Critical Situation (also known as Situation Critical in the UK) is an American documentary television series.[1][2] Produced in conjunction with the National Geographic Channel, the series examined various disasters or violent incidents. It replaced Seconds From Disaster, a similar program with a more forensic approach.[citation needed] The main tagline of the show reads, "This is Situation Critical," or some variation thereof. As of November 2007, 13 episodes have been aired.
Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media wrote, "Suspenseful and well crafted, Critical Situation is an addiction waiting to happen for adults, but be wary about sharing it with kids, since it's full of graphic, violent re-enactments of gun battles and vehicular crashes.[3] Rocky Mountain News's Mike Pearson had a positive review of the documentary about Pablo Escobar, stating, "Killing Pablo plays like a real-life thriller: violent, unpredictable and filled with high-tech gadgets."[4]
Writing in The Age, Brad Newsome said, "Pick any episode of Situation Critical and you'll get an amazing story told clearly and concisely by people who were there."[5] Another The Age review stated, "The Israeli special forces' daring rescue of the passengers of a hijacked airliner in Entebbe, Uganda, in 1976 is an amazing tale. It's also a fairly complicated one that could have become a muddle in the hands of lesser documentary makers. The folks behind Situation Critical, however, excel at weaving classy dramatisations, fine computer graphics and interviews with key players into clear, compelling narratives."[6]