For All Mankind, A World That Almost Was

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By Coren Feldman

The year is 1969, and the world is watching with bated breath as the first man walks on the moon. But as he lifts his visor and utters the first words spoken on the surface, they're in Russian. The soviets have beaten America to the moon and set in motion a chain of events that will change US and world history forever.


For All Mankind follows an alternate history where American exceptionalism is being challenged both politically and scientifically as the soviets ramp up their space program and score several big wins. This pushes the Nixon administration to spend more money on NASA and prioritize an American answer to the new bar of space exploration and discovery.

But the effects from the moon landing ripple outwards, creating social and political change in American society that alter the country's path significantly from where we know it in the late 60s and early 70s. The extend to which these changes impact American society and the challenges they face at the time vary, and that's part of what makes the show so interesting. The show's scientific, historical and political inventions are all easily believable, and although they do deviate more widely from our reality as the show progresses, all of the decisions the show makes are based in historical fact and common sense.

The show's real strength, though, comes from its revolving cast of characters. As an ensemble show dealing with wide ranging topics, it was important that there would be characters who can experience different parts of these changes and advancements. Some names are recognizable, like Buzz Aldrin who is featured in a few episodes, but most of the characters based on are lesser known NASA pioneers or entirely fictional creations. 

The show focuses on a few people at a time, and slowly rotates them, like a rotisserie of people, but in a non cannibalistic way (I wrote this at 3am). This allows us to get to know them well enough to care about them whenever they're in focus, and it keeps them in the background when the focus needs to be elsewhere. The actors are all also excellently cast and easy to empathize with, even when you don't agree with them.

All told, the show is a masterfully executed speculation of an alternate history that keeps your eyes firmly glued to the screen and makes you wonder what if...

Coren Feldman is the founder of CorenTV.
Contrary to (I'm assuming) popular belief, he does not have an orange halo around him at all times but would love to make that happen if anyone knows how.