Space Force is 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 a Greg Daniels show.
Indeed, Space Force is unlike anything the co-creator of King of the Hill, the U.S. version of The Office, and Parks and Recreation has 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 since The Office, Steve Carell plays 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 by Ben Schwartz), and dealing with the various scientists who make Space Force semi-possible.
Indeed, one of the central conflicts of Space Force is 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 by John 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 to Dr. Strangelove, and they’re not entirely inappropriate. Space Force is 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 happen if… 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’t specifically say he’s Trump. There are also stand-ins for political figures like U.S. House representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi early 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 Force itself 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 of Space 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 Newsome is charming as all get-out as an ambitious Space Force helicopter pilot, and Jimmy O. Yang is 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 also looks different than anything Daniels has done before. Directors like Paul King (Paddington) and Dee Rees (Mudbound) bring a cinematic quality to the visual style of the show, which also boasts an original score by Oscar-nominated composer Carter Burwell. This is far from the docudrama style of The Office and Parks 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 series Upload, which is great), Space Force is 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.
Rating: B+
Space Force is now streaming on Netflix.