Top Shot returns this month.

[bbqbob51]

Pros: Lots of firearms and shooting competitions. We get a chance to see and compare a great variety of firearms and how to use them correctly.
Cons: It's Survivor with guns.
They could improve the show by making each episode like they are when it gets down to the last 4 competitors. You shoot well or go home, this BS of the "tribal council" where they vote someone off is so lame. The back biting and politicking leading up to the voting have nothing to do with being a "Top Shot".

[thedudeabides]

The guys on that show are a bunch of whiny drama queens. I keep thinking I accidentally switched over to the View.

[KMAX]

I hear everybody knocking the show and I realize there is a lot of drama and whining etc. The show is not perfect. Anybody got anything better? I would watch the show if it was strictly shooting competition, but I doubt it would last long on the air. All the "gun building" shows are filled with drama and silliness as is the auction show. We are seriously limited to these drama filled "gun" shows due to the attempt to achieve ratings, I think. I will watch Top Shot for now, until it gets too silly or something better comes along. It is not just the gun shows that are filled with silly drama, so are the car and motorcycle shows. Hey, it beats trying to keep up with those darned Kardashians! That is if you want to watch TV at all.

[444]

Exactly: the drama is obviously an attempt to draw viewers from a wider audience. People who arn't really into the shooting aspect of it but who like drama.

[Gaerek]

Originally Posted by 444

Exactly: the drama is obviously an attempt to draw viewers from a wider audience. People who arn't really into the shooting aspect of it but who like drama.

Which in turn is a good thing because people who might not have been interested in guns may suddenly become that way. The type of shows we would like just won't last or attract anyone, and won't help our cause. Go watch Shooting USA or Shooting Gallery if you just want to see people shooting...no drama.

[RBid]

Originally Posted by Gaerek

Drama or not, Too Shot attracts a lot of people, both gun owners and non gun owners. It's a very positive show for promoting firearms.

This.

Watching season 1, and meeting Ian soon after he won, actually changed my life. That's not an exaggeration. Those things pushed me off the fence, and got me interested enough in shooting that I started digesting everything I could find.

I went from completely in the dark about firearms, to shooting 150+ rounds per week, working for a dealer, and being active supporting 2A rights. Along the way, my eyes were opened to a LOT of things, and I learned how much I had been wrong before.

[JohnKSa]

I just realized I must be one of the only ones who DVR's it and then fast forwards to the competition parts. Really that is the only way to watch that show.

I broke the code too. I don't think I've ever watched an episode live.

[Corrections Cop]

I am addicted to Top Shot, I love the shooting competition's, I wish I had the opportunity to shoot those weapons and run those courses of fire. My wife even watches it, she likes the drama. I think the drama draws more of an audience than just a plain gun show. I think the concept works pretty well,

[RBid]

I'm dying to see who made it to the All Stars season. I was hoping Tara and Billy would each get another chance, since neither of them was eliminated. We know Tara isn't in, though.

Seasons 1, 2, and 4 were all decent at the top. 3 was pretty thin by comparison...

[RBid]

NM the above. I just saw the list of competitors. Very strong field. I don't see this group being dramatic, other than maybe Adam and William ruffling feathers.

[SPEMack618]

Argh. Of course they will air it during the summer when I am out in the wilderness showing Boy Scouts the fine art of rifle marksmanship. With lots of dry firing this year.

I've found that I like Top Shot because it is one of those rare shows that the Lady friend and I can both enjoy, even if she just likes the scripted parts.

I would love an old fat guy version, or even a young skinny guy who likes old guns version.

"Now in today's competetion, you are going to use an '03 Springfield and fire a 600 yard match with open sights, while wearing period shooting equipment from the mid-1930s. And then you will shoot a Bullseye pistol match with a S&W Military and Police in .38 Spl with a six inch barrel. No time limit, highest combined score wins."

[Madcap_Magician]

I um, like the whole show.

[arch308]

I do like the show and am guilty of recording it so I can skip the comercials and silly drama junk. I think it is a good show and will hopefully draw non-shooters into the fold.
Kudos to the History Channel for keeping it on the air.

[OakleyAnna]

I'm excited about it. I like that fact that they're bringing back some of our favorites... though I wish they left out a few of the "drama kings" (won't mention names but anyone who has seen a few seasons knows the men I'm referring to.)

As a female shooter, I WISH I could audition, but I'm not good enough. Especially if I had to shoot at targets while zipping past in a stagecoach, or from a zipline! Or hanging upside down and spinning in circles. Plus I have young children and I can't just leave for a month.

[RickB]

A guy had a website called "America's Top D***** B**", and it was all about discussing the bad attitudes, lack of sportsmanship, etc., displayed on Top Shot. Id' like to see the top DBs from the first four seasons, all competing together. Then, there could be an "angels" season, with all the people we respect, then the two teams could face off!

[KMAX]

Excellent idea there RickB!

[g.willikers]

Anyone watch the first episode of the new season of Top Shot last night?
It was much improved from the previous ones.
No phony drama, just straight competition.
The competitors said that this is the way it always should have been.
Now, it's worth watching.

[BarryLee]

Yes, I watched it and enjoyed it much better without all the scheming and bickering. However, I kept wondering if the show would be interesting enough for folks that don’t shoot and have no clue how difficult many of those shots really are.

[zincwarrior]

Enjoyed it thoroughly although they made the grenade shot look like a dive bomber hit it WHHOOOOSSSH!

Liked the old rooskie gun right off the bat.

Agreed though this could be a problem with nonshooting viewers. Reality shows have to have catfighting conflict. Its the standard. What the actual "reality" is, is almost irrelevant.

[KMAX]

Darn it! Forgot to set the DVR. Gotta wait until next Wed. to catch the show.

[lamarw]

I watched and enjoyed the program last evening. I also thought the new format was more enjoyable without the "reality show bickering" or whatever the name is for it.

I was a little disappointed to see the old contestants back on as opposed to some new meat for the grind.

It was evident to me the first selected shooter on the course was at a distinct disadvantage. The later your draw, the more you learned from other's mistakes and able to compensate for the course. The only way to change this might be to not allow the other competitior observe the running of the course prior to their shooting time. Did you notice how some started adjusting for the swaying of the shooting stand on the last firing point? Instead of jumping on the stand, they started tip-toeing onto it to minimize the swinging. This is if they were totally unaware of the course and did not practice bofore their runs.

[JohnKSa]

I liked the old show but sometimes fast-forwarded through bickering. The new show without nominations and teams is much more enjoyable. Everything is skill-based. Shooters stay or leave based purely on their ability to perform under pressure. A great change.

[Spats McGee]

I kind of like the fact that this season is an All-Stars season, so that we get to see some of the better shooters from seasons past go up against each other. The Little McGee didn't like the green shirts, though. She thinks that because the old team shirts were red and blue, the no-team shirts oughta be purple.

[g.willikers]

Now, if only the other shows would take the hint.
Like dropping all the drama crap from Son's O' Guns and the like, in favor of showing how the guns actually get made.
Probably too much to hope for, though.

[BarryLee]

Did anyone notice that some of the more popular guys from the previous shows had the worst performance?

I’m not 100% sure of their names, but a guy named Gary and the guy they call Gunny were sort of the leaders in the earlier shows and went far into the competition. However, this time neither looked very good in the first competition.

Sort of early, but based on my observation the young lady seems to have a pretty good chance.