Product: Extreme Trains: The Complete Season One (2009)
Rating: 3.0
Extreme and noisy froth
The topic of trains is one of great interest despite the poor state of US railroads with the legend and the logic of railroads is a permanent part of US history. What would DC be without the Metro or Chicago without the 'L"? This series while well intended and at times interesting is nothing if not reminiscent of the faux sports competition of various Gordon Ramsey kitchen projects or the numerous team sports on the Food Channel. The most positive to be said about the presenter is that at least he is confined to Maine and will not be sitting next to me on a flight.The topic has great potential but its presentation as "We've got to get this train of produce to Schenectady by x hours" as if the train were not running on a 365/24/7 schedule is inane - as if "We" including the presenter were a help and not a hinderance. A richness of subject matter and scenery is subsumed by moronic chit chat (or is that chit chat by a moron?) and superficiality. Amtrak's Acela is not even close to being among the world's fastest (or reliable) trains given the poor infrastructure, the freight trains are par for the course with France and Germany equal in every respect except the latter don't derail as often. The program ignores the rich history of the stations (hey let's go to the rodeo in Cheyenne instead!!), the scenery, the fascinating history and technology of the infrastructure support (yes there is some but the commentary is by the idiot commentator - "isn't this great" not by the experts who as one reviewer noted appear to either cringe or ignore Mr. Matt). the future role of the railroad in the US - if the funding doesn't end up with the vampire squids in NYC etc. etc. Imagine the BBC or PBS doing this series - it would be sublime. There's still room.