The Pacific. Based on Alex Kershaw's eponymous 2012 novel, the four-part Netflix adaptation follows American soldier Felix Sparks and the 157th regiment's 500-mile journey through Europe. Given the scope of the narrative, along with the diversity of the focal military unit, there's more than enough material for a proper 10-episode live-action series, one that would've provided a more detailed of Sparks' experiences during World War II.
For storytelling purposes, Netflix miniseries, viewers may be reminded of Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg's outstanding HBO series Band of Brothers and The Pacific, both of which are so incredibly impactful because of the historical authenticity and attention to detail.
The Liberator was reportedly supposed to be a live-action series but eventually turned into a condensed animated production. As a result, the filmmakers naturally had to pick and choose what to focus on thematically, which means that so much contextual information is left out. For example, Band of Brothers begins with Easy Company training in Camp Toccoa, Georgia, which emotionally preps the audience for the subsequent episode about D-Day, or the Invasion of Normandy (Operation Overlord). From there, Band of Brothers follows Easy Company through and eventually into , covering several key battles along the way. The characters are defined; the motivations are clear. The series is centered on war, of course, but it's the relationship building and character development that establishes the tone for each battle. The Liberator on Netflix covers the backstories of a few characters, but there's so much more to explore.
Just as The Pacific offers a different look at World War II by focusing on three U.S. soldiers from the 1st Marine Division, The Liberator similarly tells a unique story with the inherent diversity of the 157th regiment. The Netflix series acknowledges that the unit was comprised of Apache, Seminole, Cherokee, Sioux, Choctaw, and Mexican Americans — the problem, however, is that the stories can't be fully explored due to time constraints. Furthermore, the animation offers a unique viewing experience but doesn't necessarily allow the Netflix audience to fully connect with the characters. A more thorough look at the 157th regiment would've made the Battle of Anzio sequence even more impactful.
The story told in The Liberator is thematically similar to Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and the Netflix would've ideally dedicated more time to his pre-war experiences with wife Mary, along with his arrival in North Africa before Operation Husky commenced.
