TV Review: MASTERS OF THE AIR (Ep. 1 & 2) on Apple TV+

If you were around during the late ‘90s and early 2000s, you’ll probably recall the massive influx of World War II video games and movies that suddenly became prevalent. Call of Duty, Medal of Honor, Brothers in Arms, Enemy at the Gates, Windtalkers, U-571…a full list would take up an entire page. While WWII as a medium subject wasn’t new, it’s safe to say a good bit of this resurgence was due at least in part to the incredible success of two milestone projects: Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers, both of which featured Tom Hanks (as star and executive producer) and Steven Spielberg (as director and executive producer). Considered landmarks in their respective media, the two projects were massive critical and popular successes. The two paired up again for The Pacific in 2010, again to critical acclaim, but it at least felt like public opinion was less enthusiastic. And now they’re back at it again.

Returning to the European theater after spending The Pacific in…the Pacific…Masters of the Air follows the 100th Bomber Group, a unit of the Eighth Air Force stationed at RAF (Royal Air Force) Thorpe Abbotts. Flying the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, the first episode gives a brief walkthrough of the operations of the airplane: ten man crew, four engines, twelve machine guns, and, of course, bombs. Whereas Band of Brothers dedicated the first episode to the training the men of Easy Company went through, Masters practically jumps straight into the action, with the first action coming within mere minutes of the opening scene.

Interestingly, while based on billing it’d appear that Major Gale Cleven (Austin Butler) and Major Jack Egan (Callum Turner) would be the main characters, the series is actually narrated by Major Harry Crosby (Anthony Boyle), a navigator who makes it immediately clear he has a problem with air sickness. While we hear Crosby’s voice, though, it becomes clear pretty quickly that Egan and Cleven are the natural leaders in the unit. The two best friends, similarly nicknamed Bucky and Buck, take lead with their distinctive voices and natural charisma, and it’s obvious they’re the men that their peers look to in a manner that goes beyond rank.

While it’s expected that Masters will explore the relationships of the units and their brethren, at its core, this is a series based around a combat unit, and so it cannot be judged without discussing the action, which is very different but just as relentlessly breathtaking as its predecessors. It’s hard to imagine the sheer terror these crews went through. While men on the ground obviously went through terrible experiences, in most instances they had the ability to maneuver and find cover from enemy fire. In the air, in a not-so-agile bomber, the crew were essentially sitting ducks inside a vehicle that didn’t offer much in the way of protection. Each mission, the surviving planes make it back to their base torn to shreds, the bodies of the B-17s carved up from sailing through a sea of flak and machine gun rounds. It’s practically a marvel that any of them return, and the viewer can feel the emotional relief when they safely land. Visually, the aerial combat is absolutely top-notch. The effects crew knocked it out of the park in capturing the hell these planes went through.

Similarly, the rest of the production values maintain a very high standard, as one would expect from such heavyweights as Hanks and Spielberg. The planes and sets are built with exquisite detail, and the sound is well-balanced and nuanced enough to allow us to clearly hear conversations amidst the chaos.

One of the favorite talking points of fans of the first two series is just how many stars appeared in the series before they became incredibly well-known. While Masters does have some well-known talent (Butler, Turner, Joanna Kulig, and Bel Powley in particular), much of the cast that I’ve seen have been completely new to me, although admittedly, much of the cast appears to be from the UK, and I’m not as familiar with much of their talent. Butler and Turner have previously established themselves as leading men, and their charisma shines through. Turner in particular has shown his affinity for portraying WWII-aged Americans recently, having just starred in The Boys in the Boat. Butler of course had his own recent turn as Elvis, and while he is a gifted actor, I’ll say that it was near-impossible for me to hear his dialogue without hearing a hint of his Elvis impersonation.

It will be interesting to see the direction the series takes, as the opening credits offer a pretty broad glimpse of scenes, including a potential episode involving the Tuskegee Airmen. These first two episodes have done a solid job of setting up the background for the rest of the series, and I’ll be excited to tune in for part 3.

Masters of the Air Parts 1 and 2 get a B