Constellation is a drama that follows the story of intrepid astronaut Jo, who returns to Earth after a botched space mission only to find key aspects of her life being inexplicably changed. Soon, a mystery regarding the nature of Jo's experiences unravels, calling into question what exactly the accident on the International Space Station that sent her back home entailed. Constellation's slow boil of intrigue and quiet horror is still fresh enough to not yet have a cumulative score on Rotten Tomatoes, but based on what few reviews are already up, is on a flight path towards a mixed percentage.

7 Constellation Is Well-Shot

Critics agree that the moody series is a visual treat

One uncontested feather in Constellation's cap seems to be the visual presentation. Collider's Chase Hutchinson noted that the series was "strikingly shot", while Tim Stevens of The Spool praised the show's atmosphere, describing how it "progressively drapes everything in the flat blues of winter at dusk". Regardless of how well Constellation is able to present its winding tale of existential terror, it can at least be said that the series may be worth watching for the visuals alone, if nothing else.

6 Constellation Is Similar To Existing Movies

The series' ideas may not be as original as it thinks they are

Constellation's premise may sound familiar to seasoned movie fans, drawing some alarming parallels to less-than-favorably ed films with similar plots of space exploration gone wrong. The Spool notes that the concept of astronauts in space triggering some kind of reality-shifting physics anomaly will sound familiar to "Those who stayed up late after the Super Bowl to watch the third film in the ­Cloverfield anthology brand (?)". Collider's review of Constellation also noted similarities to 2023's space thriller I.S.S.

Unfortunately, comparisons to The Cloverfield Paradox and I.S.S. aren't a strong ment for Constellation, with both films being ed as relatively underwhelming spacefaring mysteries. Luckily, Constellation seems to have pulled off the concepts of these films better as a streaming series, The Spool confirming "Thankfully, AppleTV+’s new series comes out looking favorable in the comparison." It remains to be seen whether general sci-fi fans will be able to forgive such undeniable similarities to unsuccessful movies.

5 Constellation Isn’t Really A Show About Space

The Apple TV+ series' name may be misleading

Despite its name, Constellation doesn't spend all that much time floating around in the final frontier, as astronaut Jo is relatively quick to return to Earth within the first few episodes. Max Colville of RogerEbert.com laments the return to terra firma, calling the early scenes in space "easily the most thrilling part of the series", commenting that "From there, 'Constellation' struggles to maintain its momentum." Beyond the supposed quality in the early extraterrestrial moments compared to the rest of the show, the very name of the series may be falsely promising a very different type of show.

4 The Cast Of Constellation Is Great

Every major character in the series does some heavy lifting

For whatever criticisms can be leveled at Constellation, reviewers tend to agree about the strength of the performances. The Spool praises that Noomi Rapace's leading woman "sets the table well for her character’s unraveling, making Jo an immediately warm and likable character." Jo isn't the only strong acting on display, as Jonathan Banks, better known as Mike in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, also turns in a standout performance as former astronaut Henry Caldera, a mysterious figure who knows more about Jo's accident than he initially lets on.

Rapace and Banks aren't the only strong performances to anchor the far-out caper into an appreciable series, however. Jo's daughter, Alice, played by real-life twins Davina and Rosie Coleman, is called "the glue that holds [Constellation] together." by RogerEberts.com. Collider similarly mentions the twins' "unusual child performance" as strong contenders amid the already impressive talents of Rapace and Banks. It's clear that the series' cast is doing their utmost to uphold the material they'd been given.

3 Constellation Drives Horror Out Of Liminal Spaces

The quiet terror of the series is shockingly effective

Not billing itself as a horror show, Constellation has apparently presented some striking slow-burn horror that made a big impression on critics. Collider praised "the way the show immerses us in the strange in-between places", drawing favorable comparisons to unconventional horror movies like Skinamarink or The Outwaters. The series is quick to harass the viewer with unexpected reality shifts, praised by RogerEberts.com for being "disorienting and designed to put audiences in a state of confusion like its protagonist." Content to allow viewers to drown in anticipation, Constellation plays its horror cards close to its chest.

2 Constellation Doesn’t Provide Solid Answers For Its Mysteries

Those looking for conclusive endings won't be satisfied

Weaving a slew of convoluted mysteries, Constellation seems to be content with not definitively pulling back the curtain on any of its illusions. The Spool warns that Constellation "will disappoint viewers seeking full explanations and tidy wrap-ups. Explanations are incomplete. Plotlines end on ellipses, not full stops." It seems the lack of conclusive answers for the show's many unresolved questions alludes to a second season, stringing viewers along to renew their Apple TV+ subscriptions if they want to know the full truth behind Constellation's secrets.

1 Constellation Has Some Painful Plot Contrivances

Despite its astronaut trappings, Constellation is anything but airtight

For crafting a sprawling mystery with many plot threads to unravel, Constellation seems to have trouble with maintaining momentum. RogerEberts.com prefers the series' more direct life-or-death scenes of imminent danger over the "conspiracy-filled trappings it falls into." The science fiction show seems comfortable to lean on incredulous plot contrivances to keep the show going, including an unexplained MacGuffin that caused the inciting accident aboard the I.S.S. chased by Jonathan Banks' character. Max Colville points out on particularly groan-worthy example in the form of "a working Fisher Price cassette player."

Taken at face value, these small examples of contrived writing aren't the end of the world. Suspension of disbelief can be extended fairly far in science fiction series with premises as out there as Constellation's, after all. However, the show's reliance on such strained efforts to together the different moving pieces of the elaborate plots may serve as a warning that whatever answers still left to discover in the second season may not be worth the wait. For as good as some aspects of Constellation have been according to reviews, this subject may be the most telling of the series' future.

Source: Collider, The Spool, RogerEberts.com