# Avenue 5 (2020)

> A satirical sci-fi comedy following a luxury space cruise captain and his flustered crew as they handle angry passengers and a ship whose technology keeps failing.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/76961

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 17
- Episode runtime: 27 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: comedy, science fiction
- Created by: Armando Iannucci
- Network: HBO
- Cast: Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Lenora Crichlow, Zach Woods, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Suzy Nakamura, Ethan Phillips, Rebecca Front
- TMDB rating: 6.7/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10234362/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: sardonic, deadpan, breezy, comforting, absurd

## What critics say

Critics and audiences found the satirical space-cruise comedy sharp in its workplace absurdity and cast performances, though its audience reception is mixed.

## Synopsis

Avenue 5 (2020-2022) is a British-created American satirical science fiction comedy series created by Armando Iannucci for HBO. Set about forty years in the future, it follows space captain Ryan Clark (Hugh Laurie) and the crew of the luxury space cruise ship Avenue 5 as they try to keep up appearances while disgruntled, wealthy passengers complain and the vessel's technology keeps malfunctioning. Herman Judd (Josh Gad), the ship's anxious operations figure, and Billie McEvoy (Lenora Crichlow) lead much of the bumbling damage control, while Matt Spencer (Zach Woods) and Rav Mulcair (Nikki Amuka-Bird) add further friction. The engine of the show is the gap between the crew's polished corporate promises and the chaos of a cruise that cannot deliver them, with each episode built from petty complaints, cascading system failures and management spin. Over two seasons the show plays as a single continuing story with a steady comic escalation. Its tone is sardonic, deadpan and breezy, with a satirical eye on commercialized escape and privileged leisure. Fans of The Thick of It, Red Dwarf and The Office will find resonance in its cringe-inducing ensemble humor and its gleeful portrait of institutional incompetence in an airless setting.

## Shows like Avenue 5

- [The Franchise (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/136964)
- [Captain Fall (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/147246)
- [Hello Tomorrow! (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/103757)
- [Doctor Odyssey (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/165049)
- [Blunt Talk (2015)](https://ember.film/tv/55390)
- [Fired on Mars (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/105009)
- [Nightflyers (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/67525)
- [Origin (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/70754)
- [Upload (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/73248)
- [The Ark (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/42933)

---

Site overview: https://ember.film/llms.txt