Started season 4. People not looking their age is really getting silly now.
Television For All Mankind
- Thread starter Rooney in Paris
- Start date
I thought it had its ups and downs. It kind of develops from an alternative history to a sci fi show over its course and doesn't always stick the landing. The first batch of characters were great. Molly and Gordo in particular but I dont care much for later characters and think a lot of stuff has lost its way. I mean parts of the first season kind of felt like they wrote themselves, shift a couple of events and what would happen but as it goes it needs to fill in more blanks and struggles i'd say. Season 3 is particularly weak.
Season 4 i started enjoying the Mars stuff a bit more, felt like a more traditional sci fi show and enjoyed that but they could bin everything off of mars and i wouldn't miss it personally. Along with a lot of the Mars characters actually - Ed's probably overdue to be written out for instance.
Season 4 i started enjoying the Mars stuff a bit more, felt like a more traditional sci fi show and enjoyed that but they could bin everything off of mars and i wouldn't miss it personally. Along with a lot of the Mars characters actually - Ed's probably overdue to be written out for instance.
Stay tuned for season 5, starring the ghost of Ed in 2156 running the Titan colony.
Halfway through season 3 and I just realised Ellen is the only one who doesn't seem to age. She just changes her hair.
S4 ranged from meh to 
to ok in parts. Thank god for no doofus kids of astronauts dragging entire seasons down. Danielle probably has the worst character arc out of all of them, a complete train-wreck of a career by the end of it (maybe just rivalled by Ed's)
to ok in parts. Thank god for no doofus kids of astronauts dragging entire seasons down. Danielle probably has the worst character arc out of all of them, a complete train-wreck of a career by the end of it (maybe just rivalled by Ed's)Man, this sums up my feeling perfectly. First two seasons were great. Season 3 had promise but it's this season where the series started to wobble. Season 4 was shit. Most of the good characters become polluted by bad writing. I find the Kelly character incredibly annoying and entitled (perhaps because the actress is poor) and all subplots associated with her are ruined as a result. I like how the show ends, kinda, but the leadup to the ending was ridiculous.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 sonthe 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.
I'll probably watch season 5 but i could also give it a miss.
How I feel too. Feels like the kind of show I'll discover a year after it's aired that a new season is available, and watch it without much enthusiasm when I have nothing else on the watchlist. After seasons 1 and 2 I really felt like it was going to be one of my favourite sci-fi shows, there was a lot about it I liked (even though there were already issues), but the 2 following seasons were meh to bad, with some occasional good moments.
Agree on Kelly - amongst many other characters - she's very annoying and the actress is super weak. Most of the acting is really not amazing, when you take a step back.
Season 4 has been crap so far, sounds like it's not worth persisting with it?
It doesn't get much better, no. The way it ends is very predictable, and there's a lot of bullshit to put up with along the way. How far along are you?
4 episodes? Mostly just shit with the guy from Black Mirror and girl power with the daughter and the other one.
Yeah it stays the same and gets even more ridiculous I'd say. You can just read a summary somewhere, potentially watch the last episode (which is ok overall).
I think the biggest problem with the show is they either killed off or let the best characters get too old. Gordo, Tracy, Ellen, Polly (was it Polly? the one that went blind). Ed is basically the only interesting character left and he's barely been in this season.
Molly!! Molly Cobb! The proper GOAT of this show.
Agree with that assessment, and I'd say even Ed's character is a mess by season 4.
Agree with that assessment, and I'd say even Ed's character is a mess by season 4.
Ed fought in the Korean war. He's supposed to be 80 ffs
I want them all to drop into a wormhole and disappear in the first 2 minutes of season 5, then the Mayan prophecy to come true in the next 5 minutes, with long drawn out deaths for the most annoying characters. End of season and show.
I think I might have been hate-watching for at least 2 seasons...
I think I might have been hate-watching for at least 2 seasons...
Yep, and replaced them with absolutely terrible characters. The Stevens kids are horror bores.
Danielle might be the worst leader/commander to exist. And fits right into the tv trope of terrible 'black women leaders of important organizations'.
Jesus.
On the final episode. Final season has definitely been the weakest but still watchable.
The difference in ageing between Ed and Danielle is funny. Danielle gets a few flecks of grey, Ed becomes the cryptkeeper.
The difference in ageing between Ed and Danielle is funny. Danielle gets a few flecks of grey, Ed becomes the cryptkeeper.
Yes true
Although Danielle is meant to be quite a bit younger than Ed no?I think I'm like 5 or 6 eps into S2. It's decent, not as good as the first yet imo and the earth drama feels extra hammy. Also some of the decision making or ways of going about stuff at NASA seems extremely casual.
They've made Tracy very unlikable with the celeb stuff. I'm assuming that's for some small redemption arc because she's a knob.
They've made Tracy very unlikable with the celeb stuff. I'm assuming that's for some small redemption arc because she's a knob.
On S3 now.
The Karen and Danny stuff is absolute muck. Who thought that was a good idea for a storyline? I want every single scene between them to end as soon as possible because I feel like my face will implode from cringe.
Also how much longer are they going to be able to make these people look decades older? so far they’ve basically just given them new haircuts
Also how much longer are they going to be able to make these people look decades older?
so far they’ve basically just given them new haircutsHaving watched shows like The West Wing it’s very funny to me that they clearly only built a set for the Oval Office in this and nothing else everything happens in there. First Gentleman practically always around. Kids being read bedtime stories, etc..
everything happens in there. First Gentleman practically always around. Kids being read bedtime stories, etc..Not really sure how I feel about the whole bombing thing. Felt a bit unnecessary on top of everything? Maybe that’s the wrong word but it felt like since there was no way they’d kill Ed or Kelly something else had to go awry. It kind of escalated out of nowhere from conspiracy theorists to that. Also a bit confused how the Baldwin kid survives a blast so big it ripped open the entire building. He was running away for like 5 seconds before it went off.
Killing off Karen seemed odd. Her arc seemed to be about to progress as CEO of Helios and then that’s just over and Ed has another personal tragedy on his hands. Also Molly died? I’m so confused! As far as I know the building wasn’t on fire. She just went back to get more people? Did she fall down some stairs? Bizarre lack of explanation.
Margot in Russia was again a bit bizarre. I’m assuming they want us to believe she survived the explosion and used it as cover to fake her death and take their way out but how the feck is she surviving that whilst playing a piano right next to the wall that gives out? Very odd all round.
Killing off Karen seemed odd. Her arc seemed to be about to progress as CEO of Helios and then that’s just over and Ed has another personal tragedy on his hands. Also Molly died? I’m so confused! As far as I know the building wasn’t on fire. She just went back to get more people? Did she fall down some stairs? Bizarre lack of explanation.
Margot in Russia was again a bit bizarre. I’m assuming they want us to believe she survived the explosion and used it as cover to fake her death and take their way out but how the feck is she surviving that whilst playing a piano right next to the wall that gives out? Very odd all round.
Having watched shows like The West Wing it’s very funny to me that they clearly only built a set for the Oval Office in this and nothing else
All of this: a big bunch of de la merde.
Yeah. I think usually this is enough to put me off but I enjoy the ‘alternate history’ bits so I can bear it. I do wish they’d focus more on the historic stuff and scientific discoveries but it does seem to be teetering more towards drama for drama’s sake.
just stop now. it doesn’t get any better.
Oh I know, I suffered through the 4 seasons. It does have a degree f watchability, but where the balance was probably 80/20 in favour of good stuff vs cringe stuff in the first season, the balance shifts with pretty much every season, and it's probably closer to 40/60 or 30/70 by season 4.
Molly's death was very strange and weirdly unexplained for what was the best character of the show. I wasn't a fan of Karen, but her death also didn't make much sense. The whole bombing part just seemed to be weirdly convenient for them.
Grim. I will still watch 4 fully knowing it gets worse.
I saw it as their replacement for 9/11 (very weird that they had to have one) with no oil wars in the picture etc.
The people out of jobs because of no fossil fuels is inexplicable to me since it stretches on for nearly a decade plus? Surely the benefits of limitless energy are way more than some people not working on oil rigs??
The people out of jobs because of no fossil fuels is inexplicable to me since it stretches on for nearly a decade plus? Surely the benefits of limitless energy are way more than some people not working on oil rigs??
To the latter, it feels like it was just lazy writing - they threw it in there but I doubt anyone cared about actually thinking of the implications. Also, considering how the last season went, I feel like the writers' room was just monkeys at typewriters, and even that would be disrespectful to monkeys.
van Nistelrooy scoring against Birmingham in Feb 2003 in S4E2.
Hmm a season about budget cuts. Reminds me of the worst parts of Season 5 of The Wire.
you did it to yourself.
Yeah but I got to see Ruud bang one in.
Ok I finished season 4.
Agree on it being the weakest. I could not have cared less about the entire black market stuff. Miles was an atrocious character and I hated his face from the second I first saw him. You could remove his character and just give his plot to the Ilya guy and nothing would change. Feels like they tried to do a commentary on how the workers were treated, unions, etc.. but basically just bashed us over the head with the point for the entire season.
The changing hands of that Korean pistol was so weird and unnecessary. I was genuinely surprised they didn’t kill off Danielle. After she said she plans to be home for the grandkid I thought that was her done.
I also found it weird how they tried to make us root for the asteroid to stay in Mars orbit when clearly the better option was for it to go to Earth as it would benefit the entire human race very quickly, rather than some fecking bland workers who want more pay and jobs on Mars. I did not give a shit about Ed/Dev and the interchangeable maintenance team’s plan and I was baffled Aleida suddenly switched so easily.
A lot of characters also just having odd arcs and making weird decisions. Ed is just some angry loser now with weird magician hair and should’ve been written out by now. Danielle is all over the place. Aleida seems to just throw a strop and then switch her entire thinking at the drop of a hat. I can’t even think of anyone else because they’re just bland.
Still despite that, mostly enjoyable as a show still. Needs to focus more on the science stuff and less on inconsequential earth/mars drama.
The changing hands of that Korean pistol was so weird and unnecessary. I was genuinely surprised they didn’t kill off Danielle. After she said she plans to be home for the grandkid I thought that was her done.
I also found it weird how they tried to make us root for the asteroid to stay in Mars orbit when clearly the better option was for it to go to Earth as it would benefit the entire human race very quickly, rather than some fecking bland workers who want more pay and jobs on Mars. I did not give a shit about Ed/Dev and the interchangeable maintenance team’s plan and I was baffled Aleida suddenly switched so easily.
A lot of characters also just having odd arcs and making weird decisions. Ed is just some angry loser now with weird magician hair and should’ve been written out by now. Danielle is all over the place. Aleida seems to just throw a strop and then switch her entire thinking at the drop of a hat. I can’t even think of anyone else because they’re just bland.
Still despite that, mostly enjoyable as a show still. Needs to focus more on the science stuff and less on inconsequential earth/mars drama.
I hope we get Season 5, if only to have more episodes of Solius Reviews For All Mankind.
Only watched about 4 episodes of S1 so far. I like it well enough but it also still feels like a bit of a slow burn. Is it a show that picks up more further into it?
Yeh it really does, there’s some B plots that fecking suck. But overall the pace picks up and there are a fair few twist and turns. The alternate history gets a bit more fun as well. I think season 2 might be where it peaks and then after that it’s just an enjoyable watch nothing more.
I finally watched the first 2 episodes of S1 and loving it so far.
