Author Topic: For All Mankind (Read 347934 times)

zack · « **on:** 06/03/2019 05:28 pm »

Apple has shared the first trailer of "For All Mankind". A show where the space race never stopped and the Soviets were the firsts to land on the moon.
It is produced by Ron Moore.
I must say it looks rather good.

https://twitter.com/AppleTV/status/1135596849321013250

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #1 on:** 06/03/2019 05:33 pm »

jstrotha0975 · « **Reply #2 on:** 06/03/2019 05:34 pm »

Why would the Soviets beat us to the moon? That was the space race and we won. Continuing the space race would be space stations and shuttles.

Silmfeanor · « **Reply #3 on:** 06/03/2019 06:08 pm »

Quote from: jstrotha0975 on 06/03/2019 05:34 pm

Why would the Soviets beat us to the moon? That was the space race and we won. Continuing the space race would be space stations and shuttles.

?

This is an alternative history series. Perhaps a micro-meteroid hit apollo 11? I'm sure the series will elucidate. The question asked here is, what if the soviets beat the US to the moon? Then the space race would continue longer, with more moon-related and apollo-related missions. It seems to be missing the point to ask your question?

hektor · « **Reply #4 on:** 06/03/2019 06:21 pm »

I would have preferred an adaptation of Voyage...

DaveS · « **Reply #5 on:** 06/03/2019 06:23 pm »

Quote from: Silmfeanor on 06/03/2019 06:08 pm

Quote from: jstrotha0975 on 06/03/2019 05:34 pm
Why would the Soviets beat us to the moon? That was the space race and we won. Continuing the space race would be space stations and shuttles.

?

This is an alternative history series. Perhaps a micro-meteroid hit apollo 11?

Another "what-if" scenario would be "what-if" the S-II pogo issue that cut-out the center engine on A13 happened on one of the earlier flights and it actually killed the crew, not just the center engine (this was a real possibility and nearly happened but the cut-out of the center engine prevented it).

Orbiter · « **Reply #6 on:** 06/03/2019 06:27 pm »

I actually like the looks of this show. Maybe in this timeline Korolev doesn't die in 1966 and remains the Soviet's Chief Designer?

eric z · « **Reply #7 on:** 06/03/2019 06:32 pm »

There will be at least a few clowns out there who believe this version of "reality". Get ready for them. They won't be posting here, though!

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #8 on:** 06/03/2019 09:37 pm »

https://twitter.com/astro_g_dogg/status/1135661336908537858

Quote

I've been having a ton of fun working for about a year now as a tech advisor for #ForAllMankind - so happy to share this trailer with you now that it premiered at #WWDC19 It's been an honor to work with this amazing cast and crew. Please tune in and let me know what you think!

Khadgars · « **Reply #9 on:** 06/03/2019 10:09 pm »

Aww was hoping for something other than "alternate" history. The production looks nice but not interested $:-\$

Kansan52 · « **Reply #10 on:** 06/03/2019 10:15 pm »

Totally disappointed in this bastardized junk. So many stories to be told like 'Rocket Ranch', the N1 story, or how Station Alpha morphed into the ISS to include Russia.

What would you like better than changing history?

Markstark · « **Reply #11 on:** 06/03/2019 11:10 pm »

I’ll be tuning in at least for the pilot

Ronpur50 · « **Reply #12 on:** 06/04/2019 12:38 am »

Quote from: hektor on 06/03/2019 06:21 pm

I would have preferred an adaptation of Voyage...

Me too. But this looks intriguing. Where would we have gotten if the race had not stopped? Both sides pushing the other to further goals. Interesting concept to me.

Lars-J · « **Reply #13 on:** 06/04/2019 03:35 am »

I dig it... And nice twist in the trailer. Thought I was watching an Apollo 13 the TV show at first.

But then again I'm an easy sell on alternate history fiction.

If you think it is ridiculous, then don't watch. There is a been a lot of good drama and documentaries about Apollo in the last couple of years, so it's not like you are starving for material.

su27k · « **Reply #14 on:** 06/04/2019 03:49 am »

Yeah, this looks interesting. Alternative history is a totally valid genre of speculative fiction, asking what if questions is what human does best, I mean we do it here on this forum everyday.

LMT · « **Reply #15 on:** 06/04/2019 02:48 pm »

Quote

"I take this step for my country, for my people, and for the Marxist-Leninist way of life, knowing that today is but one small step on a journey that someday will take us all to the stars."

- Fictional first reported words from the Moon, Alexei Leonov, 'For All Mankind'

Quote from: su27k on 06/04/2019 03:49 am

Yeah, this looks interesting. Alternative history is a totally valid genre of speculative fiction, asking what if questions is what human does best, I mean we do it here on this forum everyday.

Yes, and this "Red Moon" premise is a counterfactual with many plausible storyline possibilities. When the race is open-ended, and State priority, what might men do?

Quote

"There is water on the Moon."

If the storyline crosses a resource threshold -- State control of ready propellant, a unique energy source, precious metals, or other strategic space resource -- what more might men do, in extremity? Maybe the show will explore challenges such as those of "The Expanse", but with Apollo-era psychology, ground fine.

Interesting premise, anyway.

Brief Ars Technica article with many comments.

--

btw, "Red Gold" was a triple entendre.

What might men do?

Skylon · « **Reply #16 on:** 06/04/2019 02:52 pm »

While the premise is totally absurd I'd be willing to watch the first episode. I agree, the easiest way to "justify" this alternate reality would be to state Sergei Korolev never died.

The whole trailer reminded me of Martin Caiden's 1960's novel, "No Man's World", which was written before Apollo 11 (or any Apollo missions) flew. That work, due to being written in the veil of the Cold War had the excuse of being able to totally assume that everything the Soviets did was more advanced than the US, and even then resorted to Cold War subterfuge to explain how the Soviets could beat the US to the Moon. If I remember right, the second manned Saturn V flight mysteriously exploded during launch, but the crew survived thanks to the LES, however the accident resulted in two additional test flights of the Saturn V before pressing onto a landing - and an early Apollo commander's T-38 was sabotaged, leading to their death, and further delays.

There's a nice touch on the newspaper with Leonov being the Soviet's first moon-walker.

Star One · « **Reply #17 on:** 06/04/2019 04:50 pm »

I’ve lost faith in Ron Moore after the lacklustre final season of BSG complete with underwhelming final episode.

GWH · « **Reply #18 on:** 06/04/2019 08:52 pm »

Looks cool to me!

I love the can do era of the space race (didn't live through it) where limits were pushed and it seemed like anything was possible. The series poses a good question to ask, what could have happened if we had the motivation to keep going further?

The Soviet aspect they describe would add some much needed drama and sense of urgency, which should make for more entertaining TV, as well as a more plausible plot line since we all know how quickly moon missions dried up after the US won the race...

Johnnyhinbos · « **Reply #19 on:** 06/04/2019 09:03 pm »

Ah - so it's "the Man in The (Very) High Castle"...