Even without a premise, the idea that “The Office” co-creator Greg Daniels and star Steve Carell are teaming up once again for a new half-hour comedy series is enough for any TV fan to take notice. The fact that this new Netflix comedy series is called “Space Force” and is a workplace comedy about the newly-created sixth branch of the armed services is really just the cherry on top of this sure-to-be-hilarious sundae.
And now, thanks to Netflix, we know who is joining Carell in the cast of this absurd comedy series. The streamer announced that John Malkovich, Ben Schwartz, Diana Silvers, Tawny Newsome, Jimmy O. Yang, and Alex Sparrow have all joined the cast for the new show. Paul King, the director behind both critically-acclaimed “Paddington” films, has been tapped to direct two entries in the 10-episode series, including the pilot.
As for the roles for each of the characters, Carell is said to play Mark R. Naird, a General that is given the task of creating Space Force and achieving its goal of having “Boots on the Moon” by 2024. He’s joined by Dr. Adrian Mallory (Malkovich), F. Tony Scarapiducci (Schwartz), Erin Naird (Silvers), Angela Ali (Newsome), Doctor Chan Kaifang (Yang), and Yuri ‘Bobby’ Telatovich (Sparrow).
No official release date has been revealed, but Netflix says “Space Force” will arrive sometime in 2020.
Here’s the synopsis, as well as the full character descriptions:
Workplace comedy centered around the people back on Earth tasked with creating a sixth branch of the armed services… Space Force.
Series Regular Roles
Steve Carell plays “Mark R. Naird,” a General tapped by the White House to lead a new branch of the Armed Forces with the goal of putting American “Boots on the Moon” by 2024.
John Malkovich (New Pope) plays “Dr. Adrian Mallory” – Head Science Advisor, brilliant, arrogant and hoping to prevent space from becoming the next great international battlefield.
Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation, House of Lies) plays “F. Tony Scarapiducci” – A self-centered media consultant whose Machiavellian goals only sometimes line up with those of Mark or Space Force.
Diana Silvers (Booksmart, MA) plays “Erin Naird” – Popular and an A-student in Washington DC, Mark’s daughter is an outcast in Wild Horse Colorado after transferring to a remote military base and turns to delinquency.
Tawny Newsome (Bajillion Dollar Propertie$, Brockmire) plays “Angela Ali” – Helicopter pilot, ambitious and competitive, with secret dreams that she keeps close to the vest.
Recurring Guest Stars
Jimmy O. Yang (Silicon Valley, Crazy Rich Asians) plays “Doctor Chan Kaifang” – Doctor Mallory’s right hand man, Chan is a brilliant astrophysicist and rocket engineer who immigrated from China as a teenager and loves all things American, from fly fishing to the Baltimore Orioles.
Alex Sparrow (Unreal, The Vatican Tapes) plays “Yuri ‘Bobby’ Telatovich” – A charming observer from the Russian Government, Yuri is curious about many things in Mark’s life, like his daughter, or the tech specs of the Javelin missile.