REVIEW: ‘Masters of the Air’ Episode 7 — “Part 7”

The last episode of Masters of the Air was a quiet one. It focused on the emotional toll of war and ended with John ‘Bucky’ Egan (Callum Turner) being held in a POW camp. Now, in Masters of the Air Episode 7, the story takes us into the camp. We see their daily life, how they’re surviving, and how they’re keeping hope. But this episode isn’t just focused in the camp, it also pulls the number 25 into the forefront of the story.

When it comes to 25, the Bloody 100th has launched more missions into Germany. More missions meant more casualties and as the revolving door of new airmen continues to turn, the men have begun to harden themselves. With each of the airmen having lost at least one friend, forming new bonds isn’t done easily. But “Rosie” Rosenthal (Nate Mann), now one of the best pilots, continues to be a friendly face for new men.

His successes on missions have now become something to idolize. He always makes it home, and doing so means that he is closing in on his 25th flight. To keep the Airforce’s secrets, 25 flights is the number you have to achieve before being removed from duty on the Western front out of concern that information on routes and mission plans could be tortured out of the pilot.

As Rosie gets closer to really going home, the constant flashing of the red mission light doesn’t stop. This episode doesn’t focus on the battles in the air but rather the aftermath. We see the injuries and casualties that come with even returning to base. The crews continued to get younger, which also meant that their casualties kept mounting faster with each mission. In thoughtful direction, the allow the screams of the injured and the silence of those watching take up the space of a returning group of bombers on Black Monday is more poignent than showing the battle. Twenty-five missions seem like a faraway dream, especially as Germans shoot down men in parachutes.

There is a hopelessness that echoes throughout Masters of the Air Episode 7. It’s an undercurrent that the narrative rides, and it does so regardless of the audience knowing that the US will win in the end. Episode 6 connected the audience to Rosenthal and Harry Crosby (Anthony Boyle) and Bucky and Gale “Buck” Cleven (Austin Butler)in a way that hadn’t been the focus before. It has a deeper impact as we see them carrying the weight of their grief and their orders to repeatedly fly the same dangerous route.

Then, Lt. Colonel John Bennett (Corin Silva) sends the men on the same Berlin route to take out the ballbearing plant that led to the most casualties for the unit. The only difference is that the man sending them on the mission is flying with them. When Rosie goes up on his 25th mission, their swelling score and percussion underscoring a Hail Mary is tense. This moment of tension is alleviated, if only slightly, but the introduction of the P-51 Mustangs begins to alleviate the fear of being shut down while in a bomber.

When Masters of the Air Episode 7 goes back into the air, it uses the P-51s to show the way in which the war began to change with their introduction. For those who know WII history, this sets up for the inclusion of the Tuskegee Airmen, an all-Black unit of fighter pilots who flew P51s and P47s to escort bombers. With their inclusion, the time in the air isn’t spent showing shrapnel pierce hulls, but rather bring hope back to the airmen as Rosie completes his final mission. But the hopelessness comes back when the mission requirement fulfillment switches from 25 to 30 and increases to 28 for existing crews. The goalposts get moved, the fear of dying in war grows, and the reality that they’ve become fodder sets into the narrative.

It sits deeply with Rosie when he requests to renew his tour. For him, going home means bringing in a rookie who could get his new crew killed. He’s worried about guilt, but at the same time, he is trying to take action as he sees the Brass continue to allow young men to be sent to die. His dedication to his fellow airmen is to be the bait in the next mission and to ultimately carry as much responsibility as he can.

While the time spent back at base is gutting in its hopelessness, the time this episode spends in the POW camp is all about resiliency. It’s not that they aren’t hopeless, but because if they stop thinking they can get out, they won’t make it. Instead, we see Buck try to build a radio, Bucky aiming to keep to his spirits high, and a chain of command that has stayed in tact even under German abuse.

This section of Masters of the Air Episode 7 is grim, but it also captures the resiliency and ingenuity of the men held captive in the POW camp. The fight continues even when they’re under threat of death by their German captors. In addition to showcasing what life was like for POWs, it’s also used to highlight Bucky and Buck’s relationship. More specifically, how their brotherhood ran deep and how they routinely pushed each other and kept each other whole.

Masters of the Air Episode 7 is yet another stellar step forward in telling the story of the Bloody 100th.  It’s done by considering the fragility of life, the fear of being at war, and the resiliency to stay alive until you can finally go back home. With only two episodes left in this mini-series, it aims to be one of the best World War II series.

Masters of the Air Episode 7 is streaming now on Apple TV+, with new episodes every Friday.