The Pacific

From the makers of Band Of Brothers is pretty much all the build-up new show The Pacific needs. The new 10-part, $150m HBO miniseries, executive produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, is another war epic, this time set in amongst the battle between America and Japan in the Pacific during WWII.

The series tells the stories of three intertwined soldiers, largely based on the memoirs of US Marines Eugene Sledge and Robert Leckie, with action largely fought on the front line dipping for the odd episode into time off and a soldier’s life at war when they’re not on the battlefield.

The first couple of episodes are something of a slow start and for one reason or another lack the intensity of Band Of Brothers or classic war films, as you get to know the central characters, however, expect that to change as over the 10-part series your affinity with each of the leading men will likely grow.

Four episodes have currently aired in America, each topping the one that came before it, although whether the casual viewing audience will be so patient is another matter. The Pacific is definitely worth a chance though and given the creators’ calibur, it’s unlikely, come the finale, you’ll be left disappointed.

The Pacific starts tonight at 9pm on Sky Movies and Sky Movies HD, and in the States, airs every Sunday at 9pm on HBO.