Susan Granger’s review of “The First” (Hulu)
While the Writers’ and Actors’ strikes persist, streaming networks are reaching back into their archives to show various series that ran for one season and were – perhaps inexplicably – cancelled and/or not renewed for a second season.
Making his initial television-series venture, Sean Penn stars in “The First,” playing Capt. Tom Hagerty, a former Astronaut Mission Commander who is now training the first crew for a manned mission to Mars, circa 2030s.
But Hagerty’s personal life is in chaos. He lives in New Orleans and – a while ago – his troubled tattoo-artist wife, Diane (Melissa George), committed suicide, leaving him alienated from his depressed, drug-addicted teenage daughter, Denise (Anna Jacoby-Heron).
Meanwhile, pioneering Vista entrepreneur Laz Ingram (Natascha McElhone) is fighting for continued government funding after one of the initial launches blew up (similar to NASA’s Challenger disaster), placing her in political conflict with the President of the United States (Jeannie Berlin).
Plus, Hagerty’s African-American second-in-command (LisaGay Hamilton) is resentful and the younger astronauts are coping with strained marriages, ailing elderly parents and the realization that, if they do make it to Mars, they may not be able to return to Earth. Bottom line: survival odds are not in their favor.
Created by Beau Willimon (“House of Cards”), the turbulent emotional conflict centers on the various astronauts’ personal dramas, posing the pertinent question of whether the collective benefit is worth the personal cost.
Like “The Right Stuff” and “The Martian,” it utilizes the superficial sci-fi premise to delve into thoughtful character studies.
FYI: In “House of Cards,” Beau Willimon worked with Robin Wright, ex-wife of Sean Penn, and Natascha McElhone quit her co-starring role opposite Kiefer Sutherland in “Designated Survivor” (2016) in order to make this series.
On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “The First” is a suspenseful 7 with all eight episodes streaming on Hulu. If you enjoyed it as much as I did, you can petition to bring it back at Change.org
