Newly-Reviewed Programs
TV on DVD
All Shows: A-Z Index
Advanced Search

2008 Summer Season
2007-08 Midseason
2007 Fall Season
2007 Summer Season
2006-07 Midseason
2006 Fall Season
2006 Summer Season
2005-06 Midseason
2005 Fall Season
Best Of 2007
Best Of 2006
Best Of 2005
How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss TV In Our Forums

Carrier
SERIES: PBS, Sunday/Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday 10:00p (60 minutes)

9.2 based on 12 reviews read critic reviews how did we calculate this? based on 13 votes read user comments rate this tv show

• Official Show Site

The documentary series follows the lives of those who live and work on the U.S.S. Nimitz.

GENRE(S):	Documentary
CREATED BY:	Mel Gibson Bruce Davey Mitchell Block, Nancy Cotton Maro Chermayeff
FIRST AIR DATE:	April 27, 2008

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Christian Science Monitor Gloria Goodale

Compelling.

90

Newark Star-Ledger Alan Sepinwall

That balance of viewpoints--positive and negative, tragic and comic--is what makes Carrier such extraordinary viewing.

90

Newsday Diane Werts

The 10 hours of PBS' immersive miniseries Carrier are frank and intimate, hard-hitting and heart-rending, rocking (with hit songs) and rolling (when the ship pitches so sharply, planes can't land).

88

New York Post Adam Buckman

Titled Carrier, this series from Mel Gibson's Icon Productions might be the most candid look at everyday life on board a U.S. warship in wartime that has ever been filmed.

80

Boston Globe Matthew Gilbert

The filmmakers deliver a fine balance of both elated big-gun worship and humiliated bathroom cleaning, melting-pot team-making and the cliquishness of ethnic groups.

80

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Rob Owen

What sets Carrier apart is the amount of time devoted to this single topic, a whopping 10 hours. I made it through the first three hours without losing interest, but I wonder how many viewers will gut it out for the duration.

80

Salon Heather Havrilesky

With a careful mix of respect, curiosity and humor, the filmmakers offer a colorful and surprisingly nuanced tour of the day-to-day operations of the USS Nimitz during a six-month deployment in 2005, from California to Hong Kong, Guam, Bahrain and Perth, Australia.

80

TV Guide Matt Roush

With its scenic photography, slick editing and relentless pop-rock soundtrack, Carrier has the feel of a movie, or maybe the world's longest recruitment video. It's also an engrossing, rewarding and addictive study of personal endurance and sacrifice.

60

Los Angeles Times Robert Lloyd

But even at 10 hours, Carrier feels cursory and incomplete. That's not to say that at most any given moment it's uninteresting--it's quite watchable--just that it doesn't add up to as much as it should.

60

New York Daily News David Hinckley

Like the Navy, Carrier is perfect for some and probably isn't for everyone.

40

Variety Brian Lowry

Clearly, the producers have endeavored to offer a snapshot of their service, but because Carrier lacks a sharp point of view, there's a kind of "duh" quality to the results.

40

Washington Post Tom Shales

Those who wade into Carrier might not want to be quitters, either, but after four or five hours, they may find they'd really rather be checking out who's survived on "American Idol."

The average user rating for this tv show is 9.2 (out of 10) based on 13 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Mark gave it a10:
This is a great show. I've enjoyed every minute of it. Obviously it was done with the support of the Pentagon...if not, how else would the producers gain access to a nuclear aircraft carrier. I think this show does an excellent job of balance. There are differing views presented on whether or not we should be in Iraq. It touches on race in America. It shows the stupidity of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. It points out who our country asks to go and do its work around the world. It shows how the military is the last option for young people who have no future. All-in-all, an excellent endeavor.

Bill C. gave it a6:
I was disappointed some by the lack of nuts-and-bolts in this series aboit the Carriers. The Human side takes center stage and it' isn't very comforting to see who's manning the stations.

Ed H. gave it a10:
This series was great. 99% of Americans have no idea what it means to be in the Navy and fewer know anything about carriers. This covered insightful information on the the young people who serve their country well, even though they may not agree with the mission of our government.

James A. gave it a10:
Awesome. This is real reality TV, none of that Paris Hilton crap, or crap from Orange County with stuck up tennagers who will never work a real day in their lives while their parents spend 10,000's of $ on some stuck up sweet sixteen party. Carrier brought hope to television. AMAZING!

Mike R. gave it a10:
Engrossing, informative, and well-balanced.

Roger M. gave it a9:
I'm astounded that literally no one I know is watching this. I'm very busy, but because of the repeated airings on PBS, I've missed very little of this. It's been interesting to get to know these sailors & marines and to see the various tasks they're undertaking. I'm sorry, but I feel a healthy dose of patriotism as I watch this. These people seem to take a great deal of pride in their work, and the idea of protecting our country. But, it's not all rosy. I appreciate that the producers show all different kinds of people with differing views. I'm finding it a very interesting series...quite compelling...and I'm a "blue" guy in a red state!

Discuss this tv show in our forums