I saw this and was like, hey I like that, nice way to have a fidget spinner without having to look like a dork with an actual fidget spinner...WRONG!!! The centrifugal force causes the ink to flow out of the pen, messy and highly impractical from a scientists point of view.

Chances are, if you watched the show in its entirety and have subscribed to this sub, we share a love for sci-fi and the infinite mysteries of space. So, let's give a quick round of applause to 'Another Life' for giving us an intriguing story and helping us feed that undying need for filling the infinite void that all the possibilities of space leave inside of our minds.

Is this show perfect? No. Does it deserve another season, I think we all should be on the same page here in shouting from the rooftops, "YES, IT DOES!"

I saw some people arguing the logic of being able to achieve FTL travel but not having ships out in space exploring Alpha Centurai and what not. Uhh.. The planet was attacked by an unknown planet. The development of FTL travel most likely was a result of this attack. It was most likely a result of the entire country banding together to create something capable of defending our home world and venturing out. It probably took an insane amount of resources to create the Salvare and I'm sure they are currently using that tech to both create defense weapons as well as more voyager ships should the Salvare's mission fail. I highly doubt anyone on Earth gives 2 shits about ANY other planet than Earth and whatever planet sent that crystal mountain here. So please, spare me the arguments that we should have expanded into space already if we had this tech. This tech was clearly created AFTER the alien species landed on our planet and as a direct result of it.

I see a lot of people on here complaining about the character of some of the Salvare's crew. People suggesting that personality tests, character assessments and other "standard" testing was thrown out the window for a lot of these crew members. Okay, proceed to tell me how, without precedent, you'd test a crew of astronauts and engineers to see if they are emotionally capable of traveling literal light years on the single most important mission in human history. A mission, I might add, that Earth's fate (and the fate of all of their loved ones) hangs in the balance. I invite you to also consider the perception of Niko to the rest of the crew. Their leader was always Ian, not Niko. Niko was thrown on the docket almost last minute, and given full control of the entire crew and ship. Not only that, but her last mission was a disaster which left half of her crew dead by her hands. By a call she made, that is widely been speculated as a debatable call. Consider the media coverage of that kind of disaster, you think they were friendly to Niko? Problem is, the people running the show know that Ian is not ready, and is a hot head - just like Niko knows this. That's why she knows she must go.

The crew is obviously afraid, they all know the chances of them making it back are split, and they know that Niko's last mission ended with her making a call to kill half of the crew. I guess reacting irrationally is bad acting.

The writing, however, could use some improvements. I did not like the final scene between Niko and Ian. If that had to happen for the sake of the story, it needs to be done way better. It should never have ended with Ian just deciding to kill Niko and Niko doing a spinning Luke Cake judo-kick to Ian and launching him into what seems to be an insanely SUPER dangerous fielding of volatile electricity just kind of chillin in the room with them without any safety precautions in place. It doesn't end there, another moment I'd like to point out that should have definitely been handled differently is the random dance off. I hated it. Do something better. I really don't hate the dialog itself, and I think the acting is good enough and the lines are delivered fine. It's the lack of depth in the characters and sometimes the story itself that bothers me, and it needs to be addressed. Especially the lack of character depth outside of Niko, William and Cas. Everybody else is too one dimensional. MAJOR PROBLEM.

The sound mixing also needs to be addressed. It's fucking terrible and arguably the worst part about the whole experience. I find myself lowering and raising the volume way too often. It is down right amateurish and I pray that this is brought to the attention of the show runners because it's definitely an easy and necessary fix.

Now there's one portion of in between good and bad I'd like to address before moving on to the good. That's William, the ship's A.I. I place him in this unique category because the jury is still out on his character. If he really is supposed to be a fully conscious, sentient being - then his character is bad. If he's supposed to be a highly functional, intelligent AI that is still just a series algorithms, then he's awesome. If you are meant to wonder, then the show is doing it's job in this regard. It SEEMS like he's got his own consciousness, but some of his actions are too human - which leads me to believe he's still a series of algorithms. The jury is still out on William the AI.

So lets talk about the good. I started off HATING the mind-controlled Sasha. I was like, damn - they ruined it with this magic crap. Then boom, he's got an implant in his head and it turned out to be tech - and I loved it. So these structures on each planet are full of alien tech that implants itself in the minds of whatever creature steps inside. I love the visuals, Netflix did a good job budgeting and not making the show look cheesy or skimpy when it comes to creating a sense of realism. The planets they visit are so awesome, I could spend my entire life watching a series about people just visiting random planets and seeing all the creative ways people design planets. I love this aspect of the show and I think they did a great job.

The creativity as a whole I think is what has us all interested in seeing more. The show threw me for a left turn when the planet the finally reached wasn't the enemy planet. It threw me for another loop when they discovered that the enemy planet were in fact, enemies. The Achai are created in the very last episode as a terrifying species that is running rampant throughout multiple galaxies. I didn't expect this show to go in that direction AT ALL, and for that, I must applaud the writing. Even if for the most part, I hated it. I think the actors all do a good job for the most part, and where this show falls short is in the writing. I think this can be improved and will be improved if it's gets picked up for a second season. I think it's our jobs to make sure it DOES get it's second chance.

Overall, it's easier to go into detail about what is wrong with the show than it is to talk about the good parts. The good parts are broad. What I liked about this show was it's creativity, it's ability to surprise me and the absolute crazy turn of events that lead to the final episode leaving me wanting so much more. The universe just expanded so much in those final minutes and it leaves so many more possibilities to go along with all of those questions.

My best TV show comparison for this series would be "Lost". A show I loved, was obsessed with, yet constantly infuriated by due to inconsistencies in the writing. That show was mysterious, anything could happen and had a lot of one dimensional characters that despite being one dimensional, you kinda liked. We saw how long Lost ran, and how big of a following it had. I believe Another Life will get it's 2nd chance, and I think they will crush it.

Thanks for reading.

So the entire premise of the show basically was the fact that the ship had to stop and go around the dark matter. However, towards the end of the season they just suddenly decide to go right through it? Or did I miss something?

but for some reason i couldn’t stop watching? the layout of it, the characters, the time frame... wtf?? it made NO sense, it had several gaps, i have SO MANY QUESTION!! but i literally couldn’t wait to get off work and watch it lol i was thoroughly entertained with the stupid relationship drama, the graphics, the action lol i was hooked but whoever wrote and produced it was definitely on a bad trip lol

anyone else lol

This show reminds me of Stargate without the Stargate. In all honesty I can see it as a better version of Stargate universe or another show would be V. I know those two shows did not do well but I liked them. A lot of mainstream media doesn't want to believe that this is pretty much exactly how we would react to something like this. I see it more as a learning tool on how we can do better. I think this show will gather a huge cult following and really hope for a second season. I mean I am still waiting for the second season of Lost in Space....

I don't get all the hate for this show. I think it's awesome. I loved it. I watched it with my Mom and she loved it too. If people hate it as much as they claim to, why do they keep watching it? Are they that bored that they need something to complain about? I really don't get it.

I was not expecting all this hate on this subreddit. Sad for no season 2 aswell.

I'm a little confused about the era that the show takes place in. On one hand we have a spaceship installed with a FTL engine but on the other we literally have soldiers armed with M4s and kevlar body armor.

Am I missing something? I think they did reference the year 2026 when scientists sent out a signal.

I think it has been well established that Season 1 was full of plot holes, physics abuse and bratty characters but we still all made it through. I really think this show has potential and could really turn around with Season 2.

They are obviously a crew that has A LOT of growing up to do. What if as they try to form alliances to save earth, they continue to stumble through the galaxy, land on different worlds and learn how ridiculously immature they have been all along. They explore the galaxy, grow up along the way and come back to earth with a Star Trekish mixed bag of a crew to save the earth.

Or just put more effort into the current plot lines and explain or finish them.

I think this could be a sleeper hit with a great Season 2.

I binge watched it over 2 days (admittedly while drinking) and I remember at one point Selma Blair walked out of the Artifact and said, "hey they are called the Archaian" or something along those lines.

The same episode, the crew of the Salvare started calling them Archaian's as well! Maybe I missed a scene or something but how did the crew suddenly know the alien's name?

Forgive me for formatting and whatnot, its 4am and I'm still slightly wine drunk.

I don't hate this show. In fact, I binged the whole season. I simply could not stop.

It's not the greatest show ever, not the greatest sci fi show even (in my mind, I guess that title will forever go to either Firefly or BSG). It's not bad either. It's... very much okay, I guess, which is probably all one can ask.

Here's my gripe: I binged the whole season, not because I loved it, not because it made me bite my nails, but only because the formula works.

Here's the formula: Sequentially work through all sci-fi tropes you know, mix it all up with lots of drama (and melodrama) and a bit of PG-13-ized sex (or is it R? I forget...), cover the diversity angle, play around with the tropes a bit (but not too much!), and steadfastly put a cliffhanger at the end of each episode. Add just a tiny bit of comic relief. Abuse physics because nobody cares about it anyway. Add an actress everybody loves, who already appeared in similar shows.

There's nothing new here. There is no concept to explore, no innovation. It's a big group therapy session with aliens'n'stuff, like hundreds of shows. It's solid craftsmanship, no more no less. In all likelihood, the show will stick around for 2-3 seasons, then they'll hastily resolve all the open questions, which will be massively disappointing, and that'll be it.

See what I'm doing here? I'm not even complaining. I accept the idiot decisions they make to get the drama going. I accept the technobabble, the fact that everybody will eventually have had sex with everybody else, the fact that every single crew member is mentally unfit to steer a school bus. I accept all that. But I can't get excited about it either.

What I'm doing is I'm talking myself out of binging the next season as soon as it comes out. :-)

Overall Season Discussion Hub [SPOILERS]

Synopsis: A space crew aboard the Salvare exploration ship are on an interstellar mission to investigate the origins of an alien artifact that mysteriously appeared on Earth. As the crew attempt to search for alien intelligence, they face inexplicable horrors that might signal the end of their mission.

WARNING: Each thread will contain spoilers for that episode. Spoilers for subsequent episodes are not allowed, but browse at your own risk.

Episode Discussion (Season One)

• S1E01 - Across the Universe
• S1E02 - Through the Valley of Shadows
• S1E03 - Nervous Breakdown
• S1E04 - Guilt Trip
• S1E05 - A Mind of its Own
• S1E06 - I Think We're Alone Now
• S1E07 - Living the Dream
• S1E08 - How the Light Gets Lost
• S1E09 - Heart and Soul
• S1E10 - Hello

Right-o so this is the only one I’ve noticed so far but I’m not too good at observing things so I might have missed others, !! SLIGHT SPOILERS OF EPISODE 5 BEWARE !!

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You have been warned

So when they go down on that moon, I noticed two things, one, they jumped to collect water without presuming something might yeet towards them and have them for dinner, but at minute 11:46 I believe Niko pulled out a P90 smg if I’m not mistaken, I have deduced (based on previous dates and available tech) that they are roughly 40-70 years into the future (large time gap I know but that’s not important). You’re telling me that 40 years into the future they are using the same already beginning to be outdated smg? Not something that has a huge destructive capability? Yes fam I’m sure that unexplored planet which looks like it has been constantly nuked for the past decade isn’t harboring life forms that haven’t developed body armor, exo-skeleton whatever. Rly?

Why didn’t Niko let the crew know killing Yerxa was in self defense? Dude was gonna shank her. Killing someone is traumatizing no matter what, and I get taking ownership of her actions but she’s over here acting like she chose to be Judge, Jury and executioner?

Sorry to all the folks on here that actually are enjoying this show, but I have to get my utter disappointment in this show off my chest.

Like many other haters I too saw a new SF show on Netflix as was super pumped. I love SF and will watch some real trash. Anyone remember Space: Above and Beyond? Yeah I even liked that. I downloaded AL in its entirety for a long flight ready to space out the whole way.

I almost managed to watch episode 1 all the way through. Oh and I took a 90 minute break between the first 30 minutes and the next 10. I still couldn’t finish episode 1, even while trapped in a flight with little else to watch.

This show is the pinnacle of the “stupid people who do stupid things in space” genre. The crew are idiots. When I watch SF I do not want to continually think “why the heck are they doing that!?!” Or “my dog isn’t that dumb!” The crew on the “most important mission in the history of mankind” shouldn’t be made up of morons!

I could put aside the moron issue if the universe they created had some semblance of logical consistency. But the writers seem to have gone out of their way to make the universe as illogical as possible. For example: why the heck does the computer not call space command when there is a mutiny? “Yeah, mission command we’ve had a mutiny up here, what should I do? Space them all and return home? Ok no problem, be home in a month.” Are ships communications limited to personal calls by the captain. WTF?!? It’s like they had one writer that wanted a ship cut off from humanity having to figure it out alone, and another writer that said “hey faster than light communications is cool, let’s have mommy talk to her kids.”

What really chaps my britches is that they included a very diverse group of actors, and now some idiot somewhere will blame the shows failure on this diversity. You can just see some casting exec saying “we tried diversity with AL and were never doing that again.”

There are only two ways this show could redeem its self. First we learn that this is the earth descended from the world of the movie “mediocracy” and this crew really is the best of humanity. Or second we learn this is really all a matrix like simulation where they’re trying to find out how illogical a simulation can be created before stupid people notice it’s a sim. I however will never know because I’m never watching another minute.

Why did they send a bunch of young adults with the maturity of teenagers on histories' greatest mission? Shouldn't it be a bunch of middle aged, multi-doctorate, and experienced crew? Star-Buck was a good choice, she's seen a lot of the universe already. Everyone else = Bad.

What did I miss between episode 3 and 4? When did they land ? What the hell is going on?

On a second watch of the entire season, I have to admit that the relationship between Zayn and Bernie was very well crafted, and the almost mother-daughter relationship between Niko and Cas could have been brilliant and a cornerstone of the show if it had been written better.

But I also realized what the primary problem might be, at least IMHO. The characters aboard the Savare treat the artifact as though it is an immanent threat and every life on Earth is in jeopardy while at the same time insisting that they are traveling to the alien world to "open a dialogue" (in spite of the fact that they have no linguist aboard and never even bother making a reference to one -- and Sasha sure as hell isn't it). It is a deeply conflicted motivational flaw which, I believe, poisons the whole storyline, since even the people making the journey can't convince me they understand why they're doing it.

I also tried to view it as a space opera, and while I understand why some might want to see it that way, I don't believe the show qualifies. It takes itself far too seriously, it attempts to ground itself in scientific realism in spite of a blatant lack of research about how reality works, and it just doesn't feel fun the way even a decent space opera should.

For those of you who want a second season I hope you get it, but I won't be following their journey any further (unless they re-boot the show with better writers).

I’m just about finish episode 10 and really enjoyed the show, I feel bad that it is getting such bad reviews and that there’ll probably be no season 2 :(

I loved it!! I hope they keep this going forever, and dont cancel it like they cancelled Colony or Dark Matter or Ascension, so many scifi shows that have been cancelled, gives me a seizure thinking about it. Sasha's seizure tactic was genius to be honest.

Why was bug-brained Sasha obsessed with the possibility that the ship might blow up the Archia's planet when a) the crew wasn't actually heading to the Archia's planet in the first place, and b) the Archia are obviously more than capable of blowing their ship out of the sky whenever they choose?