For All Mankind (TV Series) Nixon's Women (2019) User Reviews

There can be only one ...

[bosporan · 8/10 · 11 May 2022]

A good episode moving on with the women in space program. We meet a group of female trainee astronauts chosen for a variety of reasons, mostly political tokenism and PR driven, having less to do with perceived ability. An initial group of twenty is to be whittled down, Highlander style, to a final winner.

The addition of Sonya Walger as the cynical and acerbic Molly Cobb is most welcome adding a bit of grit to the oyster. She is highly qualified having trained in the Mercury program but is less propaganda, publicity and people friendly.

Alternate History Women in Space Early on.

[fmbr-1 · 9/10 · 22 August 2021]

This is where the series really starts showing the real changes in the alternate history. First, there is talk about Skylab, which is going to now become Moonlab. Second, as the soviets landed a woman on the second moon mission, Nixon wants a woman on one of the next moon missions, probably to get more of the women vote.

This episode focuses on the training of these women which include Stacy, Gordo's wife. It's a good way of showing the astronaut training as well as the way the early astronauts needed to not only be good pilots but also good ambassadors for NASA and the government to the press. Candidates ability to do this is almost as important as their ability to operate the equipment.

The various personalities and backgrounds of several women is explored and this is fairly formulaic. There is the super-competent woman who is a little harsh and cynical. There is Stacy, who is really there because she is Gordo's wife and that would play well with the press, there is a black woman to help with two minority demographics, there is a rich woman hiding she is rich, etc.

Not perhaps the best episode so far but it is still a good one with strong performances.

History Lesson

[moviesfilmsreviewsinc · 10/10 · 12 August 2022]

Tracy becomes a focal point as the search for women to join the space race becomes a massive priority. While the men during the search may be going through the motions and treating it as a gimmick, the march of progress is felt throughout the hour, as the time period's version of equality appears. It's telling that Tracy doesn't allow herself to break even a smile until she's alone and seeing herself in the mirror. Gordo's excitement is a little too obvious that he got something in return, and so in the quiet moment, her enjoyment of the possibility is all her own. That Karen is completely the opposite, and finds it insulting to not only her husband but that NASA thinks Tracy can do this is a rather telling sign that perhaps she doesn't see Tracy in as positive a light. Perhaps it's because the world is not ready for this yet and must adjust; or perhaps it speaks of Karen's opinion of Tracy, and their friendship isn't as strong as initially shown. But underestimating Tracy, as the episode proves, is something that will not work. It's something that happens often, even during the first scene when taking over flying from Gordo and proving herself a pro pilot. It's an endearing insight into Tracy, showing that she's spent so much time having to prove herself and finally has the ultimate chance to prove her worth. The episode continuously places Tracy as not up to the task, yet she proves herself every time. She even goes out of her way to show compassion even if it will risk her overall standing, like helping Ellen on the desert course. It's the kindness and the drive she possesses that makes her a strong candidate and a strong character.

Life imitates art

[antony-1 · 5/10 · 5 July 2023]

Don't people see the irony on this one?

The whole episode is about American men getting caught up in what makes a sexy poster child for space travel.

Blonde and sexy, no ugly women etc. It's a comment on the time.

Then at the last moment they make you think that they killed the pretty blonde white woman.

GOTCHA!

Don't worry, it's onnnnlyy Patty. We fooled you didn't we? Then out of the flames, we can go "Oh thank god it was only Patty, the woman of Asian* heritage not our important white blonde lead."

*I assume Asian heritage.

Sixty two more characters are needed for the IMDb machine. Thanks.