Generation Kill

Generation Kill follows a Marine reconnaissance unit during the opening of the Iraq invasion. Long periods of movement, waiting and conversation sit beside sudden danger, making the experience feel very different from a succession of heroic set pieces.

The series draws on Evan Wright's reporting and book. Its dramatised perspective stays close to the men in the vehicles, where information is incomplete and an order can arrive with little explanation of the thinking behind it. The humour is often abrasive, but it helps distinguish people who would otherwise disappear into uniforms.

Alexander Skarsgård and James Ransone are particularly effective within an ensemble that lets habits and repeated interactions establish character. The institutional frustrations will be familiar to viewers of The Wire, though the setting and stakes are different.

This is a demanding war drama, not a reassuring account of a mission proceeding to plan. Give yourself time to recognise the unit and its language. The everyday confusion is part of what the series wants you to experience.