Ryan Conklin is back in the spotlight of the national media because of his documentary Return to Duty premiering on MTV on November 11th, 2009. In April there were a fair number of articles written about him because of his deployment to Iraq at that time. Now there are even more stories about Ryan and the MTV special and they are appearing in the most prestigious newspapers in the country. It's a clear testament to the lasting interest and affection people have for this one former Real Worlder. The articles are positive reviews for the special, listing it as an important viewing recommendation for the Veterans Day commemoration. It's rather surprising that an MTV show is touted by the likes of the Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, but they all ran with good reviews. For the viewing public, seeing approvals from these sources, they can be assured that the show is going to be a high quality and informative television event.
Here is a review of the reviews:
The Washington Post review by Hank Stuever starts out by referring to Ryan as "a mop-haired, 23-year-old layabout" on The Real World Brooklyn. Well, Ryan had a moderate hair length and yes, there were a number of aired scenes with him laying on his bed working on his manuscript or engaging in pillow talk with his roommate, but he wasn't "mop-haired" and he is quite the opposite of a "layabout". It was also stated that Ryan didn't leave much of an impression on the show. Okay, let's all respond in unison, "FAIL!". Ryan left a big imprint on the viewers of the show, which for his fans continues yet to this day. The author does go on to say that Ryan is likable and honest and that his story as portrayed in the show skillfully shows how far the people in this country are from the wars, yet close in some ways because of the availability of electronic communication.
The article in The New York Times by Neil Genzlinger draws two conclusions. One is that despite being an offshoot of the "mindless" Real World series, Return to Duty "might be the most affecting of the Veterans Day programs this week." The other conclusion is that Ryan might actually be "upstaged" in the special by his admirable parents. The article indeed emphasizes Ryan's parents' role in the story. Dave and Pat Conklin, as a model American family, show how the deployment of a family member affects all those left behind.
The Wall Street journal article by Nancy DeWolf Smith groups Return to Duty with a review of a PBS show about returning servicemen, so it's placed in good company. It states that when Ryan got his fateful notification that he was being recalled, he had "an Abe Lincoln-wannabe beard and a pretty girlfriend with a pierced nose." Well, they were off on the timeline. At the time of the notification, the girlfriend was Belle and she didn't seem to have a pierced nose. Also, Ryan was clean-shaven. He grew the unfortunate beard between the time of the The Real World and his return to uniform. The author does correctly note that Ryan is appealing, on every level. The conclusion is that the show is "not to be missed" and that Ryan and others serving in Iraq and Afghanistan give the "MTV generation" a good name.
For Ryan Conklin fans, it was a foregone conclusion that they would enjoy seeing the documentary and Ryan back on the screen, but it's nice to see that others are also taking note of the exemplary work of this exceptional young man.
