REVIEWED: SEASON 1 (ALL EPISODES) | WHERE TO WATCH: NETFLIX
When General Mark R. Naird (Steve Carell) is thrown into running the new Space Force sector for the US government, he instantly puts his whole heart into it, ready to show that there’s a very positive reason to running a unit that might seem pointless to others. Being called a ‘Spaceman’ is a joke to some, but to him, that’s a very serious title to have.
With The Office writer Greg Daniels and Steve Carell listed as the creators, you might be fooled into expecting a similar style of humour. However, the jokes are refreshingly far from being in the same format, but are just as well thought out. For example, if you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to run a space mission with a space chimpanzee, then you’re in for some hilarious viewing. There’s a well-balanced writing instruction here, and alongside emotional segments, they’ve pushed humour into even the most minute moments to give a consistently impressive watch. Space Force holds an incredible cast, with the likes of Ben Schwartz (now of Sonic the Hedgehog fame) and Lisa Kudrow, and even the late Fred Willard contributing to its star-studded comedic roster. All of this is supported with an orchestra heavy, movie-worthy soundtrack.
One of the highlights has to be the constant back and forth between Naird and his team of know-it-all scientists. Most notably, the tired & frustrated Dr. Adrian Mallory (John Malkovich). Mallory assumes that Naird has no idea what he is doing, and although at times Naird really doesn’t, he is still giving it his all, and it secretly seems that he wants to prove he is worthy to Mallory. As the series flies on, and as the Chinese Space Force cause havoc for Naird in mischievous ways, we see this spotlighted work duo progress into a friendship. The chemistry captured is excellent, and it’s a vital ingredient.
Behind the running of Space Force lies the family thread, which is wonderfully held up by Maggie (Kudrow) and Erin Naird (Diana Silvers). There’s a lot of tension here, and the classic question of “What’s more important, family or work?” is asked. As this builds up, we see Space Force skyrocket towards a gripping, “Boots on the Moon!” ending.
