Moonbase 8
{{short description|American comedy television series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Moonbase 8.jpg
| genre = Comedy
| creator = {{Plainlist|
}}
| writer =
| director = Jonathan Krisel
| starring = {{Plainlist|
- John C. Reilly
- Tim Heidecker
- Fred Armisen
}}
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer = Steven Drozd[https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/131-dr-michael-greger-steven-drozd-flaming-lips-skinner/id1153746716?i=1000494902450 131. Dr. Michael Greger, Steven Drozd (The Flaming Lips), Skinner, Mikey Kampmann]
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 1
| num_episodes = 6
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|
- Fred Armisen
- Tim Heidecker
- Jonathan Krisel
- John C. Reilly
- Dave Kneebone
}}
| producer =
| location =
| cinematography = Carl Herse
| editor = {{Plainlist|
- Micah Gardner
- Michael Giambra
- Stacy Moon
}}
| camera =
| runtime =
| company = {{Plainlist|
- Antigravico
- Interesting Situations
- Harlequitten Inc
- Top Drawer Entertainment Inc.
- {{nowrap|Abso Lutely Productions}}
- A24
}}
| budget =
| network = Showtime
| first_aired = {{Start date|2020|11|8}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2020|12|6}}
}}
Moonbase 8 is an American comedy television series created and written by Fred Armisen, Tim Heidecker, Jonathan Krisel and John C. Reilly, starring Armisen, Heidecker and Reilly in the lead roles. It premiered on November 8, 2020, on Showtime.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/08/showtime-picks-up-moonbase-8-comedy-series-fred-armisen-tim-heidecker-john-c-reilly-jonathan-krisel-1203018613/|title=Showtime Orders 'Moonbase 8' Comedy Series From Fred Armisen, Tim Heidecker, John C. Reilly & Jonathan Krisel|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Denise|last=Petski|date=August 20, 2020|access-date=August 20, 2020}}
Premise
Moonbase 8 follows three subpar astronauts in one of several NASA Moon base training simulators located in Winslow, Arizona, hoping to be the crew selected by NASA to travel to the actual Moon Base, whose construction is nearing completion.{{cite web|last1=Petski|first1=Denise|title='Moonbase 8' Comedy From Fred Armisen, Tim Heidecker, Jonathan Krisel & John C. Reilly In Works By A24|url=https://deadline.com/2018/04/moonbase-8-comedy-fred-armisen-john-c-reilly-tim-heidecker-jonathan-krisel-a24-1202375601/|website=Deadline|access-date=April 24, 2018|date=April 24, 2018}}
Cast
=Main=
- John C. Reilly as Robert "Cap" Caputo, a former helicopter tour pilot who claims to be a military veteran
- Tim Heidecker as Professor Scott "Rook" Sloan, a Christian who wants to spread "the Gospel of Jesus Christ out into the universe"
- Fred Armisen as Dr. Michael "Skip" Henai, the son of an astronaut{{cite web|last1=Chavez|first1=Danette|title='The light-hearted office comedy of Moonbase 8 actually works|url=https://www.avclub.com/the-light-hearted-office-comedy-of-moonbase-8-actually-1845531375|website=The AV Club|access-date=November 5, 2020|date=November 3, 2020|archive-date=November 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105141733/https://tv.avclub.com/the-light-hearted-office-comedy-of-moonbase-8-actually-1845531375|url-status=live}}
=Guest=
- Travis Kelce as himself, a piece of "stunt casting" by NASA for the astronaut program
- Adam Lambert as Billy
- Thomas Mann as Cooper
- Alia Shawkat as Alix
{{clear}}
Episodes
{{Episode table |background=#1E4C99 |overall= |title= |titleR={{cite web |title=Moonbase 8 – Listings |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/moonbase-8/listings/ |website=The Futon Critic |access-date=October 2, 2020}} |director= |directorR={{cite news |last1=Ferguson |first1=LaToya |title='Moonbase 8' Mines Space Exploration for Understated Workplace Comedy: TV Review |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/reviews/moonbase-8-tv-review-1234822502/ |access-date=November 5, 2020 |work=Variety |date=November 5, 2020}} |writer= |writerR={{Cite web |url=https://directories.wga.org/project/1197032/moonbase-8 |title=Moonbase 8 |website=Writers Guild of America West |access-date=October 2, 2020}} |airdate= |airdateR= |country=U.S. |viewers= |episodes=
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 1
|Title = Dry
|DirectedBy = Jonathan Krisel
|WrittenBy = Fred Armisen & Tim Heidecker & Jonathan Krisel & John C. Reilly
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|11|8}}
|Viewers = 0.090{{cite web|url=http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-150-sunday-cable-originals-network-finals-11-8-2020.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110151737/http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-150-sunday-cable-originals-network-finals-11-8-2020.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 10, 2020|title=Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 11.8.2020|last=Metcalf|first=Mitch|date=November 10, 2020|work=Showbuzz Daily|access-date=November 10, 2020}}
|ShortSummary = At the moonbase, Cap is very deferential to Travis Kelce, while Rook and Skip think he is there only for public-relations purposes. When Skip takes inventory of their water, he realizes that they will soon run out. Travis suggests digging a well, which Cap agrees to. While he is digging, Travis falls into the water tank and dies. Cap returns to the moonbase, and they agree to hide Cap's involvement in Travis's death. The three crewmembers insist that their mission should continue.
|LineColor = 1E4C99
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 2
|Title = Rats
|DirectedBy = Jonathan Krisel
|WrittenBy = Fred Armisen & Tim Heidecker & Jonathan Krisel & John C. Reilly
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|11|15}}
|ShortSummary = The crew is alarmed when it appears that someone is stealing from their base at night. Rook becomes homesick, and announces his intention to leave Moonbase 8. The crew involves him in catching the thief, and he decides to stay at the base.
|LineColor = 1E4C99
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 3
|Title = Quarantine
|DirectedBy = Jonathan Krisel
|WrittenBy = Fred Armisen & Tim Heidecker & Jonathan Krisel & John C. Reilly
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|11|22}}
|ShortSummary = A fourth crew member, Alisha, is added to the team. She tries to encourage efficiency changes, which frustrates Skip. Cap becomes sick, and is forced to quarantine from his crew members. Skip also becomes sick, but Cap refuses to quarantine with him, and opts to create an outdoor sweat lodge. Skip hallucinates visions of himself speaking positively and negatively about how he is working with Alisha. Rook begins developing romantic feelings towards Alisha, but is rebuffed when he offers to kiss her. Skip and Cap recover, but Alisha reveals she is on an upcoming space mission and leaves Moonbase.
|LineColor = 1E4C99
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 4
|Title = Visitors
|DirectedBy = Jonathan Krisel
|WrittenBy = Fred Armisen & Tim Heidecker & Jonathan Krisel & John C. Reilly
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|11|29}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 1E4C99
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 5
|Title = Move the Base
|DirectedBy = Jonathan Krisel
|WrittenBy = Fred Armisen & Tim Heidecker & Jonathan Krisel & John C. Reilly
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|12|6}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 1E4C99
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 6
|Title = Beef
|DirectedBy = Jonathan Krisel
|WrittenBy = Fred Armisen & Tim Heidecker & Jonathan Krisel & John C. Reilly
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|12|6}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 1E4C99
}}
}}
Production
=Development=
On April 24, 2018, it was announced that A24 had begun production on a comedy television series titled Moonbase 8 that they independently funded. Executive producers include Fred Armisen, Tim Heidecker, Jonathan Krisel, John C. Reilly, and Dave Kneebone. Krisel directed all six episodes. Production companies involved with the production include A24 and Abso Lutely Productions. A24 began shopping the series to networks once production concluded.{{cite web |title=Fred Armisen, Tim Heidecker, John C. Reilly Announce New Comedy Series "Moonbase 8"|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/fred-armisen-tim-heidecker-john-c-reilly-announce-new-comedy-series-moonbase-8/ |website=pitchfork.com |date=April 26, 2018 |access-date=June 22, 2018 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Fred Armisen, Tim Heidecker, and John C. Reilly are dumb astronauts in new A24-produced series |url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2018/04/fred-armisen-tim-heidecker-and-john-c-reilly-are-dumb-astronauts-in-new-a24-produced-series/ |website=Consequence of Sound |access-date=June 22, 2018 |date=April 26, 2018}} The series premiered on November 8, 2020, on Showtime.{{cite web|url=https://tvline.com/2020/09/15/moonbase-8-premiere-date-trailer-fred-armisen-showtime/|title=Moonbase 8: Showtime's Fred Armisen Comedy Gets November Premiere Date|website=TVLine|first=Rebecca|last=Iannucci|date=September 15, 2020|access-date=September 15, 2020}} The entire first season became available on-demand to Showtime subscribers on November 8, 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/moonbase-8-premiere-episode/|title='Moonbase 8' Premiere Episode Will Stream for Free, Whole Season Will Be Available at Once|website=/Film|first=Chris|last=Evangelista|date=October 30, 2020|access-date=November 10, 2020}}
The series is scored by Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips, his first time scoring a project.
=Casting=
Reception
Reviews of the series have been mixed. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 57% based on 23 reviews, with an average rating of 6.16/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Despite a talented central trio and a few great moments, Moonbase 8{{'}}s portrait of monotonous mediocrity may be too low-key for some viewers to achieve comedic lift off—though that may be exactly the point."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/moonbase_8/s01|title=Moonbase 8: Season 1 (2020)|work=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=November 10, 2020}} On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 61 out of 100 based on 18 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/moonbase-8/season-1|title=Moonbase 8: Season 1|work=Metacritic|access-date=November 8, 2020}}
In reviewing the series in contrast to the other "work-space" comedies of 2020, Avenue 5 and Space Force, Danette Chavez of The A.V. Club stated that Moonbase 8 has the most potential to continue as a comedy on its own merits, beyond the stunt of the space setting. Ben Travers of IndieWire praised the show while saying it still has room to grow, writing "there’s room for creative expansion in future seasons, but this is a small-scale mission that’s off to a solid start".{{cite web |title='Moonbase 8' Review: Showtime's Silly Space Simulation Is Brisk, Disposable Fun |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2020/11/moonbase-8-review-showtime-1234596996/ |website=Indiewire |date=November 8, 2020 |access-date=November 9, 2020 |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://a24films.com/television/moonbase-8 Moonbase 8] on A24
- {{IMDb title|8594164}}
{{Showtime Network programming}}
Category:2020s American comedy television series
Category:2020 American television series debuts
Category:American English-language television shows
Category:Showtime (TV network) original programming
Category:Television series by A24
Category:Television series by Abso Lutely Productions
Category:Television series about astronauts
Category:Television series about the Moon
Category:Television series about NASA
Category:Television shows set in Arizona
Category:Television series created by John C. Reilly
Category:Television series created by Tim Heidecker