Online Series: Masters of the Air (Apple TV+, Jan 26, 2024)

[Osprey]

The Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg-produced companion to Band of Brothers and The Pacific is finally coming out. I must've first heard about it 10 years ago.

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[Sad People]

I have a feeling this is going to give BoB a run for its money. I have no doubt itll smash The Pacific.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Looks really good. Might have to find some time this winter to give Band of Brothers a re-watch. Been too long.

 

[Bakayoko Ono]

 

[Speyer]

Seen the first couple of episodes and I am not sure yet. Everything seems slightly of target so far. Visually it looks great. But it seemed to lack a "training camp episode" or something like that to properly introduce the myriad of different characters. Unfortunately casting didn't help this problem either. In BOB they casted very distinct looking actors to sort of set appart the characters from each other. Here everybody who wasn't a main guy just blended sort of together. Also the writing just doesn't have the same level of authenticity the first two Hank/Spielberg shows had. The dialogue still seems fine but definitely gives the impression being written by someone trying to emulate 1940's lingo instead of real soldiers talking to each other. Then there are also unnecessary and unhistoric romance plots added to the mix. And the usual greatest generation narrative is pushed extremely hard but it just doesn't work without the real veterans present.

 

[wej20]

Seen the first couple of episodes and I am not sure yet. Everything seems slightly of target so far. Visually it looks great. But it seemed to lack a "training camp episode" or something like that to properly introduce the myriad of different characters. Unfortunately casting didn't help this problem either. In BOB they casted very distinct looking actors to sort of set appart the characters from each other. Here everybody who wasn't a main guy just blended sort of together. Also the writing just doesn't have the same level of authenticity the first two Hank/Spielberg shows had. The dialogue still seems fine but definitely gives the impression being written by someone trying to emulate 1940's lingo instead of real soldiers talking to each other. Then there are also unnecessary and unhistoric romance plots added to the mix. And the usual greatest generation narrative is pushed extremely hard but it just doesn't work without the real veterans present.

Think the downside of them wearing masks is it really makes it difficult to keep track of who is who for the scenes in the air.

 

[Speyer]

Think the downside of them wearing masks is it really makes it difficult to keep track of who is who for the scenes in the air.

It wasn't just the combat scenes though. Most of the characters just felt....bland, especially on the ground. Maybe they should have focussed on a smaller cast like in The Pacific. The only reason the large cast worked well in BOB was that so many of the veterans were still alive during production and willing to share their memories with the writers. Anyway i read in more than one review that the second half of the episodes is supposed to be better. I really hope thats true. I mean its not a bad series in general but the start just hasn't quite lived up to expectations.

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Its solid, nowhere as good as BoB tho. BoB one of the best miniseries of all time.

 

[Bruins4Lifer]

Reading Alan Sepinwall's review has me less excited for this show now. Seems to have issues telling too many stories at once.

I'm still going to watch, just going to wait until nearly all 9 episodes have been released.

 

[Very Stable Genius]

I already hate the narrator/navigator

 

[Voight]

I already hate the narrator/navigator

Something about his voice/tone is really throwing me off

 

[Voight]

Seen the first couple of episodes and I am not sure yet. Everything seems slightly of target so far. Visually it looks great. But it seemed to lack a "training camp episode" or something like that to properly introduce the myriad of different characters. Unfortunately casting didn't help this problem either. In BOB they casted very distinct looking actors to sort of set appart the characters from each other. Here everybody who wasn't a main guy just blended sort of together. Also the writing just doesn't have the same level of authenticity the first two Hank/Spielberg shows had. The dialogue still seems fine but definitely gives the impression being written by someone trying to emulate 1940's lingo instead of real soldiers talking to each other. Then there are also unnecessary and unhistoric romance plots added to the mix. And the usual greatest generation narrative is pushed extremely hard but it just doesn't work without the real veterans present.

Agreed, they really should've had some sort of introductory episode.

 

[Bounces R Way]

I don't mind the show really. It's mostly good. Definitely not on the level of BoB or the Pacific but not a piece of crap either. My main issue is the constant changes of pace. They're in action and then they spend much of the show just kind of hanging out at the base.

These other historical war fictions series have had a real hero's journey through the muck with mixed in respites from the war. This show is like mostly downtime feeling sad for the buddies they've lost. Doesn't exactly make for gripping television. There's really only so many CGI dogfights you can do. Feels like a bit of a failure conceptually at the basic level more than the direction or writing.

 

[kingsfan28]

Its solid, nowhere as good as BoB tho. BoB one of the best miniseries of all time.

Yeah, it's kinda tough because either they're flying or not which at times slows the pacing down. With BOB , they're always moving, from boot camp all the way to Germany. Within the first few episodes, you knew who Winters, Nixon, Spears and Sopel, etc were. Also, the flyers, they all dress the same. Hat, big jackets, gloves, then masks in the air. Sometimes I couldn't tell which guy was Buck or just another airman. The french resistance will help a lot going forward with the pacing, trying to get them back to Britain. Still, very much enjoying it.

 

[Chairman Maouth]

Seen the first couple of episodes and I am not sure yet. Everything seems slightly of target so far. Visually it looks great. But it seemed to lack a "training camp episode" or something like that to properly introduce the myriad of different characters. Unfortunately casting didn't help this problem either. In BOB they casted very distinct looking actors to sort of set appart the characters from each other. Here everybody who wasn't a main guy just blended sort of together. Also the writing just doesn't have the same level of authenticity the first two Hank/Spielberg shows had. The dialogue still seems fine but definitely gives the impression being written by someone trying to emulate 1940's lingo instead of real soldiers talking to each other. Then there are also unnecessary and unhistoric romance plots added to the mix. And the usual greatest generation narrative is pushed extremely hard but it just doesn't work without the real veterans present.

 

[Speyer]

Episode 4 was pretty terrible. Most of Egans "vacation storyline" was straight up recycled from Winters' Paris trip and the Sidney Episode in the Pacific. The plot regarding the resistance was even worse. You can just picture the Apple exec that wanted to shoehorn a "strong female character" into this WW2 army setting. And I am not against that at all if its well done and natural but boy was it not. And while I usually don't mind older actors playing younger characters, seeing a woman in her mid twenties called "barely a teenager" was just unintentionally funny. I also noticed the episodes are extremely short. They try to mask this with an overlong opening and neverending closing credits, but I am pretty sure the episodes are around 40 minutes long at the most. Also zero action scenes this week with important plot points happening off screen. Makes you really wonder where the gigantic budget went.

 

[Voight]

I don't mind the show really. It's mostly good. Definitely not on the level of BoB or the Pacific but not a piece of crap either. My main issue is the constant changes of pace. They're in action and then they spend much of the show just kind of hanging out at the base.

These other historical war fictions series have had a real hero's journey through the muck with mixed in respites from the war. This show is like mostly downtime feeling sad for the buddies they've lost. Doesn't exactly make for gripping television. There's really only so many CGI dogfights you can do. Feels like a bit of a failure conceptually at the basic level more than the direction or writing.

The timing has thrown me off. Buck and Bucky are already at 20 missions? I know they don't have time to show every mission but jeez, it's like they just go to Europe and now they're already almost at the 25 mission threshold.

IMO people need to stop expecting it to be like BoB. You're comparing out to a gold standard that's essentially impossible to reach.

 

[Chairman Maouth]

On episode 2. So disappointed that they included the stereotypical and hackneyed scene of the heroic American crew member beating up the stereotypical snotty Brit crew member. I was hoping this series would rise above that ultra-patriotic "we're better than you are" crap. This was definitely made for an American audience.

 

[JetsWillFly4Ever]

I think it is very good and the latest episode was fantastic.

Real sense of dread. The sheer losses of bombing units is insane. It does lack a bit of character depth but it is mostly because everyone has died so quickly, which seems to be factual.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Episode 5 was absolutely fantastic I thought.


I only just watched BoB for the first time over the Christmas holidays so that series is kind of fresh in my mind. Masters of the Air overall is definitely nowhere near that level(At least so far) but I really feel like this week's episode was right up alongside the best episodes of BoB.

 

[JetsWillFly4Ever]

Thought last nights episode was fantastic again, first few episodes were a bit down in quality but the last two have been incredible. I didn't spoil myself so the scene at the end of the episode was awesome to see!

Think this show is getting very underrated by being compared to BOB.

 

[Speyer]

The show isn't terrible but I just don't like that the storyline is split between so many characters who rarely even interact and are often only relevant for a couple of episodes. Its the same issue "The Pacific" had but diallled up to eleven. Also, the only storyline I actually enjoyed so far was Rosenthals. In addition to that there are way to many "weekend pass" or "vacation" episodes. If the Budget isn't there to show the actual air combat they should have focused more on Crosby and the other officers work on the more strategic aspects of the operations. But it really makes you wonder why the showrunners have even tackled this setting at all instead of focusing on some other WW2 story that wouldn't need the same amount of CGI to recreate.

 

[Voight]

The show isn't terrible but I just don't like that the storyline is split between so many characters who rarely even interact and are often only relevant for a couple of episodes. Its the same issue "The Pacific" had but diallled up to eleven. Also, the only storyline I actually enjoyed so far was Rosenthals. In addition to that there are way to many "weekend pass" or "vacation" episodes. If the Budget isn't there to show the actual air combat they should have focused more on Crosby and the other officers work on the more strategic aspects of the operations. But it really makes you wonder why the showrunners have even tackled this setting at all instead of focusing on some other WW2 story that wouldn't need the same amount of CGI to recreate.

I would love to know how they blew a 250 million dollar budget.

 

[montreal]

I thought it was great, I didn't care for it at first, it was ok but the last few episodes got me hooked and then I went back and re-watched it and thought it was better the 2nd time once I got to know who was who.

 

[kingsfan28]

I would love to know how they blew a 250 million dollar budget.

Lots of CGI planes and battles, and big working sets. All the B-17's were CGI. I think there may be only a handfull of B-17 flight worthy left. One of the few left crashed at an airshow last year I believe when it collided with another plane.
Band of Brothers, they still hand a surplus of tanks, trucks, etc. with minimal cgi work.