Hello Tomorrow! (2023) User Reviews

People don't really understand this show

[kendallschristopher · 7/10 · 20 March 2023]

Retrofuturism is not the point of this show. It's just a device to explain why the future is not as interesting as they thought it should be in the fifties. The reason that future never worked out is because that is not the way that it was meant to be. But in this show let's assume they got the future they wanted, which caused them to miss out on the future we take for granted today, 70 years later.

This is why the social, political and economic turmoil of the sixties through 2010s never happened and things are as boring as they are; their vision of the future solved a lot of those problems for them. But it created a utopia that seems lame because it lacks all of the conflict and drama that we're accustomed to.

It is no different from a lot of science fiction shows. The future isn't all that interesting. What is interesting is how people deal with conflict, turmoil and collapse. This society has no global warming. It doesn't have opioid addiction. It doesn't have mass shootings. Racism does not exist here. It doesn't have a lot of things. So yes it's boring, but that is what happens when technology solves our problems. It is the reason why they're selling empty promises of the moon, because despite their technological advances, they are missing something deep down. This is a human condition that technology will never address.

Wasted opportunity

[gaspyy · 6/10 · 24 February 2023]

I was very intrigued by the show's retro-futuristic aesthetic. I was expecting something like a live-action Jetsons and hoping for a For All Mankind -like exploration of alternative history.

What we get is a very simple show about a con man trying to reconnect with his son. That's it. The fact that he's selling property on the moon or that the bartenders are floating robots is absolutely inconsequential.

Compare it to For All Mankind. That show is a generational drama that explores an alternative reality and even though the technology and politics are in the background, you can still understand how that future came to be and its implications and ramifications, which are often fascinating.

Or take Severance, another Apple show, so simple on the surface, and yet so intriguing, because, besides the mysteries, it explores how the procedure affects the characters and society as a whole.

None of these are present in Hello Tomorrow. The retro-futuristic look quickly becomes just an overused visual (compare it to Gattaca, where they were very smart in getting just a whiff of retro, enough to create an unique style, but not so much as to overshadow the story). Even Loki put this aesthetic to better use.

What we are left with are a bunch of characters that are not even lovable like the protagonists of Paper Moon, the '70s movie about a con man and his daughter.

Great aesthetic... Bit it just doesn't work

[MisterFloppy · 5/10 · 4 March 2023]

Great production design and aesthetic (even if it just doesn't make any sense they have those technological advancements and having no clue at all or being so naive), but the story is... plain boring and uninteresting. I don't know what they want to tell with this one. Billy Cudrup is a great actor, but everything and everyone is wasted here. The rest of the cast (their characters) are insuferable. Every character, situation, dialogue feels way too artificial (and that's not the intention they had, I'm pretty sure).

I keep watching just waiting for some twist or something that justifies this series to exist, but halfway in I don't think it will ever come.

People don't even know what they are watching nowadays

[ArcadeVault · 5 March 2023]

It is beyond me how many strange reasons i have read here from complaining people.

Hello Tomorrow is a drama about SELLING DREAMS to easy to scam desperate people of the failed american dream flavoured with a beautiful and creative atomic punk setting. No action, no war, no lasers, its a moody drama in a beautifully done alternate 50s sci-fi setting. Very interesting plot about a swindler mastermind's ways to try to built a business based on fairy tales about moon-homes for poor people... Very good presentation of the 50s nostalgic, also fake "smiley" american world filled with interesting inventions. Its like a little tale from Amazing Stories magazine.

NO, NOT STEAMPUNK, stop using that word, it has nothing to do with this series. Atomic punk is from the pulp era, from the America that never was (fallout world without the nuclear desolation).

Also: the trailer was pretty good: I expected EXACTLY that based on that. I dont even know how ppl thought, it will be action packed as they missing that.... not everything is about cheap superheros folks.

"fallout" aesthetic ... less than engaging storyline thus fer

[j-a-ireland · 6/10 · 17 February 2023]

I agree with another reviewer here that I'm pretty sure we're meant to be reminded of the "Fallout" video game series. Thus far after a few episodes it's kind of like "Fallout" before the occurrence of any global apocalypse having occurred, but it doesn't seem as if the show's creators are setting up such a calamity as a viewer expectation in this new AppleTV+ series. Unfortunately as yet the characters and storylines are less than engaging. Here's hoping we see improvement soon; the show is interesting to look at and the midcentury modern aesthetic combined with 50s sci-fi futuristic gizmos and technological advancement are appealing, but so far it's is lacking an interesting main motivating conflict or problem and it's hard to see where after a few episodes set-up such a major factor is suddenly going appear from.

Pretty good

[UniqueParticle · 7/10 · 7 August 2023]

Pretty solid for an Apple TV series there's better ones but I'm glad the credit sequence is nominated it is impressive! Not fully sure why this wasn't appreciated more it's well made, plus I've loved Billy Crudup since he played Dr. Manhattan in Watchman and I loved him in Almost Famous. I absolutely love anything Sci-Fi even though Hello Tomorrow isn't top notch it's nice, Billy is a genius at his pitches in any type of business cinema, and I've seen much sadder shows so I'm not sure about that one I would easily recommend this! I would say some moments are awkward the acting is a little off.

A melodramatic future nobody want's to live in.

[visionandyouth · 6/10 · 17 February 2023]

...... Well now I will be as honest as I can ever be...It's one of those cases when the trailer was sensational and the tv show is just nowhere near it, too simple and sad. I mean it's predictable ok? And just plain boring. Was expecting so much more from this...like some action scenes but it's too melodramatic for my taste i'm afraid... , three episodes in and it's still stuck in this weird and sleepy drama from start to finish....so I'm not sure I will finish the series...but maybe one more episode i will watch . I just hope they come up with something new and far more imaginative than this.

Boredom to the moon and back

[leonieschuessler · 2/10 · 24 February 2023]

We've been waiting for this show for a long time. It seemed so interesting and promising, we loved the whole retro look and expected a quirky series, something between Wes Anderson and For all Mankind. We're on episode 4 and it totally failed to catch our attention. I have really no idea where this is going. The story is dull and boring, weak dialogues, sales people and a scam and almost everything happens in a hotel. Or actually nothing is really happening. The only good thing are the aesthetics. It could have been such a great show, completely wasted opportunity - and unfortunately wasted time.

Holy crap!

[myebay11 · 8/10 · 17 February 2023]

This is my review after two episodes. It may change, but I'd be surprised if it goes down. This is the world of the Fallout games before the bombs hit -- 50's aesthetics, hover cars and robot assistants. If you're a video gamer, this setting might already have a place in your heart.

However, we also have Billy Crudup. He's one of those people whose delivery is so engaging that you just have to listen to what he's saying. If you've seen the Morning Show, you know what I mean. Other actors I'd put in this category are Jack Nicholson and Manny Patinkin.

Despite the fact that this is science fiction, the situations are believable, realistic human problems. Shady salespeople, family secrets and people learning lessons later in life.

Interesting but not captivating

[smoratti · 6/10 · 20 February 2023]

The acting is great and the story is fine. The retro science which annoys some people is hardly noticeable after a while. What I find hard is that the story is based on conning good people out of their savings in an obvious con. While I am sure it will all be hunky dory by the end of the show with warm fuzzies all round it is hard to root for any of the characters in the meantime.

It is also hard to beleive that anyone could beleive that it is possible to have a cheaper and better life on the moon than on earth. I suppose that people have shown enormous gullibility in the past but its just a lttle too much for me.

Visuals yes, Plot no

[rickspung · 3/10 · 6 March 2023]

Warning: Big time spoilers

Five episodes in, and it's dragging. Episodes are only 30 minutes long. But they seem longer.

I really like the idea of an alternate world with 50's Sci-Fi stuff everywhere. There's a subtle undertone about advanced things not working that well, which is nice.

But the plot? OMG it is lame. First episode lets you know Billy Crudup is scamming everyone. Fifth episode shows people finally starting to catch on.

Needs a better plot and juicier pacing. Just slow and boring.

Jeez, I need 95 more characters. Ok, what else can I say? They put some bucks into the sets, which look nice. I like the 50's style interiors of the buildings.

Ok, met the limit.. See ya!

Lemme sell you on a dream

[nrwmnkpsb · 8/10 · 25 March 2023]

It's almost written as what people in the 50s thought the future would look like based on their worldview. There is no other series like this and I appreciate the deviation from the same tired stories. This is fresh with beautiful set designs, and excellently acted with a phenomenal cast!

I had no expectations going in, just the glimpse of the preview before hitting play so I had no idea what I was getting into. I'm glad we gave it a chance as it's not soon forgotten. I think it's under appreciated, understated. I'm not claiming "some just don't get it" because there are certainly parts where I was wondering if I even did. But I'm glad we followed to completion. It's like watching a play. It has all the fun elements of a good, enjoyable story and I don't feel like I wasted time invested as I do with so many shows these days.

Watch it for the characters, see how the story plays out. It's unique and quirky and fun. Escapism is what a good story should offer and this definitely delivers in that regard.

Limp direction. Limp script. Boring show.

[msghall · 6/10 · 22 February 2023]

Some of the acting on this show is decent. But that's the extent of this series. The execution of a possibly interesting concept falls on the floor here. Like too many Apple+ shows, this one is empty of human dynamics and plot development. Sure, it's about traveling salesmen who are notoriously shallow but this show takes 'shallow' one step too far. It's boring! The script and pedestrian direction take all the dynamism out of what should an entertaining ride. Instead, it takes patience to sit through. Apple+ has a great opportunity but it seems to be failing, perhaps because the people at the top keep putting out dull, empty shows like this one.

Missed opportunities

[Klaaatu · 3/10 · 19 February 2023]

Hello, Tomorrow is a show that promises a glimpse into a retro future 50s era world. Unfortunately, this show fails to deliver on its premise in almost every way imaginable.

First and foremost, the plot is incredibly dull and uninspired. The execution of the story is so lackluster that it failed to capture me and my wife's attention. The show tries to be clever by throwing in some retro future elements, but these only serve to further confuse a fairly boring story set in this alternate timeline.

The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is for the great set designs and imagination of the retro tech.

The performances are wooden and lack any real emotional depth. The characters are one-dimensional and faied to connect with me in any meaningful way.

Furthermore, the steampunk aesthetic, which is supposed to be one of the show's main draws, is completely wasted. It feels like the showrunners just threw in a few gears and gadgets to make it look like a retro futuristic world without really understanding what the genre is all about.

This is a prime example of a show that had potential but squandered it through a lackluster plot, and a failure to understand its own genre.

How is this show not rated higher?

[frezeframe · 18 February 2023]

I normally don't give shows a 10, because let's be real. Even Game of Thrones (first 5 seasons) was like a 9.5 at best. This show is legitimately at least a 9. But IMDb ratings (as of February 18, 2023) are a 6.7? Wow.

I don't know what's more mind blowing- this show, or that people don't seem to get it. It's almost the perfect show. It's the 1950s vision of the future with Billy Crudup and Hank Azeria (and an absolutely incredible supporting cast); but moreover- it's not the 1950s, but it's a vision of what our world would look like today, had we kept the 1950s vision of things. They still have incredible technology... it's a little creepy like Pleasantville... but it's so right on the money. They nail the 1950s culture, they nail the sales culture, and they absolutely nail the father longing for a son's love dynamic. The acting is superb and the production design is the highest level. The music is off the charts and the cinematography is also off the charts.

If you're not entertained by this show, you have a sad life.

It's good, not great.

[heatherworkmanrios · 6/10 · 17 April 2023]

Aesthetically, it's nearly perfect. 9.8/10. I love the retro style, the cool gadgets and technology, the wardrobes, and everything visually.

The acting is also pretty decent for most of the characters. Probably a 8/10 there. But the storyline is incredibly dull and that's why I'm giving 6 stars.

I really wanted to like this show. But something is definitely lacking. It just needs more of something.

It's almost like they tried to make it family friendly, but I think it would be way too boring for kids. And since they tried to make it family friendly, it's too boring for adults as well.

There are a few parts here and there that are more exciting, but mostly it just moved really slow (but not in a cool, "slow burn" type of way). I lost interest in a lot of the relationship issues because it takes so many episodes for them resolve tiny issues.

Some of the scenes were just kind of hokey. Very few of the characters seemed like real people. Most were a bit like caricatures.

So basically, it wasn't terribly enough for me to stop watching, but it wasn't good enough for me to tell my friends to watch it, or hope for a second season.

Glacial paced Imaginative scifi thats not going Anywherewhere

[skip-98756 · 6/10 · 25 February 2023]

I also thought, like some other reviewers, that this may be like "For all mankind" showing an alternate possible timeline..However, while that show grabs you from the get go and doesnt let go, this one wows with a stunning and imaginative set design and cinematography, yet the story itself seems to plod along and really does not go anywhere, at least in the 1st 3 episodes...I doubt I could give spoilers becuase theres no real events going on To spoil!..is it a total scam thats about fleecing people out of their money or are they Really offering time shares on the moon? Well, the tech, albeit a strange blend of prehistoric retro and yet they Do seem to have mastered antigravity...That tech would easily allow travel to the moon so the story has set the grounds for it being Possible..What I didnt like is 3 episodes in and not once being show life On the moon except in black and white commercials...Here is something that makes No sense in the show... they obviously Have antigravity yet they show an old style rocket spewing flames as the means to getting to the moon.. what gives there? Why would you use old prehistoric rockets to do space travel when you have antigravity? Another thing that seemed so contradictory was Billy Cudrup talking in the car to the young man he recruited..The young fellow was unhappy with his earth life and fantasized that living on the moon would be "The change" he needed to live a different life... Billy says to him, more or less, that " living on the moon is no different than being here, you cant escape ur problems and worries, you will take them with you..Yet billy later in that same show, is marketing his timeshares as a way to "change ur life by moving there" he's either a blatant hypocryte or a liar who is conning people when he Knows better.. anyway, an Initially interesting storyline with gorgeous and imaginative visuals, but it Needs to Move Beyond the main characters doing sales pitches as it will grow old , quick if it leads nowhere...If you are selling time shares on the moon, you need to show that scenerio in the storyline and not just Talk about it.

A review based on watching the entire first season

[samnaji-15383 · 6/10 · 24 April 2023]

There is so much that this show does right and so much it gets wrong. The half hour format is perfect given the pace of the show. One-hour lengths will have stretched the patience of a lot of viewers. The acting and the characters are excellent. A special call out to Billy Crudup (Jack), Alison Pill (Myrtle), Dewshane Williams (Herb) and Matthew Maher (Lester) who all look the part and feel at home in that world. The intro music is very catchy and superbly fits with the kitsch retro vibe of the show. The plot, although simple, is a clever way of doing something with this alternative universe, but this is where the show starts to show its issues.

The pacing is way too slow. At best this should have been 6 to 8 episodes. The mid-season twist is excellent, but it took a little too long to get there and we (the viewers) were one step ahead of the reveal anyway. The second half of the show is far superior compared to the first half; the problem is that many people will have stopped watching it by episode 3.

The biggest issue I have with the show is the world building. The 1950s science fiction setting is a brilliant concept. A live action version mash up of the Jettisons and Fallout 4 is both interesting and original. Given today's CGI, it should also be an amazing site to behold, but the show does not follow through with the conviction of a pop futuristic world it sets up. It opts out from showing us anything new that we did not see from episode 1. The fact the show had a limited number of sets is also telling. There were about half a dozen sets that were used constantly. The world building collapsed by the limitation of the budget.

Would I see season 2 (if it gets commissioned?) - yes but I would be expecting a lot more than we got from season 1, which does not require a repeated viewing. Overall, I was disappointed. It had so much potential, but ironically for a show that could offer us unlimited imagination it came across as too constrained.

Condescending reviews

[carsonferguson · 4/10 · 2 April 2023]

I keep seeing people rating this show high, and then acting like nobody gets the show. We get it, it's just not that interesting.

Clearly it has great production value. But the storylines... they are just plain boring and way too drawn out. I find myself thinking, "are we still on this subject after three episodes?" Daddy issues, mommy issues, cheating husbands, gambling issues, seasoned with retro futuristic roombas and floating cars.

Aside from the decent acting, all the characters are pretentious and somewhat robotic so I really don't like or care for any of them.

I can't put my finger on it, but it really tastes and feels like many of Apple's other mundane/soulless shows.

sleeper masterpiece

[Roogatsby · 10/10 · 24 March 2023]

It's not surprising that this show is underrated, especially mid-run, considering the slow unveiling of its thematic material and the cool, polite cruelness of most of the characters.. While the pacing of this show might be a great excuse to give up on it early, I thought about abandoning it simply because the schemes in the show are a bit dead-on or even prescient.. made me think of bitcoin and other scammy "to the moon" type endeavors.. Which I've come to understand is the whole point, and might explain the proto-futuristic universe, an absurd setting to try and give perspective to an absurd premise that in a normal retro 1950s would just be more pleasantville banality. But it's ultimately inconsequential: at the core you'll find a scathing critique of capitalism (if you are willing to peer underneath the gimmicks). The showrunners of Hello Tomorrow seem to be more interested in exploring the psychology and economics involved in running a confidence game where the value of the investments being touted is completely intangible or immeasurable. It isn't necessarily an easy show to watch, but it is rewarding to draw the parallels to our current reality: buying memories of the future, cultivating potential energy to be stored in the imagination - trading in on the Dream of a Better Life.

The entire production is charming, actors are great, the cinematography is vibrant and interesting, and it is well written, albeit deliberate. It's not one of those cliffhanger shows to get excited about for next week but I imagine it will be a good show to binge and will hold up to multiple viewings. Highly recommended if you enjoy series like The Morning Show, Terriers, Dead Like Me, or the film An Honest Liar.

Just okay

[mariannapappas · 6/10 · 25 March 2023]

Great acting and plot, although I wish the writing was a little better. Love the retro futuristic theme and generally how the story shows how we all need something to believe in and the effects that can have on our psyche and relationships. The escapism and hope that comes with that is an interesting way to look at it as well. I immediately connected it to religion and believing in God.. it was an interesting lens to watch it through for sure. It hasn't really elicited any emotion or connection though for some reason and I think that's the writing. Not sure if we'd watch a second season or not.

Just too dry.

[Antty884 · 4/10 · 17 March 2023]

I gave it a chance. Watched all current episodes. But in all honesty, the show is exceptionally dry and boring. I was excited to watch a show with the concept of retrofuturism. I enjoy tech and gaming so I thought I would appreciate it more than others would. Retrofuturism is such a cool and fascinating perspective. But it's missing so much. The show is all dialogue. Everything seems so monotone and lackluster. All of the characters seem like complete strangers when interacting with each other. No major scene changes. All in the same 4 locations. There's nothing to it. Each episode I was waiting for that "oh wow" part, and it never happened.

I'm intrigued!

[rachelcastillo-73764 · 8/10 · 19 February 2023]

The people giving this a low rating seem like they don't understand the whole concept of a tv show- this is make-believe, guys- chill. This isn't a documentary about space travel or the possibility of jet-packs existing at the same time as cartoon driven UPS style trucks with no tires. This is just a made up setting. It's so funny how people complain about wanting something new and different, but then complain when it's different in a way that they don't like. Here they are, rolling the dice on something new! Give it a chance or we'll end up with nothing but true crime reenactment series (The staircase, Dahmer, 10 more in the works! Ugh) and scooby do spin-offs and you'll have no one but yourselves to blame! Now that we got that out of the way....

I only saw the first episode, so here's my take so far. This show had the style and set design of that 1964 world's fair "We're capable of anything and everything is great!" vibe. I couldn't help being taken with it. Floating robot waitresses? Why not? It's the type of stupid and unnecessary but "futuristic and cool" things people back then thought we'd have by now. It's fun and different, and just adds a little levity to what seems to be a show that's pretty heavy, topic-wise.

People keep comparing it to the Jetsons, which I get because of the futuristic style, but that's far as the comparisons go. The vibe of the show doesn't match it at all. It reminded me of something the whole time and I couldn't quite put my finger on it until I started writing this- Pee Wee's Playhouse. I know, it sounds like an odd comparison, but it has the same over the top characters and even acting style to show the "innocence of the time" in a tongue in cheek way. It's obviously not as zany, but it has the same surface level silliness. It's hard to explain, but it's definitely a big part of the first episode. It was just the vibe, though- not AT ALL what the show was actually about, so no worries of secret word of the day or any of that. It may pull back as episodes go on to reveal the true meat of the show, which is "slick salesguy is selling the perfect American Dream as his own life is down in the dumps" which we've all seen time and time again. The acting is great and I believe that this guy believes that he's doing right by people. I like his sales team, and potential of seeing them interact more in the future. His son has the "aw gee, mister!" thing going on, which will probably change as more is revealed. I'm going to keep watching because I'm intrigued by how the storyline, setting, and acting style are all going to work together as we get out of the pilot episodes and see if everything still holds up once the scenery is no longer the star of the show. I think it's definitely worth a shot!

Little slow but better than it looks

[rileyxbell · 6/10 · 14 April 2023]

Had low expectations for this show and it turned out to be a little better than I was expecting. It's basically alternative retro-futuristic universe and with a bunch of really oblivious and goofy people. A group of sales people who are selling real estate to the moon. But things are not all exactly what they seem. A lot of things didn't really make sense but it turned out to be what made this show interesting. Kinda reminded me of that futuristic horror/fantasy show Big Bug. The show ended on a cliff hanger which was pretty anti-climatic. But the ending suggests there will be a second season and I'll definitely be checking it out.

an idea for a tv show

[nmd30 · 2/10 · 19 February 2023]

"hey we have got this script for a show about sales reps scamming people into buying timeshares in the 1950's"

"ok , but the idea has been done many times before and the story they have written is a bit weak ... but you do have Hank Azaria attached"

"hey , what if we set it in an alternative 1950's and add a bunch of sci-fi tecnology - that'll distract the viewers from the boring story and keep them entertained"

"yeah , the alternative past thing worked great for us on For All Mankind ... and by adding robots and hovercars we might trick some of the scifi fans into giving it a try"

"sounds like a winner to me"