'The First' season 1 review: Hulu's Mars mission drama's strength comes from being firmly grounded to Earth
Beau Willimon's first serialized TV narrative breaks away from 'House of Cards' by exploring the indomitable human spirit in Hulu's 'The First.'
'The First,' the latest original series from Hulu and 'House of Cards' creator Beau Willimon, is a gripping, engaging drama that details humanity's attempt at the first manned mission to Mars.
Starring Sean Penn in his first regular TV role as Captain Tom Hagerty, the show is set in the near future, characterized by small changes to everyday objects — slightly futuristic versions of cars, flashlights, eyeglasses and cigarettes — 'The First' takes a unique perspective on the sci-fi genre by placing the spotlight on the psyche of its characters and the interplay between them instead of the usual space narrative that explores a crew's adventurous escapades in the great beyond.