Mars

The maiden crew of the Daedalus spacecraft must push itself to the brink of human capability in order to successfully establish the first sustainable colony on Mars. Set both in the future and in the present day, this series blends scripted elements set in the future with documentary vérité interviews with today’s best and brightest minds in modern science and innovation, illuminating how research and development is creating the space technology that will enable our first attempt at a mission to Mars.

Mars (2016-2018) is an American science fiction drama series created by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer for National Geographic. Split between two timelines, it follows the maiden crew of the Daedalus spacecraft, led by an astronaut played by Jihae in the scripted future strand, as they push their bodies and minds toward the limits of human capability to establish the first sustainable colony on Mars. Javier Delgado (Alberto Ammann) and Amelie Durand (Clémentine Poidatz) are among the principal crew members whose daily routines of training, repairs, and tense group decisions form the core of each episode. Across two seasons of twelve episodes in total, the story stays grounded in the physical strain of the voyage and the loneliness of being far from family. Interleaved with these scripted scenes are documentary-style interviews with real scientists and innovators working on the research and engineering that could make a crewed Martian mission possible, giving the series a hopeful, reflective, and educational register. The tone is measured and contemplative rather than action driven, with a wistful sense of exploration and sacrifice. Fans of For All Mankind, The Expanse, and Cosmos will find resonance in its blend of realistic space engineering and human stakes. The series runs as a two-season, twelve-episode show with a bittersweet close.

Audience reception is positive, with viewers appreciating the science-driven premise and documentary interview segments while finding the scripted crew drama uneven.

• For All Mankindshared space colony survival premise, mixed scripted and documentary framing of real science
• The Expanseshared realistic near-future space mission drama and grounded science tone
• Cosmosshared science documentary interviews with real scientists alongside scripted drama

Created by

Ron Howard, Brian Grazer

Release Date

2016-11-14

Episode runtime

50 min

Rating

7.4 / 10 (382)

What is Mars about?

A scripted crew of Mars pioneers on the spacecraft Daedalus is interwoven with documentary interviews of today's real scientists driving the technology that could make the journey possible.

What is Mars like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Mars as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Mars violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Mars.

What did critics think of Mars?

Audience reception is positive, with viewers appreciating the science-driven premise and documentary interview segments while finding the scripted crew drama uneven.

Which shows are like Mars?

Shows with a similar feel include For All Mankind, The Expanse, and Cosmos.

How long is Mars?

Mars: 2 seasons, 12 episodes.

Is Mars still running?

No, Mars has ended.

Where can I watch Mars?

In United States, Mars streams on fuboTV, YouTube TV, Spectrum On Demand, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, National Geographic, Amasian TV.