Ever experience the phenomenon where a movie or tv show gets savaged by critics and Youtubers, but you really like it? Where reviewers pick apart plots, performances, timelines, and well really everything about a show? That would give you “Space Force” co-created by Greg Daniels and Steve Carrell who brought us the American version of “The Office”. We thought it was hysterical. Of course, I laugh at Carrell's expression on award shows. He can be subtle and say so much with a look. In “Space Force” he finds himself in the middle of ridiculous situations and has to play them off like they can be saved. He's the cheerleading captain for a team which constantly crashes into themselves or the ground yet keep trying.
The amount of talent in the cast is amazing: Steve Carrell, Lisa Kudrow, John Malkovich, Jimmy O. Yang, Fred Willard, and more. It's funny to see Jane Lynch, Dieddrich Bader, and Patrick Warburton on the Joint Chiefs of Staff with Carrell. Mark Naird (Carrell) is promoted to 4 star general and the new head of the President's United States of America Space Force. It doesn't exist and Naird is tasked with creating it.
After General Naird is promoted, the show time jumps a year and there are changes. The always wonderful Lisa Kudrow (Friends, the Comeback) plays his wife, Maggie, who we learn has been sent to prison. She's sentenced to serve 40 years and you don't know why. One of the themes of the show is her husband and daughter, Erin, learning to live life without her constant presence. It's both sad and funny at times. Kudrow is bitingly amusing playing a popular prisoner in the big house. The daughter's role is a cliched one as a teen struggling through life with absentee parents. Making bad decisions and not knowing what to do. Carrell entertains you no matter what he does – angst, anger, bumbling. One of his character's endearing traits is his penchant for humming and dancing when under stress.
I adore John Malkovich. One of my favorite movies is “Red” (2010). The antagonistic relationship between Carrell and Malkovich is natural given their roles of military commander vs scientist in the race to space. “Space Force” is a work place comedy, but a key factor is its parody of the current president's desire for a new space force. What would happen if we truly tried to create one? It's our understanding the real one began developing a year after this show started shooting. Something to think about.
Standouts from the show:
Ben Schwartz is hilarious as a media-manager sent by the White House to keep an eye on the Force and spin results whenever the truth hurts. His sparring and attempts to bypass Naird's personal assistant are a running joke. He's the king of selfies and “likes” and mirrors people we know in real life who live for social media.
Jimmy O. Yang's turn as a scientist is a delight and in direct contrast to his over the top Bernard from Crazy, Rich Asians. Loved him in that film and he's just as good in a more cerebral role.
If you're looking for a binge, give this a try. It's entertaining, won't hurt you, and might make you laugh out loud like we did. If not, you can always skip to the next Netflix show.
*Photography and videos creditted to Netflix and Youtube.
