Summary
Masters of the Air opens with a truly cinematic and tense premiere, introducing viewers to the horrors of war and a killer cast that you can’t help but root for. This is an encouraging debut indeed that promises much more intense, heartbreaking drama to come.
Apple TV+’s World War II drama series Masters of the Air opens with a truly cinematic premiere. In Season 1 Episode 1, titled simply “Part One,” viewers are introduced to the air crewmen of the 100th Bomb Group as they embark on their first mission during the war. This epic opener perfectly sets the scene for the rest of the miniseries, demonstrating exactly what viewers are to expect from this brutal show.
“Part One” begins in 1943 as Major John “Bucky” Egan celebrates his last night of freedom before flying out the following day. He parties with his best friend Major Gale “Buck” Cleven and their girlfriends. Gale recounts basic training with Bucky, discussing how he was given his odd nickname. The two friends say their goodbyes to one another, hoping they will see each other again one day.
Juxtaposing with this dreamlike opening sequence, Bucky witnesses the fresh horrors of war on his very first mission over Germany. The plane plummets toward the ground as Bucky’s team is outnumbered and attacked by enemy planes. They manage to stop the blaze in their plane and escape with their lives. Back at base, Bucky is told to keep the brutalities of the war a secret, to not warn his fellow comrades of what is to come.
After an epic opening title sequence, we return to the 100th Bomb Group as they head to England and the war. Gale and his team stop off in Greenland along the way, before joining Bucky’s gang in Britain. Viewers are then introduced to more of the cast, whilst Gale is updated on Bucky’s drunken antics. His friend is referred to as a troublemaker. We are then shown Bucky getting drunk in England the same night. His drinking problem is already starting to get out of control.
Why does Crosby’s plane get lost on the way to Britain?
The gang refuel and then head for Britain. One of the planes gets lost during the flight though. Navigator Crosby struggles with air sickness and vomits everywhere, accidentally taking the team on a detour to France and the war. They too escape unharmed, but Crosby is extremely embarrassed by his detour and is bullied about his mistakes at the base.
Bucky welcomes the gang to England, reuniting with Gale. Crosby’s plane arrives a little later after their mishap. They have landing issues as well and must perform a crash landing at the base. After this tense arrival, pilot Brady covers for Crosby, but the navigator is warned in private. He must sort out his air sickness problem if he is to survive much longer in the Air Force.
What is Gale’s first mission?
A few days later, Gale and the gang are summoned for their first mission. Colonel Harold Huglin, who has been coughing up blood in private, briefs them on their first mission. They are to bomb the U-boats at Bremen, Germany. Gale is to pilot the 350th and Major Bill Veal is to lead the 349th squadron. They are warned that they will be heading straight into the middle of the action.
The team is nervous and superstitious as they prepare for the flight. We are introduced to Lt. Curtis Biddick (Barry Keoghan), who sits beside Gale during his first mission. They set off right away, but are instantly stumped by bad visibility. This causes two planes to nearly crash into one another early on as they head towards Germany. This means that their formation is a total mess due to the heavy cloud cover as they make it into German airspace.
Why is the first mission canceled?
To make matters worse, Veal’s plane suffers from engine problems and they are forced to head back to base before entering the action. The 19 planes are already one plane down. Then comes the German assault with heavy flak exploding all around them. The shots get closer and closer, until they begin to take hits. They are unable to spot their targets due to the clouds and Colonel Huglin calls off the mission.
How does Masters of the Air Season 1 Episode 1 end?
The Germans arrive in their own fighter planes and warfare then truly commences. Three of the American planes are hit and lost during this battle. The remaining planes return to base without having used any of their bombs on the enemy. Huglin coughs up more blood and then collapses after exiting his plane back at the base.
Gale is in complete shock after his first mission. He inspects the serious damage inflicted on his plane and then reunites with Bucky. Gale asks Bucky why he didn’t warn him about the brutality of war. Bucky admits that he didn’t know what to say exactly. Gale looks broken already. They lost 30 men on that first mission and have achieved absolutely nothing for it. This worrying truth concludes the opening chapter of Masters of the Air, encapsulating what is to follow.
What did you think of Masters of the Air Season 1 Episode 1? Comment below.
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