While there are plenty of good shows already available on For All Mankind. With some impressive visuals, a unique premise, and an interesting cast of characters, the show has delivered in spades so far and season 3 is already confirmed.
Trying to figure out which season of the show is superior to this point can be difficult. Both were met with high praise and have their merits that put it above the other. It can be aspects about the characters, the setting, the emotional drama, or any number of things that make each season the best.
Season 1: Shane Baldwin's Death
While dramas like this are certainly well known for hitting big on emotional moments, there wasn't really anyone expecting season 1 to kill off a kid. After an argument with his mother Karen, little Shane Baldwin rode his bicycle to his game. His mother returned home to get the news that he had been hit by a car.
The next few episodes unfolded in heavy drama as Shane clung to his life in the hospital. He ultimately lost the battle, which changed Karen forever going forward. It was also heartbreaking to watch Ed have to deal with the news while stuck on the moon, unable to do anything about it.
Season 2: An Older Aleida
Aleida was an interesting character in season 1 as the aspiring young girl with genius-level intellect who dreamt of working for NASA. Unfortunately, Margo rejected taking her in when her father was deported, which set her down a very rough path.
Season 2 was able to bring an adult Aleida to the forefront. That gave her a better storyline because the audience got to see her deal with what Margo did and overcome the struggles that came with her disappointing life. By the end of the season, Aleida proved herself at NASA and had a bright future again.
Season 1: The Female Astronaut Trainees
The show took some big swings in the early stages with its alternate history takes. One of them was that the United States putting a man on the moon was overshadowed by the Soviet Union landing a woman there soon after. That set the stage for the US to bring in female trainees.
It was one of the more intriguing things that the series did since it put the ladies in the spotlight. Seeing Tracy Stevens prove herself to Molly Cobb and being introduced to important characters like Danielle Poole and Ellen Waverly all came from this particular plotline.
Season 2: Gordo Stevens's Arc
Season 1 began with Gordo Stevens being an unlikable character as he cheated on Tracy and didn't really seem to want her working as an astronaut. He became sympathetic after the ordeal that he went through on the moon and it set the tone for what his future arc would be.
Throughout season 2, Gordo was a man trying to recover. He overcame his fears of returning to the moon and he also became a better father. Plus, his attempts to improve his life and get Tracy back were irable, making their sacrifice at the end of the season all the more compelling and saddening.
Season 1: The "Hi Bob" Crew
The first time jump came during season 1 as things progressed to 1974 with Jamestown Base being established on the moon. Ed and Gordo were there with Danielle, someone who they didn't have much prior screen time with. That made watching them bond at Jamestown even more enjoyable.
Without much to entertain them, they watched The Bob Newhart Show on tape over and over. It started a running joke where they'd say, "Hi Bob!" to each other often. Their relationship became so strong that Danielle injured herself to keep Gordo from never flying again. Thankfully, their friendship was seen again in season 2.
Season 2: High Drama On The Moon
Right at the start, season 2 began with some dramatic scenes on the moon. A solar storm hit and Molly ran into it to save a colleague, risking her own life and resulting in her taking on a huge dose of radiation. Things only got more intense as the season progressed.
The Americans shot down a Soviet astronaut on the moon, adding to their tension and causing them to retaliate by infiltrating Jamestown base with guns. That was the focal point of a season 2 finale that was arguably the best episode in the series to this point.
Season 1: The Early Days Of The Space Race
The entire setup of the show at the start is that the Soviet Union made it to the moon before the United States, completely altering the events of history. While things have certainly come a long way since then, it was still highly engaging to see the immediate aftermath of that moment.
Season 1 allowed the audience to see how the United States reacted to getting beaten in the Space Race, whether it was rushing to even the score or getting female trainees. The country was in a state of flux and that made for gripping TV.
Season 2: The Time Jump
As interesting as the start of the Space Race was to watch unfold, it was also great to see how it impacted the future. Season 2 saw the story advance a decade into the 1980s. That led to subtle noteworthy changes like Prince Philip marrying Camilla and John Lennon still being alive.
It also allowed for a serious advancement in technology to the point where it's far beyond what has happened in real life. From stations on the moon to the cliffhanger ending that someone gets to Mars, the series is unique for things like this.
Season 1: Developing The Characters
There are plenty of shows that have struggled in the early days as it attempts to set up the characters without always knowing who they'll be down the line. Thankfully, For All Mankind seemed to have a clear plan in motion from the start. That made it so every scene with these characters felt important.
Everything from Karen being catty towards other women to Ellen's relationship status played some kind of role in both defining the characters and setting up their eventual arcs. Getting to know these people was one of the highlights of season 1.
Season 2: The Established Characters
Of course, setting up these characters helped make it so it was easy to connect with them by the time season 2 rolled around. These were mostly established characters who had changed over the years and fans were already invested in them, whether their feelings were good or bad.
Not only was it good to be around established characters but it was also crucial to see how that helped them evolve. Viewers cared enough about these people that seeing everything they went through and what made them grow meant so much more.