Update: Our reviewer found that Steve Carell and Greg Daniels’ new Netflix series Space Force manages to mine plenty of comedy from the strange and occasionally terrifying place where America currently finds itself. Read the full Space Force review for more.
Space Force, the newest — and unfortunately, widely mocked — branch of the U.S. military, is getting its own Netflix series. The show’s first season is available as of May 29.
Starring Steve Carell, Space Force is a workplace comedy series from the mind of Greg Daniels, the co-creator of Parks and Recreation and creator of the U.S. version of The Office. The series is inspired by the real-world military branch created by U.S. President Donald Trump and tasked with waging “space warfare.”
Here’s everything we know about it.
First look
Netflix released the first trailer for Space Force (see above) on May 5, offering viewers a sneak peek at the series and how Steve Carell’s character finds himself in charge of the U.S. military’s newest branch.
A day earlier, Netflix teased the debut of the trailer with a promotional image featuring Carell in the branch’s “lunar camouflage” uniform.
Premiere date
After first announcing plans for the series in January, Netflix confirmed the release date for Space Force in early April. The series arrived on the streaming service on May 29.
The plot
The series casts Steve Carell as General Mark R. Naird, whose dreams of a leadership role in the U.S. Air Force take a detour when he’s asked to lead a new, sixth branch of the U.S. military.
After uprooting his family, he finds himself operating out of a remote military base in Colorado and dealing with a colorful team of scientists as he attempts to meet various goals set for the agency by the White House.
The cast
Steve Carell leads the cast of Space Force as U.S. Air Force General Mark R. Naird, who’s tapped to lead the newly created military branch. Carell also serves as the series’ co-creator and co-producer alongside Greg Daniels.
Carell is joined by two-time Oscar nominee John Malkovich (Being John Malkovich, Dangerous Liaisons), Diana Silvers (Ma), Tawny Newsome (Brockmire), and Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation) in the series’ regular cast.
Malkovich will play Dr. Adrian Mallory, while Schwartz portrays the character F. Tony Scarapiducci, Silvers plays Erin Naird, and Tawny Newsome plays Angela Ali. The supporting cast of Space Force also includes Jimmy O. Yang, Noah Emmerich, Alex Sparrow, and Don Lake.
In April, Friends actress Lisa Kudrow was also confirmed to have a recurring role as Maggie Naird, the wife of Carell’s character.
Filming
Principal photography for the first, 10-episode season of Space Force occurred in Los Angeles and ended in January.