Away

Blasting off into space is not everyone’s cup of tea, especially when that means having to leave your nearest and dearest behind. But for American astronaut Emma Green (Hilary Swank), there are bigger fish to fry. As commander of the first mission to Mars, it’s her foremost duty to lead an international team of space experts to the Red Planet,  but her path is anything but smooth. Following the NASA launch, a series of tragic events unfold at home and among her crew that force Emma to make some very difficult decisions. With the clock ticking away, the chief must act fast if she is to avert a series of cataclysmic events from taking place.

Andrew Hinderaker’s Netflix series Away is a drama like no other. It is so much more than just a space mission. It’s about family, human values, the desire to love and to be loved. What makes this production particularly intriguing is the rawness with which the narrative is tackled, from the point of view both of the astronauts making this perilous journey and of their relatives who are looking up at them from below, worried sick about their safety.

The emotional arcs are on point. The plot twists are thrilling. Each episode has something new to offer and leaves viewers on a major cliffhanger. Swank is outstanding as the compassionate and guilt-ridden Emma, who wants to be there for her family but struggles to find equilibrium between her personal and professional life, as is Talitha Bateman, who plays her teenage daughter Alexis – a rising star to look out for.

Away is guaranteed to generate excitement. For as much as the story is largely based in space, the in-depth character development of these individuals, as well as the themes of love and gender identity that are at the centre of the series’s debate, make Away a wonderful viewing experience indeed.

Ghazaleh Golpira

Away is released digitally on Netflix on 4^th September 2020.

Watch the trailer for Away here: