TV Show review
November 14, 2016 · 50 min · TV-PG
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
The 2016 National Geographic miniseries Mars follows an international crew of astronauts launching in 2033 on the Daedalus spacecraft to establish the first permanent human colony on Mars, facing technical failures, isolation, and survival challenges while intercut with real documentary interviews from 2016 featuring NASA scientists, engineers, and figures like Elon Musk on current space technology and innovation. Executive produced by Ron Howard, the series blends scripted drama with factual segments to show how present-day research could enable future Mars settlement. Documentary portions include environmental commentary critiquing fossil fuel practices such as fracking and portrayals of private corporations as short-sighted or greedy, alongside season 2 explorations of human development versus planetary preservation on Mars.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Mars.
Woke representation / casting
International cast with varied nationalities and ethnicities fits the story’s premise of a collaborative global space mission in 2033; no visible mismatches, swaps, or signaling beyond logical world-building.
Woke political dialogue
Scripted portions stay focused on mission logistics and human drama; documentary segments feature explicit critiques of capitalism, corporate greed, and fossil fuel extraction.
Identity-driven story themes
Narrative centers on exploration, scientific problem-solving, teamwork, and species expansion; no arcs or messaging built around race, gender, or personal identity politics.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Documentary and later dramatic elements portray private industry and profit motives negatively, include misleading fracking and fossil fuel imagery, and frame human development as potentially destructive to planetary environments.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant; fully original story with no adaptations or reinterpretations of existing characters.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Isolated niche reviews flagged environmental and anti-corporate bias; no broad audience or media debate labeling the series as woke or agenda-driven.
Creator track record context
Key creatives show mainstream profiles with occasional left-leaning elements—liberal statements from executive producer Ron Howard and political sharpening in director Everardo Gout’s other projects—while core science contributors remain focused on technology and exploration.
Production
