'Masters of the Air' Sees Most Watched Apple TV+ Launch to Date

[timber]

Apple is going to Apple. They want to gin up interest in their show.

I watched a couple of episodes and rate it just below the Pacific Band of Brothers. That doesn't make it bad, but also doesn't make super compelling. There were so many interesting aspects of the 8th AF - The Masters of the Air book was a page turner - but much of that isn't covered in the show. So blame the show runners? I mean, how did a bicycle race make it, but more description on the bomb sight not?

I can sit on a lot of exposition about the Norden bombsight but I would agree with the show runners it was a good call not to do that for a general audience.
They do give some tips about it on some episodes just like that gave some tips on if perhaps all this sacrifice was worth it (some episodes to go).
In the end the script perhaps isn't the best. The fly/bar routine is overused among other things already said by others.
And soon enough just by the intro the show will do a 180 turn.
In the Pacific the Sledge part was stronger (IMHO). Perhaps that can happen here too.
I also had some trouble with the voices but as I'm not a native English speaker I believed that to be the problem despite usually not needing subtitles.

 

[farmboy]

Curious. I wonder how much longer WWII dramas will be relevant? We’re approaching a time when no one from the war era survives. I’m a little surprised that the demand for WWII related content continues to draw so much demand.

Perhaps because some of us had parents, uncles and aunts who served in that war. It's not ancient history.

 

[dgdosen]

Curious. I wonder how much longer WWII dramas will be relevant? We’re approaching a time when no one from the war era survives. I’m a little surprised that the demand for WWII related content continues to draw so much demand.

I'm sure they'll become less relevant as soon as we've learned it's lessons...

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

 

[b17777]

As with all other streaming platforms, these numbers are self reported so we have no way of knowing if they're telling the truth or not.

You think Apple is constantly lying to its investors ?

 

[DLary]

I come from a family of Air Force pilots. My father was a B-47 pilot in the late 50's and flew with many pilots that had WWII B-17 experience. I had 25 years experience flying in the USAF also. The flight depictions and cockpit/crew interactions are very accurate. I find the personalities of the crews to match my experience in the USAF.

The 8th AF bomber crews had incredible courage to go out when the chances of returning safely were so low. The 8th AF alone lost more killed than the entire US Marine Corps in WWII. When you subtract out the number of support people, the job of an 8AF B-17 crew member was likely the most dangerous assignment for a US serviceman in the war.

It's sad that some think that this story has no relevance to those who did not experience WWII. The courage and sacrifice of those bomber crews will always have relevance. Just like we still honor the courage of the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae 2500 years ago.

 

[DownUnderDan]

Couldn’t watch the first episode! Got boring for me!

Its not a YouTube short.

 

[JoeShades]

Curious. I wonder how much longer WWII dramas will be relevant? We’re approaching a time when no one from the war era survives. I’m a little surprised that the demand for WWII related content continues to draw so much demand.

How many revolutionary war vets were around when the Patriot was released in 2000, how many reviews did they post when John Adams was released? Alot of gladiators around when that came out?

 

[JordanCautious]

Good to hear, i quit Monarch before episode 3, i will try again.

Masters of the Air has some of the best air-action i have ever seen regarding WWII bombers. It looks realistic and the CGI isn't in your face compared to the Marvel atrocities of late. The personal stories are nice but forgettable and not the focus of the series.

Honestly, you could skip Episode 1 and 2 and not miss too much honestly. They focus too much on Drama in 1 and 2, while 3 (and highly likely 4 once I watch it) is focused on actual action/monster action. If series started on Episode 3, would probably retain people better. Especially with the ending of Episode 3. That would've helped better than the snooze fest in 1 and 2

 

[leicaman]

Curious. I wonder how much longer WWII dramas will be relevant? We’re approaching a time when no one from the war era survives. I’m a little surprised that the demand for WWII related content continues to draw so much demand.

Doesn't surprise me considering the revival of Naziism around the world. It's a great show, and considering one good show on Netflix right how is about Alexander the Great, I'm not sure you're correct.

 

[Fortimir]

"I wonder how much longer WWII dramas will be relevant? We’re approaching a time when no one from the war era survives."

Ah yes, because there has never again been demand for any media covering WWI, The Revolutionary War, The Civl War, The Industrial Revolution, The Classical Period, The Renaissance, The Middle Ages, The Roman Empire, Ancient Egyptians... Once those people are all dead, no interest anymore. None.

 

[turbineseaplane]

"I wonder how much longer WWII dramas will be relevant? We’re approaching a time when no one from the war era survives."

Ah yes, because there has never again been demand for any media covering WWI, The Revolutionary War, The Civl War, The Industrial Revolution, The Classical Period, The Renaissance, The Middle Ages, The Roman Empire, Ancient Egyptians... Once those people are all dead, no interest anymore. None.

A fair point

I also think it's fair, and likely the point the user was making that said that, that interest in WW2 dramas will likely continue to slowly decline, at least for mainline expensive production entertainment.

I'm not fully versed on the catalogs of the streaming services, so I would have to ask you...

Are there a lot of period pieces from those many time frames you mentioned that are getting development money and publicity to the degree of something like Masters of the Air?

For that matter, is Apple themselves doing something from one of those time frames?
Maybe they already have? (I have no idea)

 

[kjvmartin]

Band of Brothers is impossible to beat. One of the best things ever filmed. I had high hopes for MOA.....

Spoiler

I was really unhappy with the lack of character development in MOA. The Camp Taccoa dynamic in BOB and the lead into D-Day is some very good story telling. Following those men through the war, you become invested in them.

I could have quit MOA after watching them fly the planes to Europe and almost get lost. The 2nd episode, I was trying to remember who was who and how they were involved in the war.

Then I came to realize, there was no time for character development. All the heroes die. It's a very different show than BOB and really doesn't belong in the same echelon, but it's a good show as its own thing.

 

[HDFan]

I wonder how much longer WWII dramas will be relevant?

Perhaps because some of us had parents, uncles and aunts who served in that war. It's not ancient history.

or who died during the war. My uncle (after whom I am named) died in the Battle of the Bulge. A visit to a Normandy cemetery on a sunny morning with dew on the green grass and the sea of white crosses I think will be forever memorable.

Just like we still honor the courage of the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae 2500 years ago.

As are the battles of Alexander the Great which is the current topic of a Netflix documentary.

 

[grovian]

Remembering and studying the past so the same mistakes are not made again...not that it is going very well...lol.

No offense to the younger crowd; but those who fought in WWII are heroes -- there are not a lot of people in the same age bracket today that would do what they did.

I am enjoying the series so far, but it is also making me sad knowing the sacrifices that were made.

Both my grandfathers served in WWII and they were heroes defending their country. Too bad we lost that war...

 

[bbotte]

Some of us lost family members on those planes. That is why we watch.

 

[SactoGuy18]

It's been a quite good show so far, showing the shocking losses the 100th Bomb Group suffered in 1943. The horrible losses from the 8th Air Force during that year--depicted surprisingly well in the series, especially in the fifth episode--was the reason why the USAAF essentially ended bombing raids into Germany until early 1944, when the P-51B/C Mustang became available to escort the bombers all the way to the target and back.