When the US enters WW2, Greg "Pappy" Boyington is flying with the American Volunteer Group, "The Flying Tigers", in China. Once the US gains a foothold on the Japanese empire in the Solomon Islands he heads there and rejoins the Marine Corps. By hook and by crook he gains the rank of Major and forms his own fighter squadron. He recruits his pilots from those being court martialled for a variety of offences. The ragtag squadron he forms will turn out be one of the most successful in the Pacific Theatre: VMF-214 - The Black Sheep Squadron.
I was initially disappointed with this series because I was expecting a gritty, accurate telling of the history of Pappy Boyington, VMF-214 and the air war over Guadalcanal and the Solomons. This most certainly is not: huge liberties are taken with history and military equipment and procedures. Even the geography is wildly inaccurate at times (e.g. Corsairs flying a 5,500 km round trip from the Solomon Islands to Ulithi for a mission).
However, once you learn to live with all the inaccuracies and suspend disbelief it turns out to be quite fun. The series is less about the military action and more about the goings-on within the squadron, covering things like personal relationships and team management. These are generally quite interesting and entertaining.
Moreover, the aircraft used are real WW2 stock and get a lot of screentime: actual Corsairs plus a few Zeroes and the occasional P-38, C-47 etc. Makes a very pleasant change from game-like CGI or fake equipment (e.g. Modern-day US tanks being used as Panzer IVs, Panthers, Tigers etc in many war movies of the 60s and 70s). There's a few liberties taken, e.g. Val and Kate dive/torpedo bombers masquerading as Zeroes, but these are quite minor and barely noticeable.
The use of archival war footage is also well done and is woven into the action scenes very convincingly.
However, some of the lustre does go off the series in the second season. The plots become weaker and there are some largescale character/casting changes. Some of the more colourful characters leave, never to return, and are either not replaced or replaced by some irritating characters. The additions of Sergeant Micklin and Lt. Pruitt were particularly irritating: Micklin (played by Red West) being a very one-dimensional, cartoonish character and Pruitt (Jeb Adams) seeming straight out of a Disney kid's movie. I didn't mind the addition of Samantha Greene (Denise DuBarry) though...
Season ratings: Season 1: 7.5/10, Season 2: 6/10.
I was initially disappointed with this series because I was expecting a gritty, accurate telling of the history of Pappy Boyington, VMF-214 and the air war over Guadalcanal and the Solomons. This most certainly is not: huge liberties are taken with history and military equipment and procedures. Even the geography is wildly inaccurate at times (e.g. Corsairs flying a 5,500 km round trip from the Solomon Islands to Ulithi for a mission).
However, once you learn to live with all the inaccuracies and suspend disbelief it turns out to be quite fun. The series is less about the military action and more about the goings-on within the squadron, covering things like personal relationships and team management. These are generally quite interesting and entertaining.
Moreover, the aircraft used are real WW2 stock and get a lot of screentime: actual Corsairs plus a few Zeroes and the occasional P-38, C-47 etc. Makes a very pleasant change from game-like CGI or fake equipment (e.g. Modern-day US tanks being used as Panzer IVs, Panthers, Tigers etc in many war movies of the 60s and 70s). There's a few liberties taken, e.g. Val and Kate dive/torpedo bombers masquerading as Zeroes, but these are quite minor and barely noticeable.
The use of archival war footage is also well done and is woven into the action scenes very convincingly.
However, some of the lustre does go off the series in the second season. The plots become weaker and there are some largescale character/casting changes. Some of the more colourful characters leave, never to return, and are either not replaced or replaced by some irritating characters. The additions of Sergeant Micklin and Lt. Pruitt were particularly irritating: Micklin (played by Red West) being a very one-dimensional, cartoonish character and Pruitt (Jeb Adams) seeming straight out of a Disney kid's movie. I didn't mind the addition of Samantha Greene (Denise DuBarry) though...
Season ratings: Season 1: 7.5/10, Season 2: 6/10.