25 Most Hotly Anticipated New TV Shows Of 2018
12. The First
Who? Beau Willimon, Sean Penn.
What? A story about the first human mission to Mars, exploring the challenges that come with it, the first steps towards colonisation, and a focus on the families left down on Earth too.
Why? Sean Penn's career has been on something of a downward curve this decade, and a move to TV could be just the sort of antidote for him as we've seen it be for other typically movie actors in recent years - the Pennaissance, as it were. Indeed, Willimon could be just the man to do that, having done the same for Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright on House of Cards. Add in the backing of Hulu, which is becoming an increasingly strong player, and the interesting space exploration premise, and there's a recipe for easy success.
When & Where? TBC, Hulu and Channel 4.