Apple TV is expanding the For All Mankind universe with Star City, a new space-race drama from creators Ben Nedivi, Matt Wolpert, and Ronald D. Moore, and it arrives right as For All Mankind season 5 wraps up.
Apple will debut Star City on Friday, May 29, 2026, with Rhys Ifans leading the cast, alongside Anna Maxwell Martin, and a larger ensemble that includes Solly McLeod, Agnes O’Casey, Alice Englert, Adam Nagaitis, Josef Davies, Ruby Ashbourne Serkis, and Priya Kansara.
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The timing is deliberate, since For All Mankind season 5 runs weekly through May 29, so fans can roll straight into the spin-off the same day the season finale lands.
Episode count and release schedule
Apple is launching Star City with two episodes on May 29, then moving to weekly releases through July 10, for an eight-episode first season.
- Premiere: Friday, May 29, 2026 (Episodes 1 and 2)
- Weekly rollout: Every Friday after that
- Season 1 finale window: Through July 10, 2026
Plot
Star City tracks many of the same headline events that For All Mankind covers, but it shifts the lens to the Soviet space program, where victories in orbit create just as many dangers on the ground.
The story takes viewers behind the Iron Curtain and into the machinery that keeps the Soviet moon effort running, with cosmonauts training under pressure, engineers pushing untested designs to the breaking point, and intelligence officers watching everyone involved, because the program is as political as it is scientific.
Rhys Ifans plays a key figure inside that system, and the show leans into a tense, suspicious tone where information control, loyalty tests, and fear of failure sit next to the spectacle of launches and mission milestones, so the race to the Moon feels like a thriller as much as a prestige drama.
FAQs
Do you need to watch For All Mankind first?
No, you can start with Star City if you want a Soviet-side entry point, but watching For All Mankind helps you catch the mirrored moments and bigger context.
How many episodes are in season 1?
Season 1 has eight episodes, starting with a two-episode premiere on May 29 and running weekly through July 10.
When does For All Mankind season 5 end relative to Star City?
For All Mankind season 5 releases weekly through May 29, the same day Star City premieres.
Apple TV price and how to watch
You can stream Star City in the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and most smart TV and streaming platforms, or on the web.
In the US, Apple TV costs $12.99 per month and includes a 7-day free trial for new subscribers, with bundle options available through Apple One and other promos depending on your plan and device purchases.
Are you planning to watch Star City as it airs, or are you waiting to binge it once the July 10 finale drops?
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