‘Masters of the Air’ Apple TV+ Series Review - Repetitive But Striking

Based on Donald L. Miller's book of the same name and written by John Orloff, Masters of the Air follows the men of the 100th Bomb Group, also known as the "Bloody Hundredth," as they engage in perilous bombing raids over Nazi Germany while dealing with extreme cold, oxygen shortage, and the sheer terror of combat at 25,000 feet in the air. The central theme of "Masters of the Air" is the psychological and emotional cost these young men endured while helping to bring an end to the horror of Hitler's Third Reich. Some were injured or killed, while others were shot down and captured. A few people were lucky enough to return home. Whatever the conclusion, it came at a cost to everyone.

Although Masters of the Air lacks character depth and substance throughout the first few episodes, the cinematography is nothing short of stunning. When Austin Butler is on the screen, although he looks fantastic in his costume and lighting, he isn’t given much to do from a writing perspective, which is a shame given his recent success in major motion pictures.

A war drama is a popular genre, and Masters of Air does nothing new for the genre and during the first few episodes, it becomes repetitive and tiresome at points that don’t engage the viewer in any way. One of the plot points that could have benefited from more exploration could have been the differences between the two teams; the American who bomb during the day and pose a greater risk and the British, who bomb during the night. The tensions between the two teams could have offered a different viewpoint, bringing out the dramatics instead of focusing on the shallow party scenes that filled the beginning of some episodes.

One of the things that Masters of the Air does right is showing the emotional impact and pressures of the war through Crosby, Eagan, and Rosie. Each deals with different losses, from losing their friends, trekking through enemy lands, and the horrific reality of bodies being pulled from beneath the rubble. It’s a harrowing reminder of the current destruction going on in the world, which wasn’t intentional by the writers, but it is a comparison that simply can’t be avoided. As the season comes to an end, the show finds its strength in showing the cost of war on the soldiers and how deep that psychological impact runs.

Apple TV+’s Master of the Air does nothing to change or say something new about this beloved genre, and while it came across as a superficial, repetitive show, the later episodes do have some payoff.  Had the show focused on the different teams and not just the Hundreth, it could have been a much stronger show. Given that Apple TV+ only offers weekly releases, the first few episodes do nothing to have viewers eagerly awaiting the next episode.

Final Score- [7/10]
Reviewed by - Leigh Doyle
Publisher at Midgard Times
Premiere Date: January 26, 2024, on Apple TV+ with the first two episodes.
Note: All nine episodes of Masters of the Air were screened for this review.