26 January 2024 , 16:03
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After more than 10 years in the making, Apple TV+ has finally launched the brand-new war drama from Steven Spielberg, and its first episode has given fans ‘tingles’. Available to stream for free now, Masters of the Air follows the real airmen of an American World War II bomber group nicknamed the “Bloody Hundredth”.
The limited series is an action-packed and poignant drama that boasts a host of A-list stars on both sides of the camera. It reunites the producing team of Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman and is intended as a companion to their acclaimed shows Band of Brothers and The Pacific, completing the trilogy of land, sea and air.
Starring Elvis’ Austin Butler, Saltburn’s Barry Keoghan, Fantastic Beasts’ Callum Turner and Doctor Who’s Ncuti Gatwa, the series is based on Donald L. Miller’s book of the same name and follows the real soldiers of the 100th Bomb Group. Apple TV+ has hailed the series as a “genuine cinematic achievement” that is “enormous in both scale and scope,” while Goetzman revealed to Variety that it cost a whopping estimated $250-300 million to make – although this was partly down to inflated costs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Masters of the Air follows the young airmen as they conduct perilous bombing raids over Nazi Germany and grapple with the frigid conditions, lack of oxygen and sheer terror of combat at 25,000 feet. The series portrays the psychological and emotional toll as the soldiers help destroy the horror of Hitler’s Third Reich.
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The first two episodes of the series are available to stream now exclusively on Apple TV+, which TV lovers can join for £8.99 a month. But if they sign up today, members can enjoy Apple TV+’s stellar film and TV library without paying a penny thanks to its seven-day free trial.
Saltburn star Barry Keoghan in Masters of the AirThis gives free access to hit shows like Godzilla spin-off Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and upcoming psychological sci-fi thriller Constellation , plus blockbuster films like Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-nominated epic Killers of the Flower Moon. Savvy shoppers can even get Apple TV+ free for up to six months thanks to money-saving deals from EE and Currys.
EE offers Apple TV+ free for six months, alongside free Netflix when choosing a plan with an inclusive extra like the All Rounder. Shoppers can get the new Samsung Galaxy S24 and up to £432 discount with a trade-in, plus Disney+ free for 12 months with Samsung.
Currys is offering 30 percent off thousands of items as part of its New Year sale, with customers able to get Apple TV+ free for three months if they pre-order the brand-new Samsung Galaxy S24 and also claim £30 Galaxy Store credit and Disney+ free for a year. Bargain hunters can also save £400 on Samsung’s 50” Smart 4K UHD Neo QLED TV that comes with up to £250 off selected soundbars and Disney+ free for six months.
Callum Turner in Masters of the AirMasters of the Air has been created by Breaking Bad writer John Shiban and Band of Brothers writer John Orloff, while No Time to Die and True Detective director Cary Joji Fukunaga helms the first four episodes. As would be expected from a series of this scale and calibre, it has been met with overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics and fans.
It currently boasts a 93 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes within hours of its launch. The Guardian awarded the series five stars, hailing it as “absolutely classic TV” that is “extravagant [and] thrilling.”
Empire also gave Masters of the Air five stars, saying: “Every episode makes for heart-stopping viewing [with] drama and intensity [that’s] always kept at maximum altitude”
General audiences have been equally generous with their praise, taking to social media to hail the show as an “absolute banger” that was worth the wait. Writing on X, @AshDigsFilms said: “First episode of Masters of the Air is unbelievable. My god, I had tingles throughout.”
@lifetosmoochy said: “Masters of the Air is an absolute banger right out of the gate. Austin Butler [is] charismatic as hell. The combat scenes are intense.”
@sigjudge said: “Masters of the Air was well worth the half-decade wait. Epic in scale and equally as intimate in its storytelling. Highly recommended.”
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@harding_iain said: “Masters of the Air first episode a solid 10/10.”
Click here to watch Masters of the Air for free on Apple TV+. Alternatively, a host of new shows are available to stream on Amazon’s Prime Video and Disney+.