‘Exceedingly’ good war drama based on one of the ‘best books ever written’ on Amazon Prime | Books | Entertainment

There are only a few who wouldn’t have heard of Joseph Heller’s masterpiece 1961 novel, Catch-22, at some point or the other in their lives.

The best-seller almost always finds itself ranked among ‘Greatest Books of All Time’ lists, and for good reason.

While an attempt to adapt the book for the big screen was previously made back in 1970 with Catch-22 (the film), the iteration fell flat for most fans of the famous novel, with many feeling the film didn’t do Heller’s book justice.

However, 2019 changed that, with Catch-22 (the miniseries) hitting the small screen. Marking George Clooney’s return to direction, the made-for-television series had massively famous names attached to it from the start.

The satirical black comedy miniseries took one more attempt at adapting Heller’s masterpiece war novel, this time for the small screen, and it seems the effort paid off.

With a smashing approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Catch-22 (the miniseries) has been hailed as being ‘exceedingly good’ by viewers.

The show stars Christopher Abbott in the lead, taking on the role of Captain John ‘Yo-Yo’ Yossarian. Abbott is joined by Kyle Chandler, Hugh Laurie, Daniel David Stewart, and George Clooney on the small screen, rounding out a stellar cast dripping with oodles of talent.

Clooney also served as an executive producer on the show, alongside his producing partner and frequent collaborator, Grant Heslov, with both men directing two episodes each, and Ellen Kuras coming on board to direct another two to complete the six-part miniseries.

The miniseries’ premise stays true to that of the book, albeit with its own pacing and narrative decisions taking centrestage.

The show’s official plot states: “Artful dodger Yossarian is a bombardier in the U.S. Air Force during World War II who is upset that thousands of people who he has never met are trying to kill him. His biggest problem isn’t the enemy, though, it’s his own army that keeps increasing the number of missions soldiers must fly in order to complete their service.

“And if Yossarian tries to make an attempt to avoid his assignments, he will be in violation of catch-22, a bureaucratic rule that states a man is considered insane if he willing continues to fly dangerous missions, but a request to be removed from duty is evidence of sanity and makes him ineligible to be relieved of his duty.”

For the miniseries, four original aircraft were sourced to add a layer of authenticity to filming, with two North American B-25 Mitchell medium bombers, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain military transport, and a Junkers Ju 52 transport being used by the makers.

While one critic said of the series: “It is beautifully shot, thoughtfully written and incredibly well acted.”

Another reviewer wrote: “Bringing this work to TV was a risky move, but the finished product is exceedingly well done and, at a time when government gobbledygook has trumped all previous notions of unbelievability, perhaps more urgent than anyone could have predicted.”

Praise for Clooney was also abundant, with one critic sayin: “The show marks a return for [George] Clooney as a storyteller, playing into both sides of his directorial oeuvre and makes a strong case for Christopher Abbott as a new leading man.”

While another reviewer showered the miniseries with high praise: “Considering the source text, I honestly cannot imagine how it could have been done better.”

Audiences were left equally spellbound, with one viewer writing: “I stumbled upon this masterpiece when searching for a documentary about ww2, though this isn’t a documentary this was a great show.

“This show became like a drug and made me addicted to it, every episode made me want to watch the next one. The story based on the book was made into film wonderfully, the enviroment and the music fitted the shows vibe fantastically. I definitely recomend you to watch it!”

While another fan of the series said: “Fantastic adaption of the book – great cast, beautifully shoot, good pacing”

Yet another impressed viewer said of the little-known show: “What a fantastic mini-series, and I didn’t even see much advertisement on it. I’m not really into war movies/tv shows, but this one definitely makes the cut. It really highlights humanity for what it is.”

While one fan wrote: “Really enjoyed the honesty of the so and amazing sets, costumes and cast. One of my favorite things I have watched in a long time.”

Catch-22 is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.