‘For All Mankind’ Made Ted Kennedy President in Season 1 — So What’s This Alternate America Been Up to?

When “For All Mankind” first premiered on Apple TV+ in 2019, the period drama promised an in-depth look at the space race of the early ’70s. But this is not your usual NASA. In the world of Ron Moore’s series, the U.S.’s loss in the space race has a domino effect that begins with a heavy investment in sending women to space and culminates in everything from John Lennon’s survival to America’s first female president.

The horrors persist and so do we, both in our world and on “For All Mankind.” Women astronauts did not magically fix geopolitics, the patriarchy, racism, unrestrained capitalism, or the human body’s vulnerability to radiation (Season 2’s “The Grey” is one of the best season finales of any television show). But one of the show’s core tenets is that its version of humanity — and the post-war powers — gained a lot more by keeping the space race going throughout the 20th century. “For All Mankind” contends that the sheer scope and power of the universe, when brought to the fore, has the power to influence a Cuban Missile Crisis scenario on the moon or Michael Jordan’s MLB career.

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And unlike real-life Ronald Reagan’s economic policies, the trickle-down effect of all these alternate historical events is real, pervasive, and sometimes hilarious. The show is known for season-opening montages that catch us up on the years between seasons. The Season 4 opener, now streaming, rampages its way through the ’90s and ’00s — and don’t worry, reality TV fans, “Survivor” still makes the cut. But those montages (and the show itself) provide a nice bit of catharsis that, yes, if we’d had the Equal Rights Amendment since 1974, then maybe Harvey Weinstein would’ve gone to jail after “Shakespeare in Love.” It’s nice to look up at the stars and wonder, at least.

Below are some of our favorite pieces of alternate history in “For All Mankind,” presented in chronological order.

“For All Mankind” episodes premiere every Friday on Apple TV+.

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