"Mission to Space" Falls Flat Despite Lovable Star
A documentary series that should have been an exciting journey into space exploration instead turned out to be a cringe-worthy disaster. Francis Bourgeois, a 25-year-old engineering graduate with a passion for trains, was touted as the perfect candidate to take his love of science to new heights – literally.
The problem lies not with Bourgeois himself, whose enthusiasm and dry British sense of humor are endearing qualities that should be celebrated. The issue is with how he's been presented to us. Unlike other passionate geeks, who have made a seamless transition from hobbyist to expert, Bourgeois comes across as an amateur struggling to keep up.
The documentary tries to pass off his awkwardness as a result of being thrust into the spotlight, but it's hard to feel sorry for him when he falls flat on his face repeatedly during physical tests designed to simulate astronaut training. Watching him struggle in zero gravity is not only painful to witness but also serves as a stark reminder that becoming an astronaut requires far more than just enthusiasm.
As Bourgeois meets experts in space exploration, including retired European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake, the optimistic tone of the film begins to wear off. Peake's reluctance to give Bourgeois any unsolicited advice is understandable, given the young man's apparent lack of preparation and understanding of the subject matter.
The series attempts to explore the emotional toll of space travel on astronauts, but this subplot feels forced and awkward, particularly when it involves an uncomfortable conversation with a therapist that devolves into a discussion about his cat.
However, there is a glimmer of hope in the final 15 minutes, when Bourgeois discovers his true calling as a space engineer. His passion for valves, revolutions, and pressure resonates with the experts he meets, and you can't help but be charmed by his genuine enthusiasm.
It's a shame that this promising turn was not recognized earlier in the series, allowing Sir Stephen Fry's over-the-top voiceover to dominate the screen. With some re-editing and a focus on Bourgeois' strengths, it would have been possible to create a compelling documentary series that showcases the wonders of space exploration without relying on cringe-worthy moments.
As it stands, "Mission to Space" feels like an exercise in how not to make a documentary about space travel. Despite its lovable star, the series is a disappointment that fails to soar.
A documentary series that should have been an exciting journey into space exploration instead turned out to be a cringe-worthy disaster. Francis Bourgeois, a 25-year-old engineering graduate with a passion for trains, was touted as the perfect candidate to take his love of science to new heights – literally.
The problem lies not with Bourgeois himself, whose enthusiasm and dry British sense of humor are endearing qualities that should be celebrated. The issue is with how he's been presented to us. Unlike other passionate geeks, who have made a seamless transition from hobbyist to expert, Bourgeois comes across as an amateur struggling to keep up.
The documentary tries to pass off his awkwardness as a result of being thrust into the spotlight, but it's hard to feel sorry for him when he falls flat on his face repeatedly during physical tests designed to simulate astronaut training. Watching him struggle in zero gravity is not only painful to witness but also serves as a stark reminder that becoming an astronaut requires far more than just enthusiasm.
As Bourgeois meets experts in space exploration, including retired European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake, the optimistic tone of the film begins to wear off. Peake's reluctance to give Bourgeois any unsolicited advice is understandable, given the young man's apparent lack of preparation and understanding of the subject matter.
The series attempts to explore the emotional toll of space travel on astronauts, but this subplot feels forced and awkward, particularly when it involves an uncomfortable conversation with a therapist that devolves into a discussion about his cat.
However, there is a glimmer of hope in the final 15 minutes, when Bourgeois discovers his true calling as a space engineer. His passion for valves, revolutions, and pressure resonates with the experts he meets, and you can't help but be charmed by his genuine enthusiasm.
It's a shame that this promising turn was not recognized earlier in the series, allowing Sir Stephen Fry's over-the-top voiceover to dominate the screen. With some re-editing and a focus on Bourgeois' strengths, it would have been possible to create a compelling documentary series that showcases the wonders of space exploration without relying on cringe-worthy moments.
As it stands, "Mission to Space" feels like an exercise in how not to make a documentary about space travel. Despite its lovable star, the series is a disappointment that fails to soar.
I don't know what's more cringeworthy, Francis Bourgeois' awkward moments or Sir Stephen Fry's over-the-top voiceover 
. The docu-series has all the potential to be awesome, but it falls flat due to poor editing and a lack of focus on Bourgeois' strengths 
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. That's kinda what's going on with "Mission to Space" - it's got some great ideas, but they're not firing on all cylinders 
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. But the show should've spent more time exploring that aspect instead of focusing on his awkwardness 
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. That's when the magic happened! 
. But if you're willing to give "Mission to Space" another chance and focus on Bourgeois' strengths, you might just find yourself charmed by his enthusiasm 
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. I mean, Francis Bourgeois seemed alright at first, but then he just started struggling in zero gravity and it was like, dude, get your act together 
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It felt like they were just trying to make him look bad.
. Maybe if they had done more of that throughout the series, it wouldn't have been so disappointing 
. Still, I gotta give credit to Sir Stephen Fry's voiceover – that guy can bring some serious drama to a documentary 
.
I feel bad for Francis Bourgeois 
but they get lost in the mess of the show 
. The doc tries too hard to make him relatable 
. Watching him struggle in space is cringe 
. I wish they'd focused more on his passion for valves 
but it happens too late 
. I want to see him succeed 
! The show needs a reboot 
or something 
.
. But seriously, the way they presented him as a total newbie struggling to keep up is just annoying 
. It's like they tried to make him look bad on purpose! 
.
The only redeeming quality is when Bourgeois finally finds his thing and shares his passion with the experts 
. That was kinda awesome 
. If they'd just focused on Bourgeois' strengths and cut out all the awkward moments, it could've been a dope series about space exploration 
. Oh well, at least there's some hope for future ep's 
the docu series should've focused on his passion for valves instead of him struggling to do space stuff 
i just wish they'd focused more on that from the start instead of all the awkward moments 
. And yeah, watching him struggle in zero gravity was cringeworthy 