GamesRadar+ VerdictAnother episode lacking momentum, and one which emphasises how little we really know the Bloody Hundredth
GamesRadar+ Verdict
GamesRadar+ Verdict
Another episode lacking momentum, and one which emphasises how little we really know the Bloody Hundredth
Another episode lacking momentum, and one which emphasises how little we really know the Bloody Hundredth
Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy.
Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy.
Spoilers for Masters of the Air episode 7 follow.
Masters of the Airis well and truly grounded. After the first half of the season took us through pulse-pounding, soaring aerial battles, the latter half is winding down on the action. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but in the absence of large-scale battles, the show is struggling to find its footing. This episode is another installment which lacks momentum, and that’s largely because the essential cast members are scattered without a whole lot to do.
The episode begins in the appropriately grim prisoner of war camp. Though there’s some joy to be found in Egan and Cleven’s reunion, the situation is, as you’d expect, overwhelmingly dismal. If you were in any doubt about the cruel conditions the men are dealing with, a friendly stray cat being cooked and eaten in the opening few minutes should set you straight.
Of course, the show can’t help history, but it is unfortunate that the series’s most charismatic characters – Egan and Cleven – are stuck in captivity. What the situation does do, really, is emphasise how much the show is lacking a wide cast of core characters. It’s a problem that only becomes clearer as the episode continues.
Missteps
(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)
Back on the base, the situation also feels hopeless. More replacements are sent in for the fallen members of the Hundredth, but there’s a bit of brightness to be found in the return of Quinn and Bailey, the soldiers shot down earlier in the season who were smuggled home. It’s pleasant to see them returned, but their sudden reappearance serves to highlight how bizarre it is that they dropped out of the narrative in the first place. They haven’t been seen since they reached occupied Paris – under a heavy Nazi presence – and skipping this last, dangerous leg of their journey is an odd choice.
Cros’s earlier promotion leaves him spending most of his screen time fretting about the men in the air, but we also see him strike up a casual relationship with a returning Westgate. Aside from the mild mystery of what Westgate might get up to when she’s not with Cros, there’s not much to sink your teeth into here that we haven’t already seen. With no other characters to play off of, Cros’s storyline again feels a meandering one.
As we move into the final two episodes of Masters of the Air, with only Rosenthal in the air, Cros largely on his own, and Cleven and Egan imprisoned, the show is in danger of fizzling out. It remains to be seen if the series can find its momentum again in the run-up to the finale, but, for now, Masters of the Air seems to have stumbled to a halt.
Masters of the Air continues weekly on Apple TV Plus. You can fill out your watchlist with our guide to thebest Apple TV Plus shows.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
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2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
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5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
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1
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2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
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2
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3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
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4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”