“That’s five people fulfilling the destiny of 8 billion.”
That’s the line given in the trailer that sums up the entire series of “The First” the best. The latest Hulu original, starring none other than Sean Penn, tells the stories of five astronauts picked to become the first people to travel to Mars. And judging by the latest trailer, taking on that responsibility is not as easy of a decision as you might think.
Unlike other film and TV projects to feature manned missions to Mars, there’s no actual alien landscapes to be seen in the trailer for “The First.” It appears that this series is less interested in exploring and/or colonizing the Red Planet (season 2, anyone?) and more interested in showing how deciding to be one of the five astronauts affects the lives of those involved. Heavy family drama, mixed with a bit of dangerous training, is expected to carry the day with this series.
And that would sound like a bit of a disappointment if it wasn’t for the great cast and crew gathered for the Hulu series. Leading the way you have the acting talents of Penn, along with Natascha McElhone, LisaGay Hamilton, Oded Fehr, James Ransone, Hannah Ware, and Melissa George. However, behind the scenes, you have “House of Cards” creator (and head writer) Beau Willimon, who handles the writing chores here as well.
Let’s be real, when you open Hulu, you’re not inundated with quality original content. Sure, you have “The Handmaid’s Tale,” but what’s next? “Castle Rock?” “Casual?” God forbid, “The Runaways?” Now, you finally have another reason to fire up the old Hulu machine and let some quality TV goodness wash over your body.
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All episodes of “The First” will be available for streaming on September 14.
Here’s the synopsis:
Sean Penn leads an ensemble cast in this near-future drama about a crew of astronauts attempting to become the first humans on Mars. Under the direction of visionary aerospace magnate Laz Ingram (Natascha McElhone), the crew contends with peril and personal sacrifice as they undertake the greatest pioneering feat in human history.