Television For All Mankind

Rooney in Paris

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I can't believe there's no thread on this!

I saw it discussed a bit in the main TV shows thread which led me to check it out, and I've been completely hooked.

The premise of the show is quite simple - what if the USSR had gotten a man to the moon first, and how it would have impacted the space race and 1960s/70s geopolitics in general.

It's really well done and presents a very believable uchronia that takes some real historical figures and mixes it with fictional ones. The overall dynamics of the show (the frustration of the USA pushing them to double down on their space program, what happens on the moon, etc.) all feel credible, and while some of the Earth-bound drama is a little bit soapy, it doesn't drag down the show overall.

For anyone who, like me, is fascinated by space exploration, it's an absolute must-watch. I'm early in season 2 and really enjoying it so far.

Are there many fans on here?
 

Reditus

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I watched 1st season and it never really grabbed me. I might go back to it. Are the later seasons considered better?
 

Big Andy

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I've only recently got Apple TV for 3 months, but this is on the list. I was hoping to watch this on a 10 hour flight but Apple are cnuts and there is no App for Android/Amazon Fire Tablets.

I'm really looking forward to watching it.
 

Rooney in Paris

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Reditus said:
I watched 1st season and it never really grabbed me. I might go back to it. Are the later seasons considered better?
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Well I'm only early on in season 2 but I like where it's picked up and the first episode was great, it almost feels like after the first season they were more confident with what they were doing, there was almost a swagger to that episode that I didn't feel with season 1. For what it's worth, season 1 had a 74% "approval rating" on Rotten Tomatoes, season 2 is at 100%, season 3 at 97% and season 4 is at 100%.
Big Andy said:
I've only recently got Apple TV for 3 months, but this is on the list. I was hoping to watch this on a 10 hour flight but Apple are cnuts and there is no App for Android/Amazon Fire Tablets.

I'm really looking forward to watching it.
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It takes a little bit of time to get going I guess, but it's a really enjoyable ride, as far as I've experienced so far!
 

Massive Spanner

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I've only watched a little of the fourth season so far, but yeah, it's good.

It's stupidly melodramatic at times though considering it's supposed to be a sci-fi show. The stuff with (S2 onwards) Karen and Danny is especially annoying. I also find seasons tend to start strong, meander a lot in the middle, and then end strong.

Also season two ending spoiler they killed Gordo who was easily the best character and I never recovered. Great ending, though.

Oh and (season 4) Ed fought in the Korean War, he's supposed to be like 80 by season 4 ffs :lol:
 

Rooney in Paris

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Massive Spanner said:
I've only watched a little of the fourth season so far, but yeah, it's good.

It's stupidly melodramatic at times though considering it's supposed to be a sci-fi show. The stuff with (S2 onwards) Karen and Danny is especially annoying. I also find seasons tend to start strong, meander a lot in the middle, and then end strong.

Also season two ending spoiler they killed Gordo who was easily the best character and I never recovered. Great ending, though.

Oh and (season 4) Ed fought in the Korean War, he's supposed to be like 80 by season 4 ffs :lol:
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Too many spoilers in there for me to properly respond to your message entirely, but I agree with the overly dramatic part - it's the least interesting part of the show.
 

ovoxo

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Absolutely loved season 1-3. Still need to watch 4 though.
 

Badunk

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Been watching it the last couple of days. Was on my list for ages and a mate started raving about it, so decided to give it a go. Enjoying it so far. Pretty star-studded cast as well.
 

Simbo

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There's 4 seasons?! Need to get caught up, can't remember if I've watched 1 or 2 but it was very good.
 

nimic

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Big Andy said:
I've only recently got Apple TV for 3 months, but this is on the list. I was hoping to watch this on a 10 hour flight but Apple are cnuts and there is no App for Android/Amazon Fire Tablets.

I'm really looking forward to watching it.
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If you've got Apple TV and are looking for something to do with it, watch Severance. Now that is some top tier TV. Slow Horses is also great.
 

Solius

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Does the CGI get better? Because I think that’s a kind of non-negotiable for a show like this and that explosion at the start of the episode almost made me laugh more than be shocked. It was also so weirdly done
 

Salt Bailly

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Solius said:
Does the CGI get better? Because I think that’s a kind of non-negotiable for a show like this and that explosion at the start of the episode almost made me laugh more than be shocked. It was also so weirdly done
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Can't recall the scene you're talking about but I found the CGI to be fine throughout the series. Hopefully just a one-off.
 

Solius

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Salt Bailly said:
Can't recall the scene you're talking about but I found the CGI to be fine throughout the series. Hopefully just a one-off.
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Apollo 23 (I think?) blows up with the guys still on the platform talking about cheeseburgers.
 

Salt Bailly

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Solius said:
Apollo 23 (I think?) blows up with the guys still on the platform talking about cheeseburgers.
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Just watched it. The cheeseburger part was a bit suspect, the shock of it happening must have numbed my critical eye :lol:

I'd still say it's definitely not at all indicative of the whole show.
 

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Up to season 2, episode 8 now. Really good show but I was annoyed by a moment early in season 2, maybe the 2nd or 3rd episode.

Molly saving the Dutch guy. That was just dumb. He was cooked. She knew it and got herself cooked in the process. She never showed a heroic bone up to that really and was always pragmatic but then does a suicide mission to save a character who had 10 seconds of screentime? Come on.

Edit: And now she's just been told she's going blind. Molly, you clown! You were supposed to be cool sensible one.
 
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The Cat

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Shane88 said:
Up to season 2, episode 8 now. Really good show but I was annoyed by a moment early in season 2, maybe the 2nd or 3rd episode.

Molly saving the Dutch guy. That was just dumb. He was cooked. She knew it and got herself cooked in the process. She never showed a heroic bone up to that really and was always pragmatic but then does a suicide mission to save a character who had 10 seconds of screentime? Come on.

Edit: And now she's just been told she's going blind. Molly, you clown! You were supposed to be cool sensible one.
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She's a brave one. Don't fret it it's really her character. Hopefully where you are at now is after she found the ice - she is all mission and won't ever compromise.
 

Shane88

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The Cat said:
She's a brave one. Don't fret it it's really her character. Hopefully where you are at now is after she found the ice - she is all mission and won't ever compromise.
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I suppose. She's a great character.

On the other hand, Aleida. What a twat. I cannot stand her.
 

Herman Toothrot

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Shane88 said:
Up to season 2, episode 8 now. Really good show but I was annoyed by a moment early in season 2, maybe the 2nd or 3rd episode.

Molly saving the Dutch guy. That was just dumb. He was cooked. She knew it and got herself cooked in the process. She never showed a heroic bone up to that really and was always pragmatic but then does a suicide mission to save a character who had 10 seconds of screentime? Come on.

Edit: And now she's just been told she's going blind. Molly, you clown! You were supposed to be cool sensible one.
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She didn't know how much screentime he'd had.
 

Ayoba

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I started watching season 1 but gave up as found it a little dull.

I didnt realise there were 4 seasons, it must be good if its going that long. I will give it another go.
 

rimaldo

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couldn’t get into it. everyone knows the moon landings were faked and that’s just completely glossed over.
 

Bert_

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rimaldo said:
couldn’t get into it. everyone knows the moon landings were faked and that’s just completely glossed over.
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This is set it an alternate reality. The moon is made out of rock in this rather than cheese too!
 

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Not started yet but it sounds like something I'd enjoy. A few things to finish off and then maybe this is the next cab off the rank.
 

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I really enjoyed seasons 1 and 2 of this show, but I went off it during season three. The whole Danny story arc was one I really didn’t like and I struggled to finish the season. In fact, I’m not sure I actually did. I think I abandoned it.

But a few weeks ago, I was looking for some more sci-fi to watch and decided to give season 4 a go, and boy am I glad I did. It was bloody superb. Not only a return to form, but I think the best the show has produced so far. Loved it. Really looking forward to season 5 now.
 

Rooney in Paris

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So I've finally finished it. Overall, I'd say I enjoyed it, I'm fascinated with space exploration and it definitely fits the bill.

- I enjoyed how it kinda grew and grew season after season, with the mini teaser at the end of the previous season and the accelerated time lapse at the beginning of each new one; it was a fun way to gloss over a whole decade in general
- Some of the space stuff is a lot, a lot of fun; I'm not sure how well the science holds up (I would guess - not very well), but it's fun to see on screen
- Some of the characters are quite strong, at least at first...
- ... cos some of the character development is really messed up and all over the place; Ed, Danni, Danny, Aleida, Karen... the list goes on, their character development is either nonsensical or just downright shit
- While the space stuff usually holds up, some of the drama is incredibly boring and tedious, and even the political side, which was kinda fun at first, just becomes nonsensical (Ellen as the president was top notch bullshit)
- First 2 seasons were very good, but season 3 was a dip in quality and season 4 was a car crash - a mix of banal Earth issues and stupid Mars plot points (all the black market with one of the most boring characters ever, Kelly flying to Mars with her son :lol: the stupid forced rivalry between Danni and Ed...); it was really bad in general

Yeah there's actually loads of issues with the show, but it miraculously manages to remain enjoyable despite all that. I'll probably tune into season 5, if there is one, but less enthusiastically than before.
 

nimic

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Rooney in Paris said:
So I've finally finished it. Overall, I'd say I enjoyed it, I'm fascinated with space exploration and it definitely fits the bill.

- I enjoyed how it kinda grew and grew season after season, with the mini teaser at the end of the previous season and the accelerated time lapse at the beginning of each new one; it was a fun way to gloss over a whole decade in general
- Some of the space stuff is a lot, a lot of fun; I'm not sure how well the science holds up (I would guess - not very well), but it's fun to see on screen
- Some of the characters are quite strong, at least at first...
- ... cos some of the character development is really messed up and all over the place; Ed, Danni, Danny, Aleida, Karen... the list goes on, their character development is either nonsensical or just downright shit
- While the space stuff usually holds up, some of the drama is incredibly boring and tedious, and even the political side, which was kinda fun at first, just becomes nonsensical (Ellen as the president was top notch bullshit)
- First 2 seasons were very good, but season 3 was a dip in quality and season 4 was a car crash - a mix of banal Earth issues and stupid Mars plot points (all the black market with one of the most boring characters ever, Kelly flying to Mars with her son :lol: the stupid forced rivalry between Danni and Ed...); it was really bad in general

Yeah there's actually loads of issues with the show, but it miraculously manages to remain enjoyable despite all that. I'll probably tune into season 5, if there is one, but less enthusiastically than before.
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I agree with this, except I'd maybe put season 4 over season 3.
 

nimic

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The Cat said:
She's a brave one. Don't fret it it's really her character. Hopefully where you are at now is after she found the ice - she is all mission and won't ever compromise.
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Why are you two psychopaths not only using spoiler tags for something that aired 3 years ago, but doing it in two different ways?
 

Rooney in Paris

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nimic said:
I agree with this, except I'd maybe put season 4 over season 3.
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Oh yeah? I thought 4 was really bad, but I wouln't argue too much either way.

I think another aspect that I found annoying as the seasons went on was how small the scope was considering the magnitude of what was shown - space exploration! Colonizing the moon and Mars! The first season felt like a semi-realistic take on a uchronic world where the space program was massively influenced by Soviet successes, and showed the intricacies of it all, the training, the planning, the politics... There was some depth to it (not in analysis, but in what it was describing), but as the series went on, I had the feeling it felt somehow smaller, like that space exploration and colonization were basically driven by a handful of people over 40 years, with no one their peers. It just felt a bit reductive I guess. Also, apart from Ed to an extent, none of them were particularly charismatic - well except for Molly, the real GOAT of the show.
 

rimaldo

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first season was great, second season ok, season three and season four were things i did but would rather i didn’t.
 

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Salt Bailly said:
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I suppose so, although it speaks as much to the subjective nature of entertainment as any other commentary. I’m sure there are lots of series and movies I thought were great and others thought were trash, and vice versa. It’s not like it’s a factual thing.

Just look at the Masters of the Air thread. Some people in there loving it, and I’ve been in there absolutely trashing it.
 

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nimic said:
Fair, though they should know better than to actively read a thread about a tv series that is several seasons in.
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I just got done with season 3, and I appreciate the consideration.

What a random, not very good season btw. Agree with every one of @Rooney in Paris 's points about what makes it compelling yet shite at times.
 
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