They threw A LOT of characters at us in forty-two minutes (give or take a commercial). So I’m sorry if I don’t know everyone’s name right off the bat. The astronauts and their wives should be easy because—hey—they are historical people. I can look up their names.
Let’s begin.
It’s May 5, 1961 and a rocket carrying Alan Shepherd has just been launched by NASA. If all goes well, Shepherd will be the first American in space. As the rocket climbs into the sky, the camera pulls out into a living room.
Sitting on the couch, holding her breath, is Louise Shepherd. She watches her husband slip beyond Earth as a man sitting next to her asks her for a comment. He’s a reporter for Life, who has the exclusive interview with Mrs. Shepherd. Louise doesn’t say anything.
Instead, we flashback to two years earlier. Louise hurries through a naval base and finds her husband sitting awfully close to his female secretary. But she ignores it and tells Alan that NASA called. She couldn’t reach his office and she thought it was important, so she brought it herself. Alan thanks her and the secretary leaves. Louise makes to leave but he asks her to stay to listen to the call. After he ends the call, it sounds like he didn’t make it. But Alan surprises her and tells her he’s going to be an astronaut. They share a celebratory kiss.
ABC digs out its old news broadcast and logo as America meets the seven men who form the basis of the astronaut core: Shepherd, Gordon Cooper, Scott Carpenter, Wally Schirra, Deke Slayton, John Glenn and Gus Grissom. As the spokesman says they don’t know who will be the first man in space, all seven men raise their hands and the news corp has a good laugh. Of course, all seven men are completely serious.
They attend a party in their honor and we get to meet the other wives. There’s Rene Carpenter (name rhymes with “Peachy-keen” as she says), a statuesque blonde who tries to be as friendly as possible. There’s also sweet Jo Schirra and silent Annie Glenn. The other wives spot Gordon getting handsy with his wife Trudy, but she puts a stop to it and says it wasn’t part of the agreement. A marriage for show? Hmm…Anyway, Trudy pretends to be madly in love with him as some of the other wives pass by.
Meanwhile, a NASA official, Pringle, talks to the reporter from earlier. The reporter is a bit uncomfortable following the astronauts and their wives around. Like he’s invading their property. But Pringle is like “They pretty much signed up for it. Do your job.” The reporter is like “I’m a journalist, not a member of your PR team.” Pringle doesn’t seem to care.
The wives converge at the bar. It’s here we meet the last two members of The Astronaut Wives Club—Marge Slayton and Betty Grissom. Marge proves to be just as protective of her husband as Louise and, surprisingly, Trudy. They have a my husband is better than your husband competition—especially between Louise and Trudy. Rene wants everyone to get along and Jo looks like she agrees. Betty looks like she stepped into a battlefield and Annie’s just praying no one expects her to speak. Does she not speak English?
Our reporter friend comes over and introduces himself. He tells the women that he’ll be chronicling their lives as the astronaut wives. At first, they seem a bit hesitant—they all realize this means they will kiss their privacy goodbye. Most of them have children to consider. But Trudy and Louise realize this will help their husbands, so they are for it. They gang up on Rene, who lays into them. She’s all for supporting her husband as are the rest. They agree to welcoming the reporter into their lives.
So one morning, they show up for their first photoshoot. They will be posing by a rocket. Of course. Louise continues to remain aloof around the other wives, Trudy admits she wants to be an astronaut one day, Jo goes on about some magazine she swears by and everyone continues to take care of silent Annie Glenn. They get their pictures taken and away they go.
The astronauts and their wives become instant celebrities. NASA gives them identical houses next to each other. They can always see each other! Including at a barbecue at the Slayton household. The reporter bugs Louise as she tries to make some sort of dessert involving jello. She then spots her daughters running around in kimonos and chastises them for going through Mrs. Slaydon’s things. She has them take it off as Marge comes in. Louise apologizes, though she notes the kimonos came from a trunk labeled “Joseph O’Flanaghan.” Hmm…Anyway, Louise offers to help her fold the kimonos but Marge says it has to be done in a certain way. She also makes it clear she doesn’t want to discuss the matter.
Anyway, the men have to leave and the women are left to entertain themselves. They do get new cars—but ones NASA picked out. Ones that are good for toting the family and the groceries around. Because, you know, they’re women! That’s all they need the car for, right? Most of the women are thrilled, except Trudy. She asks what the men got.
They got sports cars, it seems. All six park in formation as if on some car commercial. They get out of their cars and head out to the waves at the beach. Alan notices some cute beach bunnies hanging by and starts flirting. Uh oh.
That night, Trudy and Gordon talk. He tells her that they are going to test a missile and she’s thrilled for him. Trudy is just as fascinated by the space program but proves that she can understand it better than the other wives. She then hears the sound of partying and asks what’s going on. Gordon reveals some of the guys have some friends over. She hangs up and then calls Pringle, suggesting that the wives should surprise the men and be there for the missile test. Pringle likes it.
So the women arrive to find their men partying at the hotel. They have a boat in the pool. You can bet the wives react accordingly. Some of the guys are thrilled to see their wives, I think Gordon knows Trudy is behind it and Louise discovers Alan with one of his beach bunnies. Everything gets serious as Louise tries to put on a brave face. At this point, I want to give her a hug.
Alan follows his wife, pleading with her. Louise tells him that everyone warned her about him—her family, his family, all his friends. Geez, you had a lot of red flags, lady. But she married him anyway. She loves him and believes in him. But she will not him making her a mockery. So pretty much no more beach bunnies for Alan. He tells her that he loves her too.
This isn’t going to last long, is it?
Trudy talks with a few others in her room. She says she knows what Louise is going through. Though she doesn’t go into details, it appears Trudy caught Gordon cheating. She confides to the women that their marriage now is just for show. That she had filed for divorce but didn’t go through with it when NASA called. She still believes in Gordon and wanted to do everything she could to help him succeed. Aww, Trudy.
On a beach, the wives watch the missile take off. They talk about watching their husbands ride that one day…until it explodes. Six of them are horrified and express concern that their husbands could be riding that. Louise says that they will fix it, that’s why they have those tests. The women think she’s being cold and callous. Almost like she’s NASA’s puppet. She storms off.
Deflated, the women head back home while the men continue their training. Louise and her daughters get a surprise visit from Alan. He tells them the good news—he’s going to be the first man in space. As the girls celebrate, Alan thanks Louise—he says he couldn’t have done it without her.
Trudy finds out that Gordon will be doing the countdown for Alan’s flight. She’s impressed and congratulates him. They continue to talk and they do seem to have a good friendship, even if their marriage is over.
Louise goes down to visit with Alan ahead of his launch. While she’s there, Pringle comes running to their room to announce that they have a problem. What is it? They’ve just gotten word that Russia has beat them to space—that they launched a man three weeks prior. Alan won’t be the first man but Louise reminds him that he’ll be the first American—and that means something.
The news makes a big deal about Russia’s achievement. And of course there’s plenty of Cold War paranoia thrown in for good measure—Russia could spy on us IN SPACE! Russia can bomb us FROM SPACE! RUSSIA! SPACE!
NASA decides to send Alan up anyway, to not let Russia have all the glory. So Louise goes home to a media circus as Alan prepares to go into space.
The other wives head over to Louise’s with food. No one knows what she is going through but these ladies feel they are the closest thing she has to a support system. Louise thanks them for coming over but then closes the door. She wants to be alone.
As the other wives go to party somewhere else, we return to our opening scene. Louise sitting on the couch as her husband heads into space, NASA waiting for him to communicate with them. Mission Control is tense as they keep paging him. At last he responds, the news reports it and the reporter turns to ask Louise for her statement. She lets out a sob and runs off to compose herself.
Louise gives her statement, steps out to address the press and then it’s a whirlwind adventure for her. She and Alan get to go to the White House and meet the Kennedys. They spend the night in a hotel…or start to. Alan reveals that the next goal is the moon so he has to go back to Florida to get working on that. Louise isn’t fooled and is brokenhearted.
Trudy talks to Gordon and she hears another party going on. As their call ends, Gordon decides to go hang out with a pretty beach bunny. Bet Alan’s with her friend. Anyway, Trudy’s upset and she goes over to Louise’s because her lights are on. Louise lets her in and they listen to some music, talking.
The lights and sounds draw the other women out and they have an impromptu party. Aww, you guys, Louise is getting more social and making friends. As Annie shows off her dance moves, Betty goes inside to answer a call. She comes back out and announces that Gus is going up into space next. Everyone celebrates by dancing as the night continues on.
I am definitely loving this so far! Trudy is my favorite though I do like Betty as well. My heart clenches every time she and/or Gus appear on screen because I know what’s going to happen to him. And I don’t want to see Betty get hurt like that.
I’m going to hang on for this ride. Hope you will too.
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