Apple TV+’s New Sci-Fi Series ‘Star City’ Release Date and Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score
Apple TV+ is receiving significant attention for its new sci-fi series ‘Star City’, which has debuted with a remarkable 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on initial reviews. This series is a spin-off of ‘For All Mankind’ and takes place in the same alternate history universe, shifting the focus to the Soviet space program during the space race.
Set to premiere on May 29, the show delves into life at Star City, the Soviet training center associated with cosmonaut development. Unlike its predecessor, this new narrative emphasizes political pressure, intelligence operations, and life behind the Iron Curtain.
The cast includes Rhys Ifans as the Chief Designer, the key figure driving the Soviet space program. Anna Maxwell Martin portrays Lyudmilla Raskova, who oversees KGB surveillance operations at Star City. Agnes O’Casey plays Irina Morozova, a newcomer to the surveillance department, while Adam Nagaitis takes on the role of respected cosmonaut Valya Markelov.
Additional cast members feature Alice Englert as Anastasia Belikova, an untested female cosmonaut, and Josef Davies as Sergei Nikulov, a young engineer at Soviet Ground Control. Ruby Ashbourne Serkis plays Tanya Markelova, the wife of a cosmonaut navigating life within the confines of Star City. Solly McLeod, Priya Kansara, and Eadie Johnson also have significant roles.
Early reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. Critics commend the show’s serious tone and its departure from traditional space adventure, leaning more into political drama and psychological tension.
Carly Lane from Collider characterized the series as a grounded interpretation of the genre. She noted, “In this expansion of the ‘For All Mankind’ universe, experience a what-if take on the global space race from the Soviet Union perspective; go behind the Iron Curtain, where it’s more dangerous on the ground than in space.”
Ryan Britt from Inverse praised the storytelling direction of the show. He remarked, “The best decision ‘Star City’ makes isn’t to copy or mimic what came before on the original series, but to carve out a completely separate path within the overall franchise.”
Other critics have also highlighted the series’ slower, more serious approach. Gavin Spoors from FILMHOUNDS Magazine stated, “Sometimes, and this is a compliment, you forget that this is a show about space travel, or that this is an alternate timeline.” He added that the series excels when it shifts to a Cold War spy narrative rather than adhering to traditional science fiction tropes.
Craig Mathieson from The Age described the show as a blend of science fiction and political tension, writing, “The show is science fiction as adult Cold War drama. Freedom is always fleeting.”
Ben Rosenstock from AV Club offered a more mixed yet still positive perspective, noting the potential of the setting and characters. He commented, “There’s a lot of potential to this setting and story, especially as a refreshing counterbalance to a show that arguably lost its purpose somewhere along the way.”
Nick Schager from The Daily Beast also emphasized the show’s tone and stakes, stating it “wrings taut drama from the story of Eastern Bloc men and women trying, at great personal and moral risk, to foster innovation under the thumb of authoritarianism.”
With strong early reviews and a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, ‘Star City’ is generating excitement ahead of its official release. As a spin-off of ‘For All Mankind’, it expands the universe in a fresh direction, focusing less on space missions and more on the pressures, fears, and politics that influenced the race to the stars from the Soviet perspective.
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