Netflix’s upcoming comedySpace Forcejust recruited another batch of cast members.Noah Emmerichfrom FX’sThe Americans,Fred WillardofBest in ShowandModern Family, andJessica St. ClairofPlaying HouseandAmerican Housewifehave just been added to an already-impressive cast led bySteve Carell.
Space Force, created by Carell andThe OfficeandKing of the Hillco-creator / developerGreg Daniels, follows General Mark R. Naird (Carell), who has been tasked by the White House to create a brand-new branch of the Armed Forces to protect American interests in space.
Emmerich will play Naird’s old commanding officer Kick Grabaston, the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff resentful of Naird’s new command and doing everything in his considerable power to make Naird’s life difficult. Willard is set to star as Fred Naird, General Naird’s father, an intelligent but aging man somewhat overwhelmed by the responsibility of taking care of his senile wife. St. Clair rounds out the trio of new cast members as a civilian contractor named Kelly King, helping Naird construct a new base for the Space Force in Colorado.
Space Forcealso stars Oscar nomineeJohn Malkovich,Ben Schwartz,Diana Silvers, andTawny Newsome. Filming on the 10-episode series began last month in Los Angeles, with a premiere date set for sometime in 2020.
The idea of Carell and Daniels reteaming for a workplace comedy has undeniable appeal for fans ofThe Office, and Netflix is definitely assembling a strong cast to carry the show. But an entire series of “The Officeagain except this time Michael Scott is a General” centered around something dumb President Trump said a year and a half ago isn’t exactly the most exciting premise. And naming a character “Kick Grabaston” in the year of our lord 2019 in anything other than a direct-to-VODHobbs & Shawparody should get you escorted from the building by armed guards. But maybe it’s brilliant, and I will be thunderously proven wrong when the show drops on Netflix next year.
