‘Final Space,’ From YouTube Star Olan Rogers, Premieres On TBS To Mixed Reviews, Healthy Ratings

Final Space is the latest TV series created by a YouTube star, and it’s off to a promising start. The animated sci-fi show, which comes from the mind of Olan Rogers, premiered to mixed reviews and positive ratings on TBS on February 22.

Born out of one of New Form‘s incubator series, Final Space embarked on its journey to TBS after Rogers inked a deal with Conan O’Brien. The show follows a dopey astronaut named Gary as he goes on adventures with a super-powered space creature called Mooncake. The first episode premiered on Reddit on February 11, after which it received its first review: a pan from Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s hard to ask people in the Peak TV era to stick with an animated comedy that’s not exactly working on any level,” Goodman wrote.

More recent reviews have been more kind. “Wherever else “Final Space” falls flat, it succeeds completely with Gary and Mooncake, a relationship of care and trust that echoes the way we feel about the animals in our life, if we are lucky enough to have animals and feelings,” Robert Lloyd wrote in the Los Angeles Times.

Beyond its critical consensus, Final Space seems to be making its mark on audiences. It got the fifth-highest rating among cable shows on the night of its premiere, and some of those viewers took to Twitter to express their excitement:

All things considered, its a promising start for Rogers’ first venture into the world of TV. Four more Final Space episodes will close out the show’s first season.