Star City opens with a striking alternate-history moment. Soldiers led by Lyudmilla arrive at a young woman’s door and order her to come with them. She’s taken to a laboratory where a historic event is unfolding. Alongside a room full of observers, she watches Alexei Leonov become the first human to walk on the Moon.
The achievement instantly changes the course of history. As Leonov plants the Soviet flag on the lunar surface, celebrations erupt. Leonov becomes a national hero, and the Chief Designer is praised for helping make the mission possible.
While officials celebrate their victory over the United States, the Chief Designer is already thinking about what comes next. He wants the Soviet space program to use the Moon as a stepping stone toward missions to Venus and Mars. The people above him don’t share that vision, leaving him increasingly frustrated.
His concerns grow when Lyudmilla brings troubling intelligence. Somehow, the Americans have obtained plans for the Soviet lunar base. Since the documents are tightly secured, the only explanation is that someone inside Star City is leaking information. There’s a mole somewhere within the program.
The focus then shifts to the next major objective: sending the first woman to the Moon.
Among the candidates, Yana immediately stands out. During a paratrooper training exercise, she confidently moves past her male counterparts and throws herself from the aircraft without hesitation. It’s clear why she’s considered the strongest choice for the mission.
The episode also introduces Irina Morozova, who has just started working in the monitoring department. Her job involves listening to recordings collected through surveillance devices hidden in cosmonauts’ apartments.
Irina works closely with her friend Vika, who has stumbled upon information that could destroy Yana’s career. While reviewing recordings, Vika learns that Yana mentioned visiting her brother Ivan before launch. The problem is that Yana never disclosed his existence.
After digging deeper, Vika discovers that Ivan is allegedly connected to Sintaksis, an underground publication. Because of that connection, Yana appears to have concealed information in order to qualify for the space program.
The accusations quickly reach the Chief Designer.
Despite the evidence against Yana, he refuses to believe she’s a spy. Even a recorded confession, obtained through torture and pressure, doesn’t convince him. Unfortunately, his opinion doesn’t matter much. Moscow has already removed Yana from consideration and selected Anastasia Belikova as her replacement.
The decision infuriates him.
Not only does he lose his best pilot, but he’s also expected to train Anastasia for the mission. The pressure becomes overwhelming, and the Chief Designer eventually collapses due to heart problems.
Yana’s removal creates anger throughout the cosmonaut corps as well. Many believe she was the most qualified candidate. Now they’re expected to place their trust in Anastasia, whom they view as a political choice rather than the best astronaut available.
Meanwhile, Irina starts noticing cracks in the official story.
While monitoring conversations, she overhears cosmonauts discussing Yana’s situation. One detail catches her attention: Yana hasn’t spoken to her family in years. If that’s true, the allegations against her suddenly look far less convincing.
Irina raises the possibility that Yana may be innocent, but Vika wants nothing to do with that theory. She’s more concerned about protecting her own future than challenging the state’s conclusions.
As preparations continue at Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the mission moves forward without Yana.
The crew launches into space, and Anastasia rehearses the speech she’s expected to deliver once she reaches the Moon. Back on Earth, Irina becomes increasingly obsessed with uncovering the truth.
Her investigation leads her to a cemetery, where she discovers something shocking. A gravestone reveals that Yana’s brother died as a child. If Ivan has been dead for years, then the entire case against Yana starts to unravel.
Irina prepares to bring the information to the Chief Designer, but before she can do so, Lyudmilla summons her.
Their conversation quickly turns uncomfortable. Lyudmilla questions Irina’s tendency to go beyond her assigned duties. She also points out that Irina failed to report another incident involving two cosmonauts, Sasha and Tanya, who were having a secret relationship.
Then Lyudmilla makes a decision.
She takes Irina with her to “correct” the situation involving Yana.
What follows was probably the moment that hit me hardest in the episode. Lyudmilla forces Irina into a position where she must prove her loyalty to the state by executing Yana herself. Irina can’t do it. She hesitates, unable to pull the trigger.
Lyudmilla carries out the execution instead.
At the same time, a crisis unfolds in space.
Anastasia’s suit becomes compromised during the lunar mission. Despite the danger, she refuses to abandon the operation. The Chief Designer, having left his hospital bed, joins efforts to save the mission.
Following advice from a skilled worker named Sergei, they devise a plan to puncture the damaged suit, relieve the pressure, and get Anastasia safely back into the lander before carbon dioxide levels become fatal.
The situation becomes a race against time.
Thankfully, Anastasia manages to reach safety. After repairing her suit, she steps onto the Moon and prepares to deliver the speech that has been carefully written for her.
But things don’t go as planned.
She stumbles through the scripted remarks and eventually abandons them altogether. Instead, she speaks from the heart.
Then she says something nobody on Earth expected.
Anastasia publicly praises Yana as a patriot.
My jaw dropped a little at this moment because Yana has already been executed. Realizing the danger of what she’s saying, officials immediately cut the audio feed. Even so, the statement has already been broadcast, and the consequences could be significant.
Episode Review
The series premiere does a strong job establishing both its alternate-history setting and its central conflicts.
The biggest storyline so far revolves around Yana. The episode spends a lot of time building the case against her, only to gradually reveal that the evidence may have been flawed from the beginning. By the end, it seems increasingly likely that she wasn’t the mole at all, which raises an obvious question: if Yana was innocent, who is actually leaking information?
Irina emerges as the most compelling character in the episode. She’s placed inside a system that expects obedience, yet her instincts keep pushing her toward the truth. Her discovery about Yana’s brother adds a layer of tension that could drive much of the season.
The Chief Designer also leaves a strong impression. His frustration with political interference, combined with his deteriorating health, gives the space-race storyline some emotional weight.
One aspect that may divide viewers is the casting approach. Hearing so many British accents in a story set inside the Soviet Union can feel unusual at first. It takes some adjustment, though it becomes less noticeable once the drama gains momentum.
By the end of the episode, Star City has established a mystery, introduced several intriguing characters, and delivered a memorable final twist with Anastasia’s speech. As opening chapters go, this one provides plenty of reasons to keep watching.
Next: Star City Episode 2
