--- title: "Masters of the Air: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/masters-of-the-air/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/masters-of-the-air" critics_score: 68 critics_reviews: 18 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Masters of the Air (2024): what the critics said Critics' score 68 from 18 reviews: 12 positive, 3 mixed, 3 negative. Most critics respond positively to Masters of the Air, with praise clustering around its aerial combat rather than its storytelling. The reviews repeatedly single out the claustrophobic cockpits, tense flying sequences and convincing sense of danger; even several detractors find the combat harrowing. The ensemble also earns praise, while the more enthusiastic assessments find emotional weight in the airmen’s lives beyond their missions and the psychological suffering that follows them home. Opinion varies widely on whether the drama gives those men enough depth. The AV Club praises its humanising attention to their lives and trauma, while Digital Spy finds thin characterisation and a glib treatment of casualties. Elsewhere, reservations centre on repetitive missions, overcrowded opening episodes and supporting roles that barely develop. Several critics also question the glossy or triumphalist presentation of war, leaving broad agreement about the combat scenes but considerably less about the series around them. ## Radio Times — James Hibbs Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 24 January 2024. Hibbs presents the series as exceptional television and a remarkable achievement. The standfirst singles out its unprecedented impact on the small screen. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/masters-of-the-air-review/) ## The AV Club — Kayleigh Dray Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 24 January 2024. The review strongly recommends the miniseries as a brutal, beautiful and powerful depiction of war. It especially praises the show for humanizing the real airmen and exploring their lives and traumas beyond combat. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/masters-of-the-air-review-apple-tv-plus-world-war-ii-1851170056) ## Evening Standard — Nick Howells Rating 4/5. 24 January 2024. Howells finds the series highly watchable, with its aerial action making it soar. He praises the nerve-shredding cinematography but finds the characters too one-dimensional. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/masters-of-the-air-review-apple-tv-austin-butler-barry-keoghan-ncuti-gatwa-b1133977.html) ## The Independent — Nick Hilton Rating 4/5. 26 January 2024. Hilton finds the series compelling overall, though its glossy presentation sometimes glamorises war. He praises the ensemble and the pulse-quickening aerial action, while wishing for a more naturalistic approach. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/masters-of-the-air-review-apple-episode-1-b2485215.html) ## Empire — John Nugent Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 24 January 2024. The review finds the series stirring and gripping, despite some quibbles and a triumphalist American perspective. It particularly praises the tense, confidently staged flying sequences and the emotional scale of the ensemble drama. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/masters-of-the-air/) ## Variety — Aramide Tinubu Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 26 January 2024. Tinubu finds the series massive, beautifully rendered, and a powerful account of war’s human cost, though its opening episodes are overcrowded and disorienting. She especially praises its later focus on soldiers’ psychological suffering and the Tuskegee Airmen. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2024/tv/reviews/masters-of-the-air-review-apple-tv-1235867952/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Daniel Fienberg Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 24 January 2024. The critic finds the series flawed but often very good, with a rousing overall achievement. The claustrophobic cockpit combat and immersive sound design stand out, while repetitive structure and underwritten supporting roles draw criticism. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/masters-of-the-air-review-austin-butler-barry-keoghan-callum-turner-1235805462/) ## The Guardian — Barbara Ellen Rating ★★★. 28 January 2024. Ellen finds the series mixed, with weak characterisation and a syrupy, jingoistic tone, but says it is worth watching for its aerial combat scenes. She praises the battle sequences for placing viewers inside the pilots’ blood-spattered cockpits and conveying their terror. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/jan/28/master-of-the-air-review-steven-spielberg-tom-hanks-apple-tv-miners-strike-1984-the-battle-for-britain-expats-nicole-kidman-david-and-jays-touring-toolshed-david-jason-jay-blades) ## IndieWire — Ben Travers Rating C. 24 January 2024. Travers finds the series a visually impressive but shapeless and ultimately disappointing war epic. He praises its immersive aerial combat and cinematography, while faulting its underdeveloped characters and repetitive storytelling. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/masters-of-the-air-review-apple-tv-series-1234947438/) ## The i Paper — Emily Baker Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 26 January 2024. Baker finds the series a disappointing, old-fashioned drama that lacks the nuance of modern prestige television. She praises the acting and immersive world-building, but criticizes its formulaic missions and muddled dialogue. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/masters-of-the-air-review-first-tv-disappointment-2024-2873951) ## Vulture — Nicholas Quah Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 25 January 2024. Quah finds the series thrilling in the air but dramatically undercooked and less nuanced than its predecessors. He especially praises the claustrophobic combat sequences, while criticizing the shallow characterization and treatment of wartime complexity. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/masters-of-the-air-review-austin-butler-apple-wwii-series.html) ## Collider — Tania Hussain Rating 9/10. 24 January 2024. Hussain gives the series an enthusiastic verdict, calling it a must-watch war story with emotional depth. She particularly praises its immersive, state-of-the-art aerial battle scenes and the strong ensemble performances. [Read the review](https://collider.com/masters-of-the-air-review/) ## Den of Geek — Alec Bojalad Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 2 February 2024. The critic finds the episode exceptionally terrifying and destructive, saying it surpasses earlier installments in its depiction of war. They single out the devastating aerial carnage and the losses among the 100th Bomb Group. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/masters-of-the-air-so-thats-why-they-call-it-the-bloody-100th/) ## NME Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). The critic calls the series an essential, stylish follow-up that feels like a major television event. They particularly praise its weighty aerial action and the performances of its leading cast. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/tv-reviews/masters-of-the-air-review-band-of-brothers-tom-hardy-3576261) ## Paste — Terry Terrones Rating 8.2/10. 24 January 2024. Terrones finds the series uneven at first but ultimately moving and satisfying. He praises its visually stunning bombing sequences, while faulting the early episodes for failing to establish the leads’ friendship and emotional stakes. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/apple-tv-plus/masters-of-the-air-review) ## The Ringer — Ben Lindbergh Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 26 January 2024. The critic finds the series a worthwhile, reverent companion to its predecessors, though it ranks third among them and falls short in character depth and representation. The aerial combat sequences stand out as especially intense and impressive. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2024/01/26/tv/masters-of-the-air-apple-tv-plus-review) ## /Film — Chris Evangelista Rating 5/10. 24 January 2024. The critic finds the series dull and derivative, arguing that it fails to match the impact of its predecessors. They praise its harrowing depiction of the dangers faced by the airmen in combat. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1499736/masters-of-the-air-review/) ## Digital Spy — Rebecca Cook Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 24 January 2024. Cook finds the series overlong and emotionally detached, despite its impressive production. She praises the aerial battle sequences and technical detail of flying under fire, but criticizes the thin characterization and glib treatment of casualties. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a46456202/masters-of-the-air-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/masters-of-the-air.md