Mars (miniseries)
| Mars | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | Docudrama |
| Created by |
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| Based on | How We'll Live on Mars by Stephen Petranek |
| Developed by |
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| Starring |
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| Composer(s) | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
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| Running time | 47 minutes |
| Production company(s) | |
| Release | |
| Original network | |
| Original release | November 14, 2016 – present |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Before Mars |
| External links | |
| Official website | |
Mars is a six-part docudrama[1] television miniseries produced by National Geographic, which premiered on November 14, 2016, on their channel, and FX.[1][2] Prior to its official air date, it was launched in a streaming format on November 1, 2016.[3] It blends elements of real interviews with a fictional story of a group of astronauts as they land on the planet Mars.
The series is based on the 2015 book How We'll Live on Mars by Stephen Petranek. The show switches time periods between the year 2033 and 2016, by way of events unfolding in the story, and then earlier predictions by scientists on the difficulties of what that situation would be like, then the time switches back to the story, revealing how the astronauts solved their problem. The series was filmed in Budapest and Morocco.[4]
A companion book to the series, called Mars: Our Future on the Red Planet, was published in October 2016 detailing the science behind the show.[1] A prequel series, called Before Mars, was produced and released conjointly with the series. It tells the fictional story of a moment in the life of one of the astronauts, and the decisions they made to get involved in science.[5]
Plot
In the year 2033, a crew of six astronauts launch from Florida on a journey to be the first people to set foot on Mars. During the descent into the Martian atmosphere, there is a malfunction with their spacecraft, the Daedalus. They land 75.3 kilometres away from their planned habitat. On Earth their progress is being monitored.
Intermixed with the story are real-life interview footage from the year 2016, of the crew, and their mission control; there are interviews with various scientists, and engineers, such as Elon Musk, Andy Weir, Robert Zubrin, and Neil deGrasse Tyson,[4] about the difficulties that the crew might face on a journey to, and living on, Mars.
Cast
The cast for the fictional part of the drama are:[6]
- Ben Cotton as Ben Sawyer, mission commander. (Dead)
- Jihae as Hana Seung mission pilot, mission commander (after Ben's death), and as her Earth-bound twin sister Joon Seung.
- Clementine Poidatz as Amelie Durand, mission physician and biochemist.
- Sammi Rotibi as Robert Foucault, mission engineer and roboticist.
- Alberto Ammann as Javier Delgado, mission hydrologist and geochemist.
- Anamaria Marinca as Marta Kamen, mission exobiologist and geologist.
- Olivier Martinez as Ed Grann, CEO of MMC.
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Novo Mundo" | Everardo Gout | Story by : Karen Janszen Teleplay by : Karen Janszen and Paul Solet | November 14, 2016 | 1.42[7] |
| In 2033, the first human mission to Mars enters its atmosphere, while currently, SpaceX is attempting to land the world’s first reusable rocket. | |||||
| 2 | "Grounded" | Everardo Gout | Story by : André Bormanis Teleplay by : André Bormanis and Paul Solet | November 21, 2016 | 0.974[8] |
| The Daedalus crew battles harsh Martian terrain to reach base camp. NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly undergoes a mission on the International Space Station. | |||||
| 3 | "Pressure Drop" | Everardo Gout | Story by : Mickey Fisher Teleplay by : Mickey Fisher and Paul Solet | November 28, 2016 | 0.795[9] |
| In 2033, the Daedalus crew struggles to find permanent shelter. Currently, the European Space Agency and Roscosmos partner to launch an orbiter. | |||||
| 4 | "Power"[10] | TBA | TBA | December 5, 2016 | TBD |
| In 2037, four years after Mars colonization, a storm threatens the outpost. In reality, Antarctica serves as a site for a simulated human settlement. | |||||
| 5 | "Darkest Days"[11] | TBA | TBA | December 12, 2016 | TBD |
| In 2037, psychological pressure takes its toll as the crew is trapped in the habitat. In reality, scientists study the effects of extreme isolation. | |||||
| 6 | "Crossroads"[12] | TBA | TBA | December 19, 2016 | TBD |
| In 2037, a devastating tragedy in the colony forces everyone to question the mission. In the present, SpaceX attempts another pioneering launch. | |||||
Critical reception
Mars has received mixed reviews from critics. It currently holds a 63% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an average score of 7.3/10 based on 16 reviews; the critical consensus states: "Ron Howard's direction ensures that Mars is an attractive endeavor, even if the show struggles to move smoothly between its documentary and fictional elements".[13] On Metacritic, it has a score of 59 out of 100 based on 14 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[14]
See also
- ITS launch vehicle (ITS), in development by SpaceX, formerly the Mars Colonial Transporter (MCT)
- Space Launch System (SLS), in development by the US government
- Mars Design Reference Mission, the standing NASA plans for hypothetical crewed missions to Mars
References
- 1 2 3 Messier, Douglas (November 2, 2016). "National Geographic Channel's 'Mars': Does Art Imitate Life?". Space.com. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
- ↑ "National Geographic Presents: Mars". FXNOW. November 3, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
- ↑ Nordine, Michael (November 1, 2016). "'Mars': Watch the First Episode of National Geographic Channel's Miniseries Now". IndieWire. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
- 1 2 "National Geographic Channel to Air New Event Series". Broadcast (magazine). November 3, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
- ↑ Littleton, Cynthia (May 9, 2016). "Nat Geo Channel's 'Mars' Drama Series Sets Scripted Online Prequel". Variety. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
- ↑ "National Geographic Channel, Imagine Entertainment, and RadicalMedia Redefine Television Storytelling with Global Event Series, Mars, Beginning November 14, 2016". Corus Entertainment. November 3, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
- ↑ Welch, Alex (November 15, 2016). "Monday cable ratings: Monday night football and 'WWE Raw' dip". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
- ↑ Metcalf, Mitch (November 22, 2016). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Monday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 11.21.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
- ↑ Metcalf, Mitch (November 30, 2016). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Monday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 11.28.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
- ↑ "Power". nationalgeographic.com. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
- ↑ "Darkest Days". nationalgeographic.com. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
- ↑ "Crossroads". nationalgeographic.com. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
- ↑ "Mars: Season 1 (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
- ↑ "Mars - Season 1 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 27, 2016.