REVIEW: Final Space: The Rescue

Look, listen. Final Space is what happens when you take the existential trauma of a thousand prestige dramas, mix it with the ADHD energy of Olan Rogers doing literally anything, and then wrap it all in a visually stunning CGI/2D hybrid that makes you forget how aggressively loud the whole thing is. And the most recent “Rescue” mission—wherever they are now, I lost track somewhere around the fourth time the Earth was almost destroyed—is a perfect, beautiful mess of this formula.

The stakes are, as always, ludicrously high. The bad guys (The Lord Commander, whoever the new horrifying cosmic villain is, or just general incompetence) have nabbed one of Gary’s surrogate space-family members—be it Little Cato, Avocato (again, because trauma is currency), or maybe even KVN just to be annoying. The plot, therefore, is a mad dash across the cosmos led by a delusional idiot (Gary), a sassy AI (H.U.E.), and a devastatingly cute planet-killer (Mooncake).

The Pacing: We Got Emotional Whiplash

The only complaint here, and it’s a structural one, is that the show suffers from a serious case of Emotional Whiplash Syndrome. One minute, you’re watching a genuinely tender scene between Gary and Little Cato about finding purpose in the void, and you’re actually tearing up, like a weak, pathetic animal. The next minute, Mooncake has obliterated a fleet of Geno-cannibal ships while Gary screams, “CHOOOKITY-POW!” and is immediately making a terrible joke about his mom’s butt.

You simply do not get to have it both ways, Final Space, but somehow, you do.

The “Rescue” attempts themselves are animated like an IMAX movie shot through a kaleidoscope after chugging six Red Bulls. The action is visceral—space combat, laser fire, massive alien beasts, and our heroes constantly flying through portals that look like screensavers from 1998. The fact that the Galaxy Two hasn’t completely disintegrated into space dust is a testament to plot armor thicker than Gary’s skull.

The Goodspeed Factor: Still an Idiot, Still the Hero

What makes this show, and this specific storyline, work is Gary. He is a walking contradiction: a selfish, narcissistic, cookie-obsessed goofball who will literally sacrifice his life (or his arm, or his sanity) for his crew. His relationship with Little Cato/Avocato is the glue holding the whole chaotic structure together. When he finally gets to the person he’s saving, the payoff is genuinely earned.

And let’s hear it for Mooncake. The single greatest argument for why every lethal weapon should look like a squeaky, green puffball. Every time Mooncake has to deploy his powers, the visuals are staggering, only to be undercut by a tiny, adorable “Chookity?” as if he’s mildly embarrassed by mass slaughter. You hate to see it, but you love to see it.

Final Verdict

The Rescue arc is peak Final Space. It’s expensive-looking, heartbreaking, and never takes itself too seriously, even when the literal fabric of spacetime is tearing itself apart. If you like your sci-fi with massive stakes and an unholy amount of shouting, this is the stuff. Just grab your favorite drink, brace for impact, and don’t forget the therapeutic cookies.