No spoilers.
From okay-ish, to stunning. From bland characters, to in-depth treasures. From tedious speed, to exhilarating momentum. Third time's the charm indeed. It took us two episodes, which, in anything but a mini series would be fine, to get to the episode that shows us Masters of the Air's true potential. The episode has nearly everything the show missed thus far. By the end, we've been on a journey, witnessed the cost of war, and see where our aerial troops stand amidst conflict.
While no guarantee can be given for the momentum to be held at this very point in the show, episode 3 sets the stage anew. If you look past the grim nature of mission briefing telling nothing of the severity of the challenge ahead, facial expressions and hard-heard sighs make up for its absence. The action in particular, is stunning. Nearly capturing the feeling of being on such a plane yourself, Cary (director for the first two episodes as well) takes you deep into the battle. The mission is an immensely important one, one that has been told many times but never has been captured this beautifully.
Add to the above that we can finally begin to see the splintering of arcs and storylines, the episode is easily the best so far. With it setting the tone for the episodes to come, hopefully, one can't help but wonder how their favorite characters will fare further down the line.
9 out of 10 knots. Stunning TV.
