Masters of the Air (TV Mini Series) Part Four (2024) User Reviews

the achilles heel is showing

[nerrdrage · 7/10 · 13 February 2024]

What works in this series: the action sequences of air battles. Unfortunately the characters are interchangeable and bland, so devoting an episode to just focusing on them comes off as blah.

One problem is how under-dramatized things are, once they get away from the airplanes. Take the guy who felt responsible for Baby Face's death. The writers let him off the hook by having the plane explode right after he bailed. Clearly he couldn't have saved Baby Face anyway. He didn't have time.

But what if the plane hadn't exploded? What if he had parachuted out and watched it drop for a minute till it exploded when it hit the ground? Then he might have a reason to be mopey and guilty.

Or take the guy who hooks up with the Polish lady (Buck or Bucky, I can't even remember main character names). That was just a standard wartime cliche romance. This all feels so generic. Get back to the battles! Yeah yeah I know. CGI is pricey. Well Apple has $3 trillion, they can afford it.

And there's no way they just killed off Austin Butler offscreen. He's hiding out in some pig sty in the outskirts of Bremen. At least that gives me a reason to keep watching.

Boring episode? No, far from it.

[beatlecop · 8/10 · 10 February 2024]

There are those with short attention spans who require explosions, fire and crashes every episode to maintain their interest, Fortunately, there are many of us who appreciate the nuance of plot development. Some of the best episodes of "The Sopranos" didn't feature anyone getting whacked.

While this episode is certainly sans action more so than the others to date, Part Four sets up the rest of the series with events referred to instead of portrayed. It holds out for significant revelation in plot and character fate. The more cerebral nature of this episode also really bared the souls of several characters through some truly powerful acting .

Good episode, but missed an opportunity?

[mikechapman-84571 · 8/10 · 9 February 2024]

Too many critics are comparing MotA with Band of Brothers. We shouldnt compare any series with the highest rated series of all time. But Masters gets it whether for good or bad, because it is part of the WWII trilogy of Spielberg/Hanks.

For those that knew about the 8th's exploits before this show, they should feel impressed by the series so far, and lets give credit as this topic is as far from BoB as a war mini series can be.

However, while character development is needed in ep4 especially around Lt Rosenthal, I cant help but think they missed a massive opportunity. The 2nd Bremen raid was far worse than Regensburg in terms of flak, fighters and loss. This is alluded to in the background chatter in the mission debrief towards the end of the episode. While Im sure we will see more action in ep 5 with Egan's final mission to Munster, what I was looking forward to in ep 4 was seeing the fate of Kidd/Blakeley/Crosby's fort. They did make it back to England. They crash landed having been separated from the group, and exposed to an immense number of fighters, alone. They were credited with shooting down 9 fighters on their way home- what a story this would have been to portray.

I dont think they can ignore showing us what happened to the "starting lineup". Perhaps we will have a sort of flashback/action in the first scenes of the next episode. But maybe this was all deliberate?

Perhaps the Director wanted us to feel what the ground crew and HQ felt on days like that. Having no clue as to what happened, only that there were 13 forts that returned home. The emptiness of not knowing was maddening to the viewer, just as much as it would have been for them in 1943.

Overall I am loving this series, and maybe all reviews should be held until after the whole series has been watched and digested, without trying to compare it too much to BoB. Some reviews are quick to criticise this series, usually if (like this episode) there is a lack of action. But still, for any WWII enthusiasts who knew about the exploits of the bloody 100th before this series, this episode does feel somewhat empty. But, as explained above, maybe that was the point.

Simply

[prandinifrancesco · 8/10 · 10 February 2024]

Very simple. Part Four is the equivalent of Band Of Brothers' Crossroads (with Winters' trip to Paris) and Melbourne for The Pacific. They are a sort of bridge episodes between crucial points of the series, still proving enjoyable, even if they are a transition between one block and the next. Another. The only negative thing: it is not clear whether the figures of Nash and Helen are fictional or really existed. I would prefer greater adherence to reality, in series like this. But in the series there were the Belgian nurse (band of brother) and the Australian Greek girl (the pacific). So... all in line.

"Part Four"

[allmoviesfan · 9/10 · 4 April 2024]

There is less action from a bombs and planes aspect in "Part Four", but that doesn't mean it's a boring episode. The Bloody Hundredth go from the deserts of Africa back to England and on to another attempt to destroy the U-boat pens in Bremen. The mission is a success but at a high cost. A lot of the action happens off-screen, which is an interesting choice.

For mine, the best part of "Part Four" are the scenes where the French and Belgian resistance are funneling downed American fliers through occupied territory under the noses of the German forces. It is dangerous work, and those who helped the pilots escape are undoubtedly heroes, working under extreme pressure, with the Nazis permanently engaged in trying to roll up those networks. The pre-credit sequence dealing with this might have been the best of the episode.

A character development episode

[vandykeu · 6/10 · 9 February 2024]

This is the first episode of the series that has disappointed me, but it is mainly because of what they aren't showing us here. In many ways, it is an excellent episode, with many glimpses into the stresses and other stories that we should be aware of that are going on. We see the consequences of the missions and the war here.

It reminds me a lot of Episode 3 of The Pacific (the Melbourne episode). Most of what we are shown is probably among the more fictionalized out of the source material, as was that episode. Everything we are seeing probably happened in some way, in some form, to some one, but the source materials don't necessarily spell this out. The drama and the story it shows is fine.

But (and this is where my spoilers start), we are really missing out by not seeing the Bremen mission of 8 October. This mission is something Crosby wrote about extensively in his memoir, and made even more of an impression on him than the Regensburg mission. Yes, Buck Cleven is shot down in this mission, and Crosby didn't know his fate.

But, Crosby also saw things here that impacted on him tremendously. His plane was group lead, and they crash-landed in England after severe damage. In Crosby's book, it is the only time he goes into detail about the injuries suffered, because he saw them. Their waist gunner, Lester Saunders, had been killed. Their co-pilot, Charlie Via, who was in the tail position as a command pilot flew with them again, had his leg and abdomen severely injured by a 20mm cannon shell, but lived. Two other crew whose names I forget were also injured.

This mission affected Crosby profoundly, and he was never the same by his own writing after it. As the show narrator, I think it is a travesty to leave it out and focus on the mission solely as Egan's response to Cleven being shot down.

Again- fine episode as-is, and I see what they are aiming to do here, but I think it is a missed opportunity. Maybe the budget was already too high, or maybe they were concerned about people being too affected by so much death and destruction onscreen, but this is the first time I've been disappointed.

PART 4

[moviesfilmsreviewsinc · 9/10 · 27 April 2024]

Masters of the Air was a thrilling series that featured a bloody battle in the skies, resulting in the deaths of some crew members. Episode 4 takes the action from the air to the ground, highlighting the dangers of what's happening beneath the clouds. The episode picks up in Algeria after episode 3, but doesn't take place in the promised paradise. Instead, it takes place in East Anglia, where a crew returns from their 25th mission, announcing that only 12 out of the original 35 crews remain. This episode serves as a poignant reminder of the fatal nature of skyward trips. The episode revolves around the celebration of heroism, love, and loss during the war. Lt. Nash, a new pilot, develops a romantic relationship with Red Cross member Helen, but their relationship is short-lived. The episode also explores themes of love and loss, as Lt. Rosenthal tells Helen that Nash was lost in battle. Egan, a pilot, travels to London but finds no respite in the city. He dances with a stranger who tells him her husband was lost in the war, causing her to feel wistful and hopeful. The war wounds everyone, as Egan walks a street with the Blitz scars, passing a wrecked home and a woman mourning her daughter killed in the bombing raids. The war is everywhere, as the war is everywhere. The episode highlights the uneasy balance between joy and death in the war and the impact it has on everyone. The episode follows Sgt. William Quinn's journey to England after being stranded in Belgium. He faces intense scrutiny from a man who will help him escape. The stakes are high for the underground network, as Bob, an undercover Nazi, is brutally shot dead in the forest. The Nazis have been trying to infiltrate the network for some time. The group of ordinary people risking everything in impossible circumstances is painfully tense when Quinn tries to make a run for it upon arriving in Paris. Fortunately, another member of the network defuses the situation, but the sight of uniformed Nazi officers is a chilling reminder of the risk. Quinn makes a tentative connection with Louise, but their relationship is short-lived. Louise's letter is confiscated and burned, and Quinn is given an intense reality check about what would happen to Louise and her family if their actions were discovered. The episode's emotional climax occurs when Cleven and Crosby are killed in action, leaving Egan and Cleven as either stranded or prisoners of war. The unknown hurts the most, as Egan doesn't know his friend Biddick was killed crash-landing. The men must count planes and parachutes to see if their comrades have escaped. The real cliffhanger is Egan's reaction, as he and Cleven share a deep bond, shattered by war. Egan is determined to fly the next mission, leading to recklessness and survivor's guilt. Callum Turner delivers a captivating portrayal of Egan, with an edge beneath his easy smiles and pain broiling to the surface in the phone booth. Cros's idea of "courage took many forms during the war" is displayed throughout the episode, contrasting tender sentiment with the cruel reality of conflict.

They don't have many episodes left to blow me away

[mpboylanjr-54038 · 6/10 · 11 February 2024]

I think it would serve best to not compare this to Band of Brothers or even Pacific although difficult to do. So far it's good but not what I was expecting. I'm not crazy about the characters and the Elvis guy isn't much of an actor if you ask me. The combat is much more difficult I'm sure to shoot for aerial combat than ground fighting as well as more expensive. It is such an important story to be told of these brave boys who had extremely low odds of coming back each mission so I'm glad it is being told. This episode was slow and there is always one of these in the BOB and pacific series. I mean it is not hard to tell they are trying to replicate it in many ways. More fighting and less nonsense would be great. I will of course stay with it but so far this was slowest and worst episode. We all know these guys went off and got laid but they showed zero combat scenes when they finally bombed the U-boat pens. Maybe the next episode will show a flashback of that mission otherwise what a waste. So far not great and not 8/10 overall. Cmon people. We all want to love it but it has not hit the mark yet. Just MO.

Major plot points happen off screen

[stolidten · 4/10 · 10 February 2024]

The past few episodes have been easily one of the best shows I have seen, but this episode fell flat, instead of showing the audience what happens to the majority of established cast they tell them through the few remaining characters. Highly disappointing for a show that has built its self round establishing dramatic story and implementing it effectively with its screen time. It get rushed and a cheap way to get rid of a bunch of the high profile cast and replace them with more relatively unknowns; while I understand that certain characters will appear again later in the story it is highly disappointing that the director chose to write them away for now in such a cheap way. Easily the most disappointing episode so far.

Pointless episode.

[cosavostra · 1/10 · 14 February 2024]

This episode is just pointless filler and a bad sign this series just isn't going to cut it. You see nothing of the second attack on Bremen and the only thing it really gives in terms of interest is about 10 mins of the progress of the two downed airmen making their way to Spain through Nazi occupied territory. This is nowhere near what one would expect from veterans like Spielberg and Hanks. The characters continue to lack any sort of substance and they are a pole opposite from those in Band of Brothers and the excellent Generation War. Masters of the Air looks set to become a wasted opportunity.

A Cold Shower after a Hot Bath - Episode 4 - "Part Four"

[xNanoks · 5/10 · 6 May 2024]

Admittedly, we have been spoiled from watching episode 3. The show's full potential was thrown at us, not only in terms of aerial combat and special effects. It also showcased the importance of zooming in on decision-making, intense in-action dialogue and character development. And while episode 4 is by no means bad television, I can't help feel like a kid who got a bite of his favorite piece of candy, only to have it ripped out of his hand after said first bite.

Sure, episode 4 works to develop the overall show's plot and different character arcs. It highlights some of the characters' flaws and shortcoming, while simultaneously underlining their strengths. It just all feels rather... bland. The dialogue is your run-of-the-mill writing. The romances are seemingly of no importance. Emotions are tossed at you to instantly forget them.

While I can appreciate the effort of having an episode that so clearly wants to explain and set up for what will eventually be the show's plot, it definitely could've done so without having to grasp for cliché after cliché. Having to write these without any spoilers becomes particularly hard during these episodes, but let's just say that what Masters of the Air chooses to make you consume in episode 4 has a general "We all know how this is going to be turning out"-ring to it. Mix that with filler dialogue and nigh numbing emotions, the cold shower after our hot bath feels not rejuvenating, but just cold.

5 out of 10 knots, let's hope the setup is worth it.