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Parents' Guide to

MARS

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Outstanding Mars mission series has suspenseful moments.

MARS Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

age 14+

Based on 6 parent reviews

age 14+

Outstanding series but not for kids

This series, which mixes documentary material with an imagined Mars mission, is the best work out there I have seen for people interested in the quest to land people on Mars. It is very intense with highly realistic drama and tragedy. Within the first two episodes there are references to the Challenger disaster, and the Commander of the fictional Mars mission is injured, suffers from his injuries on screen, and is shown in a surgical procedure with a graphic depiction of him being sliced open in the chest with a scapple and bleeding from the wound before he ultimately dies. That last bit seems unnecessary for an audience of any age in telling this story. I think this series is *at least* a 14+, which is a shame because I think younger audiences would gain so much from this series if it were modified to be appropriate for them.
age 13+

Amazing

I found this 2 season Series amazing. It breaks into a new genre of docu-fiction. At times the future storyline drives the 2016 expert interviews and at other times the 2016 interviews foreshadow events of the fictional drama taking place in the 2035+ Mars. It gave me a newfound appreciation for visionaries in today’s society. To not use this as a teaching moment for the younger generation would be a gross oversight. Our current path is fraught with inevitable negative results. Those interviewed show that the true vision is for humankind to expand beyond earth. The fictional storyline is as true to reality as one can get based on today’s vision. Well done!

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6 ):
Kids say (1 ):

This unique and entertaining series blends documentary and drama to tell a story about Mars exploration, supported by real-life contemporary scientific breakthroughs and invention. Rather than simply offer a fictional narrative about the future that centers on hope and imagination, it gently guides viewers to the present time to discuss the current research and technology designed for future interplanetary migration. It also highlights the prevailing problems scientists and engineers are trying to solve. These conversations and demonstrations are paralleled with the fictitious 2033 journey, revealing how the mission crew is addressing some of these obstacles.

While technology is a central theme, it's the real humanity behind space exploration that is at the heart of the fictional story world. It points to the contributions of people from Galileo and Amelia Earhart to astronauts like Buzz Aldrin and Scott Kelly, who had the strength and courage to take risks in the name of air and space travel, and connects them to the personal sacrifices the members of the Daedalus crew are making. The countless moments of strain, suspense, and heartrending events that take place during the mission also make it engaging. Overall, MARS is an appealing invitation to learn more about planetary exploration and to help us be more excited and inspired by the future.

TV Details

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