Apple TV’s 4-Part Sci-Fi Masterpiece Surges on Streaming Ahead of Return This Week

After a two-year wait, For All Mankind returns in three days, and the hype is already building. The hit Apple TV alternative history drama returns with a fresh storyline that expands the world of For All Mankind beyond space expeditions. The series takes ambitious strides this season, tracking stories on multiple planets. However, the show has always been ambitious, and that ambition has paid off, as seen by the strong critical reception. For All Mankind holds near-universal acclaim, with multiple seasons getting that perfect score on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. It remains one of the top-rated Apple TV sci-fi shows to date.

Streaming data from FlixPatrol shows that ahead of its return, For All Mankind is slowly claiming its place on Apple TV’s charts. The series is the ninth most-watched show globally at the time of writing. This resurgence is likely tied to the new season and reflects subscribers’ attempts to catch up or refresh their knowledge of the details before it debuts on Friday. When For All Mankind returns, it will be a battle of ambitious sci-fi series, as Monarch: Legacy of Monsters also returned for Season 2 recently and is currently the top show on Apple TV.

What Is ‘For All Mankind’ Season 5 About?

The new season kicks things up a notch with another time jump, picking up in the 2010s. Happy Valley has become its own thing, a thriving colony with a distinct identity and mission. However, there still exist close ties between the new home for mankind and Earth, with the latter feeling like Mars is an errant child that must be corrected. Conflict slowly develops as politics take a tribal tone and interplanetary war seems plausible. Meanwhile, Mars has also allowed for more ambitious scientific expeditions, but attention and resources are divided.

The time jump finds Joel Kinnaman playing an even older version of his character Ed, joined by returning stars Wrenn Schmidt, Edi Gathegi, Cynthy Wu, Coral Peña, and Toby Kebbell. The season also features some fresh faces as children grow up, and new missions attract new people. Season 5’s new stars include Mireille Enos, Costa Ronin, Sean Kaufmann, Ruby Cruz, and Ines Asserson. The 10-episode fifth season will make its global debut on Apple TV with one episode on Friday, March 27, followed by one new episode every Friday through May 29.

Catch up with all seasons of For All Mankind on Apple TV in the U.S., and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.