In 1959, 7 men were chosen to be the first people to go into space and they became instant stars. Not only did they become famous, so did their wives. And tonight for the next 10 weeks their story will be told on ABC’s The Astronaut Wives Club.
The 7 men and their wives didn’t know each other before they were selected for the space program and now they are a team and a support system. The women will be there for each other when their husband’s go into space. Remember, they were the first ones to do it, so they are scared that their husband’s might not come back from their groundbreaking flights. Besides that pressure, they also have to deal with the press wanting to know more about them. As they press finds out more about them, so do we. Their lives aren’t as perfect as they look, so it helps that they have each other to be there for them.
There’s Alan Shepard (Desmond Harrington), whose the first to go into space, and his wife, Louise (Dominique McElligott), who is the toughest one of them all. She is the woman they strive to be. Gus Grissom and his wife, Betty (JoAnna Garcia), who is sweet and wears her emotions on her sleeve. John Glenn (Sam Reid) and his wife, Annie (Azure Parsons), and she stutters. Because of that she is afraid to face the press and that will cause problems for them. Scott Carpenter (Wilson Bethel) and his wife, Rene (Yvonne Strahovski) and she is the prettiest one of them all. Not only is she pretty, she has a secret that will make the press turn against her. Wally Schirra (Aaron McCusker) and his wife, Jo (Zoe Boyle) whose very supportive of her husband. Gordo Cooper (Bret Harrison) and his “wife” Trudy (Odette Annabell). I put wife in quotes because they are actually separated because he cheated on her, but they don’t want anyone to know. Deke Slayton (Kenneth Mitchell) and his wife, Marge (Erin Cummings) who is always by side. Tonight we get to know them and starting next week each of their husbands will go into space one by one.
It isn’t only their stories that makes this period drama so hypnotizing to watch, it is how perfectly they nailed that era. I couldn’t recognize some of the actors because their appearance changed so much for that time period. All of them looked better in that style than they their current look. Some period pieces don’t feel authentic, but this one does.
Plus, it makes you want to learn more about the Mercury 7. When we think about the space program, it normally starts with man landing on the moon. But those astronauts were not even the first 7 to go into space.
So starting tonight learn about their journey on a show that is as stunning to watch as it is to look at.
I can’t say enough great things about the show that debuts tonight at 8p on ABC.
