Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, "Masters of the Air" aspired to be the third installment of the award-winning World War II dramatic trilogy that began with "Band of Brothers" (2001) and "The Pacific" (2010). But unlike its predecessors, "Masters of the Air" failed to win critical acclaim or capture public imagination. It failed to even score an Emmy nomination for Best Limited Series. Through the trade outlets, Apple tried to spin the series as a winner for Apple TV, but the data paints a very different picture.
What went wrong with "Masters of the Air?" In today's Hollywood deep dive, we explore how an A-list cast, record-setting budget, experienced production team, and best-selling source material led to such a middling series. The show looked right...but why didn't it feel right? As is usually the case in Hollywood, the source of the troubles can be found in the writing.
Produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, "Masters of the Air" aspired to be the third installment of the award-winning World War II dramatic trilogy that began with "Band of Brothers" (2001) and "The Pacific" (2010). But unlike its predecessors, "Masters of the Air" failed to win critical acclaim or capture public imagination. It failed to even score an Emmy nomination for Best Limited Series. Through the trade outlets, Apple tried to spin the series as a winner for Apple TV, but the data paints a very different picture.
What went wrong with "Masters of the Air?" In today's Hollywood deep dive, we explore how an A-list cast, record-setting budget, experienced production team, and best-selling source material led to such a middling series. The show looked right...but why didn't it feel right? As is usually the case in Hollywood, the source of the troubles can be found in the writing.
