Apple TV + hasn’t fared too badly when wondering into the territory of producing original content. The Morning Show is both acclaimed and award-nominated success. Not to mention Ted Lasso which has won a multitude of awards including Emmys, Golden Globes, and seven Critics Choice Awards.
It’s a high bar then that Apple has set. One of the latest shows to carry to Apple TV beacon is Constellation. What deserves commandment right off the bat is Apple’s decision on how their distributing this series’ episode. It’s not all at once in a ready-to-binged lot. They haven’t quite gone with the ‘old school’ method of releasing one episode per week, but they have spaced it out. The first three episodes released on 21 February (2024), episode four on 28 February, and episode 5 scheduled for the 6th of March.
This approach may be unfamiliar to younger viewers but one episode per week was the staple well before the emergence of streaming services. There was something exhilarating about having to wait for the next episode of a show. The anticipation would often be near unbearable, but it all formed part of a viewing experience built on a genuine keenness and now, infused with nostalgia. Apple hasn’t completely reverted to the processes of yester-year though as Constellation still only consists of eight episodes. A far cry from the 22 of prime-time television in the 90s and early to mid 2000s.
Of course, the limited number of episodes only becomes an irritation when the series is a goodie, and Constellation is that. The scene is set aboard the International Space Station (ISS) where a fatal accident occurs. One astronaut, Jo (Noomi Rapace) offers to stay behind and allows her colleagues to leave the ISS in an undamaged module. Jo makes an almost superhuman journey back to earth but quickly discovers that all is not as it should be. Key pieces of her life have changed.
Created by Peter Harness Constellation, and Jo’s journey, presents a thoughtful and mysterious story that is worth sticking with. Noomi Rapace’s performance is captivating in its simplicity and determination. The narrative stands out if not necessarily for its complexity, then definitely for an edgy atmosphere and its air of mystery. If you’re willing to practice a bit of patience with the pace of the story for the ultimate payoff, then Constellation is a good watch for you.
