Sometimes, to understand the present, you need to look into the future.
Set in a retro-future, Hello, Tomorrow! is a new 10-episode dramedy that follows Jack (Billy Crudup), a travelling salesman who ?changes lives? by selling newly developing homes on the moon. With the support of his team behind him, Jack believes in a ?brighter tomorrow? but finds his world shaken when an accident brings him back into the life of his alienated son.
Smartly written and beautifully shot, Hello, Tomorrow! is well worth the investment. This is a series that feels playful yet, like Jack himself, holds its cards close to its chest. In essence, although Tomorrow! has a playful vibe, it also imbues itself with a certain sense of mystery and mayhem.
Leading the charge here is Crudup, who may be one of the more underrated actors of the time. Crudup (who also produces the show) has a way of balancing charm with menace which serves his portrayal of Jack well. Although Jack seems like a genuine guy, Crudup ensures that the viewer is never fully comfortable with him. There?s a certain sense of dishonesty amidst his disarming persona that keeps him at length. Frankly, it?s a joy to watch.
At first glance, what?s most intriguing about Tomorrow! is its style and set design. Set with a 1950s motif, the series is utterly gorgeous from start to finish. Bright pastels, crisp lines and retro imagery give each episode a nostalgic glow within its futuristic world. (In fact, it?s possible that this is most stylized series to air since cult classic, Pushing Daisies.) This is meant to be a place where you live your dreams and the period look encapsulates this beautifully.
In essence, this is a world that is caught between the now and not yet.
Of course, the most fascinating thing about the 1950s and 60s though is that, despite the supposed innocence of the ?good ole days?, there were deeply rooted issues bubbling underneath. The memory of the suburban dream covered over multitude of sins. And, as Hello, Tomorrow! unravels its narrative, we find that the future isn?t so different.
Selling new homes on the moon to may sound exciting but, as Jack reminds us, you can?t escape your problems up there either. As a result, despite its eyes on the stars, Tomorrow! feels firmly planted on the ground. Crudup has helped to create a world here that feels both filled with optimism yet fueled by secrets. This is a series that reminds us that dreams of a ?better life? are always important?but we still need to be honest with ourselves as well. Stories of husbands cheating on their wives, estranged children, and addiction are all realities within this vision of Tomorrow! that get forgotten for the sake of dreams.
But it?s only when characters are willing to focus on the present can they begin to move towards a truly better future.
The first three episodes of Hello, Tomorrow! are available on Apple TV+ on Friday, February 17, 2023, with new episodes released on Fridays afterwards.
