Netflix’s Away Season One Early Review

Executive produced by Jason Katims and Matt Reeves, Away marks Netflix’s second forray into space this year after the workplace comedy Space Force. Suffice it to say that this series takes it in a much different direction being a decent sci-fi character drama that does just enough, despite plenty of hit or miss melodrama, empty suspense, and more space cliches then you can shake a stick at. The series as a whole may not necessarily be treading new ground by any means in terms of storytelling but in the end, is a wildly derivative and somewhat compelling yet forgettable experience that uses up almost all its runway. Technically speaking, the series is surprisingly good as Netflix afforded it a considerable budget at least when it came to its depiction of space.

It’s a little unclear when Away takes place (causing what may or may not be contrivances in service of the story) but the story follows a group of astronauts led by Commander Emma Green (Hilary Swank) as they embark on the Atlas, preparing for the world’s first trip to Mars. The other astronauts making up the international team that joined her presented a set of predictable contrasting personalities that inevitably clashed and evolved over the course of the season (some more than others), Misha (Mark Ivanir), Lu (Vivian Wu), Kwesi (Ato Essandoh), and Ram (Ray Panthaki). While the series doesn’t waste any time getting started, it circles back to flesh out the side characters in the form of flashbacks popping up over the course of the season of the events leading to how each got to the mission (while barely scratching the surface with any of them), each weaving into the present plot in a tonally inconsistent way. While they were interesting and emotional to a point, they were inconsequential for the most part.

At the end of the day, Away was Emma Green’s story as she dealt with the pressures of leading a team in space and leaving a family behind. Back at home, Emma’s husband and former aspiring astronaut sidelined by a genetic neurological condition, Matt (Josh Charles), ran point at mission control while tending to their angsty teenage daughter, Alexis (Talitha Bateman), who was not thrilled about her mother’s three-year mission solely based on the possibility that she may not return. Unfortunately, the three would face some adversity right away involving Matt’s dwindling health (which made his troubles at home worse) but despite this, Emma’s mission went on (though it still wasn’t easy for her). Meanwhile, space saw the team deal face danger in the form of issue after issue, coming together on their way to Mars as Matt frantically tried his best to help from Earth, balancing his duties as a husband and a father, while trying to keep up with Lexi who was essentially left to cope alone. As a result, she turned to her new boyfriend Isaac, (Adam Irigoyen). Though Emma more or less knew all of this, the distance took a toll on her (and the other characters feeling that same kind of isolation to a certain extent) as she was left in a helpless position thus pulling her focus from the mission at hand.

Ultimately, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone how this season ends but despite this, one can’t help but wonder where Away goes from here? If it does, hopefully it will be with better writing. While the story is derivative and somewhat on the dull and predictable side, the clunky and overwrought dialog didn’t exactly help its case either. It tries too hard to be sentimental and for audiences to be inspired without providing enough of a reason to be. That being said, the best part of the season was its performances. Swank certainly leads the way as Green with a still powerful performance of a flawed leader struggling with outside and inside pressure. Charles does his best as Matt Green without really being given anything of substance. Meanwhile, the space sections work because of the chemistry between Swank and Ivanir, Wu, Essandow, and Panthaki who are all solid as the equally flawed Misha, Lu, Kwesi, and Ram respectively. Ivanir in particular steal scenes as the grizzled veteran Russian astronaut.

At the end of the day, the story of this space melodrama may not set the world on fire but as it stands, Away is still a solid experience but not one worth going back to.

still courtesy of Netflix

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook. Also subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.