Epic Battle By Computer

Spike TV's new show, The Deadliest Warrior, is one of my new favorite TV shows. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, the show takes some of history's most famous combatants and puts them into a fight to the death scenario to determine just who is the most effective warrior, in an attempt to answer one of the most long standing locker room questions. So far we have seen Viking Berserkers, Spartan Warriors and Ninjas all fight it out. Other than some mindless fun, is there a point to this show? Almost unbelievably, the answer is yes.
First and foremost, the historical component is key. The show places each warrior in its historical context and talks about their backgrounds, ethos, and standards in fighting. Now while this information is very general, almost all of it is valid and educational. The period weaponry is the largest portion of history explained in the show. They use replicas (often made of the traditional materials) and test their effectiveness in battle. This side of history is often overlooked in traditional histories, and shows the effectiveness of older technologies on the battlefield. With the use of modern forensics and ballistics, the killing power of claymores, axes, and flintlock pistols are tested.
Secondly, this show demonstrates some philosophical points. The first is that technology kills. More often than not, the warrior with a higher form of technology wins. The underlying concept is that more advanced technology is better. While not normally a controversial position, it can be when one applies it to the modern world. The Green movement and the Pacifist left decry advanced technology, both on and off the battlefield. This point made by the show implies that to stay on top advanced technology is the most important piece of the puzzle, which is in direct opposition to these two movements. The next point is that technology is the only key to success. With their computer simulation, the Deadliest Warrior team tests only the weapons, not the men behind them. This tries to eliminate the human variable, and make the historical comparison easier. What this says is that technology is the highest measure of goodness in their world, namely the battlefield in this case. This is reinforced at the end of the show, with the combat loser decrying that the man, not the weapons make all the difference in battle.
Finally, this show demonstrates a new way of education. It combines these two elements with the so called mindless fun, and viewers get educated, often without their own knowledge. An interesting educational technique used to circumvent the widely believed short term attention span of the American public, the "mindless" fun holds your attention as the lecture continues. Perhaps these techniques could be used more widely in TV, giving more credence to those who call it an educational tool.
Most of all, the Deadliest Warrior is fun. It is fun to watch both sides talk crap about each other, and the macho bravado concerning their respective warriors. If you are watching with several people, often the crap talking enters the living room, engaging the viewers in the show, rooting for their respective warriors to win. The end battle is often drawn out, with all of the weapons used in the show demonstrated in the last battle. A final howl marks the victor, and shouts of enjoyment or disgust by the audience complete the end of the show. This show doesn't end the discussion though, but merely starts it as the audience continues to support their warriors, winner or loser. In this way, the epic battle starts the spark of debate, something that many modern television shows do not do.