For All Mankind Season 3 Episode 6 Review: New Eden
Tensions rise among all three crews on For All Mankind Season 3 Episode 6, “New Eden,” proving that making it to Mars was only ever going to be the beginning of this journey.
The Russians and the Americans are keeping secrets from one another, while the Soviets are busy making backchannel deals with for-profit Helios. Almeida basically has proof that there’s some high-level treason going on at NASA, while Danny’s developing a drug addiction in space. Good times!
Even Ed doesn’t seem as excited about literally standing on an alien planet as he should be, because he can’t get over the fact that he aborted the mission and lost his chance to be first. And then charming young astronaut Will Tyler goes on a live interview and decides to come out as homosexual, throwing everything on Mars and on Earth into chaos.
For All Mankind — New Eden — Pictured: Robert Bailey Jr (photo courtesy of Apple TV+)
It’s perhaps odd that For All Mankind chooses to give this story to a character viewers barely know and who has had maybe a dozen lines so far this season, but it really works — both in terms of the way it explains why we know so little about who Will is, and let us get to know him now, as his true self.
And, honestly, it’s lovely. There’s such a quiet beauty in the idea that Will, overcome by the incredible feat of standing on an alien planet, wants to believe that we can make different, better choices, as a species this time. Be better than we have been. I want to believe that too.
Unfortunately, given the way everyone reacts to Will’s sudden decision to out himself via intergalactic live stream, that dream is probably very far away. From the furious Vice President who urges Ellen to make a public example out of Will to his crewmates who suddenly start treating him differently, things are uncomfortable everywhere.
Will’s close friendship with Soviet ex-pat Rolan begins to crumble when Rolan starts expressing his fears that Will might somehow be HIV-positive, and refuses to come in close contact with him in any way, from sharing cups to being in close quarters together.
(Though I suspect Rolan’s behavior has a lot more to do with the fact that Will didn’t tell him the truth about himself than it does his fear of contracting a disease, it’s all being expressed horribly and everything is terrible.)
Perhaps some moments in time are inevitable across every timeline, and so it seems with the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy about gay people serving in the military. Originally introduced by the Clinton Administration in our reality in 1993, here it’s given life by President Ellen Wright as a sort of uncomfortable compromise solution to Will’s sudden announcement of his sexuality.
It’s obvious that this choice is a difficult one for Ellen, who is clearly wrestling with her own feelings about the life she might have had if she’d been half as honest as Will is being about who she really is.
And I’m still not sure this move — to ask people to closet themselves so that they can still serve their country is still abhorrent, but it is an unfortunate sort of progress, in the sense that it at least keeps queer soldiers from being dismissed outright if they’re so much as suspected.
It’s the sort of compromise that leaves almost everyone unhappy, but if there is a light at the end of the tunnel here it’s that, well—perhaps will eventually put the world of For All Mankind on a path to greater equality eventually?
Whether that cause will be helped or irreparably harmed by the fact that Larry is 100% going to get outed by the guy who’s currently dating on the side’s big mouth.
It feels like confirmation that there’s water on Mars—and not just tiny remnants but a huge underground reservoir—should be a bigger deal, but instead, it’s just another commodity to fight over.
The crews need water in order for a lot of their equipment to function, and so far, everyone’s struck out finding it. Except for the Russians, apparently, though the show isn’t especially clear how they managed to do this while essentially living on top of the Americans and with fewer resources than NASA, but it makes for good drama, so let’s go with it!
Back on Earth, Roscosmos chief Lenara Catiche heads over to the Helios offices, where she strikes a deal with Dev and a newly rehired Karen Baldwin to use the Phoenix’s equipment to access the water (splitting it 50-50 with them) without telling the Americans anything, despite the fact the NASA team 1.) saved their lives, 2.) took them to Mars, and 3.) are currently sharing their food, space, and limited resources with them right now.
Thank goodness Margo’s basically dating a Soviet spy who’s willing to clue her into all these machinations!
Stray Thoughts and Observations:
- The scene between Dani and Will where they talk about the different journies they have had as Black people within NASA and the way that Will feels doubly marginalized because of his sexuality is a perfect moment of television.
- The fact that Sojourner was damaged during its landing and that the Helios ship is now the only way for any of these people to get home feels like it will become very important later on.
- I wish the show weren’t also telegraphing the fact that something truly horrible is going to happen as a result of Danny’s seemingly inevitable addiction to painkillers, but I guess it’s better than what I originally assumed was happening, which was that he got some alien disease from cutting his hand on the Mars surface.
- Ed’s not a great person, but he truly doesn’t deserve the way Danny’s treating him. (I also wish the show were being a little clearer about why—it’s obvious he’s still jealous about Karen—a decade later—but seems to also somehow feel infantilized by Ed’s genuine care and affection for him.)
What did you think of this episode of For All Mankind? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Critic Rating:
User Rating:
New episodes of For All Mankind stream Fridays on Apple TV+.
Follow us on Twitter and on 
Instagram!
Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!
Lacy Baugher
Lacy is a pop culture enthusiast and television critic who loves period dramas, epic fantasy, space adventures, and the female characters everyone says you're supposed to hate. Ninth Doctor enthusiast, Aziraphale girlie, and cat lady, she's a member of the Television Critics Association and Rotten Tomatoes-approved. Find her at LacyMB on all platforms.