Space Force Review

 (A version of this article originally appeared on kernelnow.com / mynewslike.com)

What would you do if you’d worked your entire life for your dream job, for one specific goal, only for the terms of that dream to be changed just as you achieved it? And what if it was suddenly your responsibility to take humanity’s “final frontier”… and weaponize it?

These are the lofty questions that plague the light-hearted Space Force, and more specifically its lead, General Mark Naird (Steve Carell), a career military man who assumes that his promotion to the rank of four-star general means that he will come into command of his beloved Air Force. Instead, he’s given the “booby prize” of leading the first-ever United States Space Force and its maverick team of scientists, soldiers and “spacemen”, including chief scientist Dr. Adrian Mallory (John Malkovich) and social media director F. Tony Scarapiducci (Ben Schwartz). Together, they contend with the complexities of a space program, the threat of competitors from abroad, and the demands of their superiors on home soil.

Mallory and Naird (Malkovich and Carell, l-r) come to deal with much bigger vehicles than a simple cart
(source: Netflix)

The biggest disappointment surrounding the show throughout its so-far weekend-long existence seems to be that Steve Carell isn’t playing Michael Scott. However, The Office represented only a small facet to his career; you only need to look at his nomination for an Academy Award in the years since (Foxcatcher, 2015) for proof that he can play more than just a goofball. However, for Space Force the actor has drawn from a place preceding his widest acclaim.

Carell’s restrained performance recalls his earlier work leading indie comedy films such as Little Miss Sunshine and Dan in Real Life, where his range as an actor first became apparent. With his career in the balance and his world changing all around him, Naird shares characteristics with the broken spirit of Frank Ginsberg or Dan Burns from those two roles. There’s also a touch of Evan Baxter’s career-first cynicism from Bruce Almighty, proving that whilst he might not be embodying his most famous persona, in Space Force the 57 year-old is operating at his most “Carellian”.

One of the strongest points Mark Naird (Steve Carell) possesses is a talent for speech-making
(source: Netflix)

Complaints of “a lack of Michael Scott” go hand-in-hand with frustration that “this isn’t The Office”. Famed showrunner Greg Daniels, creator of that showand later Parks and Recreation, seems to be bearing the forefront of the criticism for this, but Space Force was Carell’s show first, pitched to him by Netflix before he brought on Daniels. There are no interviews or glances to the camera –it might be obvious to point out these differences, but it would be unfair to compare Space Force to an eccentric mockumentary when this workplace series seem to instead draw from the character-driven stories of Carell’s cinematic past. There’s a focus on sentiment over shenanigans, with the rhythm and intentions of an indie movie (or rather, a “Netflix film”) taking precedence over those of a traditional sitcom.

Naird may dominate the social media-ready talking points of the show, but his muted lead allows for greater exploration of a secondary cast who may come to emulate the success of The Office’s supporting ensemble. Mark’s daughter Erin, whose parents are unavailable both emotionally and literally, takes it upon herself to explore her own story, and it doesn’t hurt that she’s played by Diana Silvers; if you don’t remember that name from last year’s Booksmart, it’s only because she was one of many scene-stealing performers that director Olivia Wilde showcased. Erin finds a friend in Tawny Newsome’s Captain Angela Ali, Naird’s personal helicopter pilot who best walks the tightrope between a professional and personal life – IF there’s a “Jim Halpert” to be found in this show, it’s in this eminently charismatic aerialist. All of this fails to mention the all-star four-star roundtable that Naird must report to, filled with the leaders of other armed forces whose faces will be recognizable in some way to most viewers. Then, there’s a BWAM (don’t worry, the show will explain) coupling that demands to be further explored should the show reach a second season.

Space Force is dedicated to the late Fred Willard, who plays the role of Mark’s dad, Fred
(source: Netflix)

In their scenes together as dueling analysts, Malkovich and Schwartz birth an incredible comedy duo; no surprise, as both have shown an ability to play well off of just about anyone in their careers, whether irritating the straight-faced Ron Swanson in Parks and Recreation for the latter or having dinner with themselves in Being John Malkovich for the former. At the head of the program, the two form a hilarious trio with Carell as three very different necessary evils, and when they aren’tundermining each other in front of their staff, Naird and Mallory in particular form a delightful bond. As colleagues and each other’s only real hope of friendship, there are a number of genuinely-heartfelt scenes between the two seasoned actors which might take years to develop in other series. Evidently, this show is more about more about the characters’ relationships with each other than with comedy.

What cannot be avoided is that the show doesn’t offer much space, and just as little force. Like the Sean Penn-starring drama The First, those watching to get a glimpse of the star-filled life of an astronaut may feel a little unfulfilled, and if you share in the trigger-happy views of Mark’s upper brass armed forces peers then the fact that Space Force refuses to be as much will prove frustrating. Combat warfare is even ripped to pieces in a “War Games” episode that reduces advanced weaponry to household items and toys, an episode which informs the terrific season finale that tackles the morality (and absurdity – “let’s get wrenching!”) of arming the heavens above.

Schwartz de force: longtime fans will delight in Ben Schwartz’s latest gleeful performance
(source: Netflix)

For all the support that can be (and should) be mustered in defense of this singular show, it cannot be overstated that this is not a perfect season. Case in point: the road to the finale. On its own merit, the final 36 minutes of Space Force season one is its own well-realized story, but the episodes immediately before it rush rather than ramp up the tension, hurrying events to conflict in a way that sacrifices the realistic, slow-burn realization of space exploration. Maybe ten episodes was too little to fully develop such a dramatic arc, but if that is the case then maybe the latter stages of this storyline would have been best kept for later seasons.

There are also moments where the series second-guesses itself, “playing for laughs” with moments of big comedy in attempts to appeal to casual audiences. Perhaps as these scenes play out you may find yourself committing to them as part of the absurdity of this world, but it shouldn’t feel so unnatural to get a chuckle to hit. Then, as has been seen so often in the last half-decade of big-name entertainment, there’s the issue of politics – maybe it’s an attempt to tickle the ribs of one side of the fence without rattling the cage of the other, but Space Force fumbles its real-world analogies. There’s an unseen, unnamed Twitter-happy President, an overbearing First Lady and an uncompromising young Hispanic senator who all come as pale parodies of their obvious real-life counterparts – you might find yourself wishing the show would have a little more conviction in its satire. Evidently, for every handful of home runs that this show hits, there is a share of whiffs en route.

Viewers may find frustration with Maggie Naird (Lisa Kudrow, centre), too
(source: Netflix)

Like Greg Daniels’s most famous comedy series, hopefully this show can capitalize on its strengths to emerge anew and enhanced in its second season, but it’s worth noting that this show isn’t a pale imitation of its famous forebears but instead an entirely different beast. There’s enough here to revamp the story into a more blatantly charming comedy just like the early metamorphosis of Parks and Recreation, but on the evidence of these first ten episodes one thing is clear: Space Force isn’t unfunny. It’s just not a sitcom.