Best of the Small Screen, Streaming Series No. 4

 


Welcome to this year's exploration of TV, the Best of the Small Screen. Throughout the year I'll be looking at my favorite shows in four categories: Network Sitcoms, Network Dramas, Cable Series and Streaming Series. We'll cap the exploration with my Top 10 shows of all time regardless of format. Check back each Saturday for another installment in the countdown!

Ellen Waverly: "Remember, we chose to go to the moon not because it was easy, but because it was hard."

For All Mankind (2019-)
Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Michael Dornan, Wrenn Schmidt, Shantel VanSanten, Krys Marshall, Sonya Walger, Jody Balfour, and Sarah Jones
Favorite Episodes: "Nixon's Women," Episode 1.03; "Bent Bird," Episode 1.09; "A City Upon a Hill," Episode 1.10; "Rules of Engagement," Episode 2.03; "Triage," Episode 2.09; "The Grey," Episode 2.10; "Polaris," Episode 3.01
About: A show about the race to the moon. Space has long captivated us as viewers, and the this seemed like the perfect show. And it came with a twist. What if the Soviet Union got there first? That's how For All Mankind started, and from there it began to weave an alternate version of events. Some of the names and faces were the same, but we got a different history. And it was nothing short of breath-taking. The first season sped through the 1960s to the 1970s, building a world and captivating audiences. The second season raced to the early 1980s, including colonies on the moon and an arms race in space between Cold War foes. The third season, now ongoing, is about a journey to Mars, moving through the 1980s to the 1990s. All the while, the writing, directing and performances have been incredible. This should have been the signature show for Apple TV+, and it certainly deserves more accolades and viewers. If you get into the show, I'm doing weekly recaps of Season Three on Fridays. I can't wait to see where this one goes next.

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