As a big fan of The Office and Steve Carell, could not have been more excited by Greg Daniels of the new show Space Force. It is called “a workplace comedy centered around the people responsible for the creation of a sixth branch of the armed forces,” I immediately assumed that Space Force we follow in the documentary style steps both The Office and Parks and Recreation. I was wrong. Instead of that, this is a single-camera parody of the real-Space Force, with a focus on four-star General Mark Naird (Steve Carell), his daughter Erin Naird (Target Silver), and those that work with him such as Dr. Adrian Mallory (John Malkovich).
In its essence, the humor I loved in Daniels is another sample is present. There are even a couple of moments with Mark Naird only that I could feel the presence of Michael Scott. In a similar way to Daniels other shows, Space Force it uses its short first season, mainly, to the creation of all key actors. Even some of the most memorable episodes of The Office they are not in their first season. You can find it later when I have had the opportunity to become connected to the characters and understand their motivations. For Space Forcethe most memorable moments are those that allow the cast to shine.
When it comes to launching moments in the show, it’s hard to choose a favorite. There’s the bromance with Dr. Chan Kaifang (Jimmy O. Yang), and F. Tony Scarapiducci (Ben Schwartz) that starts as looking for the perfect gift for the president. Then, there is the friendship between Angela Ali (Tawny Newsome) and Erin Naird (Silver) as Ali helps Naird find a way to feel more at home. It also wouldn’t be a Daniels show, without the need of a central triangle, this one between the General Mark Naird, Dr. Adrian Mallory, and in General Kick Grabaston (Noah Emmerich) — even though it is more like if Jim hated Michael and Dwight was not strictly faithful to Michael.
If Space Force it was just The Office in the space, then you do not have many places for the story to go, and you would have to treat continuously the height of its predecessor. By trying something new, Daniels is able to explore the patterns and archetypes that haven’t been done a million times in other of his shows. It also allows the audience to stop thinking in the “I am a Dwight” or “I am a Pam” style and really connect to the various characters (and their relationships) at the same time.
At the end of the day, it is good that Space Force not The Office. If you are looking for something similar or familiar, then you might give The Office a rewatch to catch up with the Dunder Mifflin gang. However, if you are looking for something new, give the Space Force the crew of an attempt.
