The unique premise of For All Mankind makes it one of the most interesting series out right now. The Apple TV+ show reimagines the Space Race but if the Soviet Union got to the Moon first. Of course, regardless of how cool a concept is, a show won't work unless the characters are intriguing.
Thankfully, For All Mankind boasts an impressive array of characters who all have their own sets of strengths and flaws. Some of them are very likable and audiences love watching them, while others do things that frustrate the viewers. Regardless, all of them are fantastic to watch as their lives unfold, especially with season two having just premiered.
Margo Madison
When the series begins, Margo Madison (Wrenn Schmidt) comes across as quite likable. She's an aspiring woman trapped in a man's world and fights against it to rise through the ranks. However, when the show jumps a few years into the future, she seems to have stagnated.
Margo gets passed up for a promotion, seemingly because someone else was better at the job. Margo ends up blackmailing her way into a seat of power. Once there, she's a bit unbearable. Her treatment of Aleda seems to come from a good place but it borders on manipulation and she orders the astronauts to leave Molly to die in space.
Deke Slayton
Some of the characters in the series are based on real people, including Deke Slayton (Chris Bauer). Here, Deke is an astronaut who never got to go to space due to a heart condition. He still holds some power and uses it to train the astronauts ahead of their travels.
At first, there's concern that he's against the female astronauts, though that's just because they're untrained, not due to their gender. After that, Deke is relatively fine and kind of likable. He throws that away in his final scenes, though, when on the verge of death, he still fails to accept Ellen's sexuality and chastises her instead, erasing his good will with the fans.
Aleida Rosales
Similar to Margo, fans can immediately gravitate towards Aleida Rosales (Coral Peña) because she's a girl who wants to be more with her life. Her story seems a bit separated from the rest of the plot as audiences see her experience the Space Race as a wide-eyed kid.
She eventually bonds with Margo and proves how smart she is. However, Aleida attempts to throw it all away over a boy she likes. Still, as a teenager, that kind of choice is somewhat understandable. The fact that she gets less screen time to fully develop also holds her back.
Karen Baldwin
Karen Baldwin (Shantel VanSanten) is the opposite of Margo in that she starts poorly. She is rude and dismissive of the women who she seems to deem unworthy of going into space with her husband. It's the kind of cutting down of fellow females that nobody wants to see.
She's also very judgmental of others, including Wayne Cobb for smoking marijuana. However, she becomes more liable over the season, partially by forming bonds with the ladies. Karen also gains sympathy for the tragic loss of her son. Her friendship with Wayne, as well as how she helps Pam in the finale are all welcome.
Ellen Wilson
On paper, Ellen Wilson (Jodi Balfour) should rank near the top. She's a strong woman, a fantastic astronaut, and she does things throughout the show that are great to see. For one, she's always there for her fellow astronauts and she pulls off the very brave move to save the day in the season one finale.
Sometimes, Ellen can be stubborn and headstrong though, in a way that can frustrate fans who root for her. Those qualities have gotten in the way of some of what happens in her life outside of NASA.
Gordo Stevens
When the series starts, Gordo Stevens (Michael Dorman) is seemingly meant to be someone the audience dislikes. He's shown to be unfaithful to his wife and he only agrees to have her as an astronaut to soothe things over and because he gets something out of the deal.
Thankfully, he becomes a much better character. He truly starts to show love for his wife and after a moment on the Moon leads to a breakthrough, he returns to seek therapy when not many would've. It's a huge step in his growth. After that, his work with NASA helps those in space and he's supportive of his wife when she returns.
Molly Cobb
When the women are brought in to train to become astronauts, the one who stands out the most is Molly Cobb (Sonya Walger). She and Ellen duke it out for the top spot in a competitive but friendly rivalry. Viewers can tell that Molly has been fighting for this opportunity for a long time.
So, even when she's mean to Tracy, it comes from an understandable place of frustration. Tracy proves herself to Molly, and from that point on, Molly is a highlight. She steps up in a big way on the Moon and nearly sacrifices herself to get what is needed. Throw in her great relationship with Wayne and she's a winner.
Ed Baldwin
If anyone feels like the protagonist of this series, it's Ed Baldwin (Joel Kinnaman). He is seemingly at the center of everything happening on the show. Right off the bat, the audience feels for him since he could've been the first man on the Moon but the mission pulled him back and that eats away at him.
Ed is mostly a good guy. He can get a bit short with his son but he admits that it hurts him. Ed is always there for his fellow astronauts, sacrifices several weeks of being alone on the Moon for them, and he's a natural leader. There's a reason he's such a focal point.
Danielle Poole
It kind of feels like Danielle Poole (Krys Marshall) comes from out of nowhere. She's part of the group of women who train to be astronauts but doesn't get a ton of shine during those scenes. That changes and she earns a spot on a trip to the Moon with Gordo and Ed.
While up there, Danielle becomes a more important player who really steps up as she forms a lovable bond with the guys. The audience really admires how she helps protect the career of fellow astronaut Gordo during their mission with a selfless sacrifice.
Tracy Stevens
The first major scene involving Tracy Stevens (Sarah Jones) has her playing the housewife on the phone with her husband while he cheats on her. It makes her immediately sympathetic but then it's discovered that she was a pilot and she proves her toughness while training to be an astronaut.
She is always willing to step up for her friends as well. Tracy helps another trainee finish a task and then she is right by Karen's side like a best friend when Shane is in the hospital. To top it off, Tracy also has a successful trip out in space, once again proving herself.