Night Sky Review: J.K. Simmons and Sissy Spacek Soar in Slow Burn Sci-Fi Drama

What would you do if you had a portal in your shed that led to a distant planet? Prime Video’s Night Sky answers this question in a sprawling sci-fi drama. It’s the definition of “slow burn,” methodically building the world of Franklin and Irene York with career-defining performances from its leads.

Full disclosure: if you’re looking for a series with heavy-handed science fiction components, you might want to turn back. Night Sky is, primarily and at its core, a drama tinged with sci-fi elements. 

FRANKLIN: Time does not take that pain away.

It’s a character-driven drama propelled by its captivating main cast. In a world of fast-paced, action-packed streaming shows and tentpole films, Night Sky feels like a return to old Hollywood character pieces wherein dialogue outweighs the action.

Once you accept this series for what it is, you’ll enjoy it. But if you go into it thinking you’re getting an edge-of-your-seat hard science fiction thriller with wall-to-wall action, you’ll be sorely disappointed. 

It’s challenging to stay invested if you’re not used to an abundance of dialogue. Admittedly, Night Sky takes a few episodes to kick into high gear, but the show starts hitting the gas pedal by the fourth outing. 

IRENE: Let’s live dangerously.

Perhaps part of the show’s issues is it doesn’t quite understand what it is right out of the gate and takes longer than usual to find its footing. For most of the series, sci-fi takes a backseat to the family drama and doesn’t seize control of the wheel until the finale as the Yorks make the trek onto the unknown planet. 

Besides Franklin and Irene, the show focuses on Stella and Toni. But Night Sky feels like a different series when the spotlight isn’t on the Yorks. It takes too long to bring these characters together, and they only unite for less than half an episode at the end. 

JUDE: It’s just a wasteland where things go to die.

Also, there are too many questions surrounding Stella and Toni’s story. And the show doesn’t flesh them out entirely, so it isn’t easy to root for them.

Instead of providing too much exposition, the series veers in the other direction, leaving viewers in the dark to piece together the mystery with few clues. It’s still hard to comprehend Stella’s “job” by the season’s end, even when her story intertwines with the Yorks. 

That said, J.K. Simmons and Sissy Spacek are a collective tour de force, delivering masterclass performances and keeping audiences in their thrall with their magnetic onscreen presence. Spacek and Simmons steer this ship, imbuing their fictional counterparts with heartbreaking vulnerability and visceral nuance.

Chai Hansen churns out a solid performance as the enigmatic Jude, injecting him with quiet tenderness and enough intrigue to keep audiences invested in his story. Julieta Zylberberg as Stella and Kiah McKirnan as Denise also bring the goods with powerful supporting work. 

It soars when Night Sky embraces its sci-fi leanings, weaving a compelling narrative about identity, loss, love, and finding purpose. Despite its initial slowness and inconsistencies, you’ll disembark from this portal wanting a second season, especially since the finale finally delivers much-needed answers. 

FRANKLIN: He’s got you wrapped around his little finger.

The slow burn is a stroke of brilliance when all’s said and done, so long as you stick it out. It’s occasionally frustrating but brilliant. 

Night Sky doles out heartstring-tugging moments interspersed between intriguing character beats while curating a poignant story of humanity and finding meaning in the sadness. It rides on the crest of an ethereal, cello-driven score from Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans.

As long as you have patience for the story unfolding and stick around despite some pacing issues, you’ll enjoy a mesmerizing, otherworldly tale for the ages. 

Stray Observations: 

• Byron might be one of the most annoying characters on TV, a credit to Adam Bartley’s performance. Did he survive his planetary trip? Here’s hoping we find out soon. 
• Amazon Studios should invest in a prequel series featuring Stella’s family, chronicling their history guarding the chapel at the portal’s inception.
• Various themes explored in Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo pop up in Night Sky, from Jude discovering his identity and the unwavering love between Irene and Franklin to Byron’s quest for revenge against Franklin. 
• There should be a Season 2 based solely on the amount of lingering questions and cliffhangers in the Season 1 finale alone. Will Jude and Denise find Jude’s father, Gabriel? Is Jude from the town Franklin and Irene discover on the mysterious planet? What will happen to Stella and Toni? So many questions!
• Simmons and Spacek’s chemistry is so electrifying that you forget they’re not married in real life. 

What did you think of Night Sky? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Night Sky Season 1 is now streaming on Prime Video. 

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