Summary
Space Force was given a reprieve with a second season that now concentrates more on broad humor than satire.
This recap of Netflix’s Space Force season 2, episode 1, “The Inquiry,” contains spoilers.
The surprising second season has General Mark Naird (Steve Carrell), his daughter Erin (Booksmart‘s Diana Silvers), Dr. Adian Mallory (John Malkovich), “Fuck” Tony Scrapiducci (The After Party’s Ben Schwartz), Dr. Chan Kaifang (Crazy Rich Asian’s Jimmy O. Yang), Captain Angela Ali (True Story’s Tawny Newsome), and General Brad Gregory (The Bonnie Hunt Show’s Don Lake) walk down one beautiful and richly decorated hallway, a shot that I’m sure is paying homage to The Right Stuff. The group is heading down to the congressional hearing of Mark Nard. All over the actions that happened at the end of the first season. He refused to start a war with China on the moon and later escaped his arrest to rescue his daughter in the desert. Except Tony breaks ranks by putting his spin on the stoic walk, pun intended.
Space Force season 2, episode 1 recap
The point of the hearing is to decide if Space Force should continue or if General Naird should be leading the organization that branched off from the Air Force. The hearing included General Kick Grabaston testifying in front of the committee on how Naird broke ranks and decided not to attack China at the Sea of Tranquility. He wants Space “Farce” back under the supervision of his military branch. He called the “nerd” a traitor. Later, he even mocked Naird’s daughter Erin on how she will have no parents now after her father goes to jail. (Her mother, played by Lisa Kudrow, is currently in prison). Mark Naird does not stray from telling the truth, no matter how bad it makes him. He also encourages everyone to do the same.
Even though each person is on the side of General Naird, they all crack under pressure and inadvertently throw him under the bus about how he willfully defied a direct order. They are even sneaking off while under arrest to save his daughter from some dangerous desert dirt bike riders. Tony creates a video featuring a shirtless photo of Naird on a white horse, like Putin. Erin ends up telling the committee his father has an open relationship with her mother. Dr. Mallory ends up calling all military servicemen and women neanderthals. This insults the Secretary of Defense (played by Tim Meadows). Even Naird admits breaking ranks, which causes Grabaston to yell, “Guilty immediately!”
Another subplot of the hearing is Captain Ali has morning sickness, which she attributes (or lies) to her re-acclimation on earth. Though it is pretty obvious the show is nodding to her weekend with Dr. Kaifang, that would suggest she is pregnant.
The ending
Yet, what we are interested in is the outcome of the case. Naird takes the stand one final time to point the finger at someone else but tells the committee if you point the finger, the three fingers folded underneath are pointing right back at yourself. Then, Grabaston takes the opportunity to say Naird is a Chinese spy and has a size eight shoe. To which the four-star general replies angrily, “That’s not true! I’m a ten and a half.”
What happens is a shocker (but not really). The secretary fires Grabaston because he could have started an international incident. Naird is given back command of Space Force, but he is on four-month probation to decide not only if he should continue to lead it but if Space Force should be eliminated.
What did you think of Netflix’s Space Force season 2, episode 1? Let us know in the comments below!
