Like the iPhones we’ve grown to covet and the Airpods that curiously make us appear more hip, Apple knows all too well how to satisfy consumer cravings. We just want more. And we get it. Then there’sApple TV+, which launched at the tail end of 2019, pre-pandemic. Reflecting on it now, it was a bit of an aperitif, wasn’t it? A curious elixir before the main meal, which we binged during those pandemic years.
Four years later, the streaming giant is, well, just that. It wasn’t always like that, though. Between diverse shows likeServant, Severance,andShrinking,the streamer has consistently delivered stellar content and—if you’ve been paying attention—some of the finestsci-fi outingssince… Wait. Wasn’t Syfy the go-to for that? Apple TV+’s sci-fi originals—fromFoundationandInvasiontoMonarch: Legacy of MonstersandFor All Mankind,are part of a curious new sci-fi renaissance.
AddConstellationinto the queue, too. The character-driven sci-fi action-drama/thriller stars Noomi Rapace (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Prometheus) as Jo Ericsson, a beleaguered astronaut who returns from a space mission with unrelenting PTSD. But maybe it’s more than just that. The series has enough touches of horror, plot twists, quantum meanderings, and a slow build to keep viewers invested throughout its eight episodes. A bit maddening at times, ultimately, creator Peter Harness leads us to a final payoff that is riveting and, no surprise here, leaves you wanting more. Let’s take a deeper look.
Unpacking the New Sci-Fi Series
Constellation
Noomi Rapace is a fine actress to helm this series, which also stars Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul); James D’Arcy (Oppenheimer), Davina and Rosie Coleman, William Catlett, Henry David, Carol Weyers, Barbara Sukowa, Julian Looman, and Sandra Teles. Director Michelle MacLaren (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, The Morning Show, The Walking Dead, Games of Thrones) opens up the series, directing the first two episodes.
Drama ensues from the get-go. Frantic, Jo is dashing through the wilderness with her daughter Alice (the Coleman twins) right by her side. We’re led to believe something horrible happened, but Jo’s memory is sketchy. From there, we’re taken aboard the I.S.S., where astronaut Jo and the crew brave a disastrous incident. The ripple effectsof the tragedyare dire, and Jo must find a way back to Earth in one of the shuttles. Meanwhile, Henry Caldera (Banks), a former astronaut/consultant, Jo’s husband (D’Arcy) and daughter (Coleman), and others at ground control watch on.
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Jo’s return to Earth should be a heartwarming occasion. But immediately, Jo senses something is off. Perhaps she’s more shaken by the tragedy than she imagined. It’s here where a creepy esoteric malaise kicks in and stays for a long while. With each passing episode, we find Jo more determined to understand the deeper significance of what happened in space, but the closer she gets to the truth, reality as she knows it seemingly begins to shift. Perhaps shape-shift. Which is it? Or is the home Jo returned to the same one she left? What a yummy thought morsel that is. And watching that be explained is as engaging as it is head-scratching, especiallyfor sci-fi fansand anybody who appreciates complex stories.
The Characters Drive the Story of Constellation
From beginning to end, Noomi Rapace delivers one of thefinest performances of her career. She infuses in Jo a grueling urgency. This becomes especially true by the fourth episode when the series seems to have found a more consistent groove, and Jo’s internal plight begins to affect more people around her. Rapace effectively captures what’s at stake for Jo—her bond with her daughter, reality as she knew it to be—and gives us a troubled character to root for.
Then there’s Jonathan Banks—we’ll never tire of the formerBreaking Bad/Better Call Saulalum. Henry is tired, gruff, and outspoken. But as the episodes go on, there’s also more than a hint that the former astronaut knows more about the underlying reasons behind Jo’s dilemma. Watch how well the actor handles the complexities required of the character and the emotional range he must exude—great fun, especially in those last two episodes.
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William Catlett (Abigail, Black Lightening) plays astronaut Paul Lancaster, so keep your eyes glued to him as his presence in the series is key to some of its puzzle parts. Barbara Sukowa (Swarm)plays another crucial figure in the higher echelons of the space program, and whether her character is prepared to reveal her own secrets holds some intrigue in later episodes.
Overall, creator Peter Harness delivers a sweeping and captivating sci-fi drama filled with intricaciesand plot twists. The characters are fully realized, and the final episodes touch upon deeper mother-daughter bonds and the lengths a parent would go to to ensure their child’s safety.
The stunning scenic landscapes also add richness to the story. The series stumbles when its storyline fully bifurcates because there’s no time—ironic considering what the series is suggesting about “reality”—to flesh that out fully. The final shot is a gem and no doubt will have the internet buzzing in similar ways tothe final scene inSilo.Buckle up. This ride may be occasionally bumpy, but you have to admire the fiery force of its trajectory and Apple TV+’s passion for continuing to water the fertile sci-fi soil.Constellationstreams on Apple TV+ beginning Feb. 21. Watch the trailer below.
