Everything you need to know about The Pacific

Executive produced by Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and Gary Goetzman – the same team who created the acclaimed 2001 miniseries Band of Brothers – The Pacific turns our attention to the actions of the 1st Marine Division in the Pacific Theatre after the events of Pearl Harbour.

The series focuses on the experiences of three marines placed in different regiments: PFC. Robert Leckie, (James Badge Dale), Cpl. Eugene Sledge, (Jospeh Mazzello), and GySgt. John Basilone (Jon Seda). The three narrative threads occasionally intersect, and cover events such as the Guadalcanal campaign and the Battles of Cape Gloucester, Peleliu and Okinawa, as well as Basilone’s contribution to the Battle of Iwo Jima.

How many episodes are there?

The Pacific consists of ten episodes:

Part 1

Marine Robert Leckie has his first taste of combat on Guadalcanal, while privileged Eugene Sledge longs to join the war.

Part 2

As the fighting intensifies, John Basilone prepares to hold off a massive assault by Japanese forces.

Part 3

The Marines head to Australia for some much-needed R&R. As Leckie falls for a local girl, Basilone receives some sobering news.

Part 4

Robert Leckie battles both the elements and the enemy, as despair and disease take their toll on his unit.

Part 5

Eugene Sledge has his first experience of combat during the brutal assault on Peleliu.

Part 6

Eugene Sledge and Robert Leckie face constant bombardment from the enemy as they fight to secure Peleliu.

Part 7

As the enemy digs in, Sledge and his comrades become increasingly numb to the carnage that surrounds them.

Part 8

When John Basilone falls for the beautiful Lena, the couple must come to terms with his departure to Iwo Jima.

Part 9

Eugene Sledge and his comrades face the fiercest fighting yet on the war-ravaged island of Okinawa.

Part 10

Following the surrender of Japan, the Marines head home, but find returning to normal life is a battle in itself...

Who stars in The Pacific?

The three principal roles in The Pacific are played by James Badge Dale (Robert Leckie), Joseph Mazzello (Eugene Sledge), and Jon Seda (John Basilone).

Just as with Band of Brothers, The Pacific features several faces who would break out in the years after the series. Amongst the familiar faces you might spot Martin McCann (Blue Lights), Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead) and future Oscar winner Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody).

Is The Pacific based on a real story?

The Pacific is in part based on the memoirs of real-life Marines Eugene Sledge and Robert Leckie as well as the memoir of Chuck Tatum – a Marine who served with Basilone at the Battle of Iwo Jima. The story is a dramatic interpretation of the real events that took place in the Pacific Theatre of World War II.

As with Band of Brothers, each episode opens with excerpts from interviews with veterans who served in the events portrayed in the series.

Is The Pacific a prequel to Masters of the Air?

The Pacific is a precursor to Masters of the Air, rather than a prequel. While both series are executive produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, they are viewed as companion pieces rather than being directly connected. The narrative of each series focuses on a different military outfit in a different theatre of World War II.

Is The Pacific better than Band of Brothers?

Both Band of Brothers and The Pacific were released to critical acclaim and collected a number of awards, including multiple Emmys. Band of Brothers set a high bar to clear, with the series registering a 97% Fresh rating on review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes. The Pacific is almost as well regarded, however, with a 91% rating on the same website. Of course, the only way to really be sure is to watch both and decide for yourself.

How can I watch The Pacific in the UK?

All ten episodes of The Pacific are only available to watch on demand on Sky. They are not available to watch on the BBC, Netflix, Disney + or Apple+.