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[ManaByte]

They just posted The Bloody Hundredth. A one-hour documentary featuring Spielberg and narrated by Hanks featuring interviews with the real guys that were recorded in the late 90s and when they recorded the Band of Brothers interviews.

 

[newtypepilot]

Disappointment and wasted potential is how I would describe this show.

After ep6 the show just nose dives into a big mess. Disjointed storytelling, characters lacking development, and important events getting glossed over. They tried too do much with only 9 episodes and the show just lacks focus, while choosing to waste time on meaningless side plots, like the 2 airmen trying to escape with the help of the resistance, Crosby's side piece being a spy, and Bucky hooking up with the polish lady. The bombings to support the D-day landings are completely ignored. Even the change of bombing strategy from bombing German factories to being bait for the P51s only gets mentioned in a throwaway line and never gets discussed again, even though it had devastating effects on the Luftwaffe as the mounting pilot casualties meant losing air superiority. The supposedly emotional scene of the Rosie seeing the concentration camp is poorly executed and feels very contrived because they only spent like 2 min on it. He witnessed the horrors and bam he's back in england cheering with the boys. BoB spent one whole episode on the concentration camp and that's how you are portray emotional impact it has on the characters.

And the show does a huge disservice to the Tuskegee airmen, who are reduced to essentially background characters. They are introduced in the second to last episode and in the last episode they are barely there. You never see them again once the POW camp gets liberated. It would've been better to dedicate one entire episode on them early on and then have them reappear again in the POW arc.

I also think it's a mistake to have Crosby as the only narrator as he was not present in many of the story arcs. It feels like a disconnect. Rosie, Buck, and Bucky should also narrate their respective arcs.

Despite the criticisms, it's not a terrible show. I'm just disappointed it failed to be on the same level as BoB and The Pacific.

 

[Burger]

After ep6 the show just nose dives into a big mess. Disjointed storytelling, characters lacking development, and important events getting glossed over. They tried too do much with only 9 episodes and the show just lacks focus, while choosing to waste time on meaningless side plots, like the 2 airmen trying to escape with the help of the resistance, Crosby's side piece being a spy, and Bucky hooking up with the polish lady. The bombings to support the D-day landings are completely ignored. Even the change of bombing strategy from bombing German factories to being bait for the P51s only gets mentioned in a throwaway line and never gets discussed again, even though it had devastating effects on the Luftwaffe as the mounting pilot casualties meant losing air superiority. The supposedly emotional scene of the Rosie seeing the concentration camp is poorly executed and feels very contrived because they only spent like 2 min on it. He witnessed the horrors and bam he's back in england cheering with the boys. BoB spent one whole episode on the concentration camp and that's how you are portray emotional impact it has on the characters.

It also failed overall in its attempt to teach anyone about the role of the allied airforces in WW2. If you accept the fact that it's not going to do that and it's going to focus on the American airforces during the war, it totally failed in that respect. You couldn't learn anything by watching this.

It showed American bomber squadrons getting wiped by the German defences, but glossed over why that occurred and what was done about it. It did mention the Norden bomb sight, but never expanded on how it worked great in testing but was pretty rubbish in the field, or why that was. It completely skipped how the Americans tried to switch to night bombing but were unable to do so as the pilots were not skilled enough.

The whole thing was butter spread too thin on white bread.

 

[Ownage]

Air biscuits everywhere.

 

[AJUMP23]

And the show does a huge disservice to the Tuskegee airmen, who are reduced to essentially background characters. They are introduced in the second to last episode and in the last episode they are barely there. You never see them again once the POW camp gets liberated. It would've been better to dedicate one entire episode on them early on and then have them reappear again in the POW arc.

As I stated previously it follows the book, where the Tuskegee airmen, who were important and successful for what they did were only a couple of chapters in the book near the end. Because to the over all air war. You could do a whole show about them, but this show mainly focuses on the air war over Germany. Tuskegee were used mainly over Italy. I mean the show or the book does not focus on the Pacific air war either, the firebombing of Japan and the battle of Midway.

Yes the Tuskegee guys come in as an afterthought, but they come into the show like they come into the book, in the end.

 

[Edmund]

Somehow air combat isn't as exciting as ground combat. Just finished episode 2 and it's boring.

 

[Chiggs]

Disappointment and wasted potential is how I would describe this show.

After ep6 the show just nose dives into a big mess. Disjointed storytelling, characters lacking development, and important events getting glossed over. They tried too do much with only 9 episodes and the show just lacks focus, while choosing to waste time on meaningless side plots, like the 2 airmen trying to escape with the help of the resistance, Crosby's side piece being a spy, and Bucky hooking up with the polish lady. The bombings to support the D-day landings are completely ignored. Even the change of bombing strategy from bombing German factories to being bait for the P51s only gets mentioned in a throwaway line and never gets discussed again, even though it had devastating effects on the Luftwaffe as the mounting pilot casualties meant losing air superiority. The supposedly emotional scene of the Rosie seeing the concentration camp is poorly executed and feels very contrived because they only spent like 2 min on it. He witnessed the horrors and bam he's back in england cheering with the boys. BoB spent one whole episode on the concentration camp and that's how you are portray emotional impact it has on the characters.

And no episodes devoted to the epic bombing of Dresden. I was stunned.

Somehow air combat isn't as exciting as ground combat. Just finished episode 2 and it's boring.

Episode 3 is the highlight. Watch that and then decide to bail.

 

[newtypepilot]

As I stated previously it follows the book, where the Tuskegee airmen, who were important and successful for what they did were only a couple of chapters in the book near the end. Because to the over all air war. You could do a whole show about them, but this show mainly focuses on the air war over Germany. Tuskegee were used mainly over Italy. I mean the show or the book does not focus on the Pacific air war either, the firebombing of Japan and the battle of Midway.

Yes the Tuskegee guys come in as an afterthought, but they come into the show like they come into the book, in the end.

The point is that it makes for poor storytelling by introducing them so late into the show. The Tuskegee crew have zero development and serve no purpose to the story, yet they are featured in the end credits as if they are central characters. It just looks like they simply exist to tick checkboxes. That's why I suggest it's better to spend an episode on them, as it allows for better storytelling, as a break from the repetitive bombing runs, as well as showing the differences between bomber and fighter squadrons. The show doesn't follow the book 100%. They changed the fate of Crosby's best friend to give Crosby emotional stakes when the real life counterpart dies later in the war. Sandra being a spy is also made up.

 

[AJUMP23]

The point is that it makes for poor storytelling by introducing them so late into the show. The Tuskegee crew have zero development and serve no purpose to the story, yet they are featured in the end credits as if they are central characters. It just looks like they simply exist to tick checkboxes. That's why I suggest it's better to spend an episode on them, as it allows for better storytelling, as a break from the repetitive bombing runs, as well as showing the differences between bomber and fighter squadrons. The show doesn't follow the book 100%. They changed the fate of Crosby's best friend to give Crosby emotional stakes when the real life counterpart dies later in the war. Sandra being a spy is also made up.

Yes they made up any plot involving dames. The biggest thing missing is a connection to the real people.

 

[jason10mm]

Yes they made up any plot involving dames. The biggest thing missing is a connection to the real people.

Ugh, I hate it when they feel the need to inject women into stories that just don't have a place for them.

Guys don't bitch that there isn't an assassin subplot in a tear jerker hallmark movie, why can't we just have our air war military show? Ain't no women watching this thing just to see some broad be a spy.

 

[AJUMP23]

Ugh, I hate it when they feel the need to inject women into stories that just don't have a place for them.

Guys don't bitch that there isn't an assassin subplot in a tear jerker hallmark movie, why can't we just have our air war military show? Ain't no women watching this thing just to see some broad be a spy.

Assassins would be a cool twist.

 

[eddie4]

This thread reminded me to go rewatch Band of Brothers.

 

[AJUMP23]

This thread reminded me to go rewatch Band of Brothers.

I am going to do this too.

 

[StueyDuck]

So just finished it and the doc... it definitely got better as the show went along.

But after the doc I think the show did a bit of a poor version of retelling events. It either should have been 3 episodes longer or chosen more significant events. We didn't get to see the training the 100th went through to essentially become the known as the best and tightest division. Which to me is important because the shows Is "masters of the air" and we never see them mastering anything, just dying a whole bunch then bombing Berlin

 

[Edmund]

Episode 3 is the highlight. Watch that and then decide to bail.

Just finished Ep 3 and was still bored. I didn't feel this way for Band of Brothers and The Pacific.

I couldn't stop watching BoB. It was so good!

 

[AJUMP23]

Just finished Ep 3 and was still bored. I didn't feel this way for Band of Brothers and The Pacific.

I couldn't stop watching BoB. It was so good!

BoB is the greatest TV show of all time. And it is tough to follow that legacy. Incredible cast, but even more incredible men. Ambrose wrote an amazing book and Dick Winters is really a humble and relatable person that connects the whole show. None of the other shows have had that. One person that is a through line.

 

[Mossybrew]

It showed American bomber squadrons getting wiped by the German defences, but glossed over why that occurred and what was done about it. It did mention the Norden bomb sight, but never expanded on how it worked great in testing but was pretty rubbish in the field, or why that was. It completely skipped how the Americans tried to switch to night bombing but were unable to do so as the pilots were not skilled enough.

The whole thing was butter spread too thin on white bread.

Yeah, there was so much more interesting shit they could have showed instead of the bucky boys moping around the concentration camp, Crosby is tired, Crosby gets laid, anything with Crosby.

 

[SlimySnake]

While this was ultimately disappointing, I want to say that this is still absolutely riveting television and one of the best mini series ever created. The flaws dont distract from the amazing air battles and the display of sheer bravery from these men. The greatest fucking generation of men. The shit they went through just trying to drop bombs was absolutely horrific and a near death sentence. In one raid, only one out of 15 planes came back. They just sit there while taking flack and its a matter of luck. In one scene, Austin Butler's character literally says, WE SIT HERE AND TAKE IT. Chills. Like Midway (2019), this show gave me such an appreciation for the men who fought that war. They are the reason why we are here arguing over Sony vs Microsoft, WRPG vs JRPGs etc. Fucking Hitler.

Now for the negatives. I agree with all the criticism in this thread. I dont need to see Crosby's affair especially when it goes nowhere. I dont know if we needed to see 4 episodes on the POW camp. Maybe 1-2 max.

None of it was bad per se, but when you gloss over the D-Day raids as crosby sleeps through it, it comes across as cheap and insulting. They dont cover the Dresden fire bombings. They gloss over the british involvement. Hell, they dont cover civilian deaths that these guys were dishing out. You got maybe one scene of german moms crying. The entire cities were engulfed in flames for days.

The black pilots needed a full episode dedicated to them. But nope, we get to see them taken down on their very first mission. Come on.

I wouldve also have liked to see the Pacific theater. They went through a lot more shit. Lots more dogfights. I understand making these shows is hard because they need to stay true to the source material and history, but you cant just gloss over so much of the history. I just wish they had covered D-Day and the firebombings.

I still prefer The Pacific. BoB is great, but Pacific had that desperation and grit BoB only really captured in the medic episode. This show had two episodes like that when you see pretty much every plane go down one at a time. Just amazing stuff. Pacific>BoB>Masters Of Air.

P.S Austin Butler is a dreamboat. I legit wanted to stand up and applaud when you see him again in the POW camp. This kid has that star power.