The Right Stuff Review: Sierra Hotel/Goodies (Season 1 Episodes 1 & 2)

To know what to expect from The Right Stuff, remember that it was largely a product of National Geographic before Disney+ took over its release. You may also want to become more familiar with the tone of Tom Wolfe‘s novel than that of the 1983 film adaptation.

This is a true docudrama, with little of the flash and special effects we’ve come to expect from stories of space travel and American heroes. It’s quieter and slower paced than viewers might expect from the trailers. It approaches the Mercury 7 as real, flawed human beings.

It’s also important to distinguish this show from typical Disney fare to note that this is not a show for young children. There’s strong language, sexual content (though nothing explicit), and a host of adult references and situations.

All the astronauts the series focuses on — known names in today’s history books — are arrogant and hot-headed to varying degrees. Many cheat on their wives or are estranged from their families, as we see with Alan Shepard (Jake McDorman) and Gordan Cooper (Colin O’Donoghue.)

In coming to the first program of the newly-created NASA, they are by definition in uncharted territory. We see in many ways the difference between the glamour of photo shoots, press conferences, and luxury to doubt and tension behind the screens.

The film version of The Right Stuff is highly acclaimed and deserves the praise, but also presents the content of a long and detailed book in just a couple hours. With eight hour-long installments, this series has more time to tell its story.

This means that the look we get of these men is not only of their lives in the space program, but also of their lives at home. In these first episodes, that largely refers to those home lives being upended, and their families pushed into a media frenzy.

John Glenn (Patrick Adams) is most comfortable with this new life. He’s also the most stable of the recruits featured early on. His likeability means we see many events and characters through his eyes. It’s a nice grounding point when interactions tend toward the tumultuous.

Some of the most poignant moments come from snippets of home lives, both the ones that are happy and the ones that aren’t. Annie Glenn (Nora Zehetner) is both supportive and smart, refusing to let her stutter silence her.

Trudy Cooper (Eloise Mumford), though, is separated from Gordon. She and her daughters are drawn back to him to save his image. Such scenes leave us as the audience uncomfortable, and even as we feel for our characters, we know these renowned men bear accountability.

The easiest and most obvious way to criticize The Right Stuff is that it just can’t be truly original. As intimate and detailed as the telling is, this story has been told several times before. There are powerful speeches and moments of drama — just as there are in many earlier adaptations.

Still, there’s lots of good theater. For all it rehashes, this series draws viewers in and remains engaging in large part due to its cast. When Alan Sheppard and John Glenn speak, it feels as though we are in the room not only with actors playing parts, but with Alan and John themselves.

If you expect an edge-of-your-seat adventure from the start or if you have little interest in a story already told, The Right Stuff may not make your watchlist. But if you appreciate strong writing, acting, and cinematography, even in familiar settings, you’ll likely enjoy the show.

What did you think of this episode of The Right Stuff? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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The Right Stuff streams Fridays on Disney+.

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