The Apollo 1 fire and the resulting deaths of two major astronauts/heroes was a tragic story during the Cold War and the Space Race. This episode is fantastic in examining NASA up against the wall and how the agency overcame this setback to ultimately achieve its goal: landing on the Moon before 1970. A few character actors here make the episode: Kevin Pollack and James Rebhorn. As key players in the aftermath of the fire, their characters provide spark and truth to the situation for any viewer. Likewise, David Andrews' portrayal of astronaut Frank Borman is key to the success of the episode. We get a taste of what's to come with the astronauts' wives in this episode as well (see the 11th installment of the series). The scenes at the end of the episode with the Senate hearings is excellent, demonstrating Walter Mondale's opposition to the program that many in the nation would eventually end up sharing. The only negative of this episode is the introduction of Borman's wife, poorly played by Rita Wilson. She single-handedly ruins two more episodes in this series, and in this episode, we start to see why.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
