NASA Vending Machine (watching “For All Mankind” and “Star City”)
- Episodes
- 49
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Jul 10, 2026
About the podcast
We came to podcast “For All Mankind” — and “Star City,” too. Dan Moren and Jason Snell have the right stuff to watch Apple TV’s space dramas and break them down episode by episode. Dramatic things are always happening around vending machines, if you didn’t notice. Podcast art by Thom Zahler.
Episodes 49
49: "The Wolves" (Star City S1E8)
It’s the end! Guess who’s coming back to Earth? Guess more times! Sergei’s loyalty to the Chief Designer is put to the test. Lyudmilla tries to get the upper hand on the (new) Chief Designer! Irina and Tania… …
Show notes
It’s the end! Guess who’s coming back to Earth? Guess more times! Sergei’s loyalty to the Chief Designer is put to the test. Lyudmilla tries to get the upper hand on the (new) Chief Designer! Irina and Tania… appear! It’s a farewell to our Soviet comrades for now, but is there more to come? (We don’t know, but we sure hope so.)
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
Referenced Works Star City Show Notes & LinksSupport this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
48: "Plow Deep" (Star City S1E7)
Everyone is sad in 1971. Belicova is sad about Sasha. The engineers are sad about the Chief Designer. Lyudmilla is sad about Petrovsky. Sergei is sad about his career prospects, but never about math. The Chief …
Show notes
Everyone is sad in 1971. Belicova is sad about Sasha. The engineers are sad about the Chief Designer. Lyudmilla is sad about Petrovsky. Sergei is sad about his career prospects, but never about math. The Chief Designer is sad about certain people interrupting him from pulling beets. Irina is sad about a lot of stuff. And then, in the last moments… is that a flash of hope? Maybe, but it’s probably just gonna make people sad next week.
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
Referenced Works Star City Show Notes & LinksSupport this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
47: "Awl in a Sack" (Star City S1E6)
The aftermath of the discovery of the mole and the secret space launch is all over this episode. The Chief Designer and Lyudmilla finally have it out. Tania ponders her future, and Irina ponders it too. And …
Show notes
The aftermath of the discovery of the mole and the secret space launch is all over this episode. The Chief Designer and Lyudmilla finally have it out. Tania ponders her future, and Irina ponders it too. And there’s some serious drama at Mission Control and on the Venera probe headed to Venus.
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
Referenced Works Star City Show Notes & LinksSupport this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
46: "Bite Your Elbow" (Star City S1E5)
This one’s a banger. The KGB has got the mole… or do they? What will happen to the Chief Designer’s risky mission to Venus? Is Lyudmilla out of control or does she have the upper hand? And Brezhnev makes a …
Show notes
This one’s a banger. The KGB has got the mole… or do they? What will happen to the Chief Designer’s risky mission to Venus? Is Lyudmilla out of control or does she have the upper hand? And Brezhnev makes a surprise appearance!
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
Referenced Works Star City Show Notes & LinksSupport this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
45: "Dark Forest" (Star City S1E4)
The fallout of the lunar-mission accident is wide reaching. We learn how a Star City resident can be compromised by those diabolical Americans. Tania is concerned about her husband’s fidelity, but nobody …
Show notes
The fallout of the lunar-mission accident is wide reaching. We learn how a Star City resident can be compromised by those diabolical Americans. Tania is concerned about her husband’s fidelity, but nobody believes her. A newly arrived scientist follows the sound of hammering to discover her unlikely destiny with the inner solar system. And as the tables may be turning on Lyudmilla, her young protegé Irina makes a discovery that could crack the case wide open—or put her in serious danger.
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
Referenced Works Star City Show Notes & LinksSupport this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
44: "Bad Dancer" (Star City S1E3)
Time for another Soviet mission to the moon, but this one runs into some surprising trouble. Valya just wants to make Tania happy, but a trip to Moscow for a concert ends up complicating matters. And Irina …
Show notes
Time for another Soviet mission to the moon, but this one runs into some surprising trouble. Valya just wants to make Tania happy, but a trip to Moscow for a concert ends up complicating matters. And Irina discovers how awkward it is to meet some of her subjects in real life—but hey, you live in Star City, so it can’t be that much of a coincidence, can it?
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
Referenced Works Star City Show Notes & LinksSupport this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
43: "A Bear on a Chain" (Star City S1E2)
The “Star City” premiere continues with a surprise bear, a tour of western European capitals, the Chief Designer’s secret basement workshop, and a beautiful Soviet wedding. Also, we continue to spot connections …
Show notes
The “Star City” premiere continues with a surprise bear, a tour of western European capitals, the Chief Designer’s secret basement workshop, and a beautiful Soviet wedding. Also, we continue to spot connections to characters in “For All Mankind”… we think.
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
Referenced Works Star City Show Notes & LinksSupport this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
42: "The Eyes" (Star City S1E1)
We dial back the clock to the 1960s and travel to the Soviet Union for the first episode of “Star City,” the new “For All Mankind” spin-off on Apple TV. Cold war cars, secretive Soviets, a frenemy in the …
Show notes
We dial back the clock to the 1960s and travel to the Soviet Union for the first episode of “Star City,” the new “For All Mankind” spin-off on Apple TV. Cold war cars, secretive Soviets, a frenemy in the surveillance typing pool, surprising Cosmonaut pranks, and the difficulty of memorizing your propaganda speech are all topics of conversation!
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
Referenced Works Star City Show Notes & LinksSupport this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
41: "This Land Is Our Land" (S5E10)
The penultimate season reaches its conclusion! Who doesn’t make it? We were surprised. Does it all hold together? What characters were done dirty? What’s that glowing on the horizon? And what’s with that Soviet …
Show notes
The penultimate season reaches its conclusion! Who doesn’t make it? We were surprised. Does it all hold together? What characters were done dirty? What’s that glowing on the horizon? And what’s with that Soviet DOS prompt? We break it all down. And stay tuned, because our next episode(s) are all about the “For All Mankind” spin-off, “Star City,” which we like a lot!
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
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40: "Sons and Daughters" (S5E9)
That escalated quickly! It’s time to discuss the action-packed penultimate episode of the penultimate season of “For All Makind.” The M-6’s desire to take back control of Happy Valley has some serious, violent …
Show notes
That escalated quickly! It’s time to discuss the action-packed penultimate episode of the penultimate season of “For All Makind.” The M-6’s desire to take back control of Happy Valley has some serious, violent consequences. Alex proves to be a whiz when it comes to duct tape. And meanwhile, on Titan, there’s some navigating, scanning, and maybe an amazing discovery or perhaps a catastrophic accident? It’s “For All Mankind,” it could really be either one.
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
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39: "Brave New World" (S5E8)
Now we’re in the thick of it. Avery is forced to grapple with her family history as she prepares for some serious duty. Miles is forced into extreme action to protect Happy Valley long enough to get some help …
Show notes
Now we’re in the thick of it. Avery is forced to grapple with her family history as she prepares for some serious duty. Miles is forced into extreme action to protect Happy Valley long enough to get some help. Polivanov and Boyd decide to take a terrifying joy ride. Kelly really leans into the whole “Ed Baldwin’s daughter” thing. And it’s a bad day to be a Padres fan, but what else is new?
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
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38: "Sirens of Titan" (S5E7)
Disasters in space are a “For All Mankind” tradition, so let’s see how everyone does getting to Titan. But also, Mars is a place where disasters can happen, so let’s see who is in the Corn Dome at 3 a.m. on a …
Show notes
Disasters in space are a “For All Mankind” tradition, so let’s see how everyone does getting to Titan. But also, Mars is a place where disasters can happen, so let’s see who is in the Corn Dome at 3 a.m. on a weeknight! Things are getting tense everywhere. Let’s break it all down.
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
37: "No Sudden Moves" (S5E6)
The season’s second half starts with a gun to someone’s head and complete chaos in Mission Control. Dev and Aleida feel trapped, but Dev’s got some weird ideas about security. Our favorite new Space Marine …
Show notes
The season’s second half starts with a gun to someone’s head and complete chaos in Mission Control. Dev and Aleida feel trapped, but Dev’s got some weird ideas about security. Our favorite new Space Marine reveals her amazing lineage. Boyd and Fred finally have that heart-to-heart. And who does Irinia really work for, and is it just herself? Let’s see how long we can all survive waiting to find out what happens next. Lock the doors.
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
36: "Svoboda" (S5E5)
After a brief prelude in a Soviet gulag just to remind us how scary Irinia is (she’s not locked in here with, you, comrade, you’re locked in here with her!), the story moves back to Mars. The reveal of the …
Show notes
After a brief prelude in a Soviet gulag just to remind us how scary Irinia is (she’s not locked in here with, you, comrade, you’re locked in here with her!), the story moves back to Mars. The reveal of the secret plan to create Automation has led to civil unrest. Miles, Alex, and Lilly are feeling the pressure. Aleida feels betrayed by Dev… again. We are a bit puzzled by what Dev’s plan is. But it looks like, at long last, the people of Mars really are ready to rise up. But… then what?
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
35: "Open Source" (S5E4)
It’s time for a new generation to take charge. Back on Earth, we meet a surprising new character with a deep “For All Mankind” lineage. On Mars, Dev gives Alex a pep talk that goes rapidly awry. Aleida deals …
Show notes
It’s time for a new generation to take charge. Back on Earth, we meet a surprising new character with a deep “For All Mankind” lineage. On Mars, Dev gives Alex a pep talk that goes rapidly awry. Aleida deals with a serious Mars hangover. And when he discovers a nefarious plan that might change Mars forever, Alex puts his vending machine hacking skills to use.
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
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34: "Home" (S5E3)
Young Ed! Old Ed! Hi Bob! Bye Ed! There’s so much to ponder in this special episode of “For All Mankind,” including Lee on the lam, Boyd’s Mars dating advice, Dev bonding with Alex over motorcycle maintenance …
Show notes
Young Ed! Old Ed! Hi Bob! Bye Ed! There’s so much to ponder in this special episode of “For All Mankind,” including Lee on the lam, Boyd’s Mars dating advice, Dev bonding with Alex over motorcycle maintenance, memories of Shane, and some surprise cameos.
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
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33: "The Hard Six" (S5E2)
It was murder! On Mars! The discovery of a dead body last week leads to an inflammatory perp walk, a mysterious and unlogged cargo transfer, and an exciting car chase (but with hoppers). Also, there’s at least …
Show notes
It was murder! On Mars! The discovery of a dead body last week leads to an inflammatory perp walk, a mysterious and unlogged cargo transfer, and an exciting car chase (but with hoppers). Also, there’s at least one more pasta night with the Baldwins. And maybe there’s life on Titan?
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
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32: "First Light" (S5E1)
Get on your Mars bike and get ready to do some cool jumps! “For All Mankind” is back, and the NASA Vending Machine is restocked! But season 5 brings Domino’s and Starbucks to Mars, so who knows what else might …
Show notes
Get on your Mars bike and get ready to do some cool jumps! “For All Mankind” is back, and the NASA Vending Machine is restocked! But season 5 brings Domino’s and Starbucks to Mars, so who knows what else might be in store on the red planet? This episode helps us get reaquainted with the show, recaps what’s been going on in the decade since last season, and starts to put all the pieces in place for whatever story is about to be laid out before us.
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
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31: S4 Exit Interview with Ben Nedivi & Matt Wolpert
With season 4 of “For All Mankind” in the books, we got a chance to spend a little time asking co-creators and showrunners Ben Nedivi and Matt Wolpert about the show in general, season four in particular, where …
Show notes
With season 4 of “For All Mankind” in the books, we got a chance to spend a little time asking co-creators and showrunners Ben Nedivi and Matt Wolpert about the show in general, season four in particular, where the show might go if it’s renewed for future seasons, and (of course) why there are so many vending machines.
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell with Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi.
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30: "Perestroika" (S4E10)
We say goodbye to season four by detailing the exciting and eventful finale, in which the counter-countermeasures are foiled by counter-counter-countermeasures… or are they? The tension between the crew and the …
Show notes
We say goodbye to season four by detailing the exciting and eventful finale, in which the counter-countermeasures are foiled by counter-counter-countermeasures… or are they? The tension between the crew and the authorities on Mars reaches a breaking point! Frantic typing occurs—but without typos! And Jason gets some strong “Babylon 5” vibes—in the best way. Comrades, there’s been a Martian vending machine right behind you all along!
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
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29: "Brazil" (S4E9)
Everything gets tense as we rush toward the season finale. How many Star Trek shows are there in this universe? Was that a modem sound? Would it be better if the KGB and CIA worked together? And what’s more …
Show notes
Everything gets tense as we rush toward the season finale. How many Star Trek shows are there in this universe? Was that a modem sound? Would it be better if the KGB and CIA worked together? And what’s more American than eating a McDonald’s burger in a motel?
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
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28: "Legacy" (S4E8)
Listeners, thanks for reminding us what happened to that one character we thought was dead, because he’s very much not dead and in this episode. The Henry Hill of space shucks off his robe and turns right to …
Show notes
Listeners, thanks for reminding us what happened to that one character we thought was dead, because he’s very much not dead and in this episode. The Henry Hill of space shucks off his robe and turns right to warn Aleida about the peril Margo may be in! Meanwhile, on Mars, it’s time to plan a heist! Kelly may be about to make history, but Ed is absolutely a Bad Grandpa. We talk through all the permutations as “For All Mankind” rockets on toward its season finale.
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
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27: "Crossing the Line" (S4E7)
So many lines being crossed! Ed’s rebellion encourages a worker revolt just as Kelly and Alex arrive on Mars. Meanwhile, Margo gets a new assignment, Aleida’s news appearance goes viral. And Dev spills some …
Show notes
So many lines being crossed! Ed’s rebellion encourages a worker revolt just as Kelly and Alex arrive on Mars. Meanwhile, Margo gets a new assignment, Aleida’s news appearance goes viral. And Dev spills some sugar and shows his true colors. If you were wondering if this season was in the truest bananas spirit “For All Mankind,” did the last line not clinch it for you?
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
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26: "Leningrad" (S4E6)
It all comes to a head in St. Petersburg—er, Leningrad. Chekhov’s hotel accommodations are placed on the mantel. Margo is reminded who her employers are. And on mars, Ed continues to rebel. And what is an …
Show notes
It all comes to a head in St. Petersburg—er, Leningrad. Chekhov’s hotel accommodations are placed on the mantel. Margo is reminded who her employers are. And on mars, Ed continues to rebel. And what is an asteroid, if not a giant vending machine?
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
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25: "Goldilocks" (S4E5)
It’s a gold rush in space! Okay, maybe an iridium rush, as everyone on Earth wants to grab Goldilocks, the $20 trillion asteroid. But things are more complicated than that, of course. Danielle is stuck in an …
Show notes
It’s a gold rush in space! Okay, maybe an iridium rush, as everyone on Earth wants to grab Goldilocks, the $20 trillion asteroid. But things are more complicated than that, of course. Danielle is stuck in an episode of “Lost,” having flashbacks to dark times. Kelly and Aleida have to deal with a rash decision made by Dev. And is Ed Baldwin this season’s… villain?
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
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24: "A House Divided" (S4E4)
It’s splitsville! “For All Mankind” explores rifts between supports of the old and new Soviet regimes, but there’s also an Earth-Mars dichotomy, the re-emergence of Cold War fault lines, the downstairs grunts …
Show notes
It’s splitsville! “For All Mankind” explores rifts between supports of the old and new Soviet regimes, but there’s also an Earth-Mars dichotomy, the re-emergence of Cold War fault lines, the downstairs grunts versus the upstairs astronaut heroes on Mars, and even the Helios workers versus their billionare boss. Meanwhile, things are bad for Comrade Semonov, but Margo has finally found late-night coffee thanks to the washer from a cafeteria chair and—most importantly by far—a Soviet vending machine.
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
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23: "The Bear Hug" (S4E3)
Our season storylines begin to come into focus this week, as Kelly and Aleida encourage Dev to have his Steve Jobs moment, Margo learns about the calm atmosphere found at Soviet Union police stations, Ed finds …
Show notes
Our season storylines begin to come into focus this week, as Kelly and Aleida encourage Dev to have his Steve Jobs moment, Margo learns about the calm atmosphere found at Soviet Union police stations, Ed finds calm in hydroponics, and Miles discovers that black market shenanigans can really snowball.
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
22: "Have a Nice Sol" (S4E2)
This week we’ve got an upstairs/downstairs thing going on at Happy Valley, where newbie Miles is learning about black market speakeasies and base commander Danielle is enjoying some fresh pasta. Back on Earth …
Show notes
This week we’ve got an upstairs/downstairs thing going on at Happy Valley, where newbie Miles is learning about black market speakeasies and base commander Danielle is enjoying some fresh pasta. Back on Earth, Kelly and Aleida join forces to TP things and build a business, and they’re all out of toilet paper. But the most important, earth-shaking thing in this episode is undoubtedly the triumphant Martian reappearance of a fateful vending machine!
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
21: "Glasnost" (S4E1)
“You know, when I was a child, I liked to go to my father’s factory and enjoy the vending machine…” We’re back! And so is “For All Mankind,” complete with a new opening montage of “historical facts”, another …
Show notes
“You know, when I was a child, I liked to go to my father’s factory and enjoy the vending machine…” We’re back! And so is “For All Mankind,” complete with a new opening montage of “historical facts”, another dangerous adventure in outer space, some check-ins with old characters, and some surprising new ones.
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
20: "Stranger in a Strange Land" (S3E10)
So it all comes down to this. It’s the mega-length season finale of “For All Mankind,” in which many plot threads and characters will be explosively resolved! (But what of the vending machine? Won’t anyone …
Show notes
So it all comes down to this. It’s the mega-length season finale of “For All Mankind,” in which many plot threads and characters will be explosively resolved! (But what of the vending machine? Won’t anyone think of the vending machine?) We get information about our surprising new character, Dev and Margo offer final(?) pep talks, Jimmy struggles to do the right thing, Molly talks Ed through trying not to crash, and we count references to “Watchmen”, “Apollo 13”, and even “Goodfellas.” Finally, there’s the needle drop for the 21st century, but it’s showing us a rather unexpected location. See you next season!
Hosts Dan Moren and Jason Snell.
Referenced Works For All Mankind Show Notes & LinksSupport this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
These are the latest 40 of 49 episodes. You’ll find older episodes in the podcast’s feed.
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