REVIEW: “The Right Stuff” Successfully Takes Flight

The United States of America finally succeeded in sending a man into space in May 1961, after years of trying to keep up in the Space Race, dominated at the time by the Russians. The race began in 1958 and took years of rockets exploding, political schmoozing and seven pilots, known as the Mercury Seven, before NASA was able to get their Project Mercury (the first human spaceflight) off the ground. In 1979, author Tom Wolfe’s novel, The Right Stuff, arrived which focused on the Mercury Seven and the trials and tribulations each pilot, and their families, went through before and during Project Mercury. The novel was adapted into a movie in 1983 (check it out if you haven’t had the chance) and now National Geographic and Disney+ are adapting the novel into a television show, which ends up being a really fun ride.

National Geographic’s telling of the novel focuses less on the scientific side of Project Mercury and more on the emotional side of the project. The seven astronauts each play a part in the series, but John Glenn (Patrick J. Adams), Alan Shepard (Jake McDorman) and Gordon Cooper (Colin O’Donoghue) take center stage. The three are set as foils to one another with Glenn always looking to use the adoring media and eager politicians to his advantage while Shepard’s talent is almost overshadowed by his own ego and his challenges with his personal health with Cooper struggling to keep his past misdeeds out of the limelight and his family intact while trying to prove his case to be the first man in space. The balance between professional and personal storytelling create an interesting story, especially for these three.

There is also a nice secondary storyline explaining how NASA director, Bob Gilruth (Patrick Fischler) and NASA Flight Director, Chris Kraft (Eric Ladin) worked to select the pilots who would be part of Project Mercury. The two are single-minded in their quest to keep the program alive when the government is always looking for ways to reduce funding while achieving their dreams of getting a man to space. Their dynamic is hostile at times, but Fischler and Ladin ensure the audience understands that while the men may disagree and clash at times, they always respect one another. They each find a way to command the screen, whether it be by Fischler’s no nonsense glares or Ladin’s strict commands, neither is a character you want to mess with.

Adams, McDorman and O’Donoghue’s performances as Glenn, Shepard and Cooper, respectively, bring out the best and worst in each character. Adams easily navigates through Glenn’s goody-two-shoes routine in a way that will have you loving him one moment and hating him the next. McDorman’s performance, on the other hand, will end with you wanting to root for Shepard. You might not agree with everything he does, but he feels more human than Glenn. The two characters’ rivalry is clearly front and center throughout every scene they are in together and Adams and McDorman make sure to play it up as much as possible. They never push it too far, but you will definitely be able to tell the two pushed each other to work harder. O’Donoghue’s Cooper is going to be a hit or miss for audience goers. O’Donoghue is great as the misguided Cooper, but the choices and stumbles his character makes make him a hard character to consistently get behind.

The Right Stuff is one of the more mature shows on Disney+ and is definitely worth watching. You’ll want to take it for a spin this weekend but it might be helpful to have your phone, computer or a friend/family member around to ask all your Project Mercury questions to. There are a number of things about the project that are not touched upon in the first few episodes, although they could be fleshed out by the end of the show. Regardless, this series is a compelling look at a decidedly challenging time in the United States with a strong cast of engaging characters and intriguing storylines.

Grade: A