Executive producers Steven Speilberg, Tom Hanks, and Gary Goetzman teamed up with Apple TV+ to tell another epic World War II story in Masters of the Air.
Created by John Shiban and John Orloff, the series is based on the book Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany by Donald L. Miller. It closely follows the story of the 100th Bomb Group, a faction of the Air Force composed of B-17 Flying Fortresses, also known as the “Bloody Hundredth.”
Masters of the Air perfectly balances the heroism of these men in awe-inspiring aircraft with how war devastates everyone it touches. It begins when the 100th leaves America and heads for a war entrenched Europe in 1943. Thirty-five planes fly together, thinking that they will be able to single-handedly destroy the Nazi forces, but as with any war story, the real narrative is all about the human element.
Masters of the Air has the friendship between Major Gail “Buck” Cleven (Austin Butler) and Major John “Bucky” Egan (Callum Turner) at its core. Their very different personalities balance each other out and inspire the other men to care about one another to keep them all alive. Along with Butler and Turner, Masters of the Air packs in many inspiring performances from Barry Keoghan, Anthony Boyle, and Nate Mann.
The show maintains historical accuracy in illustrating how slapdash and dangerous these planes were, especially at the beginning of the war. With no insulation or oxygen running throughout the cabin, the crews fought against the elements while trying to fight the enemy. These men took their lives in their hands just by going up in their planes. If they were hit too badly, their odds of survival drastically decreased.
Unlike other period war dramas, Masters of the Air doesn’t have the men in danger constantly. As pilots and crewmen, they had intense periods of life-and-death action intermixed with periods of relative safety when they flew back to the base. Yet, even in these times of rest, the consequences of their actions haunted them. These men weren’t happy to be at war and saw the terrible futility of it all, even though the Nazis had to be defeated. The miniseries excels at showing devastation without too much vivid gore. One scene that shows a train full of people headed for a concentration camp while soldiers look on, helpless and unknowing of the horrors awaiting the passengers, has haunted me.
Masters of the Air gives us so much more than expected. The cinematography and special effects throughout the series are flawless. Watching the planes fly and maneuver through the sky brings in something often missed by World War II dramas. Masters of the Air expands the story beyond the core bomber boys into other factions that aided them. The series also touches on the Black fighter pilot division, known as the Tuskegee Airmen. We also see more women in military roles and how they played a part in the war effort.
The first episode of Masters of the Air premieres on Friday, January 26, only on Apple TV+.
(featured image: Apple TV+)
