Not for everyone, but from an European eye I've found that hilarious. A lot of jokes about American politics, POTUS & twitter, Pelosi, Ocasio-Cotez.
The duo Carrel-Malkovitch works so good, true connection.
Easy to binge, very refreshing, go for it !
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raphaeljulienne8 June 2020
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I don't understand some of these negative reviews at all because Space Force is a pretty good show! People really need to stop expecting The Office and Mike Scott because it's not...nothing is! Carell, Malkovich & Schwartz are all great as usual! Most of the people who don't like it are comparing it to The Office. I get that it's not for everyone but I found it to be be a pretty good show that's worth watching.
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joshuapincus7 June 2020After having spent 20 years in the Air Force, there are so many similarities to how things actually get done in the military, that it's hard to believe it's fiction. I think that's where people will have a problem with the show. Those who know, will watch and and be like "yep, I've seen that before" and laugh; others will be like "this is so stupid and unreal". It reminds me a lot of Tropic Thunder where Hollywood insiders got all the jokes and the general public didn't. I'm not sure how much research they did in writing the script, but those who know how the military works will laugh at it.
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When I heard that Steve Carell was going to play the lead role in a comedy about America's "Space Force," I had to give this a go.
I found Carell's General Naird underwhelming. He doesn't have the magic that he had on The Office, and the characters underneath him aren't sure whether he's a tyrant or just a buffoon.
Except for one: Dr. Mallory, played by John Malcovich. He's the one who saves this show. He sees right through Naird's bluster and foolishness. He doesn't get swept away by the jingoism of the Space Force, yet he's not preachy about how he truly brings Naird, and therefore us, down to earth with his gentle, authoritative voice.
Beyond that, don't expect too much. It's worth a weekend binge, but not much more. -
lukesharp-3888530 May 2020Tries too hard at times and just not as funny as it wishes it was ........Worth a watch if your bored but don't expect too much
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thePopcornExplorer27 February 2022I've seen both seasons for Space Force, and I have to say a quite enjoy them, they are far from genius or ground breaking, it's just a relatively easy going type of comedy.
I believe the bad reviews stem a lot from high expectations, specially since we have the creative mind behind The Office partnering with Steve Carrell, so people probably had this subconscious hope that this would be as good or even better than the highly successful US remake.
It's for sure not The Office, but if you just accept that, don't think too much about the ridiculous and unrealistic situations depicted on the show, you will have a good time.
It's an entertaining comedy, with some small pinches of well timed social criticism, specially in US context (and this is from someone not from the US) and it has kept me engaged for the full 17 episodes so far.
It has made me laugh several times, with the exaggerated characters and the comments they share on all these situations that they find themselves in, and somehow it seems the cast is having a genuine good time, it doesn't feel forced it's almost as if they are just rolling the camera and let them give they're approach to the scene.
It's a feel good type of show and I look forward to the upcoming seasons since they are smart enough to keep the episodes short and not filling the seasons with too many episodes.
Also John Malkovich and Steve Carrell chemistry is on point! -
Laughing tears of course. This is so damn funny there was a part in episode 2 where I thought I was going to die from laughter regarding a certain chimp and some work. Things the POTUS wants done or sent into space is eerily accurate (AR-15's firing in space) and just hilarious - also some excellent comedy figures just killing it. I love this show and this idea.
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One thing I cannot stand about today's entertainment is that politics seem to be taking over everything... HOWEVER, Space Force does it right. Slightly left leaning but still takes a few jabs at the left. The jabs at both sides are light hearted and in my opinion shouldn't offend anyone. If you're going to do political satire it's best not to let one side take all the blows. I think there is a great balance in this show and the jokes don't completely ridicule someone's opinion (okay it goes pretty hard at the idea of a Space Force but seriously, lighten up). Yes it makes fun of the current administration, but it's little things that everyone can laugh at. Besides, there were obvious hits at AOC and Pelosi as well.
No, it's not The Office in any way, shape, or form, and not all the jokes land on their feet, but I recall watching the first season of The Office feeling it was a 7 at best. It just took some time to understand the characters and humor and I think it'll be the same for Space Force.
My advice is go in without thinking of The Office, without thinking of Michael Scott, and don't take the political SATIRE to heart... -
gabo_alepb29 May 2020Cons.
1. Jokes didn't land. None of them. It doesn't matter what kind of comedy they tried, deadpan, slapstick, cultural reference, the jokes didn't work.
2. It would have been beneficial to the show runners to have advertised this as a sci-fi family friendly show instead of a comedy "from the team who brought you The Office".
3. The plot is SO predictable after episode 2 it's an Spielbergerian adventure for 10 year old kids by the numbers.
4. The political satire is lame, you know they could be bold and go for it, but they choose to stay on the politically correct safe joke.
5. Too many supporting characters without any particular charm.
PROS
1- Steve Carrel is a great actor who can make you feel relatable for any character he plays.
2- The production values are great. (Personally, I would have enjoyed it best as a Sci Fi adventure show).
3- There is time and potencial. Do you remember the first Seinfeld's season? It sucked. I can see these talented writers making amends to the show and finding the right tone for it. -
thomas_thorpe-7460930 May 2020Which is a good thing. Space Force shares The Office's creator Greg Daniels and lead actor Steve Carell but that's about where the similarities should stop.
Space Force is a political satire comedy that aims to portray the ridiculousness of trying to militarise space (and earth to an extent), and it does this extremely well.
Some people have expected The Office in space, or The Office in a military setting, and those people will be disappointed. To them I say, move on and enjoy this for what it is.
This is NOT The Office, it's Space Force, and that's why its great. -
imseeg3 June 2020There are lots of subtle (and not so subtle) stabs at American politics. This series basically is one big parody on Tr*mp's former Space War plans. Tr8mp supporters might not like this Season 1.
The good: an original, slowburning comedy with terrific actors and especially John Malkovich is brilliant in his role as a peace loving scientist, who works for the newly created American military Space Force.
There is 1 problem though with this Space Force, they are going WAY over budget and they have nothing to show for it. Lots of nifty lies and fake news (that are hilarious) are being spread to make the new Space Force look extremely important though...
Quite funny...but it is not a laugh out loud kind of funny. The subtle (some less subtle) jokes elicit more smirky kind of laughs, because lots of people (American politicians, American military) constantly get made fun of through parody.
Any bad? It's first most a subtle parody and not a laugh out loud comedy. I liked this parody, but some will expect many simple jokes like in The Office. They will be disappointed though...
ADDITIONAL note posted in 2022: Season 2 is fortunately also really enjoyable to watch. And it has got a few more laugh out loud moments, compared to the more subtle humor from Season 1. Although I personally am more a fan of the more subtle humor from Season 1... -
aditvalue29 May 2020Maybe i don't get american humor but this serie is seriously boring, many bad jokes. Not funny at all. Sad, was looking forward to this show.
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jsmiemans-154529 June 2020'Space Force' (season 1) unfortunately lacks some of the snappy, clever writing and pacing I think most people were hoping for after watching the initial trailers for the show. But the show's saving grace is that it does feature a great comedic cast, a funny premise, and a decent production budget. The sci-fi elements really aren't taken seriously (which I suppose was upsetting to some people), but in return we get a test-monkey 'apestronaut' who has go on a space walk to fix a broken satellite... I think they made the right choice. All-in-all it's an entertaining show that made me chuckle quite a bit. Although admittedly there weren't that many laugh-out-loud moments, for me.
I love watching Steve Carell doing his thing, though. The man's comedic timing and delivery are still brilliant. His 'gruff army General voice' is really funny, I'm sure it was the driving force (no pun intended) behind getting this show off the ground. Malkovich is also hilarious as the 'stuck-up scientist' character, he plays is just subtle enough so that it doesn't become ridiculous. Him and Carell have good chemistry and their banter often stands out as being the highlight of the show. A lot of other familiar faces from shows like 'Silicon Valley' and 'Parks & Recreation' round out the cast pretty well and it's fun seeing them all here.
The only thing I did find a little jarring is the story-line of Carell's character's wife (played by Lisa Kudrow) serving a life-sentence in prison. First it's played just for laughs, which works, but it becomes a bit dour later on in the season and it kinda starts making Carell's character's daughter come off like a spoiled, inconsiderate brat. I didn't really like the actress playing his daughter to begin with; she over-does the snarky teenager thing and I found myself getting a bit annoyed whenever she was on screen. The 'black lady astronaut' character was also a bit of a swing-and-miss, for me, but that wasn't really the actress' fault. Her character is just pretty boring.
Overall it's 'good enough' for me, though. If you like Carell's whimsical humor then you're probably gonna like this. I hope the writing and story-lines get a little more interesting if/when the show gets picked up for another season. Maybe adding a bit more edgy humor would spice things up a bit. I'd love to see it go a little more towards 'Silicon Valley', and further away from 'The Big Bang Theory'.
Definitely recommend the show and hope to see more of it. -
axel-schale6 November 2021Daughter is annoying, rest is good Yeah.. who seriously act like she does? A mental mess who acts like an spoiled idiot about their family situation and other things. I dont remember how old she is supposed to be but she acts like an idiot 9 year old.
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tabuno10 June 2020"Space Force" trade marked by Netflix before the United State government, this Steve Carell comedy is surprising. Not a particular fan of Carell's typical low-brow comedy, but somehow this contemporary comedic vehicle retains a wry intellectual wit about it, probably greatly helped along with the dynamism between Carell and award-winning actor, John Malkovich. The fresh take and parody of America's newest military branch has delightful scenes that pit science versus human intuition along with a decent rather unique set of family dynamics. Each episode somehow incorporates a sensitive and powerful emotive message and performance by Carell. An entertaining and actually captivating series that easy and fun to watch along with a heartful storyline.
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EricBombardier8 July 2020The premise of the story was good. The timing of the show was great. Everything was in place for something spectacular. The supporting cast was really good too. The only problem I found was that most of the comedy was a bit too infantile and repetitive. It's a funny show with a serious ridicule but way too "highschool" for my taste. It could have been great if Steve Carell's character was a bit more mature in his comedy and less serious-ridiculous-infantile. I didn't dislike the show, I was just overwhelmed by how far you can see the jokes coming and a bit underwhelmed by the complexity of the comedy.
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abisio1 June 2020People tend to confuse satire with comedy Satire exaggerates situations to show its ridiculousness. It could be funny but sometimes is quite sad or even tragic. Space Force is basically that. An over exaggerated tale of the impossibility of communications between Military, Scientists and Politicians. Steve Carell is four stars Air Force General Naird. A war hero (a condecorated soldier with a lot of internal baggage) while John Malkovich is Doctor Mallory an outstanding scientist with his own bag of lunacy and conflicts. Both are tasked with creating the Space Force, Trump order to create in 2019.
On top of dealing with their many differences and views of the world, war and peace they also have to answer to coward politicians, stupid orders from POTUS and FLOTUS, budgets, media pressure, appointed private contractors trying to make profit, Russian spies and war pushing military.
All that while trying to compete with other; complete with other countries space programs; who seem to be far more advanced that USA attempts.
The writers, Carell is one of them, are not trying criticism on a political party; but how inefficient the power pyramide works. Current events are a perfect proof of that.
While the first few chapters made my laugh a lot; I realized that this micro cosmos was basically our whole actual reality. A country managed by a lot of incompetent people only concerned on their own safety and sacrificing pawns (basically US) to reach their personal goals. Basically fun with a sour taste as intelligent comedy should be.
The series is not perfect; but I hope some things will be corrected by the next season. Some characters in my opinion unnecessary. Naird's frustrated daughter (a parallel story that diminish the great quality of the material towards a family sitcom).
It is never why Lisa Kudrow as Naird's wife is in prison for 40 years; the situation is quite difficult to believe.
Others characters added for comedy effect like the Chiefs of Staff meetings are perfect but Ben Schwartz as the media manager is mostly irritating.
In brief; America lost its self critic spirit by the 80s. It is time, with our current reality we recover it and see our own mistakes. -
This is a not bad show about the formation of the Space Force, the newest branch of the military. It's a good thing it stars Steve Carrell, as he pulls his role and the show off well. The ensemble is also decent with some good situations. If you are a Steve Carrell fan, you might like this. It could be described as a sitcom version of the formation of Starfleet in Star Trek.
** 1/2 out of **** -
I don't understand how all the media outlets are trashing on space force. The whole idea behind the horrible dad jokes are that he is a dad and a general trying to find calm in the chaos that his life is. If you expect dark Comedy from this show, then you are expecting the wrong thing from a show that isn't trying to be a dark drama or a mockumentary show like the office.
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You can't help but go into a Steve Carrell venture and not expect a laugh out loud comedy.
That's not what Space Force is. Probably, it's closest relative is MASH. It's got the same underlying seriousness played with a similarly-styled cast that ranges from serious (John Malkovich as the lead scientist) to buffoonish (the general's aide, who seems to let everyone into his office, even if the general isn't there). And, it's got a seriously satirical view of the military that pervades every decision, with a decent amount of attention to how the writers think the government and military run in the Trump era.
But it's not a LMAO barrel of yokes, not at all. And that means it's hard to know what you're going to get. As an example, and trying my best to not have a spoiler, the General is faced with a multi-billion dollar decision in the second episode, and EVERYONE tells him what to do. When he finally makes his decision, you watch, waiting for the big laugh, and there isn't one. Indeed, the GENERAL EXPLAINS HIS DECISION to his chief scientist, and when he's through, it actually seems profound. Almost like Harry Morgan as the commander in MASH.
There are still some stereotypes that confuse, like the Russian attache with free range of the base. He feels like something out of a 1950s Cold War comedy. And some of the odd stuff that goes on in outer space is not your typical sci-fi, which again leaves you wondering where the drama ends and the comedy begins.
I've only watched 2 episodes so far, but I'm prepared to give it a few more shots. -
Truedutch29 May 2020I had I hope for this show with a quality cast and I'm guessing a lot of backing, Space Force comes up really short. Plain not funny at all, the jokes are lame that maybe children would laugh at. While watching I just wonder if any of the actors laughed when reading the scripts? I wanted this to be good so bad but it's just terrible. Don't bother trying to push through it doesn't they any better.
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xfmand30 March 2022Title pretty much says it. The first season is a lot of fun, and I recommend it. But the worst part of it is that it actually has a really good cliff-hanger for an ending, which just made things worse when the 2nd season seemed like a low-budget production that paled in comparison. Technically, I don't know what they spent on the 2nd season - but it has episodes which appears to be on a fast shooting schedule, the writing wasn't nearly as good as the first season, and there really wasn't much of anything I really liked in the second season, although I was really looking forward to it after Season 1 was so much fun.
But the first season, again, was a lot of fun and there are several fun and even quotable lines... heck, some of the writing was actually downright clever, and some of the jokes could really take you by surprise while feeling original and without going over the top.
BTW... John Malkovich, the actor who plays the scientist in the series, he's got a great comedic presence here, and I think carefully watching and perhaps even trying to anticipate his character can add to the enjoyment enjoy the show.
Best thing I can say about the second season was, the very end of the last scene which was, in my opinion, just so down-right pathetic that it actually added some humor to this comedic show for being such a lazy, and very out of context way to try to reprise one of the most memorable scenes from the first season; it could even be argued to be a "fourth wall joke" as it didn't really make much sense in a in-universe context. -
slowpulse27 April 2023A perfect vehicle for Carell's brand of comedy. He was born to play this kind of determined, slightly stiff government official, whom things keep happening to, but who can weather any storm with common sense and a big heart. All the while, tomfoolery arises all around him, courtesy of a ragtag band of oddballs and doubters. None more funny than a pitch perfect John Malkovich. And that's where the show is at his strongest, with comedy that is just the right balancing act between screwball and tongue-in-cheek.
By the middle of the second season though, it's clear that the budget and the ambitions have been downsized a bit. Pity. There was room for many more seasons of high jinx and developing characters.