For All Mankind (2019) - Season 3 (1 Viewer)

[SamT]

 

[JohnRice]

I think I’ve had my fill of this series. It’s just gotten too soap opera for me.

 

[DaveF]

I’m looking forward to S3! I thought S2 was as good or better than S2.

 

[Sean Bryan]

I love this series, and I can’t wait for season 3!

This summer is just overflowing with great stuff to watch, and I ain’t complaining.

 

[spshultz]

To be honest, I didn't think this show would be my cup of tea and put off watching it for a long time. But, my wife and I just finished binging S1 and S2 last week and we both loved it. We are really looking forward to S3. We mostly agree with JohnRice above that S2 got a bit to soap opera'ish.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Trailer:


Premieres three weeks from Friday.

 

[SamT]

They don't age? How long has it been from the start, 20 years?

 

[Chris Will]

25-ish. The first season covers from 1969 through he mid 70s, I think.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Yeah, and even though it looks pretty modern in that trailer, I think it's actually supposed to be the early to mid-nineties. A lot of technology is more advanced in that timeline, because of the ongoing Cold War and Space Race.

 

[SamT]

I hope in one of the later seasons they encounter aliens and that would be the conflict. Like how to approach them.

 

[Josh Dial]

Yeah, and even though it looks pretty modern in that trailer, I think it's actually supposed to be the early to mid-nineties. A lot of technology is more advanced in that timeline, because of the ongoing Cold War and Space Race.

I believe the music is always the cue for the year. While technology's pace changes, it seems in the show's reality songs come out when they come out (though it also seems some artists live and die at different times, so that changes things). Going from Soundgarden's Black Hole Sun this is 1994.

Ron D. Moore is one of those creators who has earned a spot in my permanent good graces. I'll watch anything he creates. Sure, he only writes an episode or two each season, but his fingerprints are all over this series (in a good way). I'm a big fan.

 

[Greg.K]

Season 2’s ending showed a settlement on Mars with a “1995” caption.

1994 makes sense as the start of season 3 as everyone is racing to get there.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Will Elon Musk show up in season 3 or 4?

 

[SamT]

Since season 3 is too soon to meet the extraterrestrials, my best guess would be season 4!

 

[Chris Will]

Like season 1 and 2, season 3 will end with a tease of another decade time jump. With the way tech is advancing in the show, they will tease the launch of the Phoenix, Earth's first warp capable ship!

 

[Philip Verdieck]

I’m looking forward to S3! I thought S2 was as good or better than S2.

Well, I would certainly hope that S2 was no worse than S2!

I loved S1, and need to watch S2.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

What’s the premiere date again?

In the earlier season threads I mentioned how this should be a show in my wheelhouse but that the story they’re telling is different from my expectations of what I’d like to see. There was enough from seasons 1 and 2 to enjoy that I don’t quite consider it wasted time, but in general it felt like the ratio of ordinary human conflict that could be in any show relative to space exploration was too high - I was hoping for a show more tilted towards realistically portrayed scientifically plausible exploration led by dedicated professionals without personal conflicts, and was surprised that space often takes a backseat to earthbound struggles. Knowing now that that is simply what the show is, I intend to start the new season but keep it on a much shorter leash - if I start losing interest I won’t force my way through it. But I’m hoping to enjoy it!

 

[Sean Bryan]

What’s the premiere date again?

In the earlier season threads I mentioned how this should be a show in my wheelhouse but that the story they’re telling is different from my expectations of what I’d like to see. There was enough from seasons 1 and 2 to enjoy that I don’t quite consider it wasted time, but in general it felt like the ratio of ordinary human conflict that could be in any show relative to space exploration was too high - I was hoping for a show more tilted towards realistically portrayed scientifically plausible exploration led by dedicated professionals without personal conflicts, and was surprised that space often takes a backseat to earthbound struggles. Knowing now that that is simply what the show is, I intend to start the new season but keep it on a much shorter leash - if I start losing interest I won’t force my way through it. But I’m hoping to enjoy it!

I believe it starts this Friday.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Well, that was quite the start to the new season. #Tethering

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Well, that was quite the start to the new season. #Tethering

Yes indeed!

During the time jump, this alt-history played out in the following notable ways:

• A lunar peace agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union paves the way for mineral extraction on the moon, creating an economic boom that propels the two space powers past all of the other countries in economic influence and might. It also sets off a scramble for other nations to develop their own space programs in an effort to compete.
• In 1986, Polaris Space Tours ushers in the era of space tourism with flights that take paying customers into low earth orbit, something that would not occur in our timeline until 2021.
• Because Ronald Reagan began his term in 1976 rather than 1980, he was term limited out in 1984, leaving an opening for charismatic Democratic senator Gary Hart who was not yet plagued at that point by allegations about extramarital sexual encounters.
• Building off the advancements made in nuclear research to power the space race, a workable method of power generation through the fusion of helium-3 atoms, which releases large amounts of energy without causing the surrounding material to become radioactive. Helium-3 is rare on Earth, but discovered in abundance on the moon. The NASA and the Soviet space program each form public-private partnerships to enable the efficient extraction of this valuable new resource.
• Propelled by the unprecedented economic prosperity brought on by fusion power and helium-3 extraction, Gary Hart easily wins reelection in the 1988 presidential election.
• The profits from helium-3 mining allows Gorbachev to successfully transition the Soviet Union to a hybrid economy, and the Soviet Union's roaring economy, along with the Hart administration's non-interventionist foreign policy, allows the USSR to expand its sphere of influence throughout South America, Central America, and Africa.
• A new Communist government in Mexico scuttles negotiations over a North American free trade agreement, as the new government shifts its allegiance to the Soviets.
• The Beatles, after years of mixed success with solo projects, begin touring again to sell out crowds.
• The rise of fusion power has drastically lowered demand for fossil fuels, leading to severe economic contraction among the OPEC nations. When Sadaam Hussein invades Kuwait, the Hart adminstration does not intervene, feeling that the Middle East is no longer of sufficient strategic importance to put the American military in harm's way.
• Former astronaut, NASA administrator, and popular US Senator Ellen Wilson defeats Kansas senator Bob Dole for the Republic nomination in the 1992 presidential contest, which is wide open with incumbent president Gary Hart term limited out. Meanwhile, moderate Arkansas governor Bill Clinton defeats Hart's vice president, Al Gore, for the Democratic nomination. Some had thought that the controversies involving the Clintons' real estate investments in the Whitewater Development Corporation would derail his campaign, but Gore's high-minded but low energy campaign gave the young governor an opening.

I'm not sure I buy Clinton as the Democratic nominee in 1992. His success in the real 1992 was in part a pragmatic reaction by Democratic primary voters to 16 consecutive years of Republican administrations, and the continuing power and influence of the Regan revolution in national politics. I would have to think that eight years of Hart's progressive policies, coupled with the economic gains powered by the resource extraction from the moon, would have left Democratic primary voters looking for a more liberal candidate.

It seems likely that Ellen wins the election anyhow. It's hard for one party to hold onto the White House three elections in a row, and Ellen's campaign will probably go after Clinton that George HW Bush's campaign did in our timeline. The big question mark hanging over Ellen is whether she gets outed as being a lesbian. If she does, that's probably game over for her electoral chances.

And whoever wins the 1992 election will face a very different geopolitical situation than in our timeline. When Clinton won in 1992, the Soviet Union had already collapsed and the US was unchallenged as the world's sole remaining superpower. While the US of this timeline is extremely prosperous and successful, the Cold War is still very much raging. Not only has the Soviet Union not collapsed, but there are indications that is the preeminent world power with an even stronger economy than the US's and military bases throughout most of the world. Under Hart, the United States's influence has mostly constricted to Western Europe and parts of East Asia.

The dramatic expansion of the space race and the emergence of private companies like Polaris into the mix creates interesting opportunities for characters like Karen to make it into space that never would have in our timeline. Likewise with Aleida going to the moon to implement the modified design for the Mars rocket; going to the moon is still a pretty big deal in this world, but not the extremely rare honor in our timeline, where only an even dozen have ever accomplished the feat.

The proxy battle between the old guard and the new guard at NASA, personified by Ed Baldwin in the former camp and his friend and rival Danielle Poole in the latter camp, is fascinating to watch. The new guard took over much sooner in our timeline, as the reductions in NASA's budget left far less room for the test pilots and military vets to thrive. But countering that is an America that is much more egalitarian in matters of gender and race.

Realistically, someone Ed's age would never be given command of a mission so critical to national prestige. Also in Danielle's favor is that she is the American face of the Cold War rivalry. She's also got the stronger academic background.

If Ed does get command, I would imagine it will be because he gets the credit for Danny Stevens's heroic save of the space station.

Either way, I think the runner up might get their shot anyhow, if private industry makes its own effort to be first to Mars.