Apple TV+ has built quite a reputation for itself by producing a string ofsci-fihits, but there’s still one project from 2024 that I’m devastated was canceled before a second season could continue the story. Although not allApple TV+ sci-fi showshit the same heights as its massive triumphs, likeSeveranceorSilo, they are all still slickly executed and well-thought-out. Unfortunately, the platform pulling the plug on what I thought was an incredible show proved that no project is safe if it doesn’t perform as expected.
Constellationseason 1’s ending came in late March 2024, and Apple TV+ announced its decision shortly after that the show would not be renewed. With big stars like Jonathon Banks and Noomi Rapace among theConstellationcast, I figured another run of episodes was pretty much guaranteed. Sadly, not only was I wrong about that, but I had also grown far too confident in my belief thatthe world ofConstellationwas so interesting that it was impossible to ignore. Now, almost 12 months removed from Apple TV+’s decision, I’m still not over what could have been.
Nearly A Year Later, I’m Still Disappointed That Constellation Season 2 Isn’t Happening
Constellation deserved at least one more run, but I’d have loved multiple seasons
I tuned in to watchConstellation’s new episodes each week as soon as I could. Although I only started watching out of a vague sense of interest, I found myself immediately enraptured by the show’s deeply mysterious premise. AlthoughConstellationhid its most fascinating subcategory for a long while, gradually unveiling itself as a mini-multiverse saga was an arc I’ll never forget. Looking back,Constellationincluded several clues that hinted Noomi Rapace’s Jo Ericcson was in the wrong universe, but the story had done too much of a convincing job at establishing itself as incredibly grounded.
I’ve seen several arguments thatConstellationseason 1 ends in a satisfying manner, or at least the finale can be left up to artful interpretation. I’m not sure if we were all watching the same show, because I couldn’t disagree more.Constellationseason 2’s cancelationclearly prevented showrunner Peter Harness from paying off all the open-ended teases he had embedded within the show’s first batch of episodes. Of course, the initial disappointment I experienced in the wake of Apple TV+’s decision has waned since, but it hasn’t completely gone away.I’d still welcomeConstellationseason 2 with open arms.
Constellation Season 2 Would Have Paid Off Season 1’s Biggest Moment
I will admit thatConstellationseason 1 did almost leave the show at a point in a somewhat satisfying place. Although Jo never really understands why she’s misremembering so much about her life, she at least seems to be at peace with her new existence. The connection between the Valya and Irena Lysenkso (both of whom are played by Barbara Sukowa) doesn’t get a full explanation, but I’m okay with that particular mystery being folded into the show’s general vibe. What I’m not happy about is the dead Jo aboard the ISS also starting to experience something similar to the Valya.
It’s very clear that Jo and her dead counterpart were about to go through something identical to what happened to Irena Lynseko and the Valya.
Just asConstellationfelt like it could have been a limited series that could have been endlessly debated,the alternate version of Jo that had died aboard the ISS in the other universe comes back to lifeand looks directly at the screen. It’s very clear that Jo and her dead counterpart were about to go through something identical to what happened to Irena Lynseko and the Valya. There was obviously a solid explanation lurking somewhere in the shadows given the occurrence repeating itself, and now I’ll never get to find out what it was.
Apple TV+ Has Other Great Sci-Fi Shows, But It Just Isn’t The Same
For All Mankind & Dark Matter sort of combine to create a Constellation replacement
As a massive sci-fi fan, I often find myself scrolling through Apple TV+’s library for more shows in the same genre. The platform hasn’t shied away from building stories around beloved sci-fi tropes, so I haven’t been left short of things to watch afterConstellation’s abrupt ending. On the other hand,Apple TV+ has yet to provide a direct replacement for the show I was so enthralled by. It has kind of come close with the continuation of the groundedly-spacefaringFor All Mankind, andDark Matter’s gritty take on multiversal travel, butConstellationcombined those two hallmarks brilliantly.
Constellation Theory Reveals What Would Have Happened If Both Versions Of Jo Had Survived
The fate of the other Jo on Constellation season 1 is one of the show’s biggest turning points, and her survival would have transformed the story.
Apple TV+ has also gone far grander with alternative projects likeFoundation, and even ventured into a dystopian future withSilo. However, I don’t think the platform will ever be able to give me what I want and provide a true spiritual successor toConstellation. It wasn’t perfect, but it was certainly unlike anything I had seen before and raised my eyebrows at mysteries I’d never experienced in its competitors or successors. Unfortunately, I’ll just be left to wonder what could have happened in Apple TV+’s forgottensci-fishow.
