posted 04-13-2023 09:05 AM               

The series, set to air this summer, will follow stars as they are suited up to live in a colony set up to simulate what it might be like to be an astronaut on Mars.

"Stars on Mars" premieres on Monday, June 5, at 8 p.m. on Fox. The show comes from Fremantle's Eureka Productions. The idea centers on the celebrity contestants competing in the Mars-like surroundings until there is just one "celebronaut" left standing. Shatner will deliver tasks to the celebs as "Mission Control."

The show will open with the celebrities living together as they "live, eat, sleep, strategize, and bond with each other in the same space station," according to the network.

Here's more from the show description: "During their stay, they will be faced with authentic conditions that simulate life on Mars, and they must use their brains and brawn – or maybe just their stellar social skills – to outlast the competition and claim the title of brightest star in the galaxy. The celebrities will compete in missions and will vote to eliminate one of their crewmates each week, sending them back to Earth. Cue the intergalactic alliances and rivalries. 'Stars on Mars' will send these famous rookie space travelers where no one has gone before and reveal who has what it takes to survive life on 'Mars.'"

posted 05-04-2023 09:37 PM               

Fox names 'celebronaut' crew who will compete on 'Stars On Mars'

A crew of celebrities are set to go where none have gone before.

"Well, sort of," says William Shatner, the "Star Trek" actor-turned-real-astronaut who serves as the voice of Mission Control for the new unscripted series "Stars on Mars," debuting June 5 on Fox.

posted 06-05-2023 08:48 PM               

I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, but then I had low expectations going in.

It is exactly what you would expect from a "celebrity"-centric reality show. It is no where near as good as some of the other human-versus-surroundings type shows (e.g. "Survivor," "The Amazing Race"). But I think "Stars on Mars" has some things going for it.

• Production value: The design of the habitat, rover and spacesuits are clearly inspired by "The Martian," but they don't immediately come off as cheap knock-offs. None of it is 100-percent technically accurate, but the show is clear they aren't really on Mars (for those curious, they are in Coober Pedy in southern Australia).

• Basic set-up: I was pleasantly surprised to hear some real world constraints being placed on the "reality" of the show. For example, communications with Mission Control (William Shatner) are one-way because it takes 17 minutes to transmit to Mars. The crew must exercise every day because Martian gravity is less than it is on Earth.

  Food rations are supplemented by a garden and all of it has to be tracked to ensure there is enough food for the crew during the length of the simulation.

• Challenges: The challenges that the "crew" face are, at least so far, at the same level as what Space Camp offers its trainees, if not better, and rely on teamwork. I was expecting an everyone-for-themselves type set-up and was glad to see that was not the case. I also liked that they assigned mission positions and there were at least some ramifications for serving as leaders.

• Patches: So, yeah, patches are being treated here as merit badges but I liked that collecting patches was encouraged.

posted 06-12-2023 08:35 PM               

I continue to be impressed with the set and semi-realistic tasks set out for the "crew." I would really be curious to see a time lapse of the habitat over a 24 hour period to see what the celebrities are doing when not being engaged in emergencies or made-for-TV events.

posted 06-26-2023 09:26 PM               

Case in point: "Stars on Mars" is not consistent. While Mission Control (William Shatner, in clearly pre-taped segments) continues to operate on a communications delay, the celebronauts are able to talk to their family members on live video calls.

The show does have a much more expansive and impressive surface of Mars to film, but it too is inconsistent. The crew must wear spacesuits that need their oxygen supplies refilled, but they are able to use flame throwers in the Martian atmosphere (would such a device even work without an oxygen-rich environment)?

posted 07-10-2023 08:03 PM               

The new crew members are:

• Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics NBA star
  
• Cat Cora, celebrity chef ("Iron Chef")
  
• Ashley Iaconetti, reality show star ("Bachelor")
  
• Andy Richter, comedian (Conan O'Brien's sidekick)

posted 07-11-2023 05:57 AM               

Over the years we were in contact with several people who have been on "reality shows" so I know that they really are not reality. It is obvious that in choosing their so-called stars, the producers are trying to create conflict. It is also possible that editing can create situations that were not there. The idea that a base commander would have a private room. This immediately set the wheels in motion.

We are also dealing with individuals that have been pampered in various ways and are not equipped in such a living condition. We see bullying rather than reasoning but we generally always see this type of thing in sci-fi features.

In a real survival situation would a space provider send a world-class chef before they sent a doctor? The creature comforts they all have been afforded such as toasters, coffee makers, and fresh chicken wings seem way too much for a Mars post.

posted 07-11-2023 01:25 PM               

quote:

---

Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, but then I had low expectations going in.

---

So, we've been watching them ever since. It's not anywhere near the train wreck I expected and I usually hate shows like this. But I've enjoyed it so far.