Mars S1-2

Two-season series Mars is part documentary, part science fiction drama: you’re seeing a fictional story set in reality, using actual data from NASA to have a peek into the future of space exploration.

National Geographic has used real-life footage from NASA, astronaut and scientist interviews, as well as equipment to add a sense of reality to the story. The 12 episodes follow mission commander Ben Sawyer (Ben Cotton) as he leads the race to land on Mars. It’s not an easy journey and the alien planet is particularly cruel.

The show is impressive with special effects – you’ll feel giddy as the spacecraft lands, putting the astronauts through eye-bursting G-forces. You need to keep focused because there’s a lot of scientific terms and info in the script, which, unless you’re an astronaut, can be a little daunting.

Have no fear though – as Kevin Murnane from Forbes.com writes, Mars is a blasting good time: “I didn’t expect the show would be as compelling as it is. National Geographic has put together a portfolio about a manned mission to Mars that is deep, rich and educational in the best sense of the term if you are interested in planetary science, space technology, science fiction or an intriguing approach to filmed storytelling.”