For All Mankind — Series 3 Episode 1 — Polaris — A Review

5th February, 2023: For All Mankind — Polaris

Right … 

It’s a Sunday night.

Not something I expect to be watching a movie: or a TV show.

But, none the less?

An evening where — just for a change — I’ve made up my mind to watch a TV show.

I seriously need to catch up with the AppleTV+’s For All Mankind.

As fas as I’m concerned?   The third series kicks off, tonight: and I’ll have my written And video reviews up, tomorrow.

I’ll see you all, then.

~≈🌕≈~

Episode 1 — Polaris — opens with a summary of this version of history: showing us what’s happened in the years since series two.

It reminds us that Gary Hart ran for President, that Ellen Wilson (Jodi Balfour) is a candidate — and running against Bill Clinton — and that the Beatles played a re-union concert.

It also tells us that Danny Stevens (Casey W. Johnson), son of NASA heroes, Gordo and Tracy Stevens, is now a NASA astronaut: after achieving sobriety.

The scene shifts: to show us Karen Baldwin (Shantel VanSanten) — now divorced from Ed (Joel Kinnaman) — now running the Polaris: a posh hotel that’s hosting some prestigious guests.

And happens to be in orbit … 

It’s hosting the wedding of Danny Stevens and Amber (Madeline Bertani), his bride to be.

Something that Karen and Sam  (Jeff Hephner), her business partner, believe can only do the Polaris good.

With that many important guests coming, they want the wedding to be faultless.

 ~≈🌕≈~

Back on Earth?

Back on Earth, NASA headquarters is just waking up.   As is NASA head, Margo Madison (Wrenn Schmidt): a woman who’s waking up to pressure.

She’s getting pushed by all and sundry: about who is to pilot NASA’s upcoming first expedition to Mars.

And getting no help from Molly Cobb (Sonya Walger), the head of NASA’s astronaut programme.

Margo prefers the calmer Danielle Poole (Krys Marshall), but Molly prefers the risk taker, Ed Baldwin.

The situation is getting urgent … as the Soviet Union has announced its plans to get to Mars by 1996 … and announced its pilot, into the process.

Meanwhile?

Both Ed and Danielle — with their respective partners — are on the Polaris for Danny Stevens’ wedding to Amber.

What Ed, Danielle, Karen, Sam — and the blushing bride and groom — don’t know?

Is what NASA’s told Commander LaPorte (Derek Webster), the man in charge of Polaris.

A North Korean rocket has exploded in orbit: and there’s wreckage going everywhere.

Wreckage that could very easily damage a passing space hotel … … … 

 ~≈🌕≈~

Now … what did I make of this opening episode … ?

Was it — as I always ask — good, bad or indifferent?

Did I notice anything … ?

Did I notice … that set?

Some time ago, I saw a pair of films: Jordan Peele’s Nope, and Ben Wheatley’s In The Earth.

And … ?

Walked away convinced both directors were fans of Stanley Kubrick.

Especially given Peele’s colour palette and use of intertitles in Nope, and Wheatley’s In The Earth being a film with a psychedelic ending and a menacing monolith.

‘Blatant,’ is possibly not the word!

So watching Polaris?   Was uncanny.

As the Polaris station itself, reminded me of the space station in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The 2001 space station. (Ext.)

The 2001 space station. (Int.)

The Polaris. (Ext.)

The Polaris. (Int.)

I think someone in the For All Mankind design team is a 2001 fan.

Because, given how the Polaris interior looked?   I was half expecting Leonard Rossiter to turn up.

In all seriousness, though?

This is a very well designed episode: something Apple’s got a good reputation for.

Cast-wise?   And plot-wise?

Cast wise, Polaris is great: it’s re-introduced us to series regulars — Ed, Danielle, Karen, Margo and Molly (Joel Kinnaman, Krys Marshall, Shantel VanSanten, Wrenn Schmidt and Sonya Walger*)— are all back in action.

Molly is a particular favourite character: so seeing her scene with Margo — with the latter getting persistently growled at, by Molly’s guide dog — was both welcome … and very funny.

It also hints at new characters: who we don’t see too much of, in this episode.

But we also see recast versions of younger characters: Casey W. Johnson as the older version of Danny Stevens is one of the centre points of this episode.

Plot-wise?

Polaris is an incredibly thrilling pice of work: with a malfunctioning thruster forcing the Polaris to spin faster and faster, forcing the ship’s artificial gravity higher and higher, and giving the people on-board the Polaris only so much time to get off.

Via ship board elevators ruined by the malfunctioning thrusters!

Frankly?

Polaris is a riveting watch: it’s a great opening episode, an exciting introduction for those who’ve not seen the series, so far … 

And, I suspect, a very good stand alone episode.

Polaris.

★★★★

~≈🌕≈~

With all that said … ?

With all that said, I’m going to be watching more of this series of For All Mankind: and be watching episode 2, Game Changer, on Sunday, 12th February

I’ll have my written and video reviews of the episode up on Monday, 13th February.

I don’t know if you’ve been watching — or reading — my reviews of classic Dr Who story, The Crusade: but I’ll the last of my written and video reviews of that story up on Saturday, 11th February.

Hopefully?

I’ll see you then!

*        Sonya Walger is English: which I didn’t know.   But that’s not why I started this footnote.   No, I was wondering if the surname Walger is anything to do with the surname Woolgar.   I know the former is apparently German.   I know that there’s an English actor called Jack Woolgar in The Web of Fear: and am wondering if the names are related.   After all, my surname is the Scottish version — ending in N-I-E — rather than the Irish version, ending in N-E-Y.   If you know?   Or have any ideas?   I’d appreciate hearing.