Bang! Zoom! Straight Into the Ground – “Space Force” Review

When it was announced that the United States was creating a new branch of the armed forces called Space Force, we all knew it would only be a matter of time before some kind of comedy show or movie was made about it. Lo and behold, 2 years later Netflix releases Space Force, starring Steve Carell, John Malkovich, Ben Schwartz, and Diana Silvers. One would think that with this already ridiculous topic, this cast full of comedic talent, and a stable of veteran writers this show would be comedy gold. Unfortunately, it ain’t, this show fails to take off. Space Force

Space Force is about the newly formed branch of the American Armed Forces of the same name trying to establish itself and win the new “arms race” into space. Steve Carell plays Mark R. Naird, a four-star general appointed head of Space Force. He must move his wife, Maggie (Lisa Kudrow) and high school daughter Erin (Diana Silvers) to Utah to head the new branch. Together with chief scientist Dr. Adrian Mallory (John Malkovich) they must get “boots on the moon” by 2024. This show really suffers from an identity crisis. It can’t figure out if it wants to be funny or dramatic. Now there’s nothing wrong with trying to be both… but this show is neither. At it’s heart, it’s a workplace comedy, but the show itself seems to never want to go further than just the shallow end of the comedy pool. From “topical” jokes that already feel dated to “quirky characters” that never commit to the quirk… it’s just bland and uninspired….