Chris Connor reviews the fifth episode of Masters of the Air…
After the shocking conclusion of the previous episode and the revelation that Austin Butler’s Buck Cleven may have perished, we immediately find that Harry Crosby (Anthony Boyle) and several of his crew survived their presumed deaths. This opening burst of positivity is offset by much of the brutality and loss that occurs later but it is refreshing for the series to open on a positive note for a group that has endured so much loss over a short period.
This episode gives Crosby a more prominent role showing how the near-death experience shook him and his crewmates. Meanwhile its clear Bucky Egan (Callum Turner) is struggling with the presumed loss of his close friend Cleven.
This episode in a similar vein to episode three is dedicated mostly to aerial battles of the most bloody and brutal kind as the crews set out on another crucial mission for the war effort. Blake Neely’s score resembles a metronomic rhythm, indicating that things won’t go according to plan.
As ever the action is truly gripping as men are blown apart mid-mission all of a sudden. It fully captures the horrors of war and the risks taken by the men. We focus on Egan’s plane amidst the devastation, panning between the crew and the onslaught from the Germans. This episode perhaps more than the others hammers home the hopelessness of certain situations. Egan lands in Germany, which will surely become a major thread for the final four episodes.
We follow Lt. Rosenthal who becomes a sturdy presence in the absence of more experienced men to drop their bombs on target. The mission a success but at what cost? We really feel the loss and death in this episode as just a few men from the Bloody Hundredth remain. It will be interesting to see how they recoup from such losses.
With four episodes to go Masters of the Air continues to impress with its balance of thrills and bravado and heartfelt earnest moments. With four episodes to go there is a lot for the remainder of the series to live up to but it promises to have more twists and turns with several notable cast members yet to make an appearance.
Chris Connor
