We
were optimistic during the Reagan years—even about space exploration. That is
when the Overture generation ship launched. We’re not so optimistic about anything
anymore, especially not the space program. These are the reality television
years, so it is fitting a reality media company has acquired the mission. They
will broadcast crew members sessions with the mandatory therapy computer back
to Earth and reveal little snippets to their colleagues to foment dissension in
the web series Personal Space (awesome trailer here), which launches today.
As
the Overture goes where no man has gone before, most of the crew dozes in
suspended animation. They will wake in shifts to manage the mission and perform
experiments. However, Robert King, the commander of the first shift, has
already extended his waking time well past customary protocol. Frankly, he
lacks confidence in Gail Gartner, the commander of the second shift, but he is
trying not to say so, in so many words. Meanwhile, the abrasively annoying
second shift doctor, Stanley “Blasto” Blaszkiewicz is a perfect match for
reality TV, whereas the caustic botanist Deborah Li is decidedly not. They are
already clashing.
Personal Space has the
distinction of being one of the final projects starring the late Richard Hatch,
from both Battlestar Galactica series.
He is perfectly cast as Commander King—and also a little poignant in
retrospect. He mostly plays the role straight (at least judging from the first
five webisodes), whereas the rest of the cast specializes in dysfunctional
neuroses and goofball antics. Sean Persaud’s Dr. Blasto is definitely not
afraid of a little shtickiness, but the biggest laughs so far come from Vivi
Thai as the acerbic-tongued Li.
Even
though the generation ship is a staple of science fiction literature, it does
not turn up in media that often (there was Passengers,
but let’s try to forget that one). In this case, the transitional changing-of-the-guard
period is an interesting point pick up the journey. The humor is a little hit
or miss, but at four to six minutes a pop (depending on whether there is a “post-episode
recap” with the studio hosts on Earth), Personal
Space does not ask much in terms of time commitment. For a lot of us, it
will be worth checking in with it, just to see new work from Hatch, in a science
fiction context. Recommended for fans of BSG and classic sf novels, such as
Heinlein’s Orphans of the Sky, Personal
Space launches today on Amazon, YouTube, and ShareTV.