The Climb on HBO

Not sure if this has been shared yet.
The Climb - BTS

Pretty eye opening. I think maybe some of awkwardness or forced dialogue could have been the product of waiting around for the ‘production’ to start. These aren’t friends hanging out at a crag; this was a pretty elaborate, mobile television set.

I honestly really enjoyed it. The climbers were all really super supportive to one another, and that’s what did it for me. Each episode impressed me more than the last.

I had a ho-hum opinion of Sharma going into it, but aside from singling out Deco and making weird generalizations about so-and-so’s climbing style, I kinda liked his vibe throughout. 

Sure, I appreciated the opportunity to heckle at the crack and multipitch episodes, but I did end up recommending the series to the gym climber I'm currently mentoring. There's something to be learned from the footage; if nothing else, to see some cool international locales.

I was impressed by the DWS segments.

Perhaps it's telling that the fifteen-minute "making of" feature posted above glossed over the crack episode and didn't provide much detail ... ;-)

In addition to more continuous climbing footage, I would have appreciated more (non-drama) human-interest tidbits like how they were eating and hydrating, warming up, shoe choices, weather conditions, etc.

Also, at the risk of objectifying a fellow human being, Dom is jacked AF. As in, so ripped that his epidermis is screaming in anguish.

Everyone in front of the camera seemed to have something special to contribute to the production, but from the episodes I watched, it just didn't quite come together to be fully realized and I lost interest. 

I would be astonished that Sender Films, Louder than 11, etc weren't consulted for the filming as the bts keeps talking about how difficult it was to move and set up the production from locale to locale, but there much just be a whole level of professionalism and polish that went into this HBO Max show then say King Lines, where you follow just one pro climber around whose been followed all of his life.

For all the sweeping landscape shots, drone shots - all the beautiful B-Roll (essentially) footage, the actual main course was a little lackluster. Just my opinion. I would assume that the people on the production crew knew how to capture those shots far more than they can the actual climbing, where some of them seemed like baby deer walking for the first time.

I also found it funny that they sorta took elements of many of Chris's previous films and integrated it into this series. Like his Catalunya bungalow with the spray wall - it was like it was fully preserved from the footage of La Dura Dura -

even though I though he lived with his wife and kids in a different city altogether. Or when he brings a big leg of pig over and talks about how the food in the area is good and simple - that's from another video of his.

I basically fell asleep 1/3rd of the way thru each episode.   I think it needs Bear Grylls to add authenticity 

Not Not MP Adminwrote:

I’m not sure it’s so much people questioning her credentials so much as it is that her resume is being blown way out of proportion. Climbing a handful of V11’s just isn’t that impressive by today’s standards, even for a female. 

Far be it from me to claim that critical thinking is a skill possessed by most MP contributors - but consider the possibility that Meagan was chosen to help commentate a climbing competition show due to her extensive climbing competition commentating experience and not because they thought she was the best female climber alive. Nobody even really discusses her resume on the show. Which - to be clear - her multiple finals appearances in bouldering nationals are more than enough of a notch in her climbing resume even if you ignore her extensive commentating experience.

This is just a classic example of people online making up a fake situation and then getting mad about their fake made up situation.

Jeffrey Lashwrote:

Not sure if this has been shared yet.
The Climb - BTS

This was better than the show, might make a more interesting doc than the original, which is not unique, like how Burden of Dreams, the documentary on the making of the movie Fitzcarraldo, is better than the movie itself.

The rigging is impressive.

And even though I personally like that the competitors are all super supportive (which is an authentic part of climbing culture in general), it doesn't make good reality TV. I'm glad they didn't go that way, but it's just a fact that there needs to be a villain and some toxic personalities for conflict that hooks audiences. Sad but true, and I'll give them credit for not doing it.

Tal Mwrote:

Far be it from me to claim that critical thinking is a skill possessed by most MP contributors - but consider the possibility that Meagan was chosen to help commentate a climbing competition show due to her extensive climbing competition commentating experience and not because they thought she was the best female climber alive. Nobody even really discusses her resume on the show. Which - to be clear - her multiple finals appearances in bouldering nationals are more than enough of a notch in her climbing resume even if you ignore her extensive commentating experience.

I'll agree with that but did the show even take advantage and use her commenting skills? I didn't see that but I haven't watched it all, and if it didn't, I'd say it's not on her but on editing/director. And even a short intro/bio on her might have been nice, all I remember was "professional climber". In general I don't think the show took advantage of Sharma either. They need to figure out how to illuminate a spiritual, reserved guy of few words.

Tal Mwrote:

Far be it from me to claim that critical thinking is a skill possessed by most MP contributors - but consider the possibility that Meagan was chosen to help commentate a climbing competition show due to her extensive climbing competition commentating experience and not because they thought she was the best female climber alive. Nobody even really discusses her resume on the show. Which - to be clear - her multiple finals appearances in bouldering nationals are more than enough of a notch in her climbing resume even if you ignore her extensive commentating experience.

This is just a classic example of people online making up a fake situation and then getting mad about their fake made up situation.

"Extensive commentating experience"   

Season 2 challenges:

• Keeping crag dogs from shitting on your rope while you attentively belay
• Hardest send the day after the most alcohol consumed at the campfire the night before (12 beers + 5.12 =s 24 points)
• Best spray (panel of judges)
• Best job of poaching FAs
• Shitposting on Mountain Project
• Best fail excuses
• Most creative forms of yelling take

Where’s that 5.12c crack in wadi rum? Asking for a friend. 

Heyzeuswrote:

I'll agree with that but did the show even take advantage and use her commenting skills? I didn't see that but I haven't watched it all, and if it didn't, I'd say it's not on her but on editing/director. And even a short intro/bio on her might have been nice, all I remember was "professional climber". In general I don't think the show took advantage of Sharma either. They need to figure out how to illuminate a spiritual, reserved guy of few words.

100% - the super underutilized both folks. In general I think the show had potential but should have used some of the lessons from Free Solo/Dawn Wall on how to make the content more engaging for both climbers and non climbers rather than..I mean whatever this is 

“This is like nothing they’ve climbed before.”

Points to yet another steep overhanging wall.

Not Not MP Adminwrote:

"Extensive commentating experience"   

In 2019 Meagan took on the role of an ESPN commentator for USA Climbing events. She also did the climbing commentary for NBC during the 2020 Olympics.

Arguably far more experience than Sharma or Momoa.

I do want to give props to Kat. I never would have guessed someone that untall would win. And he untied himself out of more than one bungle up in a sketchy situation. The last one at like 55' above the 59° ocean was impressive. Never once bitched about bolts and holds being too high, just mentioned they were just an obstacle to overcome. 

Tal Mwrote:

100% - the super underutilized both folks. In general I think the show had potential but should have used some of the lessons from Free Solo/Dawn Wall on how to make the content more engaging for both climbers and non climbers rather than..I mean whatever this is 

Did they even explain Sharma (to nonclimbers)?

 Watching climbing is more interesting than watching paint dry but not as interesting as watching golf or bowling. I'm sure Megan's great at narrating comps but this isn't a comp. It needed someone like Timmy O'Neil.

Timmy O'Neill - The Urban Ape! The OG Reality TV Climbing Star that never happened!

"Has anyone seen my dog?!"

A V wrote:Yea braj, shit is pedestrian

Anyway, I’m going to go pound a collagen smoothie while I downgrade all of the 5.13s in my area on 8a.nu, smell ya later dawg

  you don't boulder do ya, pal?

Jeffrey Lashwrote:

Not sure if this has been shared yet.
The Climb - BTS

Note Jason’s bad gri gri technique, marker 8’13”

Deredacted Youngwrote:

Note Jason’s bad gri gri technique, marker 8’13”

Must have taken lessons from Ondra

Just finished watching the series. Here are my takeaways:

PROS:
-As a climber, it's fun to look at a new route and wonder how you'd do, and then watch others go for it.
-gorgeous landscapes, fun-looking climbs
-Seemed like a genuinely kind and decent group of people in front of and behind the camera
-The all-around encouragement between climbers was heartwarming

CONS:
-Jason Momoa -- I have nothing against the guy personally. I saw Aquaman and kinda liked it. But his bookending presence just felt forced and unnecessary. I know he's the 'name' that probably sold the show... but it just felt so bro-y and fake.
-Over-commentary -- For goodness sake, I don't need Chris and Meagan to tell me what's happening literally every five seconds. When you cut away from someone climbing every five seconds, then cut back and they're 30 feet higher on the climb, it's impossible to get invested. It just turns into a Nike commercial, full of hype and constant reminders of the "stakes".
-Dull non-climbing footage -- I ended up skipping through most of the non-climbing scenes. They just weren't very interesting. Seems like a very nice group of people, but their banter wasn't anything special. I'd much rather dive deeper into the climbing.
-Climbing footage -- I know they went crazy building specials rigs... but for some reason I never really had that feeling of being on the wall with them, like I did in Dawn Wall or Free Solo. I think there was just too much cutting away and cheap commentary.
-Chris Sharma -- I love the guy. He's a legend. But you can tell he's been asked to commentate on things that need no commentary. Makes him look dumb, which he ain't. His magic persona didn't come across. He was over-produced. (As a documentary filmmaker myself, I can tell you that the best way to destroy the magic of true reality is to try to make it better.)
-The "danger" -- Climbing is dangerous. I know. I do it. But when you overhype danger in reality shows, then never pay it off with any sort of incidents, then it just feels cheap, like clickbait. If you film climbing correctly, you don't need people telling you every five seconds how dangerous it is. 

Overall, I'd say it was modestly entertaining. I struggle to think how a non-climber could enjoy it. Perhaps that's why they over-commentated and over-hyped it, in hopes that a non-climbing audience could track what they're seeing. But I'm dubious if that'll work. Generally, I'm bummed. I think this was a missed opportunity to do something cool on a filmmaking level, cool like a Mellow climbing film. This didn't feel groundbreaking in the slightest. It felt like early Survivor... just basic reality competition fodder.  3/10