After viewing the first episode of Constellation, I can confidently add it to a growing list of media which cements my certainty that I never, ever want to travel into space. I say this as a compliment. Episode one is rife with unease from the get go – and it doesn’t let up until reaching one of the most “wtf?” endings in recent TV memory.

 

Noomi Rapace is expertly cast as Jo Ericsson, an astronaut who heroically stays back on the I.S.S. after an accident results in the death of one crew member and sends the others scrambling back to Earth. Jo is thrilled to learn the crew makes it back home safely, and the possibility of her safe return seems to be good. But strange happenings on the now-empty I.S.S. lead Jo to realize there’s something more going on than meets the eye.

 

Even the show’s tagline, “reality is a conspiracy,” leaves my mind buzzing with possibilities about where the show could be headed after episode one – especially taking into account the puzzling final line of the pilot episode. The atmosphere is tense, the acting strong, and shades of non-linear storytelling a la 2016’s Arrival hint that something wild is afoot. It doesn’t seem to be reinventing the wheel as far as space travel sci fi goes, but it’s certainly a solid addition and an intriguing watch.