SAS: Who Dares Wins (TV Series 2015– ) Poster

(2015– )

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9/10
A solid and gripping insight into special forces selection
alfiepattenden7610 March 2019
In a world today, with far less large scale warfare, but with equally as many problems, it is unclear who is fighting to protect our liberty.

One group that is for sure is the UK Special Forces (comprised by the SAS and the SBS) formed during the Second World War to combat evil from behind enemy lines. It is due to their highly covert nature that their work often goes forgotten, or is unkown as a whole.

'SAS Who Dares Wins' offers the average civilian an insight into the training and selection process behind one of the most elite fighting forces among global militaries.

The show offers 30 men (and women as of Series 4) the chance to become Special Forces soldiers through the completion of an incredibly grueling training course in which the weakest contenders are weaved out in a Darwinian fashion. It is vital to note that these so called 'weak' contenders are far from that; they had to previously pass a series of physical and mental tests to be on the show before facing a great many more tests in the most uncomfortable of environments.

These tests include: a 30 mile run with full kit on weighing over 40lbs, being placed in the middle of nowhere and forced to evade capture for 24 hours, and, perhaps, the toughest of all - the 24 hour kidnap and interrogation. All this whilst deprived of sleep, in an unfamiliar environment and with the constant knowledge that they could be questioned by 'the staff' at any point.

'The staff' must not go unmentioned for they are integral to the shows success. They are formed of a number of ex Special Forces men that constantly berate and criticise the contenders to accentuate the pressure on them and to push them to their absolute limits. It is with their reactions to this pressure that is effectively what makes it breaks their chances of progressing in the selection process.

Although the contenders are referred to by their number tags throughout, they are far more than that; they are complex characters, each drawn from differing backgrounds, different ages and all have had different life experiences. Character is by far the most important theme of this show and it is the contenders as just humans, like you or I, that makes the show so gripping to watch. The journey is rewarding for both the viewer and the actual contenders and at the end, it is marvelously capped off by 'the staff' saying "If we ever see you again, tap us on the shoulder and have a beer with us."

So much more can be said about this excellent show, words alone cannot do this show justice. Instead I personally recommend that you take 5 hours out of your day to watch this show and I can promise you that you will not regret it.
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9/10
Ant for prime minister?
sheepnumber3420 January 2020
Erm...the worlds gone soft...you can't say or do anything...you're not allowed to be aggressive.

This isn't just a great series...putting 'everyday' people through SAS selection...it's a reminder about how it was before this ridiculous PC rubbish came along...

If a black man can't lay in the sea for 10m - he gets shouted at...not because he is black...because he can't bloody lay in the sea!!! And if he can't, in the field..his mates could get their heads cut off on VHS...

Only idiots, flakes, quitters are roasted...not because they're girls, or ugly, or fat, or asian.. they're just rubbish.

I like the mental side of it...it's 75% mental...but they HAVE to break you....they need to see how you react when you're bottom is against the wall!! Being on tour is not a holiday...

Superb! I really like it for many reasons..
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7/10
Bring back Anth
simon-830-14238819 April 2022
Bring back Anth, Rudy is a terrible replacement. Anth was the real deal, Rudy looks more like a Chippendale, who tries too hard to come across as tough, and fails. All hair flicks, and hair dye.
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10/10
If we ever see you again come and tap us on the shoulder and have a beer with us
pablocort5 October 2016
What an epic phrase from an epic leader to summarize what this whole journey has been about. All that suffering the recruits had to endure only to get to that final moment of recognition from the "coaches" that they stopped treating them like recruits and recognize them as peers, wonderful moment to end the season. It is an easy show to watch there are only 5 episodes full of different characters and personalities. At first you think that all those trials are just madness but when the "coaches"start talking about their experiences you start to see there is a reason to that madness. In my opinion it is an awesome reality show there's nothing that compares to it, it is a must watch.
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10/10
wow!
isa_honkie16 November 2016
Makes you question your own worthiness. such a great watch, inspiring too! They are taken into the jungle, so if you thought the last season was tough enough, now they have to survive constant barrages of training and fear tactics from the former elite SAS staff, who are mesmerizing, themselves, to watch. So many people with so many backgrounds and unexpected dropouts and unexpected strong candidates make you question what you think you know. Forget reality shows, forget game shows, forget settling for average squabbling hissy fits and get down to brass tax with the SAS team on whether you are a balanced human and start questioning your own flaws! ENJOY!
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10/10
Inspirational!
benbeadman27 April 2017
What a fascinating world we have been privileged to take a glance into. So interesting how tough the Staff are and their reasoning for each and everything they do. All carefully thought out, tried and tested methods in what can only be imagined as the toughest environments known to man. I cannot recommend this series highly enough. Be mindful if you feel critical towards the recruits. This does not look easy even from the safety of a couch.
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10/10
Awesome, Absolutely Awesome
maddison-5965717 January 2019
This show is one of the best, if not the best, shows to watch. I just absolutely love it. I was delighted to see that season 4 had just aired on tv. I have seasons 1 and 2 on dvd but can't seem to find season 3 anywhere, not on dvd , and not even online. I have binge watched all the seasons and find myself rewatching them again some 6 months later. I am over the moon that season 4 is here and I really hope that they continue to make the show. Being from the army I find myself captivated by the tests and training that the candidates are put through each season. It just shows how tough you have to be mentally and physically to join the elite Special Forces. Thanks to Ant Middleton and everybody involved for making such a great show.
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10/10
Incredible television!
gabbit-104-7722344 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I've been binge watching SAS Who Dares Wins.

I started watching the newest (2020) celebrity version finding it interesting to see celebs out of their comfort zones, then I watched the first series of the celebrity one and found it incredible to see these celebs not only out of their comfort zone but pushing themselves to do things most would cry at the thought of. This quickly developed to a fascination with the DS and their experiences in the SAS and a huge respect for them. And then, watching series 1 and 2 with everyday people pushing their limits and doing incredible things.

After all the episodes I've now watched, (just started series three!) I've realised that there's one thing that makes this show truly special. The way they take these men who have this belief of what it means to be a man, what masculinity is, and they tear them down to their core and rebuild them (those who survive anyway!) this show isn't about being physically strong, it isn't about being manly, it isn't about being action man. It's about showing that men can and should FEEL! That they need to talk about their emotions and problems, that in order to be mentally strong you need to search deep and find your faults and work on them where you can but also accept them and use them to grow and be better. They've had men on the show who have survived cancer, men who have lost children, they've spoken about alcoholism and gambling addictions, one man did the show because his son was shot and killed when serving in Afghanistan, and in the series I'm watching now there's a 40 year old man who just two years earlier was working away from home when his wife was murdered and it happened when he was on the phone to her and he could hear their children crying. These men have experienced the most horrendous things that life can throw at you, they survived those things but society insists that being men means they're not allowed to cry, they're not allowed to crumble, they're not allowed to be weak and talk about how they feel and they aren't allowed to give up. This show deals with those issues in a way no other show I've ever seen manages. It is done with such integrity and honesty. A show that on the outside is about what 'manliness' means manages to flip everything on its head and show that it isn't about who can do the most press ups or lift the heaviest weight. Absolutely incredible TV show!
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10/10
Brilliant
wiseguy28026 January 2019
The best show on tv right now, has you gripped throughout.
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6/10
the chief instructor is channeling time bandits
howboutthisone_huh27 February 2020
Warning: Spoilers
First off, it took me awhile but I finally figured it out. The chief instructor, 'ant' is channeling randall from time bandits. Watch it and compare yourself.

I made a mistake because I watched season 4 before the other seasons and so I found it more laughable than realistic and I thought if these guys were really in the sas and proud of their service why would they sell out their reputation. Can't find another job, what? It's not because season 4 included women but that the scenes were so obviously contrived and staged. I mean, women or not, do they really allow painted fingernails and earrings in the sas? I reached my limit when they got to 'search and evade' and we see these men and women with headlamps and flashlights. C'mon, really? I know it's too dangerous to wander around in the andes in the dark but are we expected to believe that no one can find these bozos with all these lights? And then at one point this woman says "I think we should stay away from those lights" referring to the helicopter search beams. Yeah, that's special forces material. Keen sense of the obvious. BTW, it's interesting to note that they did this on the chilean side of the andes and not in argentinia.

But then, I watched the earlier seasons and staged, contrived or not, my hats off to the participants because there's no way I'd risk my health and safety for a reality show. There's no way I'd hang my asterisk out in such a public way just for good tv. Is it real? Parts of it look real, but what do I know. After watching season 1, I thought the most believable instructor turned out to be a possible 'walter mitty'. Google it yourself. There's some controversy on the web about him exaggerating his service record (in a book) which has offended former sas so much, they've asked the govt to rebut his story officially, so who knows what is real or not.
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8/10
War what is it good for?
acceptedofficial21 December 2020
He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. -Isaiah

Bury your weapons and words of destruction. Imagine if we all did.
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7/10
Bring back Ant Middleton.
BoomBoxV1026 July 2022
Bring back Ant Middleton.

Season 7 sucked without Ant at the helm.

Bring back Ant Middleton.

Season 7 sucked without Ant at the helm.

Sorry, your review is too short. It needs to contain at least 150 characters.
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3/10
Ruined by channel 4
bicker498 March 2021
Was a great show for first 2/3 years. Ant and the rest of the lads are top drawer. Unfortunately it's been ruined by the twisted victim seeking leftists at channel 4.
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7/10
repeats per episode
Armin2010 February 2020
Saw 3 episodes from 2015 and watching now the episode of 2020. Respect to those people who are doing this. Not to happy to the thing where we get introduced every episode to a 3 or 4 characters per episode and then 3 or even 4 (Just when you think one is strong physical and mentaly. of them get thrown off the course, then this repeats per episode. So after epsiode three i knew when you get to introduced to a character this one just quits. Makes me sometimes not happy about the DC's chooses.
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1/10
Wish I could give it zero stars
hutton_jim27 June 2022
What a load of rubbish. (2022) 1, The D. S. never shout during selection,they never praise either 2, Why the Yanks?

3,Rudy Reyes is a US Marine (Recon) he is NOT special forces,no where near S. F. Grade.

4,To be a D. S. you need a minimum of 8yrs service with the regiment. Reyes has 7yrs service total that includes basic and recon training.

This show is an embarrassment to those that actually put themselves through years of build up training, then selection and service within the U. K Special forces community.
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1/10
Series 7 review- unwatchable woke crap
stevelivesey6712 May 2022
Why have we got 2 american chippendales doing the drills?

Where have the British guys gone?

Why are trainers giving so much more support to the women? Why are the tasks so much easier compared to the first series?
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2/10
The show just got Americanised
Sayitasitis21217 April 2022
Iv watched this show from day dot, I'm not gonna jump on the lack of Ant Middleton, whilst he is sorely missed, the addition of typical Americanisation, ("erm too much drama"!! ) !?! Has completely ruined this show. It's been in steady decline as most reality tv programs do, it's fun and intriguing to start with until the business end of the realty kicks in.

Good whilst it lasted, thx for the initial effort, move on.
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5/10
Umm.. Season 6 is utter rubbish
Kronenbourg161 August 2021
What happened? The first seasons were great.. but things have taken a massive slide. Season 6 is more like school sports day with psychological support groups. There is nothing there!

3 absailing/dropping type challenges.. Jumping across a 3.5 foot gap in the cliffs (with ropes). Being picked up by a boat by grabbing a hoop. Attacking a man in full padded armour who doesn't fight back. Being stuck in a dark cave (with a film crew about).. If this is what is expected of the SAS these days then my god, standards have fallen. What a farce! Even the instructors have given up the act, constantly patting people on the shoulder and telling them what a wonderful job they've done for not bursting in to tears when they're asked to absail down a cliff. Christ.

Lets face it. Channel 4 have ruined this show. They made the majority of challenges psychological rather than physical because they REALLLLLLY want female/lgbt winners. The show no longer deserves it's name. Nothing here is serious or reflects real SF training. The staff should reject any season 7 because they're becoming a disgrace and harming the reputation of SF with this rubbish.
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1/10
Really
jamesryan-2433110 April 2022
After watching the 1st 10 minutes I had to turn off.

SAS, seemed more like some American show. Bring back Ant Middleton.

Get rid of the yanks.

You get rid of the 2 that were in the SAS.

I was looking forward to this show.

Will not be watching the rest of it.
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1/10
Extremely disappointed
tmb-1719921 September 2021
The 2021 Celebrity series has been completely controlled by the leftist channel 4 and the recruits are allowed to be wimps. EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED!
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2/10
An American in the SAS!
dbinder-999109 May 2022
What idiot thought it would be a good idea to replace the brilliant Ant with this posturing American? He runs like a girl has a high falsetto voice and is no replacement for Ant Middleton. It has ruined an excellent series.
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3/10
Why????
pauljharris-1561021 May 2022
How to kill a great franchise. Bin you greatest asset. This show has slowly declined over the years, mostly due to watering down the tasks , just as ant Middleton complained about. Now they shouldn't even call it SAS at all. The two new additions are ok, just not in the same league. The feel of the show has gone. I stayed with it up to now due to it's unique tight leadership team with it's sas roots, all that has gone.

Sad it has come to be this poor.
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1/10
2022 review
nivekharris10 April 2022
Oh no. Just... Oh no. Wdw used to be non American and non pc. That's why it was widely liked... A glimpse into a tough man's world without compromise, without woke and without American confection. But let's just throw that away eh and replace it with "hell yeah , you can do it". Straight to save I'm afraid.. Utter tosh. Oh and as for the Elizabeth Duke Ant Middleton replacement.. The less said the better.
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5/10
if it ain't broke, break it! (2019 series)
gilleliath17 January 2019
If it makes no difference whether you're a man or a woman, why do they keep going on about it? In fact, it clearly does matter; they can say what they like about equal treatment but, having included women, they obviously don't want to see them all tank. They are noticeably more supportive with the women contestants - I mean, 'recruits' - and more likely to give them a second chance. Women blatantly cheat on the exercises and get away with it. A guy goes without having noticeably failed; a woman stays on although they've said in so many words that she can't do it, or despite being clearly a basket case. The Swedish lady is a totally pointless gimmick - I suppose they felt they also needed a woman on the 'authority' side, but for some reason didn't want to put her in the trainers' team.

It's faintly depressing that now you apparently *cannot* have a series focusing solely on men, and - because it affects the judging - it somewhat compromises the integrity of the show. It was always a little bit iffy, not least because as far as I can make out none of them have actually been in the SAS!

Update 2020: I see that they have now abandoned the boxing challenge, obviously because women can't fight men (some have taken an unpleasant beating in previous series). The obvious thing might have been to have men fight men and women fight women, but that wouldn't have been woke enough would it? So instead the women gang up on the men, who are forbidden by the rules from fighting back. As unintentional, painfully ironic metaphors go, that would take some beating...
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1/10
Embarrassing how the British put there self down to the Americans should be ashamed
justin-9784714 April 2022
The title of the show is SAS but it's the American show. I have watched every series but I only could take 10 minutes of the new serials. The new chief DS is trying to be a catwalk Rambo with his Tailored tight fitting trousers and his dyed hair, every time the camera is on the Catwalk Rambo he knows it and starts to act for the camera. Another formula messed up. Don't waste your time with this series. OMG what a waste of my time and air time. Channel 4 you should be ashamed who signed this off.
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