Chris Connor reviews the sixth episode of Masters of the Air…
After the all out action of the previous episode and sense of loss, Masters of the Air’s sixth episode takes a more sedate pace with the focus split between Callum Turner’s Major Egan, stranded in Germany to fend for himself, and Harry Crosby and others at a joint allied venture at Oxford University. The shift in pace gives the series a different perspective as we see more of another side to the troops stationed in England as they socialise and bicker with English troops and locals.
It almost feels for these men and women that the war is over with a jovial spirit and a pause in the fighting. This is contrasted by Egan’s experience which is constantly trying to stay alive as he is chased by local Germans armed with shotguns before being paraded through the street with other Americans to be attacked by locals. These other men are shot in cold blood and Egan just makes it out alive. He is then put under intense questioning as to whether he is really who he says he is or an American spy.
Turner has been a constant high point for the series but here largely on his own, excels at showing his fighting spirit and sense of isolation, finding reason to keep living when all seems lost. Anthony Boyle also continues to impress as Crosby, rediscovering some of his morale following the scale of losses. Rosenthal is our third perspective, really struggling with the scale of losses and clearly dealing with PTSD.
If the attitude of the Brits in the episode is slightly overboard, the shift in pace offers a different side to the war and sets us up for what are clearly action packed episodes to come. Episodes like this are important to show the lasting effects of the war and to help flesh out the characters of the crew. This is another strong if more subdued episode that is anchored by some terrific work from Callum Turner and Anthony Boyle, if smaller scale than some of the more all out action spectacle of previous weeks, it shows the series’ willingness to balance its action with heart and warmth.
With just three episodes to go there are still some major names to make an entrance and some loose ends to wrap up, but it promises to be a hell of a ride. A surprise appearance at the end shifts the dynamic of the episode and the episodes to come, looking sure to be a heartfelt reunion in next week’s episode.
Chris Connor
