Bombs Away!

Twenty years after ER, George Clooney returns to TV in a razor-sharp satire about the madness of war.

There’s no question that Catch-22 is one of the most iconic novels of the 20th Century, but the World War Two satire’s dense plot made many people doubt there’d ever be a screen version to do it justice.

However, Hollywood star George Clooney believes this new six-parter brings Joseph Heller’s famous 1961 tale to life as never before, while also capturing the book’s wit and irreverence.

Set at the tail end of the war, the series follows US Army Air Force bombardier John Yossarian (Girls’ Christopher Abbott), who finds himself trapped in an impossible situation as he flies bombing missions over Italy. He’s desperate to escape the war, but falls foul of ‘Catch-22’, a frustrating rule that means only crazy servicemen are allowed to go home – and asking to go home proves he isn’t crazy…

It’s Clooney’s first major TV series since he left ER 20 years ago. And with the 58-year-old directing two episodes, while also starring as Yossarian’s commanding officer, Lieutenant Scheisskopf, the Oscar winner was the perfect person to fill us in on all the details…

How did you get involved with Catch-22?