HELEN’S SPACE ODYSSEY

An A-list cast including DAME HELEN MIRREN heads up a new sci-fi series

Genre: Sci-fi Available: Friday 21 May Season: 1 Episodes: 7 Runs: 30min TVSW says: Intelligent and diverse tales of what it means to be human

HAVE THE EVOLVING ways in which we communicate changed what it means to be alive? That’s the question at the heart of Amazon Prime Video’s star-studded anthology series Solos, featuring a variety of life-changing experiences set in the near future.

We spoke to Dame Helen Mirren, 75, to learn more about her character, Peg...

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE PEG’S

STORY? Peg sees an advertisement saying, ‘Go on the adventure of a lifetime!’ Her life has been avoiding adventure, stepping back rather than stepping forward. She’s in her 70s and she just has one of those, ‘Let’s go for it!’ moments and signs up. WHAT DOES HER ADVENTURE INVOLVE? It’s basically being launched into outer space – you don’t really know to what or where. All she is aware of is that there is no return, so in a way it’s a metaphor about life, isn’t it? We are all on an outward journey, and there is no return for any of us. Because she’s isolated in the little space pod, the journey allows her to reflect on her life.

THE WHOLE EPISODE FEATURES PEG IN THE POD. WAS THAT CHALLENGING? We filmed under very strict COVID protocols – which were very valuable for this particular piece, because Peg is isolated, and I was isolated on the set. The director could only approach me for notes over the loudspeaker, and I couldn’t wander off the set for a chat. It was quite a specific experience.

HOW MUCH DID THE SET ADD TO THE EXPERIENCE?

Enormously – I was in this little space pod with a roof and everything. They could take pieces out to get different shots and different angles, but I was absolutely enclosed in this small space. When I looked out the window, I had these great back projections of the stars slowly going by.

WHAT ADVENTURES WOULD YOU LIKE

TO GO ON? I really want to go to India, and Indonesia. I’ve missed out on lots of those sorts of adventures so far, because I’ve been working my whole life. There is no way I would sign up to go into outer space, though. I find the whole concept absolutely terrifying!