For All Mankind (TV series)
For All Mankind | |
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Genre | |
Created by |
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Starring | |
Composer | Jeff Russo |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 5 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
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Production locations | Los Angeles, California |
Camera setup | Single-camera |
Production companies |
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Original release | |
Network | Apple TV+ |
Release | November 1, 2019 present | –
For All Mankind is an American science fiction web television series created and written by Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi and produced for Apple TV+. The series dramatizes an alternate history depicting "what would have happened if the global space race had never ended" after the Soviet Union succeeds in the first manned Moon landing.[1]
For All Mankind premiered on November 1, 2019[2] and was renewed for a second season in October 2019.[3]
Premise
The first manned mission to the Moon during the Space Race in the late 1960s was a global success for NASA and the United States. But this drama answers the question: "What if the Space Race had never ended?"
In an alternate timeline, the USSR beats the US to the Moon; thus setting its first Russian cosmonaut, Alexei Leonov, on it. Dubbed as "Red Moon", this event leaves NASA in devastation. This doesn't mean those working there have given up as they challenge the Soviet Union a second time to show that there is no giving up on hope.
Cast and characters
Main
- Joel Kinnaman as Edward Baldwin
- Michael Dorman as Gordo Stevens
- Wrenn Schmidt as Margo Madison
- Sarah Jones as Tracy Stevens
- Shantel VanSanten as Karen Baldwin
- Jodi Balfour as Ellen Waverly
Historical figures
- Chris Agos as Buzz Aldrin
- Matt Battaglia as John Glenn
- Chris Bauer as Deke Slayton
- Jeff Branson as Neil Armstrong
- Dan Donohue as Thomas O. Paine
- Colm Feore as Wernher von Braun
- Ryan Kennedy as Michael Collins
- Eric Ladin as Gene Kranz
- Steven Pritchard as Pete Conrad
- Rebecca Wisocky as Marge Slayton
Recurring
- Tait Blum as Shane Baldwin (son of Ed and Karen Baldwin)
- Arturo Del Puerto as Octavio Rosales
- Noah Harpster as Bill Strausser (a Mission Controller)
- Krys Marshall as Danielle Poole (an African American female astronaut)
- Tracy Mulholland as Gloria Sedgewick (wife of Frank Sedgewick)
- Dave Power as Astronaut Frank Sedgewick (Command Module Pilot of Apollo 15)
- Mason Thames as Danny Stevens (son of Gordo and Tracy Stevens)
- Olivia Trujillo as Aleida Rosales
- Sonya Walger as Molly Cobb[4] (first American female astronaut to the Moon)
- Meghan Leathers as Pam Horton
Episodes
No. | Title [5] | Directed by | Written by [6] | Original release date | |
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1 | "Red Moon" | Seth Gordon | Story by : Ronald D. Moore and Matt Wolpert & Ben Nedivi Teleplay by : Ronald D. Moore | November 1, 2019 | |
NASA is in crisis as the Soviets land the first man on the moon in 1969, the beginning of an alternate history. Apollo 11 near crash lands on the moon, but all the astronauts return safely. | |||||
2 | "He Built the Saturn V" | Seth Gordon | Matt Wolpert & Ben Nedivi | November 1, 2019 | |
Director von Braun opposes President Nixon's directive to make the moon base into a US military base, starting the "Race for the Base". Nixon's men use Wernher von Braun's past involvement with the Nazi regime to remove him as Deputy Associate Administrator for Planning. | |||||
3 | "Nixon's Women" | Allen Coulter | Nichole Beattie | November 1, 2019 | |
Deke Slayton must recruit female astronauts after Russia lands a woman on the moon named Anastasia Belikova. Starting with 20 "Astronaut Candidates" (informally "ASCAN"), including Tracy Stevens (wife of Apollo 15's Gordo Stevens), two of the last of Mercury 13 named Molly Cobb and Patty Doyle, a black woman named Danielle Poole, who works at NASA's computers rooms, and a woman named Ellen Waverly, after 200 days of Qualifications testing. | |||||
4 | "Prime Crew" | Allen Coulter | Naren Shankar | November 8, 2019 | |
Deke Slayton makes a change to the Apollo 15 crew, replacing Gordo Stevens with Molly Cobb. Apollo 15 launches. | |||||
5 | "Into the Abyss" | Sergio Mimica-Gezzan | David Weddle & Bradley Thompson | November 15, 2019 | |
Apollo 15 crew changes the landing site to focus on ice searching, looking for it at Shackleton Crater. The Episode ends with Margo Madison and "Jamestown" NASA first Lunar Base in October of 12 in the year 1973. | |||||
6 | "Home Again" | Unknown | Stephanie Shannon | November 22, 2019 | |
7 | "Hi Bob" | Unknown | Ronald D. Moore | November 29, 2019 | |
8 | "Rupture" | Unknown | Nichole Beattie | December 6, 2019 | |
9 | "Dangerous Liaisons" | Unknown | David Weddle & Bradley Thompson | December 13, 2019 | |
10 | "A City Upon A Hill" | Unknown | Matt Wolpert & Ben Nedivi | December 20, 2019 |
Production
Development
According to Ronald D. Moore, the idea of the show came about during lunch with former NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman, when they discussed the possibility of an alternate history in which the Russians reached the Moon before the Americans.[7] On December 15, 2017, it was announced that Apple had given the production a one-season series order. The series was created by Ronald D. Moore. Moore, Matt Wolpert, and Ben Nedivi will jointly script and executive produce the drama. Maril Davis acted as Executive Producer. Production companies involved with the series are to include Sony Pictures Television and Tall Ship Productions.[1][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] On October 5, 2018, it was announced that the series had been officially titled For All Mankind.[15]
Casting
In August 2018, it was announced that Joel Kinnaman, Michael Dorman, Sarah Jones, Shantel VanSanten, and Wrenn Schmidt had been cast in main roles and that Eric Ladin, Arturo Del Puerto, and Rebecca Wisocky would appear in a recurring capacity.[16][17][18] On October 5, 2018, it was reported that Jodi Balfour had been cast in a series regular role.[15]
Filming
Principal photography for the series commenced in August 2018 in Los Angeles, California.[19] In March 2019, The New York Times reported that filming had concluded.[20]
Critical response
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 74% approval rating with an average rating of 7.01/10, based on 35 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Though it shoots for the moon and falls somewhere in orbit, For All Mankind's impressive vision of history has the potential for real liftoff if it leans into the things that set it apart instead of settling for more of the same."[5] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 65 out of 100 based on 21 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[21]
References
- ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (December 15, 2017). "Apple Orders Ronald D. Moore Space Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (September 10, 2019). "Here Are All The Apple TV+ Original Series Available At Launch". Deadline. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (October 15, 2019). "'For All Mankind' Drama Renewed For Season 2 By Apple". Deadline. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
- ^ Carson, Erin (October 31, 2019). "Apple TV Plus launches For All Mankind on a meandering space race". CNET. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
Molly Cobb is a nod to Geraldyn "Jerrie" Cobb, an accomplished pilot who was part of the Mercury 13 but was never allowed to become an astronaut.
- ^ a b "For All Mankind: Season 1 (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
- ^ "For All Mankind – WGA Directory". Writers Guild of America West. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
- ^ Radish, Christina (July 15, 2019). "'For All Mankind' Showrunner Ronald D. Moore on His Alt History Space Race Apple+ Series". Collider.
- ^ Roots, Kimberly (December 15, 2017). "Outlander Boss Ronald D. Moore's Space Drama Gets Apple Series Order". TVLine. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
- ^ Barsanti, Sam (December 17, 2017). "Battlestar Galactica's Ronald D. Moore is developing a new space drama for Apple". The A.V. Club. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
- ^ Marnell, Blair (December 15, 2017). "STAR TREK and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA's Ronald D. Moore is Writing a New Space Drama | Nerdist". Nerdist Industries. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
- ^ Morris, David Z. (December 16, 2017). "Apple Orders New Series from Battlestar Galactica Mastermind". Fortune. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
- ^ Oller, Jacob (December 15, 2017). "Battlestar Galactica's Ronald D. Moore returns to space with new Apple TV series". Syfy Wire. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (December 15, 2017). "Apple Gives Straight-to-Series Order to Drama From 'Outlander' Showrunner". Variety. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
- ^ O'Connell, Michael (December 15, 2017). "Apple Orders Space Drama From Ronald D. Moore". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
- ^ a b Petski, Denise (October 5, 2018). "Jodi Balfour Cast In Ron Moore's Apple Space Drama 'For All Mankind'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (August 14, 2018). "Joel Kinnaman, Sarah Jones & Michael Dorman To Star In Ron Moore's Apple Space Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
- ^ Porter, Rick (August 30, 2018). "Ron Moore's Apple Space Drama Adds Shantel VanSanten, Wrenn Schmidt (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- ^ Petski, Denise (August 30, 2018). "Eric Ladin, Arturo Del Puerto & Rebecca Wisocky To Recur In Ron Moore's Apple Space Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- ^ "Filming in August: Ronald D. Moore to Produce Upcoming Series 'For All Mankind (aka NASA)' in Los Angeles, CA". Production List | Film & Television Industry Alliance. August 13, 2018. Archived from the original on December 2, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
- ^ Koblin, John (March 17, 2019). "Apple's Big Spending Plan to Challenge Netflix Takes Shape". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
- ^ "For All Mankind: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
External links
- 2019 American television series debuts
- 2010s American drama television series
- Alternate history television series
- Apple TV+ original programming
- Cultural depictions of American people
- Cultural depictions of astronaut Michael Collins
- Cultural depictions of Neil Armstrong
- English-language television programs
- Television series about the Apollo program
- Television series by Sony Pictures Television
- Television series set in 1969