Aboard the USS Nimitz is where it all goes down in PBS' new documentary film, "Carrier."

Ever wonder what daily life at sea entails for a naval crew member? What it's like to be confined on a ship for months of duty? What the food tastes and looks like? In its new documentary film series, "Carrier," Icon Productions delves into true Navy life with unprecedented documentation and footage. They interspersed 17 filmmakers amongst the 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard the USS Nimitz, during the entirety of a six-month deployment to the Persian Gulf in 2005, to get down to the true experience of life at work in the Navy.

What they came up with is moving and enlightening. While PBS is known for its generally liberal lean, “Carrier” appears to be a fair and objective compilation of the various ups and downs, pros and cons, and contrasting personalities and attitudes of those on the Nimitz. In fact, the producers and directors stressed repeatedly their intent to show viewers the diversity of the ship's constituency.

By eliminating a narrator's voice, the producers delegated the storytelling to the personnel on board. The filmmakers shot over 1,600 hours of total footage, which was reduced to 10 hours for the entire film, and screened those they interviewed to find the most unique and compelling stories.

Some are wholehearted gung-ho patriots eager to wage war, while others don’t really know the purpose of the forces, or their own purpose. The cameras also land on officers of higher rank such as Rear Admiral Ted Branch, who appears prominently as the quintessential hardy, Southern-accented soldier.

Many seamen are serving mainly because it was their only foreseeable path to opportunity and success, or the only way they could afford higher education. The show shines an insightful light on a few of these young men and women, and reminds us that serving our country can stem just as much from necessity as patriotic vigor.

Each of the show's ten segments focuses on specific issues and storylines, such as contact with family and loved ones at home, and the hot topic of gays and lesbians in the military and how they fit in on the Nimitz. At the same time, however, the film continually follows the lives of the same men and women aboard the ship, to give the viewer a personal interest and attachment to the characters.

One of "Carrier"'s greatest selling points is that the participants talk freely and candidly about their likes and dislikes, and are not hesitant to speak their mind. Though many of the personnel appear proud and supportive of their country's cause in Iraq, others express doubt and dismay. As one woman puts it, "Why are we fighting for somebody else's freedom when we barely have our own?" For better or for worse, such freedom of expression is groundbreaking, since the Navy and military have long been divided and precautionary as to whether the press should have access to their daily ordeals.

"Carrier" provides an unparalleled view of what goes on out at sea, and beneath the dazzling runways and landing pads of a working aircraft carrier. If you're interested in a closer and more candid look at life in the Navy than ever before, be sure to check out the premiere this Sunday night on PBS.

The pilot episode of "Carrier" will air this Sunday night at 9 pm on KCET, followed immediately by the second. The film continues throughout the week at 9 and 10 pm.

LINK:

http://www.pbs.org/weta/carrier/