Hey Bobs! We're finally here with the big one — our full season recap of For All Mankind Season 5 and Star City Season 1.
We dig into why Star City completely stole the year (low expectations, high delivery, incredible casting, and a show that stands on its own). We talk about how Season 5 of FAM successfully brought the franchise back after Season 4, Ed's send-off episode, and which finale landed better. Spoiler: Star City's last five minutes still make us groan, but the rest of that show is some of the best television we've seen.
We also get into Apple's strange marketing silence, the numbers problem, and why you need to keep watching (and telling people about) Star City if you want a Season 2.
Tons of great listener mail this week from Gen X Kim, Lisa, Alan, Boomermart, Katrine, Jim, Janet, and more.
Drop your final takes at happyvalleyfam@gmail.com.
This one's a celebration of a fantastic year in the FAM universe. See you on the other side, Bobs.
10 Jul 2026
Star City - S1E8 - The Wolves
Hey Bobs! We've reached the end of Star City Season 1 with Episode 8 — "The Wolves" — and what a ride.
Donnie landed on a 9.5 and Brian on a 9. After the gut-punch of Episode 6 and the time jump in 7, the finale delivers big payoffs: the shocking truth about who survived Venera, Valya's heartbreaking sacrifice, Sasha and Shadrha's desperate run for the Finnish border, and Belikova's return from orbit. We also get emotional reunions, a clever ruse involving the Chief Designer, and Irina showing a few cracks in her armor.
We break down the twists, the character work (especially Sasha's arc and that final Valya scene), our nitpicks on the last 10 minutes, and why this season was such a standout. Plus: our hopes for Season 2 and where the story could go next.
Drop your takes at happyvalleyfam@gmail.com — we read every one!
See you next week, Bobs!
3 Jul 2026
Star City - S1E7 - Plow Deep
Hey Bobs! We're back with Star City Season 1, Episode 7 — "Plow Deep" — and this one hit different than we expected.
After the gut-punch of Episode 6, Donnie and Brian both landed on an 8. The show pulls off a major time jump to 1971 and a soft reset that initially felt jarring… but ultimately sets up some powerful new arcs. We finally get to see Belikova step back into her element as she's sent on a high-stakes mission, while Sergei finds himself stuck in the "nerd pit" and Raskova's position grows more precarious by the day.
We break down the emotional weight of Belikova's storyline, the shifting power dynamics at Star City, Irina's increasingly dangerous game, and that final scene that left us both stunned (and a little worried about how it affects Episode 6). Plus: listener mail and our honest thoughts on whether this reset works.
Drop your theories at happyvalleyfam@gmail.com — we read every one!
See you next week, Bobs!
Inside a recent episode
For All Mankind S5 / Star City S1 Retrospective
Published 13 Aug 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] And so they had to give them more to do. Yeah, I just still just have this theory that she is from a writer's perspective. She is supposed to be the most important character in this story. And I think that they could still set that up for season six. She's the first character we see on screen in the beginning of season one. And she is the one that has survived through. I'm assuming at this point, Margo is not going to be a part of season six. So we've said goodbye to her at this point. Aleta is going to be that last character standing. Yeah. And they just didn't give her a lot to do. That's really my criticism there. […]
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