Set on the desolate planet of Sirius 6B in the year 2078, the largely forgotten tale is relentless in its misery, from the opening scene where a soldier is brutally torn limb by limb to the closing shot twist (which the sequel confirmed caused the only survivor to commit suicide). It also looks bleak as hell, the color palette rarely straying from murky grays and browns and most of the action confined to rusty underground bunkers infested with rats.
The six-episode series, which follows a slow-burning and secret relationship between two hot gay champion hockey players, has made me new friends and strengthened my relationships with longtime friends. More importantly, Ilya and Shane's decade-long saga-and its Cinderella-esque reception-has left me feeling brighter, lighter, and more connected to the belief that, deep down, all humans are just flecks of stardust yearning to love and be loved.