Channel 4 - Royal Marines Commando School (2014)

Royal Marines Commando School has unprecedented access to arguably the most arduous basic military training programme in the world, going behind the scenes at the Royal Marines' Commando Training Centre in Devon to document the experiences of Royal Marines in training as never before.

Part : 1
Behind the scenes at the Royal Marines' Commando Training Centre in Devon, home to one of the most arduous basic military training programmes in the world. This edition follows 56 fresh recruits during their first two weeks at the facility, where their every waking hour is controlled by their drill instructor, Corporal `Froggy' Chauffour, a Frenchman with a passion for discipline and high standards. Struggling to cope with the gruelling demands of their new routine, some question their decision to join up, while others have their career cut short before it's even begun.

Part : 2
The raw recruits take the next step in their training and there are challenging new lessons at every turn. If they can make it through three more weeks, their families will receive invitations to witness their progress and they will be allowed to go home for the first time since the programme began. Callum Bond, 18, tries to face up to a bewildering array of tasks in an effort to transform himself from boy to soldier, and 31-year-old Magnus Frykman struggles to remain on top of everything while missing his family.

Part : 3
Six weeks into their training, the recruits face a series of tough physical challenges in the gym, culminating in three staggeringly high rope climbs - and crucially, if they don't complete the test, they're out for good. For Malta-born Borg, who is pursuing his childhood dream of earning a green beret, this could be his last chance. He is hanging on to his place in the troop by a thread and isn't exactly cut out for climbing ropes. His dormitory pal Marks from Portsmouth is hoping to put his difficult past behind him and become a marine. However, the instructors often misinterpret his quick wit as an attitude problem.

Part : 4
The troop 174 recruits reach the challenging halfway point, traditionally a time when many will leave either through failure or by giving up. Dilliway, whose father was in the Navy, has wanted to be a Marine since he was a boy. As training steps up a gear he faces tough questions and events take an unexpected turn during `crash week' - the preparation for one of Lympstone's most notorious physical tests, on the camp's bottom field assault course.

Part : 5
As training progresses, exercises start to imitate life at war and the nature of the job worries some of the recruits. University graduate Greene's initially impressive performances are rewarded with a section leadership role, but he is yet to tackle one of the programme's biggest challenges - the bottom field assault course. As this daunting test moves closer, problems pile up and Greene's chances of passing look remote. The new boss, Captain Simon Smith, is under pressure to guide the troop through this challenging time with as many of them as possible still on track for the green beret.

Part : 6
More and more recruits start to struggle with the tough demands placed upon them. Cole has been at Lympstone for three months but has had to spend most of this time in rehab with a knee injury. Now he returns to mainstream training and attempts to make it through a five-day exercise on Dartmoor. Meanwhile, the mental demands of the job are causing Seda from Egypt strife. He decided to join the Royal Marines after reading an article about the training in Men's Health magazine, but the realities of the job are weighing heavy on his mind. As the reality of what the job could ultimately require him to do dawns on Seda, he faces a tough decision about whether he should be a Marine after all.

Part : 7
The troop are within touching distance of their green berets but first they face Lympstone's ultimate challenge: the famous Commando Tests, four gruelling physical exercises that must be attempted over five consecutive days. The recruits of 169 troop are a tight-knit group who have pushed through 30 weeks of training together. They're desperate to finish the course as one but not every recruit will make it. For an unlucky few, one of whom has been trapped in training for an injury-plagued two years, these last hurdles bring failures and surprising misfortune that jeopardises their chances of ever becoming Royal Marines Commandos.

Part : 8
As 169 troop reach the end of training, thoughts turn to life beyond Lympstone. A familiar face, Corporal 'Froggy' Chauffeur, returns to prepare the troop for their final pass-out parade and four stand-out recruits go head to head for the coveted King's Badge award, an accolade for the best recruit, which the winner will carry with them throughout their career. Meanwhile, retiring Troop Commander 'Ginge' Booth is contemplating a future beyond the Royal Marines after 28 years of service. Emotions run high as the recruits achieve their dreams and can finally say goodbye to the demanding 32-week training course and embark upon their careers as trained Royal Marines.