‘Mars Season 2’ Explores Conflict Between Science & Industry on Mars
NatGeo’s Mars Season 2 catches up with the scientists from Season 1 five years later, as they welcome the first group of privately-funded travelers to the Red Planet. These newcomers aren’t just explorers, though. They’re corporate miners, and their radically different approach to Mars changes the game for Commander Hana Seung and the IMSF back home.
If you watched the first season, you’re already familiar with Mars‘ optimistic but grounded style. Part drama and part documentary, it moves back and forth between a Mars-based storyline and interviews with modern scientists and innovators. The switching shows the real-world events that affect the characters in the story part. Season 1 dealt mainly with space exploration, what humanity has done so far and what could happen next.
Mars Season 2 introduces a new source of tension: industry. The new miners are funded by Lukrum, a private corporation, so they aren’t subject to Commander’s Seung’s authority. Their focus is on the bottom line, not scientific curiosity. Over the season’s six episodes we get to explore what happens when science and industry collide.
It’s not as simple as “money bad, science good”, either. NatGeo does a great job of laying out the complicated balance between protecting natural resources and evolving as a global civilization. There are contributions from scientists, writers, corporate executives, and even librarians. Taken together, the interviews provide a well-rounded view of how we can (or should) move forward without leaving destruction behind us.
The story portion of Mars Season 2 is much more successful than Season 1 at being standalone entertainment. Though the first season had a really talented cast and high production value, it felt a little too “after school special” at times. This season fixes that. There’s better pacing and more engaging writing. Better yet, it hasn’t lost that edge of wonder that makes NatGeo stand out from more sensationalist science programming.
There is a lot of focus on the consequences of careless industry. No spoilers, but these miners don’t seem very invested in being good neighbors. They have a hardcore entitled attitude when it comes to Mars’ natural resources. Plus, they expect the science mission to cover for their own spotty planning. It’s hard not to get frustrated by the careless way they annex things (like water and power) that the explorers worked so hard to build. Hopefully they’ll find a way to be more cooperative as the season goes on.
There are only six episodes in both seasons. That is kind of a letdown this season with the better storytelling, but at least it’s super easy to catch up on. You can binge the first season over on NatGeo in a single day. If you’re already set, Mars Season 2 airs Mondays on the National Geographic Channel at 9 pm EST (8 pm CST).
Are you watching Mars? Stop by after the premiere to read our episode review and share your thoughts on the new season!
Author: Khai
Khai is a writer, anthropologist, and games enthusiast. She is co-editor (alongside Alex DeCampi) of and contributor to “True War Stories”, a comic anthology published by Z2 Comics. When she’s not writing or creating games, Khai likes to run more tabletop RPGs than one person should reasonably juggle.
Help support independent journalism. Subscribe to our Patreon.
Copyright © The Geekiary
Do not copy our content in whole to other websites. If you are reading this anywhere besides TheGeekiary.com, it has been stolen.Read our
Related posts:
NatGeo Has a Bunch of Animal Fluff and Inspiration Coming This Spring
Is It Weird that NatGeo's 'Shark Attack 360' Makes Me Feel Safer At the Beach?
Tom Jennings Puts the Space Race Back on Your TV with National Geographic's "The Real Right Stuff"
Experience the Space Race in "The Real Right Stuff"
'Explorer: The Deepest Cave’ Shows Cavers on a Mission
'The Right Stuff' Trailer Dropped Today!
“MARS” is a sham. It’s not that I didn’t expect it, but it’s a little disconcerting to have a “science” show so blatantly push disputed agendas. But on to better topics. We have more than one group of explorers that travel some 140 million miles average (one way) and yet have absolutely zero defense against a solar flare. Really? We can have space ships that are protected and yet we can’t protect a stationary settlement? Of course there are obstacles, but gee whizz … we can move people and vast amounts of equipment to Mars but can’t think to protect them from a known and expected event?
And then there’s that deadly pathogen. Again, really? We are there to look for life and we all remember the various occurrences where simple pathogens killed off populations that had no defenses. I mean guys, this is MARS. You know, that planet that invaded us per H.G. Wells and were all killed by the Earth’s germs they had no defense against? Are all the scientists in the 2040s simple incapable of envisioning this happening for real in the reverse? Remember how blankets were given to native Americans in order to kill them off? If not, you need to get your collective backsides out of the science labs and learn a little history. And then not having the antibiotics? Really, REALLY? Dear Lord I hope by the time 2040 gets here we’re smarter than that.