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Irene and Franklin York are a lot like other older couples. They keep on top of each other about following doctor\u2019s orders, joke about their complicated daily intake of pills, and, when the mood is right, they put on some Sam Cooke and dance in the living room, just like in the good old days. In short, they\u2019re adorable. But there\u2019s one key difference between the Yorks and most retired couples: hidden away in their shed right behind a wooden sign that says \u201cto the stars\u201d is a portal to another world.<\/p>\n
This is the basic setup for Night Sky<\/em> on Amazon Prime Video. The show\u2019s first episode debuts this week and, early on, follows Irene (Sissy Spacek) and Franklin (J.K. Simmons) as they go about their life, which just so happens to include the occasional visit to outer space to take in the view. Irene is using a wheelchair as she recovers from a recent fall, and Franklin is struggling with his memory. With all of these challenges, Irene has made the mystery of their space shed a huge priority. She can\u2019t stop thinking about it, and she refutes Franklin\u2019s efforts to tell anyone else about it. \u201cIt was meant for us,\u201d she says \u201cIt\u2019s our riddle to solve.\u201d<\/p>\nThe first episode of Night Sky<\/em> feels so refreshing primarily because of Spacek and Simmons. In the three decades since Cocoon<\/em>, science fiction stories centered on older people are still pretty rare. There\u2019s not much in the way of action. Outside of contending with the mystery of the cosmos \u2014 which, it should be noted, is becoming a bit boring for Franklin; after more than 800 visits, he\u2019d rather watch the ball game \u2014 the couple are exceedingly normal. The day after a trip to the stars, Franklin gets mad at his neighbor for mowing across his property line. Irene uses a friend\u2019s Alzheimer\u2019s disease as an excuse to finally tell someone<\/em> about what\u2019s going on.<\/p>\nThe show is warm, sweet, and occasionally heartbreaking \u2014 but, unfortunately, much of that gets overshadowed as the story gets increasingly complicated.<\/p>\n