Parents' Guide to Star City

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Star City TV Poster: Half of Alice Englert’s face. A graphic of a tan and red spaceship is in the center.

Common Sense Media Review

By Ty'Kira Smalls , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 15+

Solid sci-fi spin-off set in Soviet Union; violence, swears.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 15+?

Any Positive Content?

  • Star City Trailer
  • Alice Englert sits in spaceship cockpit. She wears a helmet, headphones, and a dark space suit.
  • Agnes O’Casey sits at a desk in front of a recorder. She wears over ear headphones and a blue sweater.
  • Rhys Ifans and Anna Maxwell Martin sit in the backseat. Ifans wears a leather coat with fur. Martin wears a coat and a fur hat.

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What's the Story?

Set in the same universe as For All Mankind, STAR CITY is the continuation of the space race during the late 1960s, from the perspective of the Soviet Union. When secret plans for a lunar base designed by the Chief Designer (Rhys Ifans) are leaked, Col. Raskova (Anna Maxwell Martin) focuses on eliminating a suspected mole on his team. Intelligence officer Irina (Agnes O'Casey) is ready to prove her skills beyond a desk and is tasked with listening to key cosmonauts in the lunar project. Cosmonaut Belikova (Alice Englert), a last-minute addition to the project, stresses under more pressure once she becomes the first Soviet woman to stand on the moon. As these key players in the space race sacrifice for their country, their lives and loyalty are tested.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say : Not yet rated

This series is a compelling continuation of an already absorbing alternate reality set up by creators Nedivi and Wolpert. Star City is enthralling and thrilling, with complex characters and relationships. Performances from the cast portray the vulnerable and volatile nature of these characters well. Whether you're a fan of the original series or a newcomer, you'll be anxiously waiting to see how far sacrifices and loyalties lie in this universe. Language, violence, smoking, and sexual content make this suitable for older teens.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Star City depicts the continuation of a fictional space race. After the Soviet Union lands on the moon, what other milestones do they plan for space? Why do you think they continue to push forward in conquering space? How does this compare to reality, when the United States landed first?

  • How did the Soviet Union respond to the real-life moon landing of the United States in 1969? How did the media play a role in their reaction? What happened to the relationship between these countries during this time?

  • How did the role of women evolve in space exploration? How do roles here compare to the real-life industry's today?

TV Details

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Star City TV Poster: Half of Alice Englert’s face. A graphic of a tan and red spaceship is in the center.

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