

[al123]

The atlatl has good striking distance (60 yards). I'm might of seen something like this is some documentary, but I've never knew what it was called. As primitive weapon systems go, this was much more interesting than rocks which they used in a previous season.

The drama made Tim look like he took things personally rather quickly. From Kyle's perspective (as presented by the show), this had to be settled immediately between he and Chris. I'm skeptical that things were anywhere near that bad.

Tim actually started out well in that challenge, but it seem he was getting flustered when Chris caught up with him. He looked like he was muscling his strikes. Chris really turned it up in the end, which is not bad for someone who has not professionally competed.

Chee has been picked twice to sit out the team challenges, but I have to wonder if I'm missing some information about his reputation on why the blue team is doing so. He has shot well, but he also screwed up when trying to swing across in the previous team challenge.

 

[rha600]

can someone please answer this for me. Since you all obviously watch the show.

I've watched every episode since #1 and I loved it. But last season I noticed a couple things that happened that made it seems fixed. I forget off the top of my head what they were...

so fast forward to last week's episode and the pirate swing from platform to platform. The first guy on the red team swings off and the rope seemed to drop about 5-8 feet. I admit, at first I thought, *** is this idiot doing? he was a marine? Then he does it again, and again, and again and agian. all the while his team was helping him pull the rope towards him and grabbing it up high. By the third time I was saying to myself, "this is BS and fixed".

So he finally makes it on the 5th try and does it EASY. really? like it's not obvious enough by now that they've fixed it since the blue team sucks so bad, it gets worse. When I think it was Iggy went to go, he swung a good 1/3 - 3/4 of the way across and all the sudden the rope dropped again causing him to swing right into the face of the other deck.

Come on! I mean don't insult our intelligence with this BS drama crap. If you need to handicap the better team, instead of doing this, why not make them send all 7 people to shoot so it theoretically will take them longer and thus giving the other team a better chance?

I've stopped watching it. I know it sounds stupid, but I just can't watch these BS shows, and I thought this one while of course needing some drama at least had some truth to it. But it seems it's no better than the Bachelor or Dancing with the Stars.

 

[nosmr2]

I'm not calling it fixed. I've never swung on a rope pirate style, but it looked a little odd to me. The amount of "give" or slack in the ropes didn't look the same to me. After the first time it was obvious that he needed to grab the rope higher and he did, but it didn't make a difference. Maybe someone needs to check it out on their DVR.

 

[rha600]

If anyone else has it recorded still, watch when Iggy does it as well. I think he was the 4th one to go. maybe 5th.

 

[al123]

IMO, this show is not meant for the knowledgeable firearms enthusiast. I have family members watching the show who do not know or care about the difference between an AR-15 and a Kentucky long rifle. These things just go bang.

They are impressed that there are reasonable people of all stripes that compete fairly and with class. Those dangerous bang-bangs don't seem so bad after all, in the right hands.

When the show gives the impression of an unfair competition, IMO, e.g. the Season 2 individual competitions, the ratings plummeted. My guess is that they made some improvements from that fiasco in later seasons. That's not to say they've stop the creative editing and setups to increase drama.

I find Top Guns more enjoyable, but my non-shooting friends/family think it's a snooze. Both shows, I use the fast forward a lot to skip to the parts I like.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

The rope thing wasn't fixed, the people who bolo'd it were just not paying attention to how you have to swing. It doesn't matter how much of a running start you give it if the point at which you grab the rope is too low for the swing of the rope to bring you up to the deck. It's actually better to only take a step and a jump and start with a higher grip, relying mostly on your own weight to swing you over.

 

[KodeFore]

I wonder if there if there is a way to email them suggestions for the show?

 

[nosmr2]

You can tweet Colby. Not sure how much input he has though.

 

[9mmepiphany]

so fast forward to last week's episode and the pirate swing from platform to platform. The first guy on the red team swings off and the rope seemed to drop about 5-8 feet. I admit, at first I thought, *** is this idiot doing? he was a marine? Then he does it again, and again, and again and agian. all the while his team was helping him pull the rope towards him and grabbing it up high. By the third time I was saying to myself, "this is BS and fixed".

It is an optical illusion that the rope is dropping. As the rope reaches the bottom of it's arc, it will always appear longer than at any other point in the swing.

I've watch the portion you've ask about several times...you don't need to DVD it, it is on History.com...and the mistake that Chee made repeatedly was trying to take a longer run before the leap. Stepping back...to get space for the run...lengthens your arc and causes you to grab the rope lower.

That is why Gabby was able to just step off and cleanly swing to the other side...she started her swing at the same distance, up the rope, from the bottom of the arc as the edge of the other platform.

I agree that Tim became the Greg of the Red Team, which sunk him when he tried to muscle the Atlatl. That was the problem that Chris had at the beginning (too tight), until he remembered to go to his Happy Place...the penguin in the ice cave

 

[rha600]

The rope thing seemed like it dropped at a certain point and instantly. not just the arch. If you could, watch Iggy do it. he is most of the way through the swing and all the sudden BAM it drops about 5+ feet. instantly not in an arch or anything.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

Iggy's hands slipped. I slowmod it. You can plainly see where he didn't have enough grip to keep his fat rear up there. Not to mention he started way to long on the rope in the first place. Same with that Chee guy. For a former Marine, he sure didn't retain that simple rope swing in his memory from boot camp.

 

[rha600]

cool, thanks!

 

[nosmr2]

Mystery solved

 

[snuffy]

I'm not calling it fixed. I've never swung on a rope pirate style, but it looked a little odd to me. The amount of "give" or slack in the ropes didn't look the same to me. After the first time it was obvious that he needed to grab the rope higher and he did, but it didn't make a difference. Maybe someone needs to check it out on their DVR.

The ropes were hung from a cable strung between two towers. There would have to be some give to the set-up the way it was. The way I saw it after slow-mo on the DVR, was that Chee jumped off the platform, hitting the bottom of the swing with a lot of force. He needed to simply step off the platform, letting his momentum carry him across the gap. Iggy did slip or loosen his grip.

The top gun episode that followed the top shot used the same flintlock pistol, but this time the "expurt" used patch&ball. Like it should have been during the competition. It would have slowed the competition down but would have been much safer. That loose ball could have blown that pistol if it had been fired half way down the barrel.

Being a shooting enthusiast, I find the show lacking in technical detail. Some things need to be explained to john-Q-public, the uninformed might think that's the way to load ALL muzzle loading pistols.

Just like the show last tuseday, was that black powder in "the bag", or was it smokeless? Anyway, it was real cool to see that huge conical aluminum shell with the rifling showing so clearly, in slo-mo.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

The atlatl was very cool. After Tim looked like he turned into a drama queen for no reason, I was glad to see Chris perform so well.

 

[Vector]

The atlatl was very cool. After Tim looked like he turned into a drama queen for no reason, I was glad to see Chris perform so well.

I am not trying to defend Tim, but I can say that bigger guys who are not use to putting up with mouthy twerps get annoyed when they run their mouth and other people down. Now you might say everyone does, but by and large mouthy twerps do not say things one on one to guys much larger than they are. So either big guys are more inclined to physically handle the situation, or they are not use to people running their mouths. Either way, that could have had an effect on why he reacted like he did.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I can say that bigger guys who are not use to putting up with mouthy twerps get annoyed when they run their mouth and other people down. Now you might say everyone does, but by and large mouthy twerps do not say things one on one to guys much larger than they are. So either big guys are more inclined to physically handle the situation, or they are not use to people running their mouths.

I would say this is true. Tim is used to smaller men deferring to his size and perceived skills (in his own arena) and isn't used to being reasoned with through facts and evaluation. As pointed out during the show, Tim likely takes in facts through perception rather than thinking...he is ruled by his emotions. He isn't used to a smaller man who is as sure of himself as Chris while still being humble...and is threatened by the unusual situation. Kyle recognized that it was a situation that needed to be addressed or the mood would only ferment.

Tim was used to addressing issues and overcoming them with muscle power. This lead to his undoing in the Elimination as it was a test of skill and the ability to remain calm

 

[jim243]

I still do not see a sure winner or even a hint of who will be the last three.

Jim

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

To me, Tim just flat out goofed up and underestimated a much smaller opponent. And I have to disagree with the statement

I am not trying to defend Tim, but I can say that bigger guys who are not use to putting up with mouthy twerps get annoyed when they run their mouth and other people down

As I am a pretty big guy and have found that smaller guys have a tendency to run their mouths quite a bit more in controlled environments such as on a TV show. They know they can get away with it. Now granted, when I stand up and am obviously irritated, they do tend to hush up when they see my leg outweighs their entire body weight

Chris said nothing wrong in that meeting. I mean really, all he did was point out where some had not performed well in PAST challenges because they all did very well in that cannon one. Tim took offense because he didn't point out where he had messed up. Problem was, Chris HADN'T messed up in ANY challenge so far. His performance has been near flawless. Tim showed extremely poor form in how he handled himself.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Problem was, Chris HADN'T messed up in ANY challenge so far. His performance has been near flawless. Tim showed extremely poor form in how he handled himself.

This is also true. Chris' worst event was the falling plate rack, where he kept missing the last plate and had to start over...I think it was 3 or 4 times. But it is also the event where he snatch victory for the Red Team with his last shot.

The thing about Chris is that he doesn't have the training credentials of the other members, but it also seems that they have more respect for his skills than members had for Jay Lim in season 2. It will be interesting to see the Blue Teams reaction to him when he walks in the door at the beginning of the next episode

 

[Dr.Rob]

I need to watch it again because I thought Chris shouldn't have been there at all.

The Top Guns follow-up episode was't as interesting as some of the previous ones but it looks like they had fun.