The Right Stuff Review: VOSTOK (Season 1 Episode 6)

One element of the space program that might be underplayed in today’s historical records is just how close it came to being shut down before it could achieve its goals. This episode of The Right Stuff makes that its focus.

A great deal of this is focused on John Glenn writing letters to object to Alan Shepard’s selection as the first of the astronauts to go into space. The fear of what he might reveal and what turmoil that might cause are both threats in themselves.

The whole affair creates a mix of emotions, especially when we like to remember the Mercury 7 as a brotherhood. A primary one is that Glenn has a strong point: Shepard’s arrogance and infidelities might not affect his skill, but they detract from the image of an American hero.

On the other hand, there is a tone here that suggests this is more about Alan “beating” John than the actual morality of his behavior. Whether this comes directly from fact or from the show’s writing is likely something only the men who lived this story know.

Still, this is the first time we’ve seen what could be seen as a kind of pettiness in John, despite how easy it is to empathize with him. The scenes where he fervently defends his actions to Annie and to Bob Gilruth can feel uncomfortable.

Whether the show actually convinces us that these letters could truly have caused Kennedy to shut down the space program is debatable. On some level, it feels like it’s just a chance to get all conflicts out in the open, though it is a relief to see that happen.

It’s easier to grasp some of the other threats to the program, most prominently the considerable possibility of an astronaut being harmed or killed before the eyes of the nation. That’s well portrayed in the medical issues continuing to plague Shepard.

Again, we feel both pity and frustration for him. The moments portraying the ringing in his ears and discord in his mind are so engrossing that we feel we’re living them, too. Yet he maintains a fierce denial even with such high stakes at hand.

The plot gives us another great scene with Nurse Dee, still refusing to be either intimidated or swayed by Alan’s veil of anger. She makes some progress in getting him to acknowledge his situation, even if that’s only to himself.

This comes to a head in a key test to prove that emergency safety measures work. Shepard is ultimately successful, but there’s a full minute of tension beforehand. The critics don’t seem convinced, and even knowing how things will turn out, its easy for audiences be alarmed, too.

Outside of all this are a couple deeply personal moments for other astronauts. Deke Slayton is told his arrhythmia will ground him, likely permanently. It’s both heartbreaking for what he’s sacrificed and angering again, because Shepard’s issues seem potentially worse.

The episode also opens with a scene that finally brings a form of closure to the death of Gordon Cooper’s friend in the first episode. After some ill-advised celebration leads him to cut his hand, he flashes back to that moment.

Seeing him wrestle with these emotions is a gut punch, particularly because of the expectations of stoicism placed on these men. The trauma he’s experienced reflects both on it and on the possibilities of what may soon come.

The hour ends with the biggest strike of all—news that the Russians have successfully launched a man into orbit. It’s been inevitable from the start, but hearing it announced as a loss for America itself brings every sense of it home.

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

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

The Right Stuff streams Fridays on Disney+

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

15 Binge-Worthy TV Comedies on Disney+