https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8680948/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Just started seeing the ads. Looks like M*A*S*H set in Afghanistan.

Ok let's try again.

How Paramount's '68 Whiskey' tries to find a modern 'M*A*S*H' set in Afghanistan

PASADENA, Calif. – For as long as the Korean War lasted on "M*A*S*H," the soldiers never used language like the combat medics on "68 Whiskey."

Paramount Network's new dark comedy (premieres Wednesday, 10 EST/PST) follows a group of Army medics stationed at a base in Afghanistan nicknamed "The Orphanage." Much like the classic Alan Alda sitcom, the men and women stationed there find humor in their circumstances (and sometimes break the rules) in order to survive. Unlike "M*A*S*H," these medics use a lot of words we can't print in a family newspaper.

"One of the things I’ve learned and we’ve learned is that, in dealing with life and death situations, humor is their primary tool," series creator Roberto Benabib told reporters at the Television Critics Association Tuesday. "It calms them down, it gives them perspective, and it allows them to soldier on, literally. So it is a tone that will ebb and flow as it ebbs and flows in real life, sometimes unexpectedly, but very much like real life."

Benabib took inspiration for the funny and foul-mouthed series from stories like "M*A*S*H," "Catch-22" and "Apocalypse Now," and from the real veterans of Afghanistan who worked on the series.

"We have veterans on our writing staff. We have military consultants," he said. "And what surprises us most of all is, when we come up with something comical, they’ll look at us and they’ll go: 'That’s how it is. That’s how we deal with it.'"

The series portrays a diverse group of soldiers dealing with all the issues 2020 warfare offers: One woman models weaponry on Instagram to make enough money for life after the Army; another is a beneficiary of DACA, the program that allows children of illegal immigrants to remain in the U.S.

"She’s fighting in between staying in this army, (which) doesn’t actually take her as a citizen, or going home with her family and try to find a new home, whatever that is, because her home is the United States of America," Cristina Rodlo, who plays Rosa Alvarez, explained. "It’s great that we show this. … To me, it’s very important because I’m Mexican, and I think we come to this country to make a change and to make this country better."

Although it touches on topical issues, Benabib said the series isn't overtly political.

"It really is about the characters," he said. "It really is about these medics and why they’re there and what their family lives that they left behind are all about, what their economic problems are all about. I didn’t feel the need to get macro and political with it because their individual stories really kind of told you where we were at this point in our history."

68 Whiskey” is a war-centered story that follows army soldiers deployed to Afghanistan. While in this new and unfamiliar environment, the team of U.S. soldiers form friendships and rivalries that make this comedy-drama what it is.

“We searched far and wide for this cast,” executive producer Michael Lehman stated in the video below. With many rounds of auditions and talent searching, they ended up with a cast they are proud of -- and you may recognize some of these actors from their previous works.

Sam Keeley plays Cooper Roback, the central protagonist of “68 Whiskey.” He’s mostly a cocky, everyman character who challenges authority and develops a rivalry with a member of a different militia named Sasquatch. While his career is still rather fresh and on the rise, you may recognize him as one of the main characters in the popular horror drama “The Cured.” He also played a guest role in the cult classic British Channel 4 show “Misfits.”

Gage Golightly plays Corporal Grace Durkin, a “stand-off-ish” medic with “a really big heart.” She is the love interest of Roback’s rival, Sasquatch. Golightly is someone you may recognize from Amazon’s “Red Oaks,” MTV’s “Teen Wolf,” or The CW’s “iZombie.”

In one of her very first American Hollywood acting gigs, Cristina Rodlo plays Sergeant Rosa Alvarez. Her character is an immigrant who has to settle with the fact that the same country she fights to protect is deporting her family. She feels helpless overseas, but that doesn’t stop her from doing her part. She is probably best known for having a recurring role in Season 2 of “The Terror.”

Staff Sergeant Mekhi Davis, played by Jeremy Tardy, is great at what he does but suffers from the troubling news that his mother has been diagnosed with cancer. Now, he must figure outside-hustles in order to take care of his people at home.

Tardy, along with Sasquatch actor Derek Theler, played a superhero character in the never-aired Marvel Television pilot “New Warriors.” He might be best known for the film “Bone Tomahawk,” as well as being in 6 episodes of “Ballers.” Theler, who plays the rough-and-tough rival to Roback, is best known for playing Danny Wheeler in “Baby Daddy” and Donar the Great in “American Gods.”

Beth Riesgraf plays Major Sonia Holloway, the right-hand woman of Colonel Harlan Austin (Lamont Thompson) who she describes as reliable and someone whom Austin can go to for help. She knows the ins and outs of military life while having a family of her own. Riesgraf’s most familiar roles include playing Parker in TNT’s “Leverage” and Billy’s mother on “Stranger Things.”

You can catch up with the cast when “68 Whiskey” premieres on the Paramount Network on Jan. 15.

I liked the trailer so I'll give this a shot.

Other than Beth Riesgraf I don't know anyone. Looks OK but the character description have me cringing already...

I am almost done with the first episode (an hour long) but I think I will stick with it. I will say that this show might not be for everyone and one of the things I did not expect on a basic cable show was to see a woman get finger banged (technically off-camera, but still)...twice in one episode! Even with basic cable shows now letting f-bombs go through uncensored this show is definitely trying to prove it is edgy and push the boundaries of what they can get away with as far as they can. The jury is still out if this blatant attempt to be edgy and cool for a modern audience will pay off or be seen as the show trying too hard to appeal to folks who like their comedy to have an edge.

Unfortunately my worst fear was realized: they portrayed the soldiers horribly. this wasn't MASH this was anti-military propaganda.

My father is a vet and I do not think he would call this an anti-military show rather he would say it is just not a great show and quite frankly if you have the balls to compare yourself to MASH (look, we are MASH but with actual foul language and all those hints of the horn dogs in the 4077th having intimate relationships with the nurses, well here we straight up show those ole horn dogs getting each other off with anal sex and finger banging in the supply hut...take that you old fuddy duddy MASH) you better be prepared to bring it....just because I will continue to watch does not mean I though the show brought it.

The hard ass doctor (this show’s Margaret Houlihan?) has potential but her character needs to be fleshed out. Also, the DACA soldier who got screwed by the military (which unfortunately is ripped from the headlines) regarding her citizenship status, well...I would like to see where they go with that story.

Oddly enough, this shows version of Hawkeye Pierce is one of the weakest links and I should get invested in this character why? Not to mention they went dark with him burning the letter that hints at the rather unethical method he took of getting where he is in the military.

Also, the CG of the burning vehicle at the end was the cheapest and poorest CG I've ever seen in a Hollywood production.

Thanks as a Vet I don't need to see this shit. The character descriptions alone gave me pause.

Deleting from DVR...

It didn't strike me as anti-military at all, but yeah that CG was awful, it looked like a snapchat filter.

Was okay in general, I'll give it a few more episodes.

Well I gave it a shot but it's the usual insulting portrayal of the American soldier from modern Hollywood.

And I see they ripped off the plot of "Osama" in tonight's episode.

Yeah. pretty much, -I stuck with it for an episode-and-a-half but the general tone just turned me off.

It's not unwatchable but I don't get the feeling it's anything special. Will probably play better once you can binge it.

Tonight's episode was much improved.