History books say the US landed on the Moon first, but that’s not the case in sci-fi series For All Mankind. Set in 1969, the series explores an alternate timeline caused by the Soviet Union beating NASA to the historic achievement. Following various people associated with NASA, For All Mankind explores the ups and downs of the international space race.
One of the launch titles for streaming service Apple TV+, the series is helmed by Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica) and stars a cast led by Joel Kinnaman (Suicide Squad). With the first season recently released and a second currently filming, now is a great time to watch For All Mankind. Here are ten reasons why bingers should give it a chance.
Season Two Is Confirmed
The crux of the current age of TV is that there are too many series spread across countless platforms. The wide field has resulted in many of them flying under the radar and ending up canceled - a source of frustration for fans. However, the situation seems different with For All Mankind.
It Shows An Alternative History For Historical Figures
Like with many fictional stories about history, For All Mankind features the historical figures involved at the time. These individuals range from household names like Neil Armstrong to important figures like Deke Slayton or Wernher von Braun.
The alternate timeline allows the changing of their fates to tell the most exciting story possible. Compared to reality, some historical figures get more dramatic moments while others play a quieter role. Their altered roles keep audiences guessing while still honoring their memory.
It Tackles Real Issues
The late 20th century was an important period for Americans. In addition to the Cold War, there was the ongoing Vietnam War and movements seeking equality for the oppressed. Despite revolving around the space race, For All Mankind doesn’t shy away from addressing these topics.
From FBI investigations of gay Americans to the effects of the Vietnam War, the characters in the series deal with prominent issues of the era. Like any historical story, For All Mankind seeks to enlighten its audience along with entertaining them.
It Has Richly Developed Characters
A series wouldn’t be much without rich characters and For All Mankind has them. Led by Apollo 10 astronaut Edward Baldwin (Kinnaman), the series features characters associated with NASA as they deal with the highest level of scrutiny due to the space race.
Despite the scope of the story, each character is given significant screentime for the development of their varying backstories and flaws. In For All Mankind, the characters behind the accomplishments are important as the accomplishments themselves.
It Showcases A Different Era
Among other genres, For All Mankind is a historical period piece. Like Mad Men (2007), the series explores the late 20th century of America by featuring real aspects of the era. From black-and-white TVs to tucked-in shirts, the series is a blast to the past for some and a history lesson for others.
For All Mankind also intermixes real clips of archival footage in between scenes to enhance the history angle. Even within a fictional story, the historical footage gives audiences samples of what certain events and people were like, straight from the source.
It Depicts The Astronaut’s Path
Despite the countless space films involving astronauts, there aren’t many dedicated to exploring the process of becoming one. In For All Mankind, NASA launches a female-only astronaut candidate training program in response to the Soviets landing the first woman on the Moon.
As expected, the program is rigorous and requires candidates to be the complete package in aspects like academics, performance, and even motivation. By the time the selection process is over, viewers will have a stronger appreciation of astronauts.
It’s A Story Of Perseverance
After being beaten to the Moon in July 1969, the real Soviet Union space program continued on by pursuing other ventures. The same perseverance is seen in For All Mankind when NASA changes its priorities to getting a lunar base and a woman on the Moon.
The series features several instances of characters dealing with failure, spaced-related or not. One of the themes of For All Mankind is continuing in the face of struggle and adversity - an inspiring message regardless of one’s goals and interests.
It Explores The Space Race
Spanning decades, the real space race between the US and the Soviets pushed each side to achieve firsts and develop new groundbreaking technology. In the series, a similar tense narrative is told, except the US is the global force playing catch up to the other.
While the space race has been depicted before on screen, the years-long back and forth between both sides hadn’t been captured as well until For All Mankind. The series details the stresses and complications of achieving the unachievable in a serialized format devoid of a two-hour time limit.
It Features An Alternate Timeline
For All Mankind is a compelling combination of historical and fictional elements. In an event called “Red Moon,” a Soviet Union cosmonaut lands on the Moon before the US does. The event leads to a major rewrite of American culture and history and creates an alternate timeline from our own.
The series is a rewarding watch for history buffs because it explores the what-if questions related to if the space race went a different way. The alternate timeline provides opportunities for shocking revelations that few, historical background or not, could predict.
It’s Headed By Ronald D. Moore
Moore is not new to sci-fi. A writer for three Star Trek series for over a decade, Moore became better known for his role in the 2004’s Battlestar Galactica. Running for four seasons, it became regarded among drama greats like Breaking Bad (2008) and The Sopranos (1999).
As showrunner and writer, Moore took the canceled 1978 series and reimagined it for contemporary audiences. He shares the same duties on For All Mankind. While it’s too early to tell if the series will have a similar fate, it’s off to a strong start with an acclaimed showrunner and a great first season.