‘Masters of the Air’ will bring Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg back to the Emmys
Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg proved to be a sterling combination with the former on-screen with the likes of “Saving Private Ryan” and “Catch Me If You Can,” but with Hanks off-screen, the Hollywood icons have once again shown they are a formidable storytelling force. They first delivered the stunning miniseries “Band of Brothers” and then followed that up with another triumph, “The Pacific.” Now, Hanks and Spielberg have reunited once more to executive producer the Apple TV+ limited series “Masters of the Air.”
The series stars Oscar-nominated duo Austin Butler and Barry Keoghan alongside breakout star Callum Turner as the show explores the actions of the 100th Bomb Group, a Boeing B-17 heavy bomber unit in the Eighth Air Force that operated during WWII. And Hanks and Spielberg have delivered another epic, brutal, wartime triumph.
Richard Roeper (Chicago Sun-Times) observed: “An unblinking chronicle of the almost unimaginable cost of war, and a glowing tribute to the 100th Bomb Group, who just kept on coming and would not be stopped.”
Kayleigh Dray (AV Club) stated: “Many will praise the series for offering up an ambitious spectacle, but we honestly believe that its success lies in its refusal to shy away from the humanity of war. Which is all to say: Watch this show.”
Randy Myers (San Jose Mercury News) opined: “It’s a polished and well-crafted epic that earns its wings as well as your respect, and undoubtedly will leave you with a big lump in your throat.”
Eric Francisco (Inverse) explained: “Its sprawling sets, picturesque photography of warm sunsets and frigid snowfall, a cast of would-be matinee idols, and tasteful grasp of war’s abject ugliness all collectively set a new bar for period dramas in the streaming age.”
Nick Schager (The Daily Beast) wrote: “A worthy follow-up to those two esteemed miniseries, capturing the horror, brotherhood and patriotic duty that defined the American air campaigns against Hitler’s Nazi regime.”
The Emmy history of Hanks and Spielberg’s previous two shows “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific” indicate a good run-in for “Masters of the Air.” “Band of Brothers” won seven Emmys in total while “The Pacific” won eight and both took home Best Miniseries. This shows that Emmy voters very much enjoy the collaboration between Hanks and Spielberg and take a shine to the wartime, historical epic products they produce. “Masters of the Air” should very much follow suit.
Emmy voters love true stories in general in this category, with based on a true story series such as “Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” “Pam & Tommy,” “Inventing Anna,” “The Dropout,” “Dopesick,” “Mrs. America,” and “When They See Us” all earning Best Limited Series nominations. Specifically, however, Emmy voters enjoy historical epics, too. Along with “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific,” other historical shows have also been nominated here including “The Underground Railroad,” “Chernobyl,” “Roots,” “Wolf Hall,” and “The Bible.”
And let’s not forget, Apple know how to perform well at the Emmys. They may be relatively new to the TV game but, in recent years, Apple have begun picking shows that have performed well at the Emmys. “Severance” was nominated for Best Drama Series while “Ted Lasso” bagged two Best Comedy Series wins and the likes of “The Morning Show,” “Black Bird,” “Bad Sisters,” and “Shrinking” all snagged multiple nominations. “Masters of the Air,” which is certainly a step up in their TV output in terms of budget, scope, and ambition, could be their new flagship show and the latest to do well at the Emmys.
Speaking of doing well at the Emmys, Hanks and Spielberg (both two-time Oscar winners) both have extensive Emmy track records. Hanks has 13 Primetime Emmy nominations to his name and seven victories. He won Best Limited Series in 1998 for “From the Earth to the Moon,” in 2002 for “Band of Brothers,” in 2008 for “John Adams,” in 2010 for “The Pacific,” and in 2015 for “Olive Kitteridge.” He also won Best TV Movie in 2012 for “Game Change” and Best TV Movie/Limited Series/Special Directing in 2002 for “Band of Brothers.” But it’s the Best Limited Series category where he has specialized — five nominations, five wins, and all of them for historical, true stories. “Masters of the Air” fits that bill.
Spielberg, meanwhile, has 11 Primetime Emmy bids and four wins. He won Best Animated Program in 1996 for “A Pink & the Brain Christmas” before taking home three Best Limited Series awards. They were for “Band of Brothers” in 2002, “Taken” in 2003, and “The Pacific” in 2010. Again, Spielberg specialized in this category. We fully expect “Masters of the Air” to continue that trend for both Spielberg and Hanks.
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