''The Right Stuff'' is an American

historical drama A historical drama (also period drama, costume drama, and period piece) is a work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television. Historical drama includes historical fiction and romance film, romances, adventure f ...

streaming television series, loosely based on the 1979 book of the same name by

Tom Wolfe Thomas Kennerly Wolfe Jr. (March 2, 1930 – May 14, 2018)Some sources say 1931; ''The New York Times'' and Reuters both initially reported 1931 in their obituaries before changing to 1930. See and was an American author and journalist widely ...

and its 1983

film adaptation A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dial ...

, that premiered on October 9, 2020, on

Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and deligh ...

. It explores the origins and growth of the

United States' space program The space policy of the United States includes both the making of space policy through the legislative process, and the implementation of that policy in the United States' civilian and military space programs through regulatory agencies. The early ...

. On April 3, 2021, Disney+ canceled the series due to a redesign in the NatGeo channel's focus. Show financier

Warner Bros. Television Warner Bros. Television Studios (operating under the name Warner Bros. Television; formerly known as Warner Bros. Television Division) is an American television production and distribution studio of the Warner Bros. Television Group division of ...

is looking to shop the series to other networks.

Premise

''The Right Stuff'' takes a "gritty, anti-nostalgic look at what would become America's first reality show as the obsessive original

Mercury Seven The Mercury Seven were the group of seven astronauts selected to fly spacecraft for Project Mercury. They are also referred to as the Original Seven and Astronaut Group 1. Their names were publicly announced by NASA on April 9, 1959; these sev ...

astronauts and their families become instant celebrities in a competition that will either kill them or make them immortal. The eight-part, one-hour-per-episode drama will follow the protagonists from the Mojave Desert to the edges of space, with future seasons carrying through to humankind’s greatest achievement: the moon landing."

Cast and characters

Main

Jake McDorman John Allen McDorman IV (born July 8, 1986) is an American actor. On television, he headlined the CBS comedy-drama '' Limitless'' (2015–2016) and was the male lead of the sitcoms '' Are You There, Chelsea?'' (2012) and ''Manhattan Love Story'' ...

Alan Shepard Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. (November 18, 1923 – July 21, 1998) was an American astronaut, naval aviator, test pilot, and businessman. In 1961, he became the second person and the first American to travel into space and, in 1971, he beca ...

Patrick J. Adams Patrick Johannes Adams (born August 27, 1981) is a Canadian actor. He is known for playing Mike Ross, a college dropout turned unlicensed lawyer in USA Network's series '' Suits''. For his role in ''Suits'', Adams was nominated for Outstanding ...

as John Glenn *

Colin O'Donoghue Colin Arthur O'Donoghue (born 26 January 1981) is an Irish actor and musician, best known for portraying Captain Killian "Hook" Jones on the ABC TV show '' Once Upon a Time''. He appeared in the 2011 horror thriller film '' The Rite'' (2011 ...

Gordon Cooper Leroy Gordon "Gordo" Cooper Jr. (March 6, 1927 – October 4, 2004) was an American aerospace engineer, test pilot, United States Air Force pilot, and the youngest of the seven original astronauts in Project Mercury, the first human spa ...

James Lafferty James Martin Lafferty (born July 25, 1985) is an American actor, director, and producer. He is best known for his portrayal of Nathan Scott on The WB/ CW teen drama television series ''One Tree Hill'' (2003–2012). Early life Lafferty was born ...

Scott Carpenter Malcolm Scott Carpenter (May 1, 1925 – October 10, 2013) was an American naval officer and aviator, test pilot, aeronautical engineer, astronaut, and aquanaut. He was one of the Mercury Seven astronauts selected for NASA's Project Mercury ...

Aaron Staton Aaron Staton (born August 10, 1980) is an American actor. He played Ken Cosgrove on the AMC drama series ''Mad Men'' (2007–2015) and voiced Cole Phelps in the video game '' L.A. Noire'' (2011), for which he was nominated for a BAFTA for Best ...

Wally Schirra Walter Marty Schirra Jr. (, March 12, 1923 – May 3, 2007) was an American naval aviator, test pilot, and NASA astronaut. In 1959, he became one of the original seven astronauts chosen for Project Mercury, which was the United States' f ...

* Michael Trotter as

Gus Grissom Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom (April 3, 1926 – January 27, 1967) was an American engineer, pilot in the United States Air Force, and member of the Mercury Seven selected by National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) as Project Mercur ...

Micah Stock Micah Stock (born December 31, 1988) is a Tony Awards, Tony-nominated American actor best known for his roles in the Sundance breakout ''Brittany Runs a Marathon'', as Doug in Netflix’s ''Bonding (TV series), Bonding'' and as Kevin in the FX o ...

Deke Slayton Donald Kent "Deke" Slayton (March 1, 1924 – June 13, 1993) was a United States Air Force pilot, aeronautical engineer, and test pilot who was selected as one of the original NASA Mercury Seven astronauts. He went on to become NASA's fir ...

Eric Ladin Eric Steven Ladin (born February 16, 1978) is an American actor. Early life and education Ladin studied at the USC School of Dramatic Arts. Career Ladin has guest starred as William Hofstadt on multiple episodes of the AMC show ''Mad Men'' a ...

Chris Kraft Christopher Columbus Kraft Jr. (February 28, 1924 – July 22, 2019) was an American aerospace and NASA engineer who was instrumental in establishing the agency's Mission Control Center and shaping its organization and culture. His protégé ...

Patrick Fischler Patrick S. Fischler (born December 29, 1969) is an American character actor known for his roles as Jimmy Barrett on the drama series ''Mad Men'', Dharma Initiative worker Phil on the drama series '' Lost'' and Detective Kenny No-Gun on the poli ...

as Bob Gilruth *

Nora Zehetner Nora Angela Zehetner (born February 5, 1981) is an American film and television actress. Early life Zehetner was born in El Paso, Texas, the daughter of Nancy Lynne (née Nelson) and John Carol Zehetner. She attended elementary school in Richar ...

Annie Glenn Anna Margaret Glenn (née Castor; February 17, 1920May 19, 2020) was an American advocate for people with disabilities and communication disorders and the wife of astronaut and senator John Glenn. A stutterer from an early age, Glenn was notab ...

Eloise Mumford Eloise Mumford (born September 24, 1986) is an American actress known for her roles on the television series '' Lone Star'', '' The River'', ''The Right Stuff'' and the ''Fifty Shades of Grey'' film series. Early life and education Mumford, ...

as Trudy Cooper *

Jackson Pace Jackson Pace (born February 19, 1999) is an American actor. He was a series regular in the Showtime television series ''Homeland'', playing Chris Brody from 2011 to 2013. He also portrays Gage in the AMC zombie hit series '' The Walking Dead'' ...

Glynn Lunney Glynn Stephen Lunney (November 27, 1936 – March 19, 2021) was an American NASA engineer. An employee of NASA since its creation in 1958, Lunney was a flight director during the Gemini and Apollo programs, and was on duty during historic even ...

Shannon Lucio Shannon Lucio (born June 25, 1980) is an American actress. Born in Denver, Colorado, Lucio grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and graduated from John Marshall High School. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California. She is well kn ...

as Louise Shepard

Recurring

* Sacha Seberg as

Wernher Von Braun Wernher Magnus Maximilian Freiherr von Braun ( , ; 23 March 191216 June 1977) was a German and American aerospace engineer and space architect. He was a member of the Nazi Party and Allgemeine SS, as well as the leading figure in the develop ...

Jordan Woods-Robinson Jordan Woods-Robinson is an American actor, musician and composer, He is best known for his portrayal of Eric Raleigh in '' The Walking Dead'' series. He has also appeared in '' Magic City'' and ''Drop Dead Diva''. Early life and education Wo ...

as Mike Turley * Rachel Burttram as

Betty Grissom Betty Lavonne Grissom (née Moore; August 8, 1927 – October 7, 2018) was the plaintiff in a successful lawsuit against a NASA contractor which established a precedent for families of astronauts killed in service to receive compensation. Her husb ...

* Jade Albany Pietrantonio as

Rene Carpenter Rene Carpenter (April 12, 1928July 24, 2020) was an American newspaper columnist and host of two Washington, D.C., television shows. As the wife of Scott Carpenter, one of the Mercury Seven astronauts, she was a pioneering member of NASA's earl ...

* Laura Ault as Jo Schirra * Chandler Head as Cam Cooper * Lucy Capri as Janita Cooper * Taegan Burns as Laura Shepard * Avery Burns as Julie Shepard * Kyra Johnson as Lyn Glenn * David Bolinger as David Glenn * Victoria White as Marge Slayton * Christopher Cassarino as Henri Landwirth *

Mamie Gummer Mary Willa "Mamie" Gummer (born August 3, 1983) is an American actress. She starred in the title role of The CW series ''Emily Owens, M.D.'' (2012–2013), and played the recurring role of Nancy Crozier on '' The Good Wife'' (2010–2015) and its ...

Jerrie Cobb Geraldyn M. Cobb (March 5, 1931 – March 18, 2019), commonly known as Jerrie Cobb, was an American aviator. She was also part of the Mercury 13, a group of women who underwent physiological screening tests at the same time as the original Mer ...

* Kaley Ronayne as Dee O'Hara *

Josh Cooke Joshua Gregory Cooke is an American actor, songwriter, comedian and musician. Personal life Cooke was born in Philadelphia and attended Harriton High School, a small public high school in suburban Rosemont. He was a member of Harriton Theater ...

as Loudon Wainwright Jr. *

Danny Strong Daniel William Strong (born June 6, 1974) is an American actor, film and television writer, director, and producer. As an actor, Strong is best known for his roles as Jonathan Levinson in ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and Doyle McMaster in ''Gilmo ...

as John A. Powers *

Jordan Blair Mangold Brown Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan River ...

Eunice Eunice is a feminine given name, from the Greek Εὐνίκη, ''Euníkē'', from "eu", good, and "níkē", victory. Eunice is also a relatively rare last name, found in Nigeria and the Southeastern United States, chiefly Louisiana and Georgia. Pe ...

Elizabeth D'Onofrio Elizabeth D'Onofrio (born October 23, 1957, in New York City) is an American film producer, actress, and acting coach. Career She conducts Audition Workshops throughout the U.S. She is also one of the founders of the RiverRun International Fil ...

as Doris

Episodes

Production

On July 25, 2017, it was announced that

National Geographic ''National Geographic'' (formerly the ''National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as NAT GEO) is a popular American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. Known for its photojournalism, it is one of the most widely ...

was partnering with Appian Way Productions and

Warner Horizon Television Warner Bros. Television Studios (operating under the name Warner Bros. Television; formerly known as Warner Bros. Television Division) is an American television production and distribution studio of the Warner Bros. Television Group division of ...

to option the screen rights to

's 1979 novel '' The Right Stuff''. The series was set to be written by Will Staples who was also expected to executive produce alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson. On February 10, 2019, it was announced during the

Television Critics Association The Television Critics Association (TCA) is a group of approximately 200 United States and Canadian television critics, journalists and columnists who cover television programming for newspapers, magazines and web publications. The TCA accepts app ...

's annual winter press tour that National Geographic had given the production a series order.

David Nutter David Nutter (born 1960) is an American television and film director and television producer. He is best known for directing pilot episodes for television. In 2015, he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Serie ...

was expected to direct the premiere episode. Additional executive producers were set to include Mark Lafferty and

Lizzie Mickery Elizabeth Mickery is a British writer and former actress. She was known for her role as Maggie Thorpe in the BBC television drama series '' Tenko'', roles in ''Emmerdale Farm'', ''Juliet Bravo'', '' Lovejoy'', '' Heartbeat'', ''Woof!'', ''The Mer ...

with Lafferty also serving as showrunner. The series premiered on October 9, 2020. On November 20, 2020, the series was granted a tax credit to film a second season in

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...

. The show had yet to be officially renewed at the time. However, on April 3, 2021, it was announced that Disney+ had canceled the series due to a change in NatGeo's programming focus. Show financier Warner Bros. Television is looking to shop the series to other networks such as

TNT Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...

and

HBO Max HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Netw ...

Casting

On May 31, 2019,

had been cast in the series lead role of John Glenn. On June 14, 2019,

and

were cast as Alan Shepard and Gordon Cooper, respectively. On June 21, 2019,

, and

joined the cast. On August 19, 2019,

was cast as NASA Spokesman John A. "Shorty" Powers. On November 29, 2019,

was cast as "Mercury 13" astronaut hopeful,

Reception

Critical response

review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...

website

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

, the series holds an approval rating of 55% based on 31 reviews, with an average rating of 7.21/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "''The Right Stuff'' contains some grace notes in its depiction of America's first slate of astronauts, but this tired retread of Tom Wolfe's famed book mostly makes the wrong moves in revitalizing space race history for the modern era." On

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...

, the series has a weighted average score of 61 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Richard Roeper of ''

The Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago T ...

'' praised the show as "a visually striking, well-acted period piece that plays like 'Mad Men: The Flyboys Edition." Writing for ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'', Alan Sepinwall called the show "a dutiful, mostly competent, infrequently lively historical workplace drama" and "almost defiantly generic in every way." ''

Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...

'' reviewer John Anderson described the show as "a perfectly serviceable drama about a rococo period of American history." Lucy Mangan of ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' rated the show 4 out of 5 stars and claimed that "''The Right Stuff'' doesn’t reach for the stars, but looks back to the Earth from which the phenomenon of astronauts and space travel, the glamour and the myths grew, along with the appetites they fed, and is all the more interesting for that." Matt Cabral of ''

Common Sense Media Common Sense Media (CSM) is an organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children.

'' rated the series 3 out of 5 stars and called it a "space drama" that is "serviceable but doesn't reach the stars." In Caroline Framke's review for ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'', she criticized the show as "familiar" and said it "never met a space story cliché it didn't embrace with open arms." In a review for ''

The Dispatch ''The Dispatch'' is an American conservative subscription-based and advertisement-free online magazine founded by Jonah Goldberg, Stephen F. Hayes, and Toby Stock. Several of ''The Dispatchs staff (including Hayes) are alumni of the defunct ...

'', Alec Dent criticized the show's choice to leave out

Chuck Yeager Brigadier General Charles Elwood Yeager ( , February 13, 1923December 7, 2020) was a United States Air Force officer, flying ace, and record-setting test pilot who in October 1947 became the first pilot in history confirmed to have exceeded the ...

, saying his absence "embodies the central problem of the show: those behind it don't seem to understand what the right stuff is, at least not well enough to portray it on TV."

Accolades

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Right Stuff (TV series), The 2020 American television series debuts 2020 American television series endings 2020s American drama television series Disney+ original programming English-language television shows Science docudramas Television series by Warner Horizon Television Television series set in the 1960s Television series based on adaptations Television shows based on non-fiction books Live action television shows based on films Cultural depictions of Wernher von Braun Television series about astronauts Television series based on actual events Project Mercury Television series about NASA Scott Carpenter Gordon Cooper John Glenn Gus Grissom Wally Schirra Alan Shepard Deke Slayton