If you've ever wanted to know the difference between a yarder and a yoader,Ax Men - The Complete Season Oneis for you! This 14-episode History Channel series follows the struggles of four logging companies working in the depths of the Oregon forests. The camera lovingly films gigantic machines lifting and yanking at enormous trees. The loggers themselves are full of salty language and roughneck machismo as they topple trees (the hearty voiceover declares that one logger "handles a chainsaw like a pool cue"). Unfortunately, the show drowns in hype. Trees aren't lumber, they're "green gold." Every setback could destroy the livelihood of everyone involved. No one would deny that logging is dangerous labor, butAx Menhammers at this relentlessly, proclaiming every possible accident a severe threat to life and limb. After the tenth or 20th or 50th reminder, you suspect the producers are ghoulishly eager for someone to be maimed or mangled. It's too bad, because if the show had focused on the men and actually delved into their lives--instead of just making them look like one-dimensional jerks or heroes--their trials with storms, equipment failure, and human error could have become compelling. Instead,Ax Menshows the same footage of trees falling over and over (or maybe each shot is different; who can tell? How many different ways can a tree fall?), trying to squeeze a visual spectacle out of it. It's an insult to everyone involved.--Bret Fetzer