Entertainment
0 Comment(s)
Austin Butler, left, and Callum Turner appear in a still from Masters of the Air. The new series, premiering on Apple TV Plus on Jan. 26, is a letdown from previous instalments. (Apple TV)
Band of Brothers, the HBO war miniseries about American paratroopers produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, begins with a sort of narrative hammer to the skull. "We came from a small, small town," says a combat veteran immediately off the top of the first episode. "And three fellas in that town that were [deemed unfit for duty] committed suicide, because they couldn't go."
Nine years later, their next entry — U.S. Marines-centred The Pacific — only took a few extra seconds to get to a similar point. "We had no idea that we were the forefront of all this," a retired Marine says, over images of ships burning in Pearl Harbor and FDR's "a day that will live in infamy" speech. "The main thing was to stay alive."
But Masters of the Air, the producing partners' third and latest instalment, takes a slightly different route. Rather than launching with footage of soldiers, battles or history, the series starts off with two guys, Buck and Bucky, leaning on their elbows at a bar, riffing over the similarity of their nicknames.
To be fair, framing Masters of the Air as flippant with its subject matter — a nascent American Air Force struggling through some of the darkest days of the Second World War — would be disingenuous. That opening scene's purpose is to starkly contrast between a pilots' experience on the ground with their screaming descents through machine-gun fire in subzero temperatures more than 6,000 metres in the air. A scene showing just that pops up moments later.
Any impartial watcher would say Masters of the Air, which is on Apple TV Plus, treats its source material with respect. Based on the book of the same name by Donald L. Miller, the series is obviously committed to truthfully telling the stories of its fighters, such as 100th Bomb Group members Maj. Gale (Buck) Cleven and Maj. John (Bucky) Egan — played here by Austin Butler and Callum Turner.
Like the book, the show pairs personal stories with the terrifying reality of air combat never seen before or since. The technology for full-scale bomber warfare did not exist prior to the Second World War. By its end, Miller writes,it "was already being rendered obsolete by jet engine aircraft, rocket-powered missiles, and atomic bombs."
As theorists and commanders forced a basically brand-new armed force into existence, its airmen were ground down by that experiment. Early on, two-thirds of them would die or be captured, as many as 80 per cent of their planes could be lost in a single battle and, at one point, 99 per cent of pilots ditching at sea were lost, according to Miller.
Apple TV's Masters of the Air grounds itself there, in pitch-perfect fodder for an anthology series that has, so far, flawlessly carved out a storytelling niche in one of the most jam-packed genres. But Masters of the Air doesn't continue the trend. It's more than understandable why the series, filmed now nearly a century after its subject took place, no longer includes first-hand testimony, as its predecessors did. But without them, Masters of the Air takes a complete tonal shift.
Where Band of Brothers' commentary and The Pacific's tactical maps and mission outlines bookending its episodes helped tack on a certain sense of solemnity and awe, Masters of the Air has given over completely to just another story using its historical context for entertainment. There's nothing necessarily wrong with that, but it is a significant downgrade — and especially disappointing if your standards were set by the last two miniseries.
Watching Band of Brothers's Easy Company slowly build a fighting force and get it to Europe, then see it picked apart as real members recollect what it was like felt almost like service journalism. It was an eye-opening peek into history you could play in a history class. Masters of the Air's less-than-impressive story — for the most part made up of disjointed anecdotes from the book, patched together without a unifying theme — feels like something you'd watch while making dinner.
It's all the more a shame for the fact there is a compelling story to be told. Committed but overzealous commanders were arguably forced by circumstance to sacrifice airmen in order to prove an Air Force could — and must — be used to win the war. There was also the refusal of those planners to accept the necessity of fighter planes alongside heavy bombers, and the threat of the Army Air Forces being absorbed and dispersed if their untested techniques didn't show results.
Source: CBC
( Ovichnews Canada ) - Actor Jeremy Renner, known for his role as Hawkeye in...
( Ovichnews Canada ) - Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi recently celebrated their love with...
( Ovichnews Canada ) - Albert S. Ruddy, the renowned Oscar-winning producer behind iconic films...
( Ovichnews Canada ) - Renowned television presenter Eamonn Holmes made an emotional return to...
( Ovichnews Canada ) - Bruce Springsteen's European tour faces a setback as the legendary...
Taylor Swift has joined Elon Musk as ranking among the world's wealthiest people, according to a new rich list.
Read MoreRoman Kemp has said hosting the Capital breakfast show over the past four years was like reliving the "horrible day" of the death of his friend and producer "over and over again".
Read MoreFans who pre-ordered Beyoncé's latest album on vinyl are reporting that five of its tracks have gone missing.
Read MoreHe was one of the world's most iconic musicians, and so it's no surprise there's a continued desire to tell his story. But critics have suggested the allegations that plagued him are being ignored.
Read MoreCritics and fans have praised Beyoncé's new country-inspired album Cowboy Carter, which was released on Friday.
Read MoreCeremony ends with multi way-tie between Charlotte Cardin, Tate McRae, Tobi and more The 2024 Juno Awards on Sunday rolled along smoothly, but perhaps more tamely than last year's ceremony, without a clear-cut winner or streaker confronting Avril Lavigne on stage. But over its two nights of roughly 50 trophies, the ceremony culminated with a multi-way tie for most awarded artist, some impressive live performances — and at least a couple newsworthy moments.
Read MoreEmbracing the spotlight with undeniable allure, social media influencer Emily Elizabeth captivated her fans once again as she took to Instagram to unveil a captivating snapshot! Dressed in a scanty brown bikini, Emily exuded confidence and glamour, showcasing her enviable physique with poise. The tantalizing two-piece left little to the imagination, accentuating her curves and drawing admiration from her legion of followers. In this latest display of self-assurance, the 25-year-old effortlessly commanded attention, reaffirming her status as a prominent figure in the realm of online influencers.
Read MoreAriana Madix has reportedly purchased a $1.6 million home in the Hollywood Hills, signaling a fresh start after her messy split from her "Vanderpump Rules" co-star Tom Sandoval. Legal disputes over their shared $2 million residence ensued, with Madix suing Sandoval to compel its sale. Sandoval alleged Madix neglected bills for months. Despite the turmoil, Madix recently debuted on Broadway as Roxie Hart in "Chicago."
Read MoreBuckingham Palace is reportedly recruiting a communications assistant amid the PR disaster that has plagued the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton. Although the timing of the job listing coincides with the conspiracy theories swirling around Kate’s health and whereabouts, it is likely not linked to the princess as Kensington Palace handles her affairs, not Buckingham. Palace In Search Of A Communications Assistant Amid Kate Middleton’s Photoshop Scandal Prince Harry Says William And Kate Middleton Chose The Nazi Uniform He Wore In 2005 As They Found It Funny MEGA Amid a series of recent media challenges, Buckingham Palace is actively recruiting a full-time communications assistant within its Private Secretary department. The not-so-lucrative position offers a Monday through Friday schedule with an annual salary of $32,000. According to the job posting, benefits include 25 days of annual leave, a pension plan, and a 20% discount at Royal Collection Trust gift shops across England.
Read MoreIn a statement on social media, the 40-year-old expressed her disappointment that the network did not ask her to return for the upcoming 14th season of the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” Annemarie said she had more to show viewers than talking about her co-star’s esophagus. Annemarie Wiley Wanted Viewers To Experience ‘True Black Love’ Through Her Family Annemarie Wiley attends Charity Gala in Beverly Hills MEGA When Annemarie made her debut in the sixth episode of “RHOBH” season 13, she garnered praise from fans.
Read MoreThe Princess of Wales Kate Middleton's disappearance from the public eye has experts suspecting that she experienced complications during her recent abdominal surgery. According to experts and British talk show host Piers Morgan, there is a strong possibility that things went awry during the princess' major surgery. There have since been many conspiracy theories about Kate's disappearance on social media for the past three months. Aside from the rumors about her health issues, there are also claims that Prince William is cheating on her with Rose Hanbury.
Read MoreCarl Weathers‘ final wishes have been revealed a month after his death following a petition regarding his almost-million-dollar estate. According to the legal documents obtained by The Blast, the late actor listed his former spouses and his two sons as beneficiaries of a trust named in his will. He also left a legal representative as the executor of his estate.
Read More
Create an account or log into your account to leave a comment
Comments