Space Forceis a weird show. It’s political but not necessarily specific. Funny but oftentimes quite broad. And surprisingly sweet at times. It kind of defies description, which I suppose makes it aGreg Danielsshow.
Indeed,Space Forceis unlike anything the co-creator ofKing of the Hill, the U.S. version ofThe Office, andParks and Recreationhas done before, and yet has an unmistakable sincerity that shines through in the best episodes, and a heavy attention to character. But navigating the world of satire and politics proves to be a somewhat bumpy ride, even if the journey smooths out by the end.
In his first series regular television role sinceThe Office,Steve Carellplays four-star Air Force general Mark R. Naird. The show begins with the announcement of the titular new branch of the military, to which Naird is swiftly appointed. He’s tasked with leading and essentially creating a mission statement for Space Force—a reason for it to exist. And while he’s initially frustrated by the appointment, his sense of duty requires that he rise to the occasion. Naird is hard-nosed and runs a tight ship, but in sharp contrast to Michael Scott is anything but incompetent.
The first episode flashes forward a bit in time to a fully functioning Space Force, of which Naird is still in control—although this isn’t a science-fiction show, as the action is firmly grounded in reality. But now we’ve got ourselves a workplace comedy. Naird has to deal with the day-to-day problems that plague this all-new military branch, all while pleasing the whims of the President of the United States (more on that in a bit), fending off his overly hungry communications director (played byBen Schwartz),and dealing with the various scientists who make Space Force semi-possible.
Indeed, one of the central conflicts ofSpace Forceis the push and pull between the military machine and the scientists who are necessary to make space travel work. This is most exemplified in the character of Dr. Adrian Mallory, played with delightful aplomb and self-awareness byJohn Malkovich(a tremendously underrated comedic performer). Mallory is in many ways the right-hand man of Naird, but the two are on opposite sides of the political spectrum and argue often. There’s an inherent respect between the two individuals, however, that continues to bring them together despite their disagreements, and this close friendship is one of the emotional cornerstones of the series. A grounded foundation on which to hold when the satire gets a bit broad.
Comparisons will be made toDr. Strangelove, and they’re not entirely inappropriate.Space Forceis a comedy satire that zeroes in on some of the more ridiculous aspects of our current situation, essentially serving as a thought experience that imagines what would happenif… The show also goes to great pains not to specifically name the President to whom Naird reports, but references are made to his tweets, his tempestuousness, his general lack of knowledge despite making grandiose demands, and the fashion-focused First Lady. It’s clearly Donald Trump, or at the very least a Trump-like character, but again the show doesn’tspecificallysay he’s Trump. There are also stand-ins for political figures like U.S. House representativeAlexandria Ocasio-Cortezand Speaker of the HouseNancy Pelosiearly on that are more distracting than funny, and even Schwartz’s character bears some resemblance to the world’s shortest-tenured White House Communications Director,Anthony Scaramucci.
Thankfully, as the season progresses, the show starts to drop these overt references to current American politics, and instead focuses on fleshing out its own characters and world.Space Forceitself isn’t an overtly political series—despite some sharp jabs early on, it ultimately hits upon a “can’t we all find common ground?”-type notion while tactfully avoiding disrespecting the U.S. military or those in it. If anything, the series applauds those who serve under difficult (or impossible) circumstances.
But honestly, politics is the least interesting aspect ofSpace Force. As with all Greg Daniels shows, it comes down to the characters, and for the most part this ensemble is made up of people worth rooting for. In a star-making role,Tawny Newsomeis charming as all get-out as an ambitious Space Force helicopter pilot, andJimmy O. Yangis terrific as an overly qualified scientist who doesn’t attempt to hide his annoyance at his higher-ups. Naird’s arc in particular is quite fascinating, and Carell does a tremendous job of instantly differentiating this specific workplace “boss” from one Michael Scott. Naird is largely humorless, but Carell and Daniels are able to use that to draw out humor as it relates to this specific character. He’s also empathetic, as his relationship with his daughter Erin (Diana Silvers) is another emotional cornerstone for the series—although I’d argue the kinship with Dr. Mallory has a more satisfying emotional arc for the season, and Erin at times feels more like an obstacle than an asset to the series. Teens in TV shows, a very common minefield.
The show alsolooksdifferent than anything Daniels has done before. Directors likePaul King(Paddington) andDee Rees(Mudbound) bring a cinematic quality to the visual style of the show, which also boasts an original score by Oscar-nominated composerCarter Burwell. This is far from the docudrama style ofThe OfficeandParks and Rec, and rightly so. There’s an inherent absurdity to the cinematography that drills down the show’s more satirical aspects.
And it’s funny! But not quite as “laugh-out-loud” funny as you may be expecting. Again, there’s an absurdist undercurrent running throughout the 10-episode first season, so the comedy is more situational than language-based. But King sets the pace beautifully in the show’s screwball-esque first episode, and Schwartz proves to be a straight-up assassin with a couple of line readings that absolutely slayed me.
But as with all of Daniels’ other shows (including the recently launched Amazon sci-fi seriesUpload,which is great),Space Forceis a series that succeeds because of its well-drawn characters. There’s a winning charm to Carell’s performance that’s hard to resist, and the friendship between Naird and Mallory is basically the Jim/Pam of this show—there’s a lot to root for there. There are characters that work better than others, and it takes a few episodes for the series to find the right tone (satire ain’t easy), but by the end of the 10-episode first-season run I found myself endeared to this disparate ensemble and deeply invested in what happens next. So, you know, a Greg Daniels show.
