“Away” (Netflix Original)
Premise: In this space drama, a team of astronauts goes on the first mission to Mars. Hilary Swank plays the protagonist, the leader of the international team of astronauts. She leaves her husband and daughter for the risky three-year voyage. The show centers on the balance between known sacrifices and unexpected existential obstacles.
Setting: Across the Earth and space in a mission to Mars.
Netflix descriptors: “Emotional” and “exciting”
How it starts: Cerebral electronic music plays over a shot of Earth in space. A giant hand in an astronaut suit reaches over the screen, and the suited fingers wrap around the globe. The camera pivots to Swank’s character in the astronaut suit, standing on the Moon. She smiles to herself and then shifts to jogging over the low gravity terrain. She reaches a ridge and the camera overlooks a lunar base.
Notable cast: Josh Charles, Ato Essandoh, Mark Ivanir, Ray Panthaki, Hilary Swank and Vivian Wu
Runtime: 10 episodes of roughly 50 minutes
Bonus: Netflix has an alternate trailer series called “What the F**k Is…” for people who don’t think trailers are edgy enough. Here’s the video Netflix did for “Away.”
“Young Wallander” (Netflix Original)
Premise: In this dark crime thriller based on the fictional character Kurt Wallander, a Swedish detective investigates his first case. This show is an origin story for Wallander, while other screen adaptations of the character have focused on him as an older man.
The Wallander character comes from the mystery novels of Henning Mankell.
Setting: Contemporary Sweden
Netflix descriptors: “Exciting” and “suspenseful”
How it starts: Pulsing rock music plays while the camera speeds overhead along a road in pouring rain. The camera finds a cop car and pivots down to focus on an officer in the passenger seat ― the young Wallander.
Notable cast: Leanne Best, Ellise Chappell, Richard Dillane and Adam Pålsson
Runtime: Six episodes of roughly 50 minutes
Bonus: Here’s the trailer for the 2008 first season of the popular BBC One show “Wallander.”
All the shows that have joined Netflix this month:
- “Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices” (Netflix Family)
- “Borgen” (Season 1-3)
- “The Boss Baby: Get That Baby!” (Netflix Family)
- “The Promised Neverland” (Season 1)
- “Sister, Sister” (Season 1-6)
- “True: Friendship Day” (Netflix Family)
- “Bad Boy Billionaires: India” (Netflix Documentary)
- “Chef’s Table: BBQ” (Netflix Documentary)
- “Young Wallander” (Netflix Original)
- “Away” (Netflix Original)
- “Spirit Riding Free: Riding Academy” (Part 2, Netflix Family)
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