National Geographic Channel’s “Chain of Command” is not for the feint of heart. And that’s just the viewing audience we’re talking about — imagine being a camera operator on the series.
Well, TheWrap can give you a glimpse of just how scary recording the war on terror with this kind of unprecedented access can be. In the above clip, which is exclusive to this publication, producers and crew are instructed to seek cover during an ISIS attack. The fourth wall doesn’t just get broken down as stuff gets real — it gets blown up.
At one point, the Iraqi soldiers being documented reassure filmmakers that they’re willing die to protect the Nat Geo crew. So yeah, it’s not quite like working on “Genius.”
Watch the terrifying video above. It comes from March 2017, when Iraqi forces were on the verge of retaking the city of Mosul from ISIS.
Here is the official description for this week’s episode: In every facet of the war on extremism there is the recognition of how long the fight will take. In Mosul, the battle may be nearly won, but ISIS is still recruiting foreign fighters from far and wide, including the unlikely setting of Trinidad and Tobago, where Muslim leaders are the tip of the spear in the fight. The spread of ISIS ideology is a reminder that this is just the end of the beginning of the war.
“Chain of Command” airs Mondays at 9/8c National Geographic Channel.