A week after the initial airing of Return to Duty on MTV, Ryan Conklin stated his thoughts about the public's reaction to the show. Ryan was overwhelmed by the immense positive feedback he got from viewers. He wasn't sure ahead of time what the response would be to this kind of serious documentary on MTV. After it aired he said he was "blown away" by all the comments, and he was very happy that those he saw were positive about the production. On advice from a friend, the day after Ryan searched for "Return to Duty" on Twitter and was shocked to see how many pages of tweets people had written about the show. Ryan wants all of his fans to know how thankful he is for all their support and for making Return to Duty such a success.
Concerning the quality and content of the show, Ryan said it was absolutely amazing to him how it all came together and turned out. It provided an inside look into what his family experienced, not only to the viewers but even to him. He was able to see what his family said about what they were thinking with him being in Iraq and he found it be quite emotional to watch. In particular, the concerns expressed by his mother and sister really moved him. From the comments he received, Ryan could tell that the viewers also were moved by what they saw.
Ryan remarked that he is very proud to have been a part of this project. However, he wants to stress that his story is just one story among thousands of similar stories of other soldiers and other families. He hopes that by showing his particular story that more people can have a better understanding of what military families experience.
Concerning how the show affected people and/or educated them, Ryan stated that the ability to create a work that conveys meaning and evokes emotion is what draws him into filmmaking. It's a creative means that Ryan likes to use to get people to laugh, to be moved, and to think. The effect of the art is awe-inspiring to him. As he said, "It's all magical to me."
On the other hand, the part of the show that was weird for Ryan was to see his "relationship" with Baya Voce on the screen, after they had broken up. Their situation was shown extensively but by the time the show was aired, that relationship didn't exist anymore. Ryan appreciated the kind words from fans hoping for things to last, or be put together, but he wants to make sure that people understand that there won't be a romantic future. He said that even though he is sure that he and Baya will remain friends, he has moved on. "I move on, I'll keep a smile, and I'll enjoy the single life."
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