Apple TV+ | Release Date: November 1, 2019
7.0
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 96 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
67
Mixed:
10
Negative:
19
Review this TV Series
VOTE NOW
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Check box if your review contains spoilers 0 characters (5000 max)
1
Janice_23Jul 29, 2022
I love SciFi and alt history, so was excited for this show, but it has been very disappointing, and mostly just boring. I'm trying to watch season 3 but the lack of imagination (no real science fiction), a just slightly alt history, andI love SciFi and alt history, so was excited for this show, but it has been very disappointing, and mostly just boring. I'm trying to watch season 3 but the lack of imagination (no real science fiction), a just slightly alt history, and tedious characters ruin what could have been a great show. Also, the alt timeline is illogical - watch The Man in the High Castle for how an alt history should be done. Expand
3 of 3 users found this helpful30
All this user's reviews
2
BerfeitoJul 17, 2022
I want to like it, but the series glorifies insubordination and mutiny a bit too much. It is also heavy on Earth-based drama and light on outer space/planetary exploration. UPDATE: I just finished watching season three and it is clear I willI want to like it, but the series glorifies insubordination and mutiny a bit too much. It is also heavy on Earth-based drama and light on outer space/planetary exploration. UPDATE: I just finished watching season three and it is clear I will not watch future seasons. Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
All this user's reviews
3
NorthPeruvianCMar 12, 2021
The space scenes, space drama, and tension of the space related mission control issues are gripping... The shoving of LGBTQP issues, forcing of females into the limelight as not just being equal but better than men at everything is tiresome,The space scenes, space drama, and tension of the space related mission control issues are gripping... The shoving of LGBTQP issues, forcing of females into the limelight as not just being equal but better than men at everything is tiresome, they are taking the Star Trek: Discovery script down to the letter. Female empowerment is great, making every white male in the show weak, stubborn, angry and irrational however is not and that's the current trajectory. According to this timeline, equality means re-writing white people out of the script (I'm Asian and I find this revisionist idealism **** annoying). If they are white, they must either be gay/lesbian, or if they are straight they have serious issues. Basically, everything that would have been considered normal is wrong, nuclear families don't work, the old American ideal was backwards thinking, the future is female, minority and LGBTQP owned and the show focuses on that singular SJW perspective now more than the actual missions as time progresses.

Watching the first episode of season 2 and its 90% females in charge of literally everything (NASA Director, Space Missions, Flight Directors, Crew Captains, Moon Base Commanders) literally everyone in a position of power is now female, strong men don't exist in this timeline anymore without the aforementioned issues.

The ladies are LITERALLY carrying the weak men on their backs because they fail at everything lol... also now apparently overweight people on the moon are a thing now because we don't expect our top pilots and astronauts to be in peak physical shape anymore that would go against body positivity. Race card is played HARD midway in season 2, where the commander of a mission is essentially chosen because she's black, despite not being active for years. Once again highlighting everything wrong with SJW mindset, choosing people BASED on their race instead of the best people for the job is textbook definition of R-A-C-S-I-S-M. Season 2 thus far has been completely downhill, less than 10 mins in space, the rest of the season is earth drama.
Expand
9 of 10 users found this helpful91
All this user's reviews
1
Qgal5kapAug 2, 2022
Would have been a good show, if it weren't for the absolutely cringe worthy integration of social justice. Makes it really unwatchable, as it's so blatant and so in your face. It's like the story itself is second to the political agenda. WhatWould have been a good show, if it weren't for the absolutely cringe worthy integration of social justice. Makes it really unwatchable, as it's so blatant and so in your face. It's like the story itself is second to the political agenda. What a waste of talented actors. The episodes are also really long, with lots of uninteresting filler. Just nonsensical dialogue, with no real impact. Expand
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
All this user's reviews
2
KaliderosNov 21, 2019
First the brief review: If you're interested in a show that is 9 parts melodrama to one part space filled with over the top and cliched appeals to identity politics, then this show is right up your alley. If you're looking for a compellingFirst the brief review: If you're interested in a show that is 9 parts melodrama to one part space filled with over the top and cliched appeals to identity politics, then this show is right up your alley. If you're looking for a compelling alt-history show or a show with a focus on the space race, you are going to want to look elsewhere.

Now for the full review. As a warning this review references events that are shown in the trailer and are completely covered by the end of the first episode (though this review does apply to all 5 broadcast episodes). This series can be summed up in two words: missed potential. For the brief moments of space related scenes, the production quality is excellent. The acting is, in general, very good. And the setting and scenario they've laid out for themselves is phenomenal. The problem is the writing and story telling. The writers have chosen to drive in identity politic narratives with the refinement and nuance of a level that might be expected had the script been written by a Twitter focus group.

The show's starting plot device is that Soviets beat us to the moon. The then proceed to do the exact same thing, except this time with a woman. This is completely believable and perfectly reasonable. What happens next though, is not. How would we respond? Probably with hardcore pro-America propaganda alongside planning to one-up the Soviets, perhaps by aiming to move onwards to Mars, as Werner von Braun had planned even in real life as far back as the early 60s. Alternatively we might have spun it as emphasizing the lack of creativity of the Soviet system -- implicitly drawing parallels to how we used modern art as a propaganda weapon in real life. All they can achieve after landing a person on the moon is to do the exact same thing again at a cost of billions of dollars, all the while suffering from constant shortages of various food and supplies? Oh you can spin that real easily, and we would have.

But no. How does this show portray our response?

To start with American broadcasters are apparently live streaming the Soviet Landing and actively translating the Soviet propaganda in real time a depressed monotone. In this propaganda heavy conflict that's already somewhat difficult to swallow. For instance when we landed on the moon, it was intentionally mitigated to little more than a brief mention in the Soviet newspapers. Our press was certainly more independent but in this conflict propaganda and nationalism played critical roles, even stateside. This is already really pushing the suspension of disbelief.

However, where the show then jumps the shark is when the American broadcasters then decide to start spinning things along the lines of a feminist pro-Soviet propaganda mouthpiece of the time might. This is then followed by full face zoom-in scenes of the various primary female leads in the show cockily smirking. Well all except for the single female chosen to portray an individual happy and content in a traditional gender role. She is inexplicably framed as seeming disconcerted and shattered. One can only assume the writers are trying to imply that the only reason she be happy being a stay at home mother is because she felt women were incapable of such achievements, which has only now been shown to be wrong. OK...

And things only get far more over the top from here on out, though I want to avoid any spoilers. Ultimately I do think the identity politics stuff does make sense in this context and would likely have played some role in real life. However that rapidly becomes the entire point of the show and is presented with poor writing, extreme cliches, and sledgehammer subtlety. The net result is to destroy a series that otherwise had an immense amount of potential. I hope this might be improved in future seasons, but this seems unlikely as things only get more extreme after the first episode. By contrast the show constantly teases the notion of a female "undocumented migrant" child pyromaniac growing up to play a key role in the US space program.

I am really trying my hardest to enjoy this show, but it's become unwatchable.
Expand
5 of 8 users found this helpful53
All this user's reviews
1
Nobilis1984Jun 9, 2022
A good approach, but one that is destroyed with a lot of Pro Frau content. All women are better at cramps here and men are idiots. This may be the case on an alternative earth, but it does not correspond to the reality of today. Men are stillA good approach, but one that is destroyed with a lot of Pro Frau content. All women are better at cramps here and men are idiots. This may be the case on an alternative earth, but it does not correspond to the reality of today. Men are still in every top position, and few women make it to that level. Who thinks up this garbage? Expand
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
All this user's reviews
1
Fglaush67Nov 2, 2019
Very disappointed great concept for a story ruined by politically correct pandering....
12 of 26 users found this helpful1214
All this user's reviews
3
Modnar99Nov 6, 2019
Watchable, but the heavy-handed social-justice virtue-signalling really takes you out of the story. With other shows doing the same (Watchmen) it's hard not to roll your eyes. Great cast, though.
7 of 17 users found this helpful710
All this user's reviews
3
wookiebisquitsMay 21, 2023
What started out as a fairly grounded story of space exploration, by season three has devolved into a ridiculous melodrama full of bad dramatic tropes worthy of a Michael Bay disaster movie.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews