Tom Wolfe’s 1979 book The Right Stuff remains one of the most inventive depictions of the space program’s early days. It takes a story of technical achievements from the history books and makes it personal. Wolfe’s style isn’t easy to present on the big screen, which makes the success of Phillip Kauffman’s 1983 film even more impressive. I’ll always think of Sam Shepard as Chuck Yeager, Ed Harris as John Glenn, and Dennis Quaid as Gordon Cooper. There’s a steep bar for other adaptations.
This new TV series of The Right Stuff has the benefit of more time to explore the stories of the Mercury astronauts. The film ran for 192 minutes, but that time can’t compete with full seasons on television. Kaufman and co-writer William Goldman had to choose where to focus their attention. That is still true with this show, but there is more room to breathe. Mark Lafferty is this version’s showrunner, and his background with series like Manhattan and Halt and Catch Fire shows that he can nail a period piece.
A benefit for this adaptation is Disney Plus, which should bring a larger audience especially during a pandemic. It was produced for National Geographic and then moved to the streaming service. The eight-episode first season just concluded, and there is more to cover. The finale only reached Alan Shepard’s first flight, so I suspect that season two could at least include the next two missions. Let’s dive into the big question: does this show work? My opinion has changed a lot during this season.
A Deliberate Start
It’s clear from the beginning that this won’t be a rosy portrayal of heroes. The conflicts both at home and between the astronauts reveal both skilled and flawed pilots. If you aren’t on board with seeing the Mercury Seven look bad at times, you probably won’t enjoy this show. A glance at the IMDB comments reveals a trend in the criticism. Many don’t like the way this series presents the astronauts. This response makes sense, especially during the first two episodes. These are confident, arrogant guys.
My early concerns focus on the slow pace and the lack of material on the space program. We spend a lot of time at home, and certain scenes feel repetitive. Beyond Shepard and Glenn, the other astronauts don’t stand out as much. There isn’t much new material for NASA junkies. By the season’s midpoint, however, these early creative decisions pay major dividends. The trick is giving the show time to find its legs and pay off the slow burn.
I’m mentioning these issues not just to complain; they make me appreciate the whole picture. In particular, the focus on the astronauts’ home lives sets up big moments in later episodes. It’s a different approach than From the Earth to the Moon, which mostly showed the astronauts as stoic heroes. I love that HBO series, but it depicts Apollo. There was a more chaotic vibe to Mercury, where success was even more uncertain.
Glenn vs. Shepard
The standout performance in The Right Stuff is definitely Patrick J. Adams as John Glenn. It’s a fascinating portrayal that makes Glenn’s ambitions understandable and sometimes endearing. Glenn doesn’t always make the right choice, but his reasons are clear. Adams presents Glenn as a determined guy who’s different from the other astronauts. He sees the ultimate destination, which can cloud his judgment.
The scenes between Adams and Jake McDorman as Alan Shepard rank among the best in the series. Their conflicts drive the story, especially after Shepard is chosen for the first flight. McDorman’s handsome and confident facade mask serious doubts beneath the surface. Shepard is known for having two personas, and we see plenty of the angry side. He’s selfish and not a faithful husband, but this isn’t a one-dimensional jerk. McDorman shows us the cracks in the wall during Shepard’s quiet moments.
What makes this conflict work is the begrudging respect between the pair. Glenn may hate the way Shepard conducts his personal life, but he also recognizes his skills as a pilot and with the other guys. Part of Shepard wishes he had Glenn’s discipline, which spawns the anger. The show focuses on Shepard and Glenn over the others, and that makes these performances crucial. Both actors are the right choices for each role.
Turmoil at Home
There’s a risk to present the astronauts’ wives solely as a source of conflict. We need to see their personalities apart from their husbands. Two performances stand out for going beyond the obvious characters. Eloise Mumford shows difficulties for Trudy Cooper with essentially playing a character for the American public. She’s an accomplished pilot who could be an astronaut if that was allowed. I enjoyed seeing her story beyond just challenges with Gordon (Colin O’Donoghue).
Another interesting role is Annie Glenn, who’s played by Nora Zehetner. She doesn’t get that much screen time, but her role is important to John’s evolution. When he goes too far in criticizing Shepard, the concern on her face show’s an understanding that it’s a bad idea. Their relationship also contrasts nicely with the lives of the other astronauts. You can tell that Annie understands her sometimes neurotic husband.
For the overall season, the balance of home life and the mission evens out during the second half. The emphasis on personal lives and families sets the stage for the larger conflicts in the final episodes. It’s a slow journey at times, and the part of me that loves the space program’s history did get antsy. However, I was totally on board for the full picture by the end.
A Well-Documented History
There have been countless books written about the early days of the space program, so it’s hard to find a new historical angle. The Right Stuff presents a good story with the Mercury flights as a backdrop. Even so, I still enjoyed some elements from the mission on this show. Eric Ladin stands out as Chris Kraft, one of the leaders of the program. I’ve known him as the reporter Scott Anderson from Bosch, so it was enjoyable to see him in a much different role here. Each rocket failure hits Kraft so hard, and he understands the risk facing the astronauts.
I’m mostly familiar with Patrick Fischler through creepy roles in David Lynch projects, so it took a little while to get used to him as the straight-arrow Bob Gilruth. He gives a good performance and has strong chemistry with Ladin. There’s also an eccentric take on Wernher Von Braun from Sacha Seberg, who mostly appears in the bar scenes. Despite the longer running time, the behind-the-scenes crew is fairly limited.
I’ve only described two of the Mercury 7, and that’s because the show doesn’t spend much time with the others. Most of Gordon Cooper’s scenes involve his family life, and we see a little of Deke Slayton because of his grounding. I suspect we’d receive more of the others (especially Gus Grissom) in a future season. The focus on Glenn and Shepard allows those actors to shine. This example reveals the tough decisions needed to bring The Right Stuff to the screen. Even with more time, you still can’t showcase everyone. I hope this story gets the chance to continue with future seasons.
Related Articles: The Right Stuff
Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission Exhibition
Leaving Orbit By Margaret Lazarus Dean
A Thrilling Future: Disney’s Man in Space Episode
Support The Tomorrow Society with a small monthly contribution and become a Member of The Tomorrow Society on Patreon.
This post contains affiliate links. Making any purchase through those links supports this site. See full disclosure.
Leave a Reply