TV Review: National Geographic Brings Unprecedented Access to Fighter Pilot Training in “Top Guns: The Next Generation”
The perennial film Top Gun, and its recent sequel, may have painted a certain glamorous picture of being a fighter pilot, but the real thing is a whole lot less glamorous, and much more dangerous. In National Geographic’s latest series, Top Guns: The Next Generation, we get unprecedented access to Navy and Marine Corps student pilots as they complete their rigorous training.
Top Guns: The Next Generation is part reality show and part typical Nat Geo kind of show. We’re introduced to a number of elite strike fighter trainees, learning about their lives and what drove them to pursue such a career. Whether it was a lifelong goal, or a family tradition, each subject has their own unique reason for joining the forces. Not only do the cameras follow them at their base, but they also come aboard for some truly stunning footage from the cockpit, showcasing just how dangerous a profession this can be.
Throughout the first episode, we see that one simple slip-up can be the difference between passing and failing, something which their commanding officer takes no glee in doing, as that slip-up could also be the difference between life and death. The episode takes place at a Navy base in Meridian, Mississippi, a surprisingly inland location for a naval base, before moving to showcase flight testing in the California desert.
Emotions run high as the trainees go through six months of high-stakes aerial training, putting brutal physical demands on each and every one of them. The highlight for me was the stunning aerial footage that was actually captured by some of the creative talent behind Top Gun: Maverick. You really get to see just how stressful a situation it can be in real time, juxtaposed by the beautiful landscape of the California desert. But the show also gives you ample time to get to know the trainees and either sympathize with or root for them, without veering too far into the realm of reality TV.
Top Guns: The Next Generation premieres Tuesday, September 16th at 9/8c on National Geographic and streams the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.