A Beloved Steven Spielberg HBO Miniseries Brings War To Netflix's Top Charts
It's been 22 years since "Band of Brothers" captivated television audiences with its gripping 10-episode tale of a United States paratrooper company's daring, civilization-saving exploits in the European Theater of World War II. And according to its placement on Netflix's top charts, it is as relevant and watchable as ever.
Whether the streamer's subscribers are revisiting the classic miniseries or discovering it for the first time, it's encouraging to know that people are still moved by the heroism of the young soldiers who put their lives on the line to turn back Adolf Hitler's genocidal grab for world domination — especially as we watch the American Republican party and the country's law enforcement get overrun by the types of white supremacists who contributed to the rise of the Third Reich. We live in perilous times, so it's important to remember how many brave individuals fought and died to eliminate the threat that faces us today.
It's also a reminder of just how freaking good "Band of Brothers" was. It was a tremendously well-crafted show that made brilliant use of its B-list cast — which is not a knock on the actors, but an acknowledgment that A-listers rarely deigned to appear on a television series back in the day. Of course people are watching it, again or for the first time.
Why should you watch it? If you're not sold on the above description, let me give you a whole host of reasons to dive in.
An unforgettable war saga from peerless storytellers
Created by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, who were four years removed from their masterful collaboration on the WWII epic "Saving Private Ryan," "Band of Brothers" is based on Stephen A. Ambrose's meticulously detailed history of Easy Company, which belonged to the celebrated 101st Airborne Division. Despite its pedigree, it was a risky undertaking at the time. The entire miniseries cost $125 million, making it the most expensive undertaking of its kind in television history. If the show flopped with critics, it would be a massive black eye for HBO, which had just unwittingly kicked off the "peak TV" era with the 1999 premiere of "The Sopranos."
As a result, Hanks and Spielberg put their best available men on the series. The great Phil Alden Robinson, who gave us bonafide big-screen masterpieces in "Field of Dreams" and "Sneakers," helmed the pilot, while battle-tested industry pros like David Nutter, Richard Loncraine, and Mikael Salomon (the genius cinematographer of "The Abyss," "Always" and "Backdraft") picked up episodes along the way. The writing staff included Graham Yost ("Justified") and E. Max Frye ("Something Wild").
And that B-list cast turned in A-plus, compellingly authentic performances. Damian Lewis owes his Hollywood career to his portrayal of Major Richard Winters, while familiar faces like Ron Livingston, Neal McDonough, Scott Grimes, Michael Cudlitz, and Kirk Acevedo are all exceptional. "Band of Brothers" is a harrowing experience (though not quite as harrowing as its follow-up "The Pacific"), and as satisfying a journey as you're likely to find on Netflix. In this case, follow the crowd. You can't go wrong with this essential piece of television.