"Generation Kill" tests appetite for war on TV

Journalist Wright, 43, who wrote for Rolling Stone magazine, said U.S. audiences don't know what to make of dramatic portrayals of the Iraq War.

"We do hope that by connecting the public to the experiences of the soldiers we can maybe have people feel more engaged with them," Wright said.

The show stars relatively unknown actors such as Alexander Skarsgard, James Ransone and Jon Huertas, but veteran soldiers like Eric Kocher, 28, a former Marine who is portrayed as a character in the mini-series, served as show advisers.

Kocher said "Generation Kill" is faithful to his experience but added that some scenes of him and other soldiers talking like -- well, soldiers -- may not play well on TV.

"I think it's going to take a little bit for (audiences) to digest," Kocher said. "The first thing, nobody's going to really understand is the type of humor we have. It's a very complex, raw humor."

The seven-part HBO mini-series airs on Sundays, starting July 13 and continues through August 24.

(Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and David Wiessler)