TV Review: Netflix’s Away Is The Grey’s Anatomy of Space
Watching Netflix’s Away was like seeing Grey’s Anatomy go to space. Like the ABC doctors, you wonder when life got so dramatic for astronauts. Yet, similarly, you grow addicted. While the show is slower and more serious in tone, its goal to make you live for these leads’ issues is achieved.
Hilary Swank plays American astronaut Emma Green; a strong commander leading an international crew to Mars that interchange, amongst themselves, whether they think she is strong enough to do so. These interchanges launch the drama of the series, but what makes this show so exciting, especially for future seasons, is that it really could go anywhere in storylines and arguments, particularly, because it is divided, in timing, between the past and present. Similar to another ABC fave, Lost, every character has a backstory of choices and families they left behind, on earth, to become their nation’s heroes. Yet, just because you leave the earth, does not mean it leaves you. As time passes, mishaps arise, and the idea of living 3 years in Mars, away from their loved ones and “civilization,” makes them ponder whether their eagerness to make history shadowed their familial responsibilities.
Away | Official Trailer | Netflix
Ambition and devotion have always clashed because ambition is what you see to give for yourself and devotion is what you see to give to others. While the show’s weakest points are its scenes covering how the astronauts’ families are moving on without them, its flashbacks to the astronauts’ family history are some of its strongest, especially as they are organically spliced between the crew’s current decisions and difficulties. First you have the Russian astronaut, Mark Ivanir’s Misha; a man that believes he should be in charge, especially considering all he gave up for himself and his family to get to that esteemed mission. He is a character to watch in terms of growth, but, technically, that can be said for everyone because sacrifice is a THEME in this show.
Vivian Wu is FIERCE AS LU; a mother, wife, an incredibly strong, intelligent women representing China on this mission. Her storyline of how we sacrifice love for “success” is, probably, my favorite because like, Swank’s Emma, she is determined and bold enough to not let herself be torn by hardship, which, unbeknownst to the crew, is their great commonality. The fact that the women of this crew are the highlight comes from reator Andrew Hinderaker and writer Jessica Goldberg. They have brilliantly showed how much human beings have in common without their knowledge or even desire for it. Naturally, the show gets stronger with each episode, but it does that because the crew starts to unite. The perks of its flashback sequences is so that the audience knows and understands how the characters’ humanity links to each other in surprising ways with Ray Panthaki’s sweet Ram having one of the most emotional backstories to explain his loyalty and humility for the crew and its leader. Meanwhile, Ato’s Essandoh’s Kwesi is deeply spiritual, and becomes a reminder that this space mission is cosmic. They are not just marking human history or gathering scientific data; there is a celestial/ universal calling that goes beyond them.
Away | Official Trailer | Netflix
The heart of Away is what keeps you hooked long enough to see it grow and become the show it wants to be; a realistic, grounded reflection that, for all you are prepared, life goes wrong, challenges arise, you’ll feel close to death, and wonder whether your effort will leave you crashed. Yet, in the midst of that, you humble. So often, we confuse humility for being turned down a few notches, but, in actuality, its about being opened. It is about losing the guards of fear and barriers of exclusivity you build around your heart that makes you feel you can or should decide what or who enters it. In essence, there is no one too lowly for you to love and no situation so lowly that you can’t survive it. In seeing this 5 strangers, from across the world, form an unlikely bond over an unlikely situation, viewers see that everyone struggles, everyone dreams, and, in that, everyone is everyone.
