IN THE RED

“For All Mankind” Season 3 takes the story to Mars

APPLE TV+ ’s “For All Mankind” is a show that seamlessly balances science fiction and period drama, understated storytelling and pulpy soap opera beats. “For All Mankind” is one of the few shows on television that consistently surprises me with both its spectacular set pieces and its determination to never leave a plot line behind.

So it was a relief, a treat, and a delight for me when the first eight episodes of Season 3 were on a level with the show’s incandescent second season. The show’s third season pushes its ensemble cast into a version of the 1990s where humanity is racing to Mars.

Created by Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi, “For All Mankind” imagines how the world would have changed if the USSR had beat the Unite States to the Moon in the 1960s. This “Sliding Doors” scenario ironically strengthens America’s resolve to explore the stars. More money is funneled into NASA and when the USSR sends a female cosmonaut to the Moon, then President Nixon asks for the USA to train their own “Moon Maiden.” Four intrepid women survive the training and head into the heavens. By the 1980s, we have an elaborate base on the lunar surface called Jamestown and there are turf wars with the USSR.

“For All Mankind” Season 3 (now streaming on AppleTV+) opens in the early ’90s. The new goal? To get to Mars first. For the Americans, Mars is seen as a do-over for what they fumbled with the Moon. The Soviets, likewise, want to hold on to their legacy as the first. However, joining this battle is a brilliant CEO named Dev Ayesa (Edi Gathegi). His private company, Helios, run like a Silicon Valley start up and surfing on epic amounts of capital, enters the race for Martian supremacy.

What’s so great about “For All Mankind” is how it never skimps on gorgeous sci-fi spectacle or knotty human drama. The lavish set pieces showing disasters in space only hit as hard as they do because of the time the writers have invested in the show’s characters. We’ve watched as Ed Baldwin (Joel Kinnaman) has evolved from ambitious young astronaut into a living legend grappling with his own slow descent into older age. Danielle Poole (Krys Marshall) started off as lowly “computer” on NASA’s campus to become a bonafide leader in space exploration. Karen Baldwin (Shantel VanSanten) is no longer the loyal astronaut’s wife, but a mogul; she’s more sure of herself and in command than ever. And Margo Madison (Wrenn Schmidt) has made the journey from being the first lady allowed to do calculations in Mission Control to the woman in charge of all of NASA.

Following these characters over the decades doesn’t just give us an opportunity to see how they’ve all grown, but how they’ve stayed the same.

Season 3 delivers more of what made Season 2 thrilling: there are life and death situations, secrets, reunions, romance.

Science fiction and fantasy of late have been overtaken by superheroes, reboots, and franchises. “For All Mankind,” has the goods to cure any viewer’s genre fatigue.

Season 3 should be the season that hooks everyone.

—Meghan O’Keefe is a Deputy Editor at Decider.com.

Astronau ts on Mars in “For All Mankind” Season 3. Below: Danielle Poole (Krys Marhall) and Ed Baldwin (Joel Kinnaman).