‘For All Mankind’ Season 5 Being Followed up By ‘Star City’ Season 1 Means an 18-Episode Run in the Same Universe

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The sci-fi series For All Mankind has returned to Apple TV+, and it’s tackling a common frustration with today’s streaming shows. While not a complete fix, the show is experimenting with a format reminiscent of older television. As For All Mankind expands beyond a single show and potentially becomes a larger franchise, Apple TV+ is trying something new. The problem is that many streaming shows have shorter seasons than traditional network TV, which used to feature seasons with over 20 episodes.

The traditional model of long TV seasons isn’t popular with streaming services like Apple TV. Shows on these platforms usually have around 10 episodes, and sometimes even fewer. This is because streaming shows generally avoid unnecessary episodes or storylines that don’t move the main plot forward. Instead, they focus on a continuous story that stays on track. Even though these shows often have high production quality and excellent writing, viewers sometimes feel frustrated when a season ends just weeks after it begins. The fifth season of For All Mankind doesn’t change the show’s usual length, but the creators have still found a way to satisfy viewers who prefer to binge-watch more episodes at a time.

‘For All Mankind’ Season 5 Will Be Followed up Immediately by the ‘Star City’ Spin-Off

New episodes of For All Mankind are released on Apple TV every Friday. Season 5, like previous seasons, has 10 episodes, with the last one airing on May 29, 2026. That date is significant for the show, as it will be the second-to-last season finale. But May 29th will be even more notable because it also marks the premiere of Star City, a spin-off set within the For All Mankind universe. Star City will tell the story from the Soviet Union’s point of view, focusing on the consequences of their 1969 victory in the Space Race against the Americans.

Apple TV’s For All Mankind & Star City 2026 Release Schedule
Show Premiere Date Finale Date Episodes
For All Mankind Season 5 March 27 May 29 10
Star City Season 1 May 29[*] July 10 8
Double-episode premiere[*]

As a big fan of the For All Mankind universe, I’m really excited about the upcoming Star City season. Even though it’s just eight episodes, it gives us even more of that world to explore! Combined with For All Mankind, we’re looking at a solid 18 episodes over 15 weeks – that’s a new record for the franchise! It’s not quite the full season length of some shows, but it’s a really clever way to give us fans more content all at once. Plus, it sounds like Star City and For All Mankind will each bring something unique to the table, creating a nice change of pace as the story moves from one to the other.

‘Star City’s Premiere Date Makes up for Uncharacteristic ‘For All Mankind’ Delay

Apple TV didn’t have to release Star City right away, but they chose to premiere it immediately after the finale of For All Mankind Season 5. While there might be a creative reason for this timing, it seems more like a way to show appreciation for their viewers. A common frustration with streaming services is the long wait between seasons, but Apple TV has consistently been quick to release new content. We saw this with For All Mankind Seasons 1 through 4, which arrived with waits of no more than 14 months – a pace similar to traditional television. Although each season had fewer episodes than network TV shows, Apple TV prioritizes quality over quantity, which is a good thing.

Season 5 of For All Mankind unfortunately had a very long delay – over two years passed between the end of Season 4 and the beginning of Season 5. Releasing Season 5 alongside the first season of Star City is a good way to quickly give fans more content after such a wait. Current production schedules suggest filming for For All Mankind Season 6 could begin in March 2026, potentially leading to a new season in 2027. While the future of Star City is unclear and Season 2 might take a while to arrive, having both seasons available means fans have content to enjoy through 2026.

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2026-04-15 02:03