‘For All Mankind’ Season 5 takes us to Mars in the 2010s
‘For All Mankind’ Season 5 takes us to Mars in the 2010s
Joel Kinnaman returns as Ed Baldwin as the space saga enters a new decade and a new era on Mars.
What if the Soviets beat the U.S. to the moon? That’s the simple, brilliant premise behind “For All Mankind,” and five seasons later, that one change has completely reshaped history. We’re not just talking about a slightly different space race. We’re talking about a world where Mars is colonized, astronauts are basically rock stars, and humanity keeps pushing deeper into the solar system because losing once lit a fire that never went out. And now? We’re heading into the 2010s, on Mars, with a thriving colony that’s starting to look a lot like its own civilization. Here’s everything you need to know about the fifth season of “For All Mankind.”
Everything you need to know about ‘For All Mankind’ Season 5
When does ‘For All Mankind’ Season 5 come out?
“For All Mankind” returns for Season 5 on Friday, March 27 on Apple TV. The 10-episode season kicks off with one episode that day, and then new episodes drop every Friday through May 29. So yes, this is a weekly rollout to get that full slow build tension.
Can you watch ‘For All Mankind’ Season 5 for free once it starts streaming?
Yep, you can. Apple TV offers a seven-day free trial, so if that’s still active when Season 5 premieres, you could technically time it and catch the first couple of episodes without paying. Or wait until closer to the finale and binge most of it during that window. After the trial, Apple TV costs $13 per month, and it’s completely ad-free. Personally, it’s one of my favorite streamers.
Apple TV
Apple TV (formerly known as Apple TV+) is a subscription video streaming service for $14.99 per month, offering a growing slate of original series, films, documentaries, and specials. Unlike other platforms that combine licensed titles with originals, Apple TV is built entirely around exclusive programming, making it the home of critically acclaimed hits such as “Ted Lasso,” “Severance,” “The Morning Show,” and “Silo.” Its lineup continues to expand with award-winning dramas, comedies, family-friendly shows, and blockbuster original films like “CODA,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Watch the trailer for ‘For All Mankind’ Season 5
What is ‘For All Mankind’ Season 5 about?
Caution: There are spoilers ahead for Season 4 of ‘For All Mankind’
Season 5 jumps forward into the 2010s, years after the Goldilocks asteroid heist flipped everything upside down. Happy Valley on Mars is no longer some fragile outpost clinging to survival. It’s a full-blown colony with thousands of residents, families, and infrastructure. A culture that’s starting to feel very… Martian. And that’s where the tension kicks in. Earth’s governments want law and order on the Red Planet. Mars? Not so sure it wants to be micromanaged by people 140 million miles away.
Specifically, it’s 2012 now, and Ed Baldwin is in his 80s, which is wild in its own right. His grandson has just graduated from high school and is trying to figure out what his future even looks like on Mars. That generational shift is huge because this is the first generation that is born into space travel as a given. The show has always been about legacy and ambition, but now it’s asking what happens when a colony stops feeling like a mission and starts feeling like home.
If you need a quick reminder of where we left off, Season 4 ended with the Goldilocks asteroid being secretly diverted to Mars in a move that essentially changed the balance of power in the solar system. That one decision supercharged Mars’ economic and political importance. Season 5 looks ready to deal with the fallout and start exploring the question of who really gets to decide humanity’s future out there.
Who stars in ‘For All Mankind’ Season 5?
Joel Kinnaman is back as Ed Baldwin, once again buried under layers of prosthetics to play a man who has literally outlived the original space race. It’s kind of amazing watching him age decade by decade while still being the emotional anchor of the show. Returning cast members include Toby Kebbell, Edi Gathegi, Cynthy Wu, Coral Peña, and Wrenn Schmidt. Costa Ronin is also back and promoted to series regular, which makes sense given how central Mars politics have become.
Season 5 also adds some serious new energy. Mireille Enos joins as a member of the Mars peacekeeper security force, which is already a loaded job title considering the Earth versus Mars tension brewing. Fun bonus point: this reunites her with Kinnaman, her co-star from “The Killing,” though this time he’s playing an octogenarian space legend. Sean Kaufman plays Ed’s grandson, representing that new Mars-born generation. Ruby Cruz and Ines Asserson also join as series regulars, rounding out the expanding world of Happy Valley.
Excited for ‘For All Mankind’ Season 5 to hit Apple TV? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
For All Mankind
Explore an aspirational world where NASA and the space program remained a priority and a focal point of our hopes and dreams as told through the lives of NASA astronauts, engineers, and their families.