Despite the fact that many viewers likely went into Masters of the Air assuming that Austin Butler would be the default main character, it turns out that the war drama has a narrator who is decidedly not Butler, and in fact, plays an equally important role in the series. Austin Butler, the narrator, and the rest of the Masters of the Air cast portray the real-life men who served in the U.S. Army Air Forces’ 100th Bombardment Group during World War II. Notably, Masters of the Air is a companion to 2000’s Band of Brothers and 2010’s The Pacific.
From the start, Masters of the Air has a narrator that provides context to what is happening on screen. Early on, he introduces the show’s key characters, and later, he narrates his own story. What is initially notable about this narrator is that it is not Austin Butler. Secondly, the narrator’s identity is somewhat hard to pin down at first. Audiences are left wondering who this man could be, if not main character Austin Butler, and why he is narrating in the first place. However, with context, it all starts to make sense.
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Harry Crosby Narrates Masters Of The Air – Because He Wrote The Book It’s Based On
The narrator of Masters of the Air is Major Harry Crosby, played by Irish actor, Anthony Boyle. The biggest reason why Crosby narrates the series is because he wrote one of the books that Masters of the Air is based on. While Masters of the Air is mainly tied to Donald L. Miller’s book, “Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany,” the war drama needed many sources in order to remain accurate. Therefore, to get the true story of the 100th Bomb Group, Crosby’s book, “A Wing and a Prayer” was used.
In this way, it makes sense that Crosby would narrate Masters of the Air. While the series has many interesting characters that could have taken up this mantel, it makes sense that it is Crosby because he is the one who wrote about his experiences and the men around him. He is both a participant and an observer of the 100th. Therefore, his takes and his writings are important. Furthermore, Crosby’s job as navigator makes his narration role even more meaningful. Just as he navigates B-17 bombers, he also leads audiences through the story.
Why Masters Of The Air Needs A Narrator
It’s important for Masters of the Air to have a narrator because it is a simple way for the series to provide context. While the actors are capable of portraying their characters, it is harder for them to make audiences understand what is going on in terms of the war without sounding strange and informational. Therefore, Harry Crosby’s narration is important because he can easily provide backstory and important facts while also sounding like he is just telling a story. Ultimately, it is a tool that is vital to telling the Masters of the Air story in its entirety.
Masters of the Air
- Release Date
- January 26, 2024
- Cast
- Austin Butler , Callum Turner , Barry Keoghan , Nikolai Kinski , Stephen Campbell Moore , Sawyer Spielberg , Isabel May , Anthony Boyle
- Where To Watch
- Apple TV+
