3 minute read
TV REViEW
Space Force is the comic relief you probably need right now
Space Force Season 2 | Netflix | 7 episodes
Advertisement
It’s hard to watch Steve Carell in Space Force
(Season 2 now out on Netflix) without thinking of his character Michael Scott from The Office. To be clear, they are very different characters. While Michael Scott was a perpetually lonely company man who imagined himself as an expert in comedy and management (and pretty much anything else he had the slightest interest in), Carell’s Gen. Mark Naird is a serious military man who seems to constantly find himself in ridiculous situations. He’s more the straight man to a series cast with some of the funniest people in comedy. But that said, some of his mannerisms seem very Michael Scott-like, and that’s not really a bad thing. Space Force is about a newly formed branch of the military and the people in it. (In real life, Pres. Donald Trump’s administration launched Space Force and they are actively recruiting now.) Gen. Naird, at the head of this newest branch of the military, leads a team of scientists, PR agents and other military toughs under his command. You couldn’t call it The Office in space because very little of the show takes place in space - the point of view is the command center on Earth. Instead of battling aliens and space plot devices of the week, Gen. Naird and crew are battling the press, a Congress that perpetually is cutting their budget and leaders of the other military branches who don’t even come close to taking them seriously. But if all that sounds serious, this series is pure slapstick comedy. The half-hour show almost comes out as sketch comedy and the actors are up to the task. PR agent Tony Scarapiducci (played by the hilarious Ben Schwartz) is basically Jean-Ralphio from Parks and Rec, though this version shows a little more heart and concern for other people. He’s just as funny here as he was in Parks and Rec. Dr. Adrian Mallory (John Malkovich) serves as the perfect lead scientist foil to Naird’s military sensibilities. Naird’s domineering wife (played by Lisa Kudrow) calls the family shots from jail, and his daughter is the perfect mix of perpetually bored teenager growing into an interesting person before our eyes. She really comes to life in the second season. Tawny Newsome plays Capt. Angela Ali, ultimately the first black woman in space, quite well as she fends off the amorous advances of scientist Dr. Chan Kaifang (Jimmy O. Yang). Carell, who also produced the show, put together an all-star cast for this show, and it’s not wasted. The scenes between Schwartz, Carell and Mallory are some of the standouts, and plenty of smaller roles are played by folks you’ll recognize. The name Diedrich Bader probably doesn’t ring a bell but he’s one of those character actors you’ll recognize immediately, with an IMBD page the length of a short novel (most notably as a regular on The Drew Carey show). Netflix announced recently that it’s raising its prices again. It’ll need more shows like Space Force to continue keeping its customers. But Space Force is a step in the right direction.
Make Your Life Less Taxing!
20 Million new self & no credential prepared returns IRS hires 30,000 new auditors. Coincidence? Have your taxes prepared by a professional.
Specializing Businesses, Payroll and Individual Taxes
Kersten Accounting & Tax Service 1721 Cty Rd XX Mosinee,WI 54455
Call 715-524-2302 for an appointment Walk-ins are also welcome
05563360117834
THE GRAND THEATER
-Los Angeles Times
Seen by over 90 million people worldwide, this international sensation returns with their soaring, roofraising vocals for the highly anticipated “Love Is in the Air Tour.” This big show features the Tenors’ signature 10-part harmonies to songs like “Somebody to Love,
” “Unchained Melody,” classic arias and more!
Tickets starting at $35 715.842.0988 www.grandtheater.org THURSDAY, MARCH 24
Grand Theater, Wausau
