Shootout!: Seasons 1 and 2

This six-disc set compiles all 21 episodes from the 2005-06 first and second seasons of Shootout!, which offers detailed shot-by-shot examinations of both famous and lesser-known military engagements. Sniper attacks, long sieges, daring rescue attempts, and gallant charges are recreated here with the History Channel's trademark combination of participant interviews, archival film footage, and computer-generated animation that puts viewers right in the middle of battle. While most episodes cover military operations from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq, a few offer an interesting change of pace (one revisits legendary Wild West shootouts, while another recalls in chilling detail an extensive gun battle between masked bandits and police officers in North Hollywood). War history aficionados and gun buffs will appreciate this technical breakdown of notable shootouts, enlivened by personal eyewitness stories. Recommended. (E. Hulse)