The change in directors is palpable in this episode. This was the first episode where I was able to follow the characters, knew who was who (even in smaller roles), had a sense of which planes were which, as well as a good sense of pacing, set ups and payoffs, moments where we just sit with characters and absorb what they're feeling, etcetera. Cary Joji Fukunaga's stuff was bombastic and incoherent, emotionally and factually, and reminded me of the blunt, vacant feeling I had watching his Bond movie. This, on the other hand, was done just right. Even the CGI seemed to have improved, which I took to be because it was meticulously planned and purposeful. The choice to do what appeared to be some actual aerial photography during the parachute sequence was also well appreciated and classy. Good job, guys.
Well said, and I believe you're absolutely right. Not that episdoe 1 - 4 was bad, but 5 was directed on a whole different level of craftsmanship. Without spoilers, Part 5 was choke full of wonderful cinematic choices, dialogue, and scenes that we haven't seen yet in the series.
Focusing on just mostly two crews. Bucky and Rosie, helped a lot. I enjoyed the show so far, but I agree keeping track of everyone in the initial episodes was a task.
This episode was on par with Band of Brothers. Amazing work, it was such a suspenseful and sobering episode even though I knew what happened during the Munster mission. I really loved that there was so much emotion evoked for each character!
The shifting to Rosie’s plane was also a signal of the shift to a change in Group leadership. Only wish the story hadn’t compressed the timeline. It doesn’t affect the endpoint of individual arcs, just how and when it happened. Blakely’s crew went to a Flak Shack after Bremen, and called the station to find out the results - and then flew back to take Group leadership positions (Col. Crosby to Group Navigator, Douglass to Group Bombardier and Blakely to 418 Sqdn. C.O. 1st Lt. Payne was not lost on Munster, he was still Group Navigator. He would be lost along with two other B17s on a NOBALL raid in April, 1944. Rosenthal did fly a B17 like a fighter plane, and after Munster he asked if all the missions were this bad. What’s happening at this point in the story of the 100th, is all the raunch and bad tactics and problematic leadership that marked the 100th’s early days is being overturned. Rosie, Harry, Douglass, Blakely, Jack Kidd all start changing the tone of the group. From November 1943 to the end of the war, the 100th (through new leadership and training and tactics) they slowly ceased being a bunch of romantics in a neo-classical world, they became a focused, professional group.
Thank you for this series, just wish it was on a platform I could see ( legally blind and I don't have Apple or any other streaming service as I am limited to viewing screens- I go completely blind from the screen radiation. ). We had the Collings Foundation "Wings of Freedom " fly in. We took Dad to see the B-24, B-25, P51 and B-17 on July 4. By this time, Dad had old age dementia. He was sitting in the shade of the B-17 right wing looking at the crew door. He said "I've worked in that plane. I flew in that plane." And he had in WWII. My sister asked if Dad wanted to fly in it, and he said "No! I've had too many hours in it already." He recalls how he then went to P47s. A week later a USO-type show visited his retirement community. Two days later, Dad's memory came back for a short time. My point: keep doing these realistic series. Although we have lost many WWII vets, these may help others.
By far the best episode so far. And, we finally got to see how the B-17 interior and exterior are set up. This should have been done in the very first episode; if you've never been inside a Flying Fortress, or never looked at a diagram, it would be very difficult to understand where the different crew members are stationed.
That's what I thought watching that whole sequence: why are we on episode five and this is the first time the filmmakers are seemingly putting in any effort to furnish us with the information we NEED so as to orient ourselves? As I said in another comment, I suspect it's because of the change in directors, but it's very odd this issue wasn't picked up on by producers. I've spent most of the season trying to figure out what is happening and who is who. This episode made sure to let us sit with characters (even the newbies and people in smaller roles), to understand the mission parameters ("we're approaching the target" "we're one minute out" "we don't drop until the lead plane does" "now" "bombs away" All of this is information we need to have to be oriented and inside the mission) and obviously went to great trouble to even let us get to know the individual planes, with lingering shots revealing their names. Essential information, neglected in eps 1 - 4.
No idea if the Directors or show runners will read this, but was there a conscious decision to move Bubbles death to the Munster mission? Bubbles Payne was KIA almost a year later in '44 on a different mission.
I swear this show gets better with each episode, Part 5 was absolutely gut wrenching.
This week’s episode was seriously impressive
Literally on the edge of my seat most of the episode.
The change in directors is palpable in this episode. This was the first episode where I was able to follow the characters, knew who was who (even in smaller roles), had a sense of which planes were which, as well as a good sense of pacing, set ups and payoffs, moments where we just sit with characters and absorb what they're feeling, etcetera. Cary Joji Fukunaga's stuff was bombastic and incoherent, emotionally and factually, and reminded me of the blunt, vacant feeling I had watching his Bond movie. This, on the other hand, was done just right. Even the CGI seemed to have improved, which I took to be because it was meticulously planned and purposeful. The choice to do what appeared to be some actual aerial photography during the parachute sequence was also well appreciated and classy. Good job, guys.
Well said, and I believe you're absolutely right. Not that episdoe 1 - 4 was bad, but 5 was directed on a whole different level of craftsmanship. Without spoilers, Part 5 was choke full of wonderful cinematic choices, dialogue, and scenes that we haven't seen yet in the series.
Focusing on just mostly two crews. Bucky and Rosie, helped a lot. I enjoyed the show so far, but I agree keeping track of everyone in the initial episodes was a task.
This episode was on par with Band of Brothers. Amazing work, it was such a suspenseful and sobering episode even though I knew what happened during the Munster mission. I really loved that there was so much emotion evoked for each character!
Nobody does better shows/movies about war than women directors!
Thanks for this amazing creation!
The shifting to Rosie’s plane was also a signal of the shift to a change in Group leadership.
Only wish the story hadn’t compressed the timeline. It doesn’t affect the endpoint of individual arcs, just how and when it happened.
Blakely’s crew went to a Flak Shack after Bremen, and called the station to find out the results - and then flew back to take Group leadership positions (Col. Crosby to Group Navigator, Douglass to Group Bombardier and Blakely to 418 Sqdn. C.O.
1st Lt. Payne was not lost on Munster, he was still Group Navigator. He would be lost along with two other B17s on a NOBALL raid in April, 1944.
Rosenthal did fly a B17 like a fighter plane, and after Munster he asked if all the missions were this bad.
What’s happening at this point in the story of the 100th, is all the raunch and bad tactics and problematic leadership that marked the 100th’s early days is being overturned. Rosie, Harry, Douglass, Blakely, Jack Kidd all start changing the tone of the group. From November 1943 to the end of the war, the 100th (through new leadership and training and tactics) they slowly ceased being a bunch of romantics in a neo-classical world, they became a focused, professional group.
Love the show, it's really living up to its pedigree. One question, the lack of cigarettes, a conscious decision?
I also had this question. There are cigarettes in the show, it's just that there should be way more.
Very interesting thanks
Thank you for this series, just wish it was on a platform I could see ( legally blind and I don't have Apple or any other streaming service as I am limited to viewing screens- I go completely blind from the screen radiation. ). We had the Collings Foundation "Wings of Freedom " fly in. We took Dad to see the B-24, B-25, P51 and B-17 on July 4. By this time, Dad had old age dementia. He was sitting in the shade of the B-17 right wing looking at the crew door. He said "I've worked in that plane. I flew in that plane." And he had in WWII. My sister asked if Dad wanted to fly in it, and he said "No! I've had too many hours in it already." He recalls how he then went to P47s. A week later a USO-type show visited his retirement community. Two days later, Dad's memory came back for a short time. My point: keep doing these realistic series. Although we have lost many WWII vets, these may help others.
By far the best episode so far. And, we finally got to see how the B-17 interior and exterior are set up. This should have been done in the very first episode; if you've never been inside a Flying Fortress, or never looked at a diagram, it would be very difficult to understand where the different crew members are stationed.
That's what I thought watching that whole sequence: why are we on episode five and this is the first time the filmmakers are seemingly putting in any effort to furnish us with the information we NEED so as to orient ourselves? As I said in another comment, I suspect it's because of the change in directors, but it's very odd this issue wasn't picked up on by producers. I've spent most of the season trying to figure out what is happening and who is who. This episode made sure to let us sit with characters (even the newbies and people in smaller roles), to understand the mission parameters ("we're approaching the target" "we're one minute out" "we don't drop until the lead plane does" "now" "bombs away" All of this is information we need to have to be oriented and inside the mission) and obviously went to great trouble to even let us get to know the individual planes, with lingering shots revealing their names. Essential information, neglected in eps 1 - 4.
Old neighbor, S/Sgt Casimir "Whitey" Raczynski was either the waist or tail gunner on Stymie. POW through the rest of the war.
You would not have smelled "cordite" in a B-17. Cordite was a British propellant. Dupont's IMR powder was the mainstay of US military cartridges.
This is the first episode where the tone and dialog finally felt "correct".
No idea if the Directors or show runners will read this, but was there a conscious decision to move Bubbles death to the Munster mission? Bubbles Payne was KIA almost a year later in '44 on a different mission.
No, I don't know. Jesus christ...