World War II with Tom Hanks

Bingeable and briskly told, “World War II With Tom Hanks” approaches its subject region by region, theater by theater, cliché by cliché: The Poles didn’t roll over, and neither did the French, and the specific reasons Germany was so successful in the first stage of “the bloodiest conflict in all history,” as Mr. Hanks puts it, are made plain. And accessible.

As comprehensive as World War II With Tom Hanks seems it will be, even people who consider themselves experts in World War II might learn some new information about the massive conflagaration during the show’s 20 episode.

If your knowledge is sketchy, a 20-hour investment in this programme will provide you with the basics. It does feel basic, though: the war is too big for it.