The Astronaut Wives Club: SNAFU

Last time on TAWC: We were introduced to the seven men who became the first astronauts and their wives. As the women adjusted to life in the limelight, they also managed to band together. Even Louise Shepherd, who remained aloof and tried to project the image of the perfect wife. Things weren’t always so perfect with her husband Alan, but they loved each other. After his successful trip to outer space, the women prepared for life as astronaut wives and Betty Grissom learned her Gus would be the next to go up.

Commence the Countdown…

Betty and Annie go shopping together. Betty’s looking for the perfect outfit to wear when she goes to the White House. She has a few doubts but Annie manages to convince her to get a yellow Jackie O number, stutter and all. Betty goes for it.


Meanwhile, Alan and Louise appear on a talk show being interviewed. Alan talks about how Louise is his rock and how they meet. Louise talks about how she had faith in God and NASA, which is how she got through Alan’s launch. The other wives watch her and Trudy says it’s like NASA programmed her. They make a few more jokes as someone rings the doorbell. It’s clear they are at the Slaytons’ as Marge gets up to answer it.

A shady looking man is on the other side and says he’s a private investigator. He’s been hired by a rival magazine to get a story on the Astronaut Wives. Marge says they are only to talk to Life. The private investigator makes some vague comments about Marge’s past and then says he’s gotten what he wants—a photograph of her. She throws him off her property and flees inside.

Betty and Louise go for a walk  with the reporter. They talk about Gus’ launch and Betty asks Louise how she remained so calm. Betty says she’s really scared and the reporter assures the women that whatever they say will be off the record. Louise, though, repeats her statements about having faith and knowing things will work out. Betty doesn’t seem comforted that much.

The reporter then says that it’s better to get one’s fears out in the open. Or else they might manifest themselves in other ways. Betty asks if they could become nightmares and he says they could. Louise just glares at him before excusing herself to get her girls something to drink.

Marge goes down to a rather seedy bar and meets with the investigator. She offers him $200 to not publish the story and go away. He tells her to keep the money. He won’t run the story…as long as she brings back information about either Gus Grissom’s flight or John Glenn’s.

Yes, John Glenn is also getting ready for his own flight. And he is going to orbit the earth. NASA, though, has some concerns about Annie. She says she’ll be able to be a good wife and will handle the press if she can give a practiced statement. Pringle thinks it sounds good.

Louise goes to a local diner where she finds the reporter. She lays into him, saying his words to Betty were meant more for her. Louise says that if everyone thinks she’s perfect, it’s because of him. Because his article made her out that way. The reporter says he wrote what the country needed to hear and what NASA wanted them to hear. He tells her that Betty needed to hear that it was okay to be nervous. Louise storms off.

Betty heads down to Florida to spend some time with Gus. She assures him everything will be fine. As they head to their room, their boys run off and the Grissoms encounter a maid and her son. Gus notices the boy is reading about space and asks him to do Gus a favor. He really wants to sign an autograph and hopes the boy will let him. The boy agrees and Gus asks if he wants to be an astronaut. When he answers in the affirmative, Gus tells him to keep at his schoolwork—especially math. The maid thanks Gus, saying she’s doing her best to raise her son right. Betty says she should be thanking the maid if she’s been cleaning up after Gus all this time. The maid says she’d be nervous to have her son hurtling through space and Betty understands that.

That night, Betty tells Gus that she loves him. She thanks him for being a good husband and father. He tells her that he loves her and that nothing is going to go wrong. They then go off to the bedroom for what I assume is sexytimes.

At home, Gordon helps his daughter with a collage project as she reads the newspaper. She tells Trudy that her friend Dot has one some air race. Trudy goes over to see the article and explains she was training with Dot. Her daughter asks if she could’ve then won the race and Trudy says it’s possible. She then sends her daughter to bed.

Gordon tells Trudy that what she’s doing is important and then tries to kiss her but she pushes him away. She tells him to talk to her instead, to tell her about what’s going on at NASA. He gives her short answers and says he doesn’t want to talk shop at home. So Trudy shoves his laundry at him and tells him to fold his own socks.

The day arrives for Gus’ launch. The media swarms the Grissom household as all the wives show up with food. The private investigator stops Marge and asks if she has any information. She tells him to buzz off.
Inside, Betty is a bundle of nerves. The other wives try to calm her down but she ends up breaking an egg. She tells Reporter that he’ll have to write about that. He responds that she could pass out and he’ll still say she was the epitome of grace under pressure. Marge teases that he’ll write about her inner Primly Steadly. Reporter asks about it and Rene does the impression, where the wife says she had no worries and knew her husband would be home in time to try her newest dish. Louise asks if they are making fun of her. They insist it’s just what NASA wants them to be…but Louise is better at it.

The launch begins and everyone hurries to the TV except Louise. She takes a moment to compose herself, the Reporter the only one who gets to see the woman behind the armor again.

Betty settles on the couch, unable to look away as Gus is sent into outer space. Things happen around her, but she remains focused on the screen until the newscaster says that Gus’ capsule is in the water. Everyone hugs Betty…then the newscaster says there’s trouble rescuing Gus. Betty stops breathing. It’s a struggle but eventually Gus is safe aboard the helicopter.

Relieved, Betty straightens herself up and heads out to face the media. She gives her statement but then the media barrages her with questions she would not have the answers to—why did Gus pop open the hatch, why would he be cleaning up, what about the data lost? Why doesn’t NASA have a spokesperson out there to say a wife wouldn’t know anything about that?

Ugh.

Meanwhile, Betty pulls Marge aside to ask her about being questioned by the private investigator. She says that he’s harassing her for information or else he’ll print an unflattering article about her. Marge tells her to go to Pringle, that NASA will help her.

Louise tries to tell Alan that she was scared during his launch but Alan praises her strength and calls her his rock. Well, scratch that then. Meanwhile, Marge asks Deke if it’s okay if some of the things they thought would stay in the past didn’t. He says that wouldn’t be good. Poor Marge.

Betty goes down to visit Gus with her boys. NASA is giving them a house on the coast to stay at and Betty wonders why. Gus tells her it’s because they aren’t going to the White House. And that there’s an investigation about why the hatch blew. Betty is angry and indignant that they would think it was his fault. She doesn’t want to go the house and demands to go back to the hotel. Gus complies.

Marge meets with Pringle and explains her predicament. He asks her what this private investigator might dig up. She confesses that she grew up poor with an abusive father it took her mother too long to leave. And she admits that she worked in Japan as a secretary when she was single. Pringle does admit that might seem seedy to some people even though she didn’t do anything. Marge then confesses that she was single because she left her husband. She’s divorced. Pringle is quite for a bit but then promises her that they will kill the story. She thanks him.

Annie practices her speech for after John’s flight as the women show up, shouting the dishes they brought to the media outside. Everyone hangs out as Annie paces her living room. It’s then announced that John’s flight is scrubbed because of poor weather. Everyone comforts Annie as her phone rings.

Jo answers and says it’s Vice President Johnson’s office. She asks Annie if she wants to talk. Annie shakes her head. Jo gives Annie’s regrets before telling her that the Vice President is on his way. He wants to comfort Annie in person and have it filmed for all three networks. It’s Annie’s nightmare come to life.
The wives debate whether or not she should let Vice President Johnson in. As they argue, Annie grows more upset until she slams down the phone and insists she needs to call John. The other women understand.

NASA is having a bad day. They feel like the world is laughing at them—Russia beats them to space, something goes wrong with Gus’ flight and now they’re thwarted by some clouds. Another man insists they made the right call before someone reveals that John’s on the phone with Annie, discussing whether or not she should let Johnson in. NASA demands she does or they’ll ground John. But John just asks his wife what she wants. She doesn’t want to let Johnson in. So he tells her not to. NASA grounds him as the women rally around Annie.

Down in Florida, the men rally around John. They realize that if NASA can ground him, they can ground any of them. And they could bully any of their wives next. So everyone refuses to go up in place of John so NASA has no choice but to send him up.

There’s a scene where Trudy and Gordon argue about who is flying and what is fair. Pretty much Trudy is a feminist but we know that now, right?

Dinner is tense in Betty’s house as she notices her son’s collar is ripped. He tries to dodge her questions but soon confesses that he got into a fight at school over his dad. Gus storms from the table and Betty tells her son she’ll mend his shirt. And that the other kid better look worse.

Betty gives Gus a piece of her mind and he tells her to come with him. He shows her footage from his rescue that she didn’t see. They are more focused on trying to rescue the capsule rather than the drowning man, even putting him in more peril with every rescue attempt. Betty looks ready to kill someone. I don’t blame her.

Anyway, the skies clear and John goes up to orbit the Earth. America celebrates pulling ahead of Russia with a ticker tape parade down Manhattan’s Canyon of Heroes. Marge takes pictures as Betty thanks Annie for convincing NASA to let everyone participate in the parade. Annie hops in the car with John as Gus pulls Betty away. He tells her that the investigation cleared him—something mechanical caused the hatch to blow. Betty hugs him and they go to get in their car.

Louise stops Betty, though, and tells her that she held up better during Gus’ flight than Louise did during Alan’s. Betty appreciates it as Alan snaps at Louise to get in the car.

Once Trudy makes it into her car, the parade starts. The astronauts and their wives wave to the people as ticker tape showers down from the city buildings. Everyone is all smiles and the newscaster announces that Deke Slayton will be the next to go up.

Marge goes through her pictures when her husband comes home. He yells at her to keep the driveway clear so he doesn’t run over the kids’ toys. Marge says they can always buy new toys then asks if he’s drunk. Deke says NASA’s grounded him. She asks why and his look at her tells her everything—it’s because of her past.

dun dun DUN!

Things are picking up! I like how Louise is trying to fit in with the other women but is still somewhat of an outsider. Betty may be sweet but she has teeth—as does Annie. I’d like to see more of Rene but I’m sure we’ll get that soon enough.