Season 1 - 8 episodes (2026)
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Created by: Ronald D. Moore, Ben Nedivi, Matt Wolpert
Starring: Rhys Ifans, Anna Maxwell Martin, Agnes O'Casey, Alice Englert, Solly McLeod, Adam Nagaitis, Ruby Ashbourne Serkis, Josef Davies, Priya Kansara
Rated: TV-MA
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Plot
Soviet cosmonauts, engineers, and intelligence officers risk everything in an ambitious space program aiming to be the first to reach the moon.
Verdict
Depicting the space race from the Russian perspective, paranoia and fear rule as the KGB surveil everyone. Even risking your life as a cosmonaut doesn't put you above suspicion. It's an oppressive regime that refuses to acknowledge failure, wanting to prove superiority while imposing strict conformity. It's a contrast to the American space race that relied on individuality and creativity. The other aspect to this show is that For All Mankind was an alternate history. I wouldn't know what's altered in this show's timeline which changes the dynamic. Instead of a unique take on the space race, it's just another perspective on the oppressive Soviet regime. That and I never connected to the show. It doesn't develop the characters as much as I had hoped, though that's also due to their circumstances. I admit it's likely my fault as much as the show's. It wasn't quite what I expected. My favorite part of For All Mankind was how changing one event altered the entire timeline of history.
It depends.
Review
This spin-off of For All Mankind (2019) focuses on the Soviet Union perspective in the 1960s. In an alternate-history space race, the Soviet Union reached the moon first which changed the direction of the NASA program and space exploration around the globe.
I like the themes and what this tries to do. I just never rooted for the characters liked I did in For All Mankind. While this is a distinctly different show, they share a connection and comparisons are inevitable. American astronauts have a cultural cache, test pilots are admired. For Russian cosmonauts, no one is above the movement. It's about total control for everyone. In this world's alternate history America didn't get to the moon first. I wouldn't know whether this show is an alternate timeline or not. While I know Yuri Gargarin, he's only mentioned in the series.
This explores the paranoia and oppression present during Russia's space race. A repressive regime rules, wanting victory on their own terms and exactly as they prescribe it. This is more than a drive to win, they don't want to admit to any failure while proclaiming Russian superiority at the fear of being toppled. To do that everyone is forced to conform to an ideal image. It's a contrast to America that used their individuality to succeed, rooted in optimism. Americans were exuberant to explore the boundaries of the known world.
After reaching the moon first, Russia schedules Yana, the first woman, for the moon. She's accused of being a spy and leaking plans. The KGB beat her until she confesses content they're correct, though we know she's innocent. Her replacement, Anastasia Belikova (Alice Englert), has only three days to train as they refuse to reschedule the launch. No one welcomes the situation as it invites failure, but Russia refuses to look weak.
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| E2: plays Agnes O'Casey plays Irina Morozova |
New surveillance operative Irina Morozova (Agnes O'Casey) listens in on people all day. She overhears evidence that Yana is not a spy, but the KGB refuses to admit mistakes. Irina's superior Raskova (Anna Maxwell Martin) thanks her but makes it explicitly clear that the decision will not be reversed. Guilt is determined upon accusation, and that's final.
Anastaia's mission is ultimately successful, but upon her return to Earth, Russia demands she marry for appearance's sake.
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| E5: Rhys Ifans, Josef Davies play Chief Designer, Sergei Nikulov |
The Chief Designer (Rhys Ifans), the space programs leader whose victories remain private lest he become a target, wants to go to Venus. Russia wants to establish a lunar base before the Americans. When they find a transmitter in their equipment they suspect western tampering, moving even quicker to establish the base.
The default bad guy is Raskova as head of the KGB. She suspects everyone, certain traitors exist. She's willing to kill all the astronauts on the Venus mission to eliminate one of them suspected of leaking information. Suspicion breeds paranoia, and Irina is asked to bug her boss Raskova's apartment.
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| E7: Anna Maxwell Martin plays Lyudmilla Raskova |
The Venus crew works with a select number of supporters in mission control who try to thwart the KGB. You have this split police state where the KGB wants to eliminate any threat, even if they aren't validated. The Chief Director and others in the program just want to explore space. They know some of these charges are fabricated. The KGB wants to look good and prove their worth. To do that they arrest people and beat them until they confess. When suspects deny it they can claim that's exactly what traitors would do. It's a scenario of boosting the stats to dire results.
Despite being heroes for exploring space, their own country doesn't treat them as such. It's a country run on paranoia. The Venus crew returns to Earth with a firing squad at the ready. The Chief Director intervenes to save them, but in this show, aligning yourself with the accused is never a good thing. It's wild to think the cosmonauts survived the dangers in space only to face unsubstantiated accusations back on Earth.
This has such a different tone compared to the American space race. With so much discord due to the KGB, it's a wonder anything was accomplished. The Chief Director held the program together, but if the KGB knew what he did, he'd be in a cell. As fresh as For All Mankind felt, this feels like another typical story portraying the Soviet's oppressive nature. Even the triumphant moments are tempered by the KGB around the corner waiting to arrest anyone.
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