Posts: 44863 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-07-2020 01:11 PM
Netflix has released a teaser for "Away," a new space-themed series starring Hilary Swank, coming on Sept. 4, 2020.
In the near future, a crewed spacecraft is sent to Mars. For this high-stakes mission, a team of elite astronauts are assembled from around the globe. They hail from the United States, Russia, China, India, and Great Britain. If all goes well, they will be away from the place they call home and the people they love for three years. During this time, their relationships both on Earth and in space will be tested, as they struggle to stay alive and stay on track in pursuit of humanity's most important goal. The world will be watching.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 44863 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-07-2020 01:19 PM
Netflix photos
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 44863 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-10-2020 12:13 PM
The "Away" trailer was released today. From Chris Jones (via Twitter), whose 2014 feature article, "Away," for Esquire about Scott Kelly's one-year mission served as the inspiration for the new series:
The trailer for "Away" is out today. We tried hard to make a hopeful, beautiful show — and one that the entire family can watch together. We tried to make the antidote. I am grateful that it's real, and I hope so much that you enjoy it.
p51 Member
Posts: 1682 From: Olympia, WA Registered: Sep 2011
posted 08-10-2020 10:42 PM
Looks interesting.
Sounds a lot like the basic premise of the ill-fated 2009 series, "Defying Gravity," but with slightly older/parent astronauts.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 44863 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
An American astronaut joins an international crew for a long-duration spaceflight and has to endure both the challenges of the mission and the effects of being separated from Earth.
That is the plot of the new Netflix series "Away," starring Hilary Swank as a Mars-bound astronaut.
It also describes the real-life story chronicled in "Away," writer Chris Jones' 2014 feature for Esquire magazine that focused on NASA astronaut Scott Kelly's year-long expedition aboard the International Space Station.
cspg Member
Posts: 6235 From: Geneva, Switzerland Registered: May 2006
posted 08-12-2020 02:40 AM
As usual a lack of originality. Seeing the trailer and that was enough for me.
Elite astronauts from Great Britain? Chinese and US astronauts in the same ship? "If all goes well," spoiler: it won't go well as indicated a couple lines later "they struggle to stay alive."
"Stay on track in pursuit of humanity's most important goal." Which would be? "The world will be watching." It will if things go really bad. Thumbs down.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 44863 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-12-2020 09:24 AM
Press reviews are still under embargo, but having screened the the first season, I can say there is more to the series than what you see in the trailer. More soon...
posted 08-12-2020 11:57 AM
Looks to be light on science fiction originality and heavy on the social drama. Recent interviews with Deadline, in their own words, what's it all about?
Hillary Swank:
"I love that this commander of the mission to Mars is a woman and that's not the drama of the story. That shows how far we've come towards equality."
"The drama was these richly, racial backgrounds, these people who are on this journey, working towards a goal together, while having this gravitational pull to Earth, these families that made it a love story," she said.
"My character was dealing with this dream come true of this mission to Mars, dream come true of being a mother, which was unexpected, and growing these deep relationships with these other human beings she was on this mission with and breaking through these stereotypes."
Jason Katims:
"Most importantly, what I'm reminded of is that the show is about many things but at its core, it's about the human spirit and more specifically when it's tested, what it's capable of. I think given the time we're in, I'm really proud to be able to put this show out in the world right now."
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 44863 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
In a show that is primarily set aboard a fictional spacecraft flying through simulated space, there is a scene in the new Netflix Mars mission series, "Away," that looks particularly close to the real thing — and that is because it is.
Towards the end of the one the 10 episodes that began streaming Friday (Sept. 4), astronauts Emma Green and Matt Logan, played by actors Hilary Swank and Josh Charles, are seen getting ready to train using NASA T-38 jets. The aircraft are emblazoned with NASA's iconic insignia and for those in the know, the setting may look familiar.
mode1charlie Member
Posts: 1221 From: Honolulu, HI Registered: Sep 2010
posted 09-04-2020 03:21 PM
I'm looking forward to this series, in part precisely because it does depict an international crew. Aspiring to things greater and more noble than are possible today is something we could do with a lot more of.
Hart Sastrowardoyo Member
Posts: 3450 From: Toms River, NJ Registered: Aug 2000
posted 09-07-2020 08:14 PM
In the photo above, the Chinese taikonaut has her flag backward, as worn on the right shoulder (the stars should be on the right, as the American flag has it).
But in watching the episode, the flag is correctly worn. Was the flag replaced after the photo was taken, or was it CGIed in post-production?
perineau Member
Posts: 289 From: FRANCE Registered: Jul 2007
posted 09-09-2020 09:12 AM
I'm enjoying the series but it seems as though they're going to Mars on an ocean liner! I think that the day when we finally pull it off, it will be with much smaller spacecraft.
Liembo Member
Posts: 674 From: Bothell, WA Registered: Jan 2013
posted 09-09-2020 10:49 AM
This show has to be watched for the drama, not the technical aspects. Way too many obvious flaws. It's practically on par with Armageddon at this point.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 44863 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-09-2020 12:02 PM
There are technical errors, but it also includes numerous details that a lot of other films omit or miss. And many of the dramatic events have parallels with incidents experienced aboard the space shuttle or space station.
If your only education about sending humans to Mars was this series, you would be better informed than large swaths of the population.
Hart Sastrowardoyo Member
Posts: 3450 From: Toms River, NJ Registered: Aug 2000
posted 09-09-2020 12:08 PM
Yeah, I think the show would be unwatchable if they factored in the communication lags between Earth and the spacecraft.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 44863 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-09-2020 12:12 PM
They do factor that in, though, just not as a gradual increase but rather a sudden drop off. In later episodes, they wait the 20 minutes for one-way communications.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 44863 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-09-2020 03:54 PM
Netflix video
Hilary Swank, who plays an astronaut in the new Netflix drama "Away" visited NASA's Johnson Space Center back in February of 2020 to meet astronauts Karen Nyberg and Jessica Meir and experience a day in the life of a real astronaut.
David C Member
Posts: 1171 From: Lausanne Registered: Apr 2012
posted 09-12-2020 01:47 PM
Well that’s episode 5 down and so far its been a struggle. The word most used by both my wife and I has probably been "horrendous." Sure it's about the drama not the science, but even if you'd just sat five crew and their families down in a room for two days of briefings before sending them off they'd have done better than this apparently totally unprepared lot have done.
It can only get better. Right?
perineau Member
Posts: 289 From: FRANCE Registered: Jul 2007
posted 09-13-2020 03:07 AM
You've got a point, the crew didn't seem to be very well vetted between all the medical and psychological issues they took with them on a 3-year trip to Mars.
p51 Member
Posts: 1682 From: Olympia, WA Registered: Sep 2011
posted 09-13-2020 07:14 PM
The crew compatibility issue was very obvious, as was the massive amount of open space within the craft. Sci-fi shows always make spacious spacecraft interiors as its easier to get the filming crews around the set. But there are no items stored away on the sides of the interior as would be stuffed there in real life.
quote:Originally posted by p51: Sounds a lot like the basic premise of the ill-fated 2009 series, "Defying Gravity," but with slightly older/parent astronauts.
Wow, I was guessing when I posted that but now I realized I nailed it without ever seeing the show yet.
Watch "Defying Gravity," and you'll see what I mean. I think the latter is a far more entertaining show as it's sci-fi...
Captain Apollo Member
Posts: 266 From: UK Registered: Jun 2004
posted 09-15-2020 05:32 AM
Gave up after 20 minutes. Tiresome.
David C Member
Posts: 1171 From: Lausanne Registered: Apr 2012
posted 09-15-2020 12:22 PM
Man I wish I'd made your choice.
posted 09-15-2020 12:50 PM
My wife (who grudgingly tolerates my love of space) started watching this, and is hooked. The first couple episodes had her riveted and in tears at the drama.
I think it's successfully reaching it's target audience, which is not any of us on this board.
Spacepsycho Member
Posts: 847 From: Huntington Beach, Calif. Registered: Aug 2004
posted 10-06-2020 01:52 AM
I really wanted to like or at least tolerate this show but the drama borders on insanity. The commander has a psychological breakdown, her daughter is an annoying drama queen, the Russian charged with maintaining the spacecraft is blind and incompetent, the Chinese government has to be furious at how they're portrayed and yet they still make it to the surface.
This could have been excellent but the writers and producers made it into a farce.
crash Member
Posts: 330 From: West Sussex, England Registered: Jan 2011
posted 10-06-2020 07:26 AM
Like Ray (Spacepsycho) I really wanted to enjoy this. I managed to convince my family to sit down and watch it and after three episodes we unanimously declared that is was utter garbage. I described it as having the technical accuracy of Gravity and a crew made up of the cast of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
However, we decided to give it another go and started on episode 4. Ha! Not wishing to give anything away another crew member has a serious mental "episode." Total drivel and we stopped. My kids cannot believe that it was ever made.
Larry McGlynn Member
Posts: 1302 From: Boston, MA Registered: Jul 2003
posted 10-06-2020 12:34 PM
I love its unintentional comedy. I just laugh and laugh at the insane events on a ship that should be headed to the Sun.
So I ask the question why is a comedy (Space Force) about space tedious and a drama about space (Away) really funny?
If they could only get it right.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 44863 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-06-2020 01:36 PM
quote:Originally posted by Spacepsycho: ...the Russian charged with maintaining the spacecraft is blind
While "Away" played it up for the drama, that the cosmonaut was going blind was based on a real concern. At least one ISS crew member returned from a six month expedition having gone legally blind in one eye, and others (all men, for reasons not yet understood) suffered degraded vision.
The risk of a crew member losing his sight on the way to Mars will exist until the cause of the degradation is identified and countermeasures are developed, assuming the latter is possible.
David C Member
Posts: 1171 From: Lausanne Registered: Apr 2012
posted 10-06-2020 02:32 PM
quote:Originally posted by Robert Pearlman: ...and others (all men, for reasons not yet understood) suffered degraded vision.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and put it down simply to a vastly larger sample of men than women. So let's get more women up there.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 44863 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-20-2020 09:24 AM
Netflix has opted not to pick up a second season of "Away," reports Deadline.
When making renewal/cancellation decisions, Netflix brass analyze viewership versus cost. Away spent several weeks in the top 10 Nielsen streaming viewership rankings, peaking at No 2 for its first full week of release.
p51 Member
Posts: 1682 From: Olympia, WA Registered: Sep 2011
posted 10-20-2020 04:08 PM
That's the problem with internet, they upload a 'season' of shows, everyone watches them within a few days, then immediately screams for more.
Then, about a week after the ratings come through for the suits, they decide not to make the following 'seasons' that should have been answered the cliffhanger they left you with...
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 44863 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-20-2020 04:15 PM
Maybe this is an opportunity for someone to approach Netflix for the rights and then, either working with the show's writers or alone, pen a novel that begins with the events of the first (and only) season and then picks up where the series left off.
Or perhaps journalist and author Chris Jones, who wrote the articles that inspired "Away," might consider such (or maybe already has).
tegwilym Member
Posts: 2332 From: Sturgeon Bay, WI Registered: Jan 2000
posted 10-21-2020 06:27 PM
Darn. I actually enjoyed the show. Sure, it had a bunch of silly stuff and a bit unrealistic, but I was hoping to see how it progressed on Mars!
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 44863 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-21-2020 08:05 PM
From Hilary Swank (via Instagram):
Love and hope will always remain my "North Star." It was an incredible journey my compadres.
And thank YOU to all my extraordinary followers who watched and supported our beautiful show. Wish we were showing you Mars! Until the next one.
posted 07-07-2020 01:11 PM
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