Television: Space Force, the TV Show

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Source/Credit: Netflix.

It did not take long for the newly-created U.S. Space Force to be the butt of jokes, but its mission is critical, as has already been noted in earlier postings on this site. Even so, a little bit of humor goes a long way, and the Netflix series Space Force has plenty of humor to go around. Season two starts Friday, February 18th. Here are trailers for season one and two.

Steve Carell is perfect as the leader of U.S. Space Force as it bungles along and eventually faces an international crisis on the moon. Mimicking reality, the U.S. and China have designs on the Moon and it may not be big enough for both nations. Given the accompanying cast, such as John Malkovich, Lisa Kudrow, and Ben Schwartz, you know this will be one strange space ride. Patton Oswalt will join the cast in season two as a bumbling astronaut, so things can only get more insane. Think of it as a combination of The Office and The Right Stuff giving birth to “The Wrong Stuff.”

We all need a laugh at the moment, so tune in and lighten up. After that, you can look into the work of the official U.S. Space Force and start worrying again.

Note: Here is the mission statement of the real U.S. Space Force (that word “Guardians” is really in there):

The USSF is responsible for organizing, training, and equipping Guardians to conduct global space operations that enhance the way our joint and coalition forces fight, while also offering decision makers military options to achieve national objectives.

Source/Credit: Official flag of the official U.S. Space Force.

Note: The real Space Force is protecting our satellites rather than running missions to the Moon, Mars, and Europa. TV shows have more latitude on such things.

Television: The Silent Sea

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Source/Credit: Netflix.

Netflix’s new series from South Korea, The Silent Sea, was released right before Christmas and did not get a lot of attention. It may not deserve a lot of attention, and would have probably been better as a short film (which is how it started) rather than an 8-part series, but it was passable as entertainment.

The year is 2075 and Earth has become a dust bowl where water is rationed and civilization is dying. We seem to have the ability to maintain manned stations on the Moon and Mars, but water conservation is beyond our abilities. It seems we did not have a Planet B ready to go. With this background, the series is about a special team sent back to the Moon to visit a failed station and retrieve critical scientific samples. I will not give you too many hints, but it relates back to the water shortage on Earth.

The trip to the Moon seemed more like a Southwest flight than a space mission, and the Moon base itself is a ridiculously gigantic facility at the edge of a chasm, yet the action mainly takes place within the Moon base at a good pace. Throughout the series there are mysterious deaths, unknown figures running around the station, and corporate espionage, so it does not lack a fair amount of drama. Sadly, the last episode unravels quickly with a somewhat dumb (and certainly unbelievable) ending.

I cannot recommend it after seeing much better series, such as The Expanse and National Geographic’s Mars. However, if you need to satisfy your science fiction fix before other space series are available, give it a try. You have been warned.

Source/Credit: Scene from The Silent Sea from Netflix.

Television: Updates on Star Trek

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Source: Paramount Plus.

If you are a Trekkie, you will want to stay abreast of some of the new and returning Star Trek series. I have provided some dates for your calendar.

— Star Trek: Discovery: Season 4 returns with new episodes on February 10th after taking a short break. Here is the trailer for the season. You can learn more about the series and watch earlier episodes at Paramount Plus.

— Star Trek: Picard: The series returns with its second season on March 3rd. Check out the trailer and you may recognize a few faces, including Q, Guinan, and the Borg as well. You can find season 1 episodes at Paramount Plus.

— Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: This new series premieres on May 5th. The series will follow Captain Pike and his time on the USS Enterprise. You can meet the actors of this series via this trailer.

If you are a fan of the animated series, you may want to check out these links for Star Trek: Prodigy and Star Trek: Lower Decks.

Source: Paramount Plus.

Television: The End of “The Expanse”

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Source: The Expanse on Amazon Prime.

This week Amazon Prime released the final episode of the The Expanse, a brilliant space drama that has been running for six seasons, first on Syfy and later on Amazon Prime. Based on a series of books written by James S. A. Corey (a two-person team), it tells the story of a settled solar system where the old problems dividing all of us are simply moved onto a larger playing field. Mars and Earth are jockeying for power while the miners in the asteroid belt creating the necessary resources feel forgotten and abused. War ensues as does new discoveries (and related weapons), which simply get folded into the ongoing battles. And the playing field widens again as a portal, called the Ring, gives the warring factions access to more star systems and planets.

The television series is a wonder to watch, with excellent acting, fantastic story-lines, and the creative use of venues in our solar system, from Ceres in the asteroid belt to the various moons of Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. It is also a very dark show as it illustrates an ugly side to our expansion into new worlds – ruthless ambition, terrorism, revolution, and civil war.

I have not seen anything like it since the remake of Battlestar Galactica, and I would put it on the same level (with some better special effects given the time that has passed). But the most important part is the characters, and you will find a team in the center of this series that you would follow anywhere.

If you are new to the series, you are in for a lot of fun. If you are finishing the series like me and you have only experienced the television show, I think the next step is to dig into the books to live in this world a little longer.

Extra: Check out this Den of Geek article concerning whether The Expanse will continue in any format – “The Expanse: The Possibility of a Season 7 or Sequel Series.”

Has Star Trek Gone Negative?

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Source: Paramount+.

If you are a Trekkie, you have probably gained inspiration from the multitude of Star Trek series spawned from the original 1966 show. Star Trek: The Next Generation continues to be my favorite, yet I have also enjoyed all of the other earlier series and made it through at least one season of the latest Star Trek: Discovery. I admit it can be a little dark, but you still see hope for a better future around the edges.

Reason magazine believes the latest series is not up to par with the others. In a recent article, “Even if Modern Star Trek Doesn’t Think So, the World Is Getting Better,” the author states:

…Star Trek now seeks to reinforce the trepidation and existential doubt that is a hallmark of our modern culture. Instead of showing the potential of what humanity can become, Discovery seems to reflect more on what the feelings of the human condition are today.

The author also complains about Star Trek: Picard, but that is unfair. I found the series focused on Captain Picard to be both hopeful and fun. Maybe the author forgets about the dark role of Q in The Next Generation where all of humanity was a plaything. And what about the Borg? They were not exactly a sunny group of explorers. I left some of the Borg episodes with about as much hope as I did after seeing the Joker in The Dark Knight.

As far as the human conditions of today, the idea of a show paralleling present day reality is not all that new. I remember when the remake of Battlestar Galactica had episodes mirroring events taking place during the war with Iraq. The writers do live in the real world as well. I am not opposed to a little reflection with my viewing. Not even Sesame Street can escape the ongoing vaccine wars.

So I suggest viewers take a breath and pull up whatever version of the galaxy they can handle. I believe there is a Star Trek series for every season and every mood.

Source: Battlestar Galactica on SyFy.