Avenue 5
2020
Original language: English
- comedy
- sci-fi & fantasy
The story
40 years in the future, space captain Ryan Clark and the crew of the luxury space cruise ship Avenue 5 navigate disgruntled passengers and unexpected events after experiencing technical difficulties onboard.
What it’s like
Bright, sterile corridors and polished chrome give the ship a glossy, brochure-clean look, while the wide windows onto black space and blue-white planets lend the cabins a cool, quiet glamour. Iannucci's camera stays busy in the Veep manner: rapid handheld pans, tight two-shots and fast cuts that catch a dozen people talking over one another, with the bright, flat lighting of the corporate decks contrasting with dimmer, more intimate crew quarters. The score is light and brassy, the soundtrack of a hotel lobby with the odd synth sting. Its vibe is brisk, sardonic and quietly comforting, the kind of sitting-back comedy that suits a lazy evening, a comfort rewatch, or a half-attentive afternoon. Pacing is fast and dialogue-driven, with overlapping gags and a steady stream of petty bickering, and the emotional register stays warm underneath the satire. Its leads are a tired, dignified captain and a fussy, self-regarding tech-company figure, both slowly learning to rely on people they had written off. Violence is absent, with only mild peril and occasional slapstick; the sexual content is minimal and the language is coarse at times. It suits viewers who enjoy workplace satire, British ensemble comedy, and gentle absurdity in a sleek sci-fi setting.
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