Producers Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks reteam for another limited series about WW2. Masters of the Air focuses on the campaign victories and tolls taken on the men of the 100th Bomb Group.
My father is a huge aviation nerd. I don’t think I would offend him by saying so. Jack (my dad) and Jim (his brother) have always loved aviation since they were kids. Of course, my father would transfer that love of all things historical and aviation to his son. I still remember watching Top Gun, Memphis Belle, and Iron Eagle in the theater with him and loving every second of these. I mention this because Masters of the Air is the kind of big-budget limited series that will find men like my father tuning in every Friday night. Or calling their sons to figure out how to get “this Apple TV thing” – to watch this wonderfully epic look at the 100th Bomb Group, a B-17 Flying Fortress unit over the European Theater in World War II.
Based on the book Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany by Donald L. Miller and developed and adapted for series by John Shiban and John Orloff is the kind of series that is as much about the drama and toll taken as it is a rousing air-based adventure men-on-a-mission story. The series though focuses primarily on Major John “Bucky” Egan (Callum Turner) and Major Gale “Buck” Cleve (Austin Butler) this is an ensemble piece where even its major leads move in and out of the narrative as it shifts focus. Young stars like Barry Keoghan, Anthony Boyle, Branden Cook, and Nucti Gatwa all make their presence known with winning performances. The Series is smart enough to continually shift its focus from airborne combat to being shot down behind enemy lines to harrowing POW camps to the Bombers and Fighters involvement with D-Day and after.
The direction by four directing teams is as cinematically focused as one would want from this kind of TV Series. Cary Joji Fukunaga directs the first four as an epic 3.5-hour film that ends as heartbreaking as a war film can. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck direct the next two as part action film and PTSD war drama. Dee Rees takes over with beautifully dueling storylines that invoke both the true live events that The Great Escape and the Tuskegee Airmen are based on. All wrapped up by TV Vet Tim Van Patten whose work on HBO series like The Pacific and Game of Thrones should indicate why he was given the finale. These directors work in unison wonderfully to create what is essentially an 8-to-9-hour movie. One that never feels like it isn’t a part of a whole.
One may think that Masters of the Air may not be for everyone. It goes headlong into the details of aviation that will scratch an itch for those who love accuracy along with their rousing tales of true-life combat. Though the series is adroit enough to understand that the melodrama of a wartime adventure series is as important as the sharply constructed action set pieces and accuracy. If one is inclined to give it a chance based on the star power, they will find much to love in Masters of Air and will find themselves tuning in week to week as the newest episode drop.
Apple TV has another hit on their hands with Masters of the Air.
Producers Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks reteam for another limited series about WW2. Masters of the Air focuses on the campaign victories and tolls taken on the men of the 100th Bomb Group.
My father is a huge aviation nerd. I don’t think I would offend him by saying so. Jack (my dad) and Jim (his brother) have always loved aviation since they were kids. Of course, my father would transfer that love of all things historical and aviation to his son. I still remember watching Top Gun, Memphis Belle, and Iron Eagle in the theater with him and loving every second of these. I mention this because Masters of the Air is the kind of big-budget limited series that will find men like my father tuning in every Friday night. Or calling their sons to figure out how to get “this Apple TV thing” – to watch this wonderfully epic look at the 100th Bomb Group, a B-17 Flying Fortress unit over the European Theater in World War II.
Based on the book Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany by Donald L. Miller and developed and adapted for series by John Shiban and John Orloff is the kind of series that is as much about the drama and toll taken as it is a rousing air-based adventure men-on-a-mission story. The series though focuses primarily on Major John “Bucky” Egan (Callum Turner) and Major Gale “Buck” Cleve (Austin Butler) this is an ensemble piece where even its major leads move in and out of the narrative as it shifts focus. Young stars like Barry Keoghan, Anthony Boyle, Branden Cook, and Nucti Gatwa all make their presence known with winning performances. The Series is smart enough to continually shift its focus from airborne combat to being shot down behind enemy lines to harrowing POW camps to the Bombers and Fighters involvement with D-Day and after.
The direction by four directing teams is as cinematically focused as one would want from this kind of TV Series. Cary Joji Fukunaga directs the first four as an epic 3.5-hour film that ends as heartbreaking as a war film can. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck direct the next two as part action film and PTSD war drama. Dee Rees takes over with beautifully dueling storylines that invoke both the true live events that The Great Escape and the Tuskegee Airmen are based on. All wrapped up by TV Vet Tim Van Patten whose work on HBO series like The Pacific and Game of Thrones should indicate why he was given the finale. These directors work in unison wonderfully to create what is essentially an 8-to-9-hour movie. One that never feels like it isn’t a part of a whole.
One may think that Masters of the Air may not be for everyone. It goes headlong into the details of aviation that will scratch an itch for those who love accuracy along with their rousing tales of true-life combat. Though the series is adroit enough to understand that the melodrama of a wartime adventure series is as important as the sharply constructed action set pieces and accuracy. If one is inclined to give it a chance based on the star power, they will find much to love in Masters of Air and will find themselves tuning in week to week as the newest episode drop.
Apple TV has another hit on their hands with Masters of the Air.
The first two episodes of Apple TV+’s Masters of the Air debut on January 26th and new episodes every Friday until the Finale on March 15th
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