I’m going to go ahead and call it: ABC’s The Astronaut Wives Club is the most exciting show of the summer.
Read on for five reasons you should be watching when it premieres this Thursday, and check out the photos and promo video for a sneak peek.
1. Major nostalgia – do you miss Mad Men? Me too. But it looks like The Astronaut Wives Club might have the goods to ease the pain just a bit. Set during the space race, the show is chock full of retro outfits, hairdos, and attitudes. The show mixes in real footage of newscasts with the fictional story of the seven men (and more importantly, their wives) who are the frontrunners for being the first man in space, plus the man who is documenting them for Time Magazine. The families become royalty as America, and the world, waits to see who will get to space first. Or, as the show puts it, America’s pastimes become “baseball, apple pie, and astronauts.”
2. Education – yes, you read that right. To me, one of the most enjoyable elements of the show is that it includes so much historical information about the space race. For those of us who weren’t around for the real thing, it’s illuminating to live vicariously through the agony, anxiety, and excitement of the first few voyages into space. We take it for granted now, but being put in the position of family members watching a loved one do something no one has done before (and that no one even knows for sure will work) really puts things into a whole new perspective. Plus you get to fill in the details of what you learned like a million years ago in history class. Let’s just say I was definitely not bawling by the time the first launch takes place. Definitely not.
3. Perspective – speaking of perspective, I’m really glad that The Astronaut Wives Club decided to tell the story through the eyes of the seven wives. This really helps bring into focus just how much heart ache and energy went into the race to get to space before the Soviet Union. For all Americans. Plus, the wives were excellently cast.
4. Competition – now, I realize at this point that this show is starting to sound a bit… hokey. But I promise, it’s not. Right along with the retro vibes, American pie patriotism, and educational extras comes a whole heck of a lot of drama. Why? Because all seven men want to be the first person in space. And they don’t know who it’s going to be. Needless to say, this means that although the women are referred to as a ‘club’, they definitely aren’t besties. At all. Get ready for some epic side eye.
5. The Real Housewives – Astronauts were basically the original reality stars and The Astronaut Wives Club is basically the original Real Housewives. It’s got everything: drama, competition, free cars, affairs, backstabbing… Our seven main men become rock stars and the world wants to know everything about their lives. And since they are off training and stuff, it’s up to the wives to conduct interviews, pose for photo shoots, and deal with the paparazzi on their doorsteps. I mean, don’t they look like they could be on Real Housewives?
THE ASTRONAUT WIVES CLUB – “Launch – A new television drama series based on the book by Lily Koppel, focuses on seven women who were key players behind some of the biggest events in American history. As America’s astronauts were launched on death-defying missions, the lives of their young wives were transformed, seemingly overnight, from military spouses to American royalty. As their celebrity rose, and tragedy began to touch their lives, they rallied together. “The Astronaut Wives Club” premieres THURSDAY, JUNE 18 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/Cook Allender)
DOMINIQUE MCELLIGOTT, ZOE BOYLE, ERIN CUMMINGS, ODETTE ANNABLE
THE ASTRONAUT WIVES CLUB – ABC’s “The Astronaut Wives Club” stars JoAnna Garcia Swisher as Betty Grissom, Odette Annable as Trudy Cooper, Azure Parsons as Annie Glenn, Yvonne Strahovski as Rene Carpenter, Dominique McElligott as Louise Shepard, Zoe Boyle as Jo Schirra and Erin Cummings as Marge Slayton. (ABC/Bob D’Amico)
THE ASTRONAUT WIVES CLUB – “Launch” – Seven women are transformed, seemingly overnight, from military spouses to American royalty as they prepare for the mission of a lifetime when NASA chooses their husbands – talented test pilots from around the country – to be the first Americans in space! These women who once were strangers rally around their husbands and their country. With death defying missions underway, these women form a bond only they could understand. As Alan Shepherd is tapped to be the first to go up, his wife Louise is the picture of strength as she handles the pressures of space exploration and her responsibilities as wife and mother. With the other women by her side, the race to space is on in the premiere episode of “The Astronaut Wives Club,” THURSDAY, JUNE 18 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/Cook Allender)
DOMINIQUE MCELLIGOTT, JOANNA GARCIA SWISHER
THE ASTRONAUT WIVES CLUB – “Launch – A new television drama series based on the book by Lily Koppel, focuses on seven women who were key players behind some of the biggest events in American history. As America’s astronauts were launched on death-defying missions, the lives of their young wives were transformed, seemingly overnight, from military spouses to American royalty. As their celebrity rose, and tragedy began to touch their lives, they rallied together. “The Astronaut Wives Club” premieres THURSDAY, JUNE 18 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/Cook Allender)
BRET HARRISON, JOEL JOHNSTONE, KENNETH MITCHELL, EVAN HANDLER, SAM REID
THE ASTRONAUTS WIVES CLUB – ABC’s “The Astronaut Wives Club” stars Zoe Boyle as Jo Schirra, Azure Parsons as Annie Glenn, Erin Cummings as Marge Slayton, JoAnna Garcia Swisher as Betty Grissom, Dominique McElligott as Louise Shepard, Yvonne Strahovski as Rene Carpenter and Odette Annable as Trudy Cooper. (ABC/Cook Allender)
THE ASTRONAUT WIVES CLUB – “Launch – A new television drama series based on the book by Lily Koppel, focuses on seven women who were key players behind some of the biggest events in American history. As America’s astronauts were launched on death-defying missions, the lives of their young wives were transformed, seemingly overnight, from military spouses to American royalty. As their celebrity rose, and tragedy began to touch their lives, they rallied together. “The Astronaut Wives Club” premieres THURSDAY, JUNE 18 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/Cook Allender)
ZOE BOYLE, ODETTE ANNABLE, YVONNE STRAHOVSKI, JOANNA GARCIA SWISHER
THE ASTRONAUT WIVES CLUB – “Launch” – Seven women are transformed, seemingly overnight, from military spouses to American royalty as they prepare for the mission of a lifetime when NASA chooses their husbands – talented test pilots from around the country – to be the first Americans in space! These women who once were strangers rally around their husbands and their country. With death defying missions underway, these women form a bond only they could understand. As Alan Shepherd is tapped to be the first to go up, his wife Louise is the picture of strength as she handles the pressures of space exploration and her responsibilities as wife and mother. With the other women by her side, the race to space is on in the premiere episode of “The Astronaut Wives Club,” THURSDAY, JUNE 18 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/Cook Allender)
DOMINIQUE MCELLIGOTT, DESMOND HARRINGTON
To sum it up, I’m ridiculously excited about this series. The mix of patriotism and high drama makes for the ideal summer show. Seriously, this show feels like summer. I highly suggest you tune in.
Amanda is an associate editor for Tell-Tale TV. She is a writer, teacher, and pop culture enthusiast with a love for 30 Rock and The Mindy Project. She is also the proud mother of two orange cats. Follow @amandarcoyne
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