Catch-22
2019
Original language: English
- comedy
- drama
- war & politics
The story
Pianosa Island, Italy, World War II. Bombardier John Yossarian tries to fulfill his duty, maintain sanity and return home as soon as possible, but incompetence and bureaucracy constantly stand in his way.
What it’s like
Sun-bleached and sweat-soaked, with hot Mediterranean light flattening the Pianosa airstrip into a glare the eye can barely bear, and the dust, olive scrub and crowded tents of the bomber base rendered in warm, dirty ochres. The camera tends to hold on faces and ordinary bureaucratic rooms, and the score is sparing, leaning on drifting strings and the drone of engines that never quite leaves the soundtrack. Its vibe is absurdist dread, the kind of wry despair that makes you laugh and then feel slightly sick about laughing. Pacing is loose and episodic, with long sardonic conversations broken by sudden flashes of air-raid chaos, and the emotional register swings between dark comedy and real fear. The central figure is a weary bombardier slowly losing faith in every system that claims to protect him, and the arc is one of growing clarity bordering on defiance. Violence is present and occasionally sudden, including bombing sequences and the aftermath of combat, with some bloody injury and a grim sense of death, but it is not lingered on for gore. Best suited to viewers who want satirical war drama over a few evenings, not gentle comfort viewing, and to those who enjoy sharp, cynical humour in uniform.
More TV shows like Catch-22
Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved Catch-22and we’ll explain which ones fit you.
