Fall has always been a fun season, and what can make it more fun than a great new TV show being released? Away was released on Netflix in September, a ten-episode science fiction drama following the story of American astronaut Emma Green, played by Hilary Swank, as she leads an international crew on a mission to Mars, leaving behind her sick husband and teenage daughter. It covers the world’s first crewed mission to Mars and the treacherous things that can happen to a group of people stuck in the middle of space, lightyears away from civilization. The crew consists of Lu Wang, a Chinese chemist, Misha, an experienced cosmonaut from Russia, Ram Arya, the second-in-command and medical officer from India, and Kwesi, Jewish
British-Ghanaian botanist and rookie astronaut. Emma Green leads them through difficult challenges as they work to avoid dangerous situations and navigate their way through space, all while dealing with personal issues with their families and amongst the crew themselves. Away appears to focus more on the emotional background of the mission, focusing on the relationship of the crew and their emotions as they leave their familiar behind, rather than on the complete scientific theory behind sending a crew to Mars.
The series is reportedly inspired by an Esquire article by the same name written by Chris Jones. The series was given a 59% approval rating by RottenTomatoes. Who knows what season 2 will bring.