Die Astronauten

I had no idea what i was getting into when i saw the title, "The Astronauts," but anything about space travel is going to catch my attention.When i saw it was a Nickelodeon show, I was very much prepared for possible over acting and maybe sickeningly too cute kids. That isn't what I got. What I got was an intriguing, but simple premise with a great twist. I was hooked from the first episode. I like that the kids are having to question their parents and not for just rebellious reasons. I can't wait for new episodes next week. Definitely worth your time. I'm in my 50's, btw.

The Astronauts is novel and captivating for a Nickelodeon audience, say ages 6 to 12. Together with Mom and/or Dad it likely makes a bonding entertainment experience. But if watching solely as an adult, depending on your frame of mind it could be quite cheesy.

Nonetheless, I feel this show gives Nickelodeon prime credit for helping bring kids into a more responsible age.

This reminds me a lot for some reason of the really good Nickelodeon shows of the 90's that told a story like The Secret World of Alex Mack and AYAOTD for example. Maybe that's just me. But it's really a good show and one of the best that Nickelodeon has had in a while IMO. My entire family sits down to watch it.

You obviously can't be expecting much going in, you already know the premise isn't going to be realistic. But for an ongoing Nickelodeon series, the production values are rather impressive. Heck, for a one-off Nickelodeon movie it'd be a pretty impressive production.

It's basically the movie Space Camp, re-made into a weekly series. If you liked that movie, you'll probably like this series, at least based on the first episode. The plot isn't novel, and the kid actors don't give mind-blowing performances. But it does what it's supposed to do, and does it quite well.

First, apologies to all who left reviews stating "I wish this was an old Nick show instead", or "Nick should stick to cartoons". Very sorry. This show is something else, so to me it seems pointless to criticize this for what it isn't, and was never intended to be.

Second, it's important to understand that this is not what you're used to from Nickelodeon. This show is a joint effort with Ron Howard's Imagine Entertainment, and without a doubt, they know how to make quality storytelling in the realm of space (Apollo 13, Mars). So unsurprisingly, the production quality of the show is outstanding. Truth be told, you would not recognize it as a Nickelodeon show, nor any other kids' show.

Lastly, to echo some others here, yes. The plot requires you to suspend some belief while going along for the ride. My retort to this is, what fictional space/sci-fi show doesn't require this to some extent? My recommendation is to take 1/2 hour out of your life, and watch the first episode with the whole family. I dare to predict that most or all will want to continue the journey.