Constellation, Apple TV+’s new series set in space, is so creepy that even the show’s producer might politely decline an invitation to embark on an intergalactic journey.
He’s terrified of space
Created and written by Peter Harness, the 8-part psychological thriller centers on astronaut Jo, played by Noomi Rapace.
After returning to Earth following a disaster in space, Jo discovers that important parts of her life are missing.
The action-packed series explores the darker aspects of human psychology while following one woman’s efforts to reclaim what she has lost.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Harness told the story that inspired the plot, admitting that he was terrified of space, but that he would consider getting on a rocket if he had only a few days left.
“I was once on vacation in a cabin in the Swedish Forest and as night fell we heard a little girl in the forest calling for her mother,” Harness said, describing the incident that inspired the plot of the series:
It was very eerie and a bit strange, we didn’t know where the sound was coming from and we never found out. But we heard it a few nights in a row and I always thought I should write something about this little girl who disappeared in the woods in Sweden. Then I was asked if I wanted to write something about astronauts and what it was like for them to come back to Earth. And I wanted to write something about how difficult it is.
The British screenwriter and playwright summarized the plot of the series as follows:
There’s a mother trapped in space, desperately trying to reach her daughter. And for some reason, that daughter is the little girl who got lost in the woods…
“I read the whole thing in one day”
James D’Arcy, who also starred in Oppenheimer, plays her husband Magnus, who tries to make sense of Jo’s altered mental state following her return to Earth.
The 48-year-old actor admitted that he was blown away when he read the entire script in one sitting and said that viewers will be addicted to the series.
“When I first got the script, I read all 8 episodes in one day and when I got to the end, my mind was blown,” D’Arcy told the Daily Mail.
The British actor continued:
I realized I was reading something really unique, it defies all definitions: It’s a sci-fi, a thriller and a conspiracy drama, but it’s also a family affair. What I loved most about the series was that, despite its massive epic scope, at its center were deep reflections on the nature of being human and dealing with reality.
Constellation will make its world premiere on February 21 with the first three episodes. It will then premiere one episode per week on Apple TV+ every Wednesday until March 27.
Daily Mail, TV Guide
