The Right Stuff

This series nails the historical drama, offering an engaging account of this remarkable, nation-defining event. But while its cast of star-gazing cowboys could have complemented and deepened the story, they too often feel like stock characters in shiny space suits. Kicking off mere hours before the first American astronaut is blasted into space, the story abruptly flashes back two years. It's a fun set-up and cliffhanger, though one that could possibly alienate anyone expecting a thrilling space adventure versus a historical drama.

Stick with it past that initial tease, though, and you'll discover the narrative leading up to that historic moment is nearly as absorbing as the launch itself. Given room to breath over the course of its episodic run, the series digs into everything from the exhaustive astronaut selection process and grueling training to the complicated personal lives of the chosen Mercury Seven. The latter provides an especially interesting exploration into the unexpected celebrity the men faced upon being selected and positioned as national heroes. Sadly, The Right Stuff stumbles a bit in its characterizations of the astronauts, rarely fleshing them out beyond a few, often stereotypical, traits. There's plenty of potentially juicy conflict between John Glenn (Patrick J. Adams) and Alan Shepard (Jake McDorman), for example, but too often they're reduced to the responsible boy scout and reckless playboy, respectively. What's worse, these two represent the most layered of the bunch, with the other five often coming off like interchangeable clones -- all handsome, confident white guys hoping to go to space.