Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks are known for their iconic collaborations across different genres. One of the most frequent collaborators, the director-actor pairing is famous for heralding a new era of cinema and pioneering modern cinema. Amongst their many revered projects, the HBO mini-series Band of Brothers occupies a special place.
Not only was the series the first of its kind, a big-budget mini-series with wide aspect ratio shots, but it also redefined the era of Modern television, better known as Prestige TV. No less than a cinematic wonder, the series kickstarted a television revolution that has made projects like Game of Thrones a possibility.
Steven Spielberg & Tom Hanks’ Band of Brothers Changed the Course of Modern Television
Created by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, Band of Brothers was one-of-a-kind television series back when it was being made. Made against a budget that went over $120 million, the series is based on Stephen E Ambrose’s best-selling non-fiction book of the same name.
An epic account of real events that went down in WWII among the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, the series meticulously captured the realities of war. With an 1100-acre backlot, 500 speaking roles, 10,000 extras, 700 real weapons, and 400 prop guns, the mini-series was just as challenging to make as making a big studio movie today (via Band of Brothers Documentary and Behind the Scenes).
Determined to bring an unprecedented level of authenticity, accuracy, and quality, the HBO mini-series required a budget and resources that were previously unheard of. And Tom Hanks, in an interview with Deadline, remarked how even the then-HBO CEO was convinced this would be the last time they would be able to make such a big-budget show.
Jeff Bewkes (then HBO CEO) agreed to our budget – which was HUGE – as well as our need for a bigger screen aspect ratio by saying, ‘We might as well. This is the last time we’ll ever be able to do something like this.’ An expensive miniseries was going to be an anachronism. But Chris Albrecht and HBO went on to prove that quality and can-they-do-that-on- television??? draws the audience no matter the costs.
Well, Bewkes could not have been more wrong. Not only did Band of Brothers usher in a completely new era of television and revolutionize the entire television industry, but it also set a new benchmark for TV shows (no matter what genre) by defying every conventional rule of making television shows.
Band of Brothers Made TV Shows like Game of Thrones Possible
From winning an Emmy Award to Golden Globes, Steven Spielberg and Tom Hank’s collaboration was a success of unimaginable levels. Often heralded as one of the best television shows ever to be made regardless of the genre, the series has yet to receive the true recognition it deserves. Over the years, its recognition and acclaim have consistently wanned, so much so that the show ranked 36 in BBC Culture’s critics’ poll of the best television shows of the 21st Century.
Having an incredible ensemble cast, the show starred some of the finest actors of today’s age including Kirk Acevedo, Michale Cudlitz, Scott Grimes, Damian Lewis, David Schwimmer, and Michael Fassbender, and had several other acclaimed actors in minor roles. The first of its kind, the series inevitably paved the way for other ambitious projects that sought to blur the lines between TV and films.
Doing what HBO, let alone any other production house had never done, Band of Brothers’ success redefined the age of cinema, helping projects like Game of Thrones to become a possibility. Ever since its premiere in September 2001 on HBO, the Steven Spielberg series made big-budget shows possible, proving to the industry that any big-budget show with an intriguing storyline is worthy just as much as a movie of equal budget.
Without the leap of faith taken by Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and HBO, the possibility of shows like Game of Thrones, Stranger Things, and The Rings of Power coming into existence would have been pretty bleak. As Spielberg and Hanks’s remarkable achievements and Band of Brothers’ legacy continue to inspire future generations of TV, the HBO miniseries is more than just a show but a pivotal moment for television that made epics like Game of Thrones not only a possibility but also inevitable.
Band of Brothers can be streamed on Netflix.
