The Astronaut Wives Club

:

Season 1
  • Network: ABC
  • Series Premiere Date: Jun 18, 2015
Metascore
60

Mixed or average reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 24
  3. Negative: 1 out of 24
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Critic Reviews

  1. Sioux City Journal
    Reviewed by: Bruce Miller
    Jun 22, 2015
    60
    Astronaut Wives moves as fast as a beach novel, covers more territory than a history book. But it’s history channeled through a distinct lens. The first episode was slow to launch, but the series could take off once we figure out who’s McSteamy and who’s McDreamy.
  2. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: David Hinckley
    Jun 17, 2015
    60
    With cheating rock-star husbands, secrets and reporters everywhere, there’s no way we won’t see some soap splashing on this clean-cut, All-American story.
  3. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Genevieve Valentine
    Jun 17, 2015
    58
    There’s a lack of early hooks, even in moments that stood out in Lily Koppel’s source biography.... That’s too bad, since whenever The Astronaut Wives Club does manage to bring its veteran cast, summer-pastel aesthetics, and its historical context together, there are glimpses of a very interesting show.
  5. Yahoo TV
    Reviewed by: Ken Tucker
    Jun 18, 2015
    50
    The Astronaut Wives Club frequently doesn’t seem to know what it wants to do.
  6. Philadelphia Inquirer
    Reviewed by: Molly Eichel
    Jun 18, 2015
    50
    The wives never feel like fully drawn people. Instead, they feel like takeoffs on what the press latched onto about them in the first place.
  7. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
    Reviewed by: Rob Owen
    Jun 18, 2015
    50
    At best, the show is an average prime-time soap rooted in history that improves somewhat in successive episodes.
  8. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Robert Bianco
    Jun 17, 2015
    50
    [A] lovely-but-musty escapist drama.
  9. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Alessandra Stanley
    Jun 16, 2015
    50
    The characters are likable but surprisingly flimsy.
  10. Newsday
    Reviewed by: Verne Gay
    Jun 16, 2015
    50
    Of necessity, the story is so rushed, the characters so carelessly brush-stroked, that what should be climactic--the first manned spaceflight--feels incidental, almost blase.
  11. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Whitney Matheson
    Jun 12, 2015
    50
    Unfortunately, the result is surprisingly grounded and muted, leaving its likelihood of finding an audience rather up in the air.
  12. Newark Star-Ledger
    Reviewed by: Vicki Hyman
    Jun 18, 2015
    42
    The show fails to engage on any level, striving at best for a vague earnestness.
  13. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Hillary Busis
    Jun 15, 2015
    42
    Alas, there's not much to this long-delayed adapted drama. [19 Jun 2015, p.57]
  14. Cleveland Plain Dealer
    Reviewed by: Mark Dawidziak
    Jun 12, 2015
    40
    Memorable performances are delivered by Dominique McElligott as Louise Shepard, Azure Parsons as Annie Glenn and Odette Annable as Trudy Cooper.... Lacking any semblance of compelling structure, the series is a jumble of scenes artlessly arranged in a by-the-numbers chronological order.

User Reviews

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User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 17 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 17
  3. Negative: 3 out of 17
  1. shanny1962
    Aug 21, 2015
    10
    I thought the mini-series was outstanding! I would love to read the book. After having seen "The Right Stuff", and having read several booksI thought the mini-series was outstanding! I would love to read the book. After having seen "The Right Stuff", and having read several books on the Mercury Seven, it was nice to see the wives perspectives on the space missions. Although I no some of the content was probably for dramatic effect, most of this was true and I remember most of these missions when I was a child. I have to say it put a lump in my throat numerous times and especially during the finale. I can't end this without saying, "Marge Slayton" was my favorite wife of them all.… Full Review »
  2. toliverjohn
    Jul 1, 2015
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. While this is not the best new show it it definitely worth a watch. The wives are stereotypes as well as the astronauts.

    I would like to see the guys make it to the moon. We all forget how much courage ti took to strap yourself to a roman candle and hope you did not blow up yourself.

    Of course "The Right Stuff" did a better job on the astronaut side of things. This show is mostly about the seven wives. The episode where Ann Glenn's stuttering was at the forefront was touching.    … Full Review »
  3. lukechristiansc
    Jun 22, 2015
    6
    The show that's based off a book about the wives in the space. It's old fashioned and it's devine, though the humor is not laughable. It'sThe show that's based off a book about the wives in the space. It's old fashioned and it's devine, though the humor is not laughable. It's melodramatic and it goes where ever it's pleases. Grade B… Full Review »
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