Critic Reviews

Reality and fantasy thus continue to collide in thrilling fashion in this revisionist drama, arguably the finest on television, whose out-of-this-world speculative fiction proves as intriguing and nuanced as its diverse characters are inspiring.

"Mankind" is the most thoughtful and thought-out show on TV, so nuanced and exquisite that you forget where and when you're living and who’s president. It’s in a class all its own; it’s a new frontier of just how good TV can be.

Inspiring but not cloying, this is compelling drama precisely because it is as compromised and imperfect as our own struggles to progress. Don’t be put off by the tech stuff; it’s only rocket science.

For All Mankind is doing so much right with astronaut fiction—grounding it in mundane lives and historicity, while separating it from its big names and dates enough to reach for something more profound than documentary—that minor bumps only rattle the otherwise smooth ride in an exceptional craft. For All Mankind pursues greatness, succeeds, and plants an Apple flag for the world to see.

There’s a lot more going on in the second season of For All Mankind than the issue of guns on the moon, of course—as it did in its first season, the series continues to excel at balancing its sprawling ensemble of characters, all of whom are driven by a dizzying array of motivations, with the precise textural demands of a well-dressed period piece.

“For All Mankind” is simply one of the best things on TV. Aside from being uncomfortably prescient — the Russia/U.S. tensions induce cold shivers of recognition — it balances what might be with what is, mixing the not-all-that-fantastic with well-grounded human drama. Prepare for blast off.

For All Mankind is a fascinating, underrated show that offers science-fiction/alternate history on top of great storylines, strong characters, and well-written episodes. It all works together seamlessly without feeling like storylines are being sacrificed in the name of spectacle. If you liked the first two seasons, the third keeps up the momentum.

For All Mankind Season 3 delivers more of what made its excellent Season 2 so thrilling. ... If there’s one spot, though, where For All Mankind Season 3 might frustrate viewers, it’s the resurrection of one of the most contested storylines in the show’s run. By the end of Episode 8, however, I could see where the writers were going with this story and its conflicted main player. ... Overall, For All Mankind is just freaking good TV.

At its best — which it still so often is — For All Mankind is able to present so many different, exciting movies at the same time that the missteps stick out more than they would on a series not trying to do as much, let alone as widely capable. By heading to Mars, FAM is reaching further than ever — a reach that sometimes exceeds its grasp, even as it’s a lot of fun to see them try.

It takes a few episodes for a lot of the new season’s setup – more politics than space exploration, really — to pay off but when it finally does, it proves worth the wait.