Katee Sackhoffbecame science fiction royalty for her portrayal of Lieutenant Kara “Starbuck” Thrace inBattlestar Galacticafrom 2004 to 2009. In a gender-swapped role from the original 1978 series, she is characterized by her military background and tough-as-nails attitude. Largely considered the best space pilot in the show, Sackhoff’s Starbuck quickly became a feminist icon for fans and cemented herself in the sci-fi heroine zeitgeist.
WithSackhoff’s successful run onBSGand a supportive following, fans were eager to see her return to the sci-fi genre with the 2019 premiere of Netflix’sAnother Life. However, not even the powerhouse actress could carry this disaster of a show. Crippled under the weight of an underdeveloped plot, unlikable characters, and abysmal writing — not to mention a total disregard for common-sense science —Another Life’s 6% Rotten Tomatoes score seems awfully generous.
A Half-Baked Story and One-Dimensional Characters
Another Life
InAnother Life, Katee Sackhoff plays the lead role of astronaut Niko Breckinridge, the commanding officer of the Salvare spaceship. After a UFO crash lands on Earth, Niko is tasked with leading a team on a mission to discover its origins and potentially make contact with the alien life form that sent it. She is clearly meant to be a troubled character, supposedly wracked with grief over the failure of a previous mission that resulted in the death of her team (and former lover).
While Niko is in space, busy corralling a group of mindless 20-somethings more interested in their romantic lives than completing the most important mission in the history of humankind, she leaves behind her daughter Jada and husband Erik Wallace (played by Justin Chatwin) on Earth. Erik is a scientist for the United States Interstellar Command, and his attempts to investigate and communicate with the alien artifact are complicated by an eager media influencer played by Selma Blair.
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Niko’s troubled past and family dynamics should provide enough of a foundation to explore her motivations and develop her character, butAnother Lifequickly wraps up the tale of the failed mission in the first few episodes, and her relationship with her family is nearly absent on screen. Likewise, viewers aren’t compelled to invest in the supporting cast, who are merely portrayed as Gen Z caricatures and often aren’t even alive long enough for anyone to remember their names. The unlikability of the spaceship’s crew is one of the most prominent reasons that audiences tuned out ofAnother Life, with many people unable to stomach more than a few episodes of their inane behavior and annoying personalities, likening the show to “The Real Worldin space.”
‘Another Life’ Is Insulting to the Sci-Fi Genre
Though the sci-fi genre often requires some level of suspension of belief from the viewer,Another Lifetakes that necessity to the extreme. Between oxygen-rich rogue planets popping up out of nowhere for the Salvare to land on, the emergence of a boron-based virus that must be killed with gamma rays, and a mysterious creature attacking the crew, the series is practically begging not to be taken seriously. That’s not to mention the removal of stifling uniforms, pesky officer rankings, and all manner of common sense. Oh, and there are no seat belts.
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Many of theoverused sci-fi tropesAnother Lifeemploys, like faster-than-light-speed travel and hibernation pods for the crew, feel more like poor homages to other genre greats than anything remotely original. It’s not even done well, at that. According to viewers and critics,Another Lifelacks the quality of special effects seen in other Netflix series likeStranger ThingsandBlack Mirror;its cringe-worthy creature is likened to a knock-off of John Carpenter’sThe Thing;and its story is considered a dumbed-down version of the 2016 Amy Adams filmArrivalor a lower quality version ofThe Expanse.
Basically, you are better off spending your time watching any of the above rather than wasting precious viewing hours onAnother Life. Or, better yet,pop onBattlestar Galacticato see Katee Sackhoff in all her space-flying, ass-kicking glory.
