"The Bloody Hundredth" earned their nickname through a series of unfortunate calamities and colossal loss. Stationed in England, the 100th Bombardment Group in the Eighth Air Force during WWII became just as renowned for their misfortune as they were for the characters that filled the ranks. Based on Donald L. Miller's novel Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany, Apple's latest series, Masters of the Air, details the soldiers behind the storied reputation.
The nine-episode series takes viewers up to the war in the skies with the main focus on Major Gale "Buck" Cleven (Austin Butler) and Major John "Bucky" Egan (Callum Turner), considered to be the leaders of the unit, the two best friends act as a compass for their fellow soldiers in matters of combat and duty. Other members of the Bloody Hundredth are also highlighted, such as Lt. Curtis Biddick (Barry Keoghan), Major Robert Rosenthal (Nate Mann) and Major Chic Harding (James Murray). The series captures life as a soldier in the air, on the ground and in the barracks, with themes of morality and patriotism explored across the series.
The soldier who receives the most whole portrayal and arc within the show is the narrator, Major Harry Crosby (Anthony Boyle). A decorated officer, Crosby served as a navigator with motion sickness, and in real life wrote his memoir A Wing and a Prayer, accounting for the greater details offered to his story. From a young, vomiting soldier to a veteran ready to meet his son, Boyle's warm and affable performance lends the soldier a tangible authenticity that brings audiences into the terrors of combat and the humility of service.
A number of infamous events are shown in the series with stunning cinematography and production design bringing them to life, such as the bombing of Bremen that required landing at an Allied base in North Africa, the raid on Münster, and Buck and Bucky's treacherous march evacuating a POW camp through the German winter toward the end of the war. In an attempt to expand the scope of those who served in the war for the Americans, Masters of the Air also includes the 99th Fighter Squadron, the first African-American air unit — although, curiously, the Tuskegee Airmen, as they were nicknamed, are only introduced in eighth episode of the nine-episode series.
Sharing the same executive producers of 2001's Band of Brothers and 2010's The Pacific, the inevitable comparisons to the two previous efforts don't bode particularly favourably for Masters of the Air. As a groundbreaking piece of television that endures as a remarkable portrayal of America's participation in WWII, Band of Brothers possessed a heart that's missing from this latest series. While there are plenty of horrifying moments that illustrate the cruel and unfair reality of warfare, there lacks a depth to truly ingratiate audiences in the same way the previous shows did.
Similar to its predecessors though, Masters of the Air will prompt interest into a squad that may be unknown to non-history buffs. Although the series doesn’t feel as substantive as other offerings, it remains a gripping and moving reminder of what can happen when fascism is accepted and hatred overwhelms morality. Through an exhilarating ensemble cast and masterful visuals, Masters of the Air will hopefully encourage a renewed appreciation for the soldiers who liberated the world from one of its darkest chapters.
