fedor8
There are many aspects of the series that highly recommend it: the visual quality, the tension/drama, the insanity/courage of the climbers, the interesting and often amusing dialog, the scenery etc. However, as silly as this may sound to some fans of the series, I'd have to single out Tim Medvetz as one of the key reasons to watch this. EBTL is not exactly a sit-com, but Medvetz's almost single-handedly provides for the fun-factor. Tim is a genuine character: a rare what-you-see-is-what-you get sort of person, and that is very refreshing these days; he isn't some dull, uptight yuppie (like David Tait) boring everyone to hell with phony, annoying posturing. Many scenes with him are mini-highlights, whether they be about his frustration with expedition leader Brice, or his spontaneous outbursts of patriotism and typically American in-your-face gung-ho zeal. To be THAT cheerful in such harsh conditions is a feat in itself. Some viewers (most notably the frustrated anti-American European types) may find him to be merely a dumb, cocky, brash L.A. biker, but that might be often envy speaking, who knows. He has few or no insecurities, his ego is intact; there is nothing wrong with exuding confidence in what is occasionally even a somewhat childlike manner. Small wonder he was so popular with the Sherpas and other expedition members (with a few exceptions).The second-most interesting/entertaining "character" is Russell Brice. No B.S. with this guy, he's seen it all - and probably too much - hence nothing and no-one can throw him off his game. His warnings, orders, and bitchings directed almost solely at perpetually disobedient Medvetz (and usually over the radio) are very funny. I'm speaking about the second series, of course. There was nothing at all amusing about Tim's disobedience in the first series, which nearly cost him his life. It's a lot of fun to watch two such strong egos clashing, a conflict borne out of the fact that Brice felt particularly strongly about not losing someone like Tim to Everest. When Brice says "I really don't care what happens to him, I really don't..." it's obvious that he does care, quite a bit. Woody, the Aussie guide, is also a bonus for the series. Terry, the doctor from the first series, is a bright, likable guy, but it's the English female doctor, Monica, who provides some much-needed female charm in the second series - seeing as how the rest are all men and Betsy. The likable Danish asthmatic comes off as the biggest lunatic of the whole bunch (no mean feat!), while some of the other people involved aren't too interesting (like the Lithuanian businessman). Still, even the most boring people can grasp your attention with ease, as you watch them struggle with every ounce of energy like maniacs in a little thing called "The Death Zone".There is an episode in which the Dane actually considers whether he should enter the Death Zone without an oxygen bottle (one would think that to be a no-brainer, which is precisely the problem with the Dane - he has no brain when it comes to mountain-climbing matters). In these moments he reminded me of a Monty Python sketch in which Terry Jones (playing an easily manipulated, eager simpleton) was given impossible assignments, such as eating a whole Cathedral or splitting a train with his nose... The ideas some people get... Ts, ts. Still, he was wise enough to turn back on time in the first series and smart enough to finally start sucking on the bottle in the second one.I admit that I cannot entirely see the fascination of reaching the top of Earth's highest mountain any more than I can understand why masochistic cyclists take part in the Tour de Farce just so they can die at the ripe old age of 35 due to heart-failure (them drugs, man). Nevertheless, as stupendously pointless as (extreme) mountain-climbing may (or may not) be, it can be quite transfixing to watch a varied bunch on such a mission, particularly since some of them aren't real pros. You can't help but root for them, in spite of the fact that they willingly - and for no truly valid reason - throw themselves in harm's way, while paying HUGE amounts of money for it! The sole complaint I have is that there are only 14 episodes altogether, and that the Discovery Channel deems it enough to air the series only once or twice per year - as if they had better things to show us. Those constant, idiotic programs about fat, tattooed guys doing things with car parts are supposed to be riveting then?As for the controversy surrounding Brice's decision not to help the dying Englishmen (1st season), I cannot agree with the idiots who gave Russell a hard time about it. When one examines the facts and realities of the environment at Everest, one has to be an utter imbecile to actually think that it would have made sense to risk the lives of up to 20 people to save one. Terry said it best when he compared the situation of dying in the Death Zone to being stranded on the Moon.
Charles Boyer
Rare is the in-depth series on a great adventure such as climbing Mt. Everest. This mini-series is one such, and for armchair alpinists, it is time well spent to follow this crew up the longest hill on the planet.The human element is very much in play throughout -- the New Zealand climber trying to summit Everest after losing his legs in another climbing tragedy before, the Hollywood Harley designer climbing against all odds after being pieced together with screws and wires following a horrific motorcycle accident, the French man attempting the climb a mere two weeks after having a cancerous kidney removed. By any of our normal standards, these people living normals lives is a heroic feat. But these are not normal lives: they are on a quest to summit the world's tallest mountain and perhaps one of its most dangerous forbidden zones. A tall order for you or I, but for them, an even taller one -- and a challenge they cannot resist.They are led by one of the world's great climbers, who nurses, kicks, leads and cajoles them to go forward, or in some cases, turn around while they still are relatively certain to get back down alive. Having lost 80% of his mates to climbing accidents, Russell Brice knows tragedy. As he says to one climber over the radio in one episode "I don't want to have to call your wife and tell her you've died on Everest." You can tell Russell Brice means what he's saying. And that the news he brings, good or bad, is indeed the way things are.Some make the top and get back down, and others do not, turning around at different points on the climb. All gave it their all, in a place where that statement is literal, not figurative.In short, if you want to get a great idea of what climbers see on their way up Everest, and also see glimpses of the suffering required to complete such and extreme challenge, then this show is for you.
danibethb
As an armchair adventurer, I loved this series and the great camera and sound work that made it very real. The personalities are interesting and the dynamics between the expedition leader, the climbers and Sherpas provide plenty of drama for those of us who like to thrill-seek from the comfort of our living room. The only thing that might have made this series better was more of the in-depth interviews of the climbers and crew. I would have loved seeing the climbers returning home to their loved ones after their saga was over. Another thing I would have liked to have seen included is more of the behind- the-scenes footage of all the preparations that the leader, his crew, director and TV cameramen had to go through to get this documentary filmed .
