My Netflix backlog list is so deep now, that it's taken me three years to get back around to "Space Force" a Greg Daniels produced comedy for the streaming service, that would be cancelled at the conclusion of the second run.
Air Force General Mark Naird (Steve Carell) is promoted to a Four Star General and anticipates taking over as Chief of Staff for the Air Force. Instead, he's allocated control of Space Force, a newly formed militarised unit, tasked with protecting US interests in Space, whilst continuing the research missions. Naird moves to remote Colorado, with his daughter Erin (Diana Silvers) to lead the team and immediately clashes with Chief Scientist Adrian Mallory (John Malkovich), who refutes the need for military oversight. However, Chinese aggression towards the US's experiments starts to increase and Mark must fight his administrations desire for retaliation.
I think expectation has, in this case, worked a little in "Space Force's" favour. One of the reasons I'd put off watching it were the lukewarm reviews it received at the time, so I was expecting something pretty bad. I don't think it's that at all - in fact I reasonably enjoyed the whole run. I don't think it quite matches up to other shows Daniels had a hand in, such as "Parks and Recreation" or "King of the Hill" but viewed on its own merits it does well. Like "Parks and Rec" it's essentially a workplace comedy, where the tropes of that are just given a space twist. Don Lake, for examples, plays Naird's executive office, but essentially acts as the hapless secretary. There's even a charming workplace romance blooming between a Captain, played by Tawny Newsome and a scientist, played by Jimmy O Yang.
It's not hard to see why it wasn't particularly well thought of when it arrived with the fanfare of a new Greg Daniels / Steve Carell project. It's certainly more mildly amusing rather than hilariously funny and includes a bunch of actors playing characters we've already seen do very similar roles. But as I say, without that expectation, it's another in the line of generally warm and charming sitcoms and I'll certainly be running on to the second run.
Air Force General Mark Naird (Steve Carell) is promoted to a Four Star General and anticipates taking over as Chief of Staff for the Air Force. Instead, he's allocated control of Space Force, a newly formed militarised unit, tasked with protecting US interests in Space, whilst continuing the research missions. Naird moves to remote Colorado, with his daughter Erin (Diana Silvers) to lead the team and immediately clashes with Chief Scientist Adrian Mallory (John Malkovich), who refutes the need for military oversight. However, Chinese aggression towards the US's experiments starts to increase and Mark must fight his administrations desire for retaliation.
I think expectation has, in this case, worked a little in "Space Force's" favour. One of the reasons I'd put off watching it were the lukewarm reviews it received at the time, so I was expecting something pretty bad. I don't think it's that at all - in fact I reasonably enjoyed the whole run. I don't think it quite matches up to other shows Daniels had a hand in, such as "Parks and Recreation" or "King of the Hill" but viewed on its own merits it does well. Like "Parks and Rec" it's essentially a workplace comedy, where the tropes of that are just given a space twist. Don Lake, for examples, plays Naird's executive office, but essentially acts as the hapless secretary. There's even a charming workplace romance blooming between a Captain, played by Tawny Newsome and a scientist, played by Jimmy O Yang.
It's not hard to see why it wasn't particularly well thought of when it arrived with the fanfare of a new Greg Daniels / Steve Carell project. It's certainly more mildly amusing rather than hilariously funny and includes a bunch of actors playing characters we've already seen do very similar roles. But as I say, without that expectation, it's another in the line of generally warm and charming sitcoms and I'll certainly be running on to the second run.
