It’s only been a year since the Top Shot season 1 finale and already we’re facing the launch of Season 3, with Season 4 about to start production. I’m still amused that it took so long for a mainstream network to discover the marketability of shooting, but now the History Channel is completely behind the show. Make no mistake, this is a hugely expensive undertaking and the amount of cash involved in producing one episode might surprise you, but the American public has taken to the mixture of firearms, explosions and drama. You and I both knew they would, but it’s nice to be vindicated.

If you read this blog six months ago, you’ll probably remember me harping on about the fact that the audience watches the competitors on the show more through a soda straw than on a screen, but it bears repeating. As you pick your heroes and villains remind yourself that despite what you see in front of you, these folks are all shooters like you and me, with their own set of weaknesses, imperfections, strengths and humanity. If you met them in real life, there’s a better than even chance you’d wind up being good friends, even if you were rooting for their downfall on TV.

Season 3 promises to be even bigger and better than its predecessors and you will no doubt notice that there’s more involvement from the firearms industry. This is due to the efforts of world class 3-gun competitor Taran Butler, who acted as a behind-the-scenes technical advisor and matchmaker. You may also see some familiar faces return to shepherd the competitors through the various challenges, as well as a whole bunch of new ones. Anyway, it’s almost show time, so sit back, grab a beverage and prepare to hoot and holler as Top Shot returns to the nation’s living room.