In the 1950's, space sci-fi (movies, Rocky Jones, Captain Video, etc.) were a must see for me. When Men into Space hit television, I was glued to the screen. Ratchet forward 60 odd years, and episodes don't have quite the dazzle they did in 1959.
Each episode seems to have the same mix of the following:
So do I like it after decades? Definitely. Part of the appeal is purely nostalgic, and the other part is looking for examples of the above and how they were woven together in a half hour show in 1959. The show tells us a lot about ourselves two years before Alan Shepard's first US manned space flight, and a mere 10 years before the moon landing. "2001: A Space Odyssey" with its attention to scientific detail is just nine years off. As a kid, I would have given Men Into Space 11 stars, Today, not so many.
Each episode seems to have the same mix of the following:
- Relatively mature themes with a hint of soap opera that stressed science, over fiction. These would have appealed to adults as well as kids back then.
- An moment of clairvoyance, in which they explore, or at least mention a concern of science or space flight that won't become relevant for at least 50 years, women astronauts being an example. One episode has striking similarities to the Apollo 13 mission.
- Silly science, including floating stars whizzing by, "tanker" rockets for refueling in space, and walking the moon in space suits about as thick as pajamas. The various rockets appear to be about as big externally a mini van, but a Greyhound bus on the inside. In one story, we see meteors pummeling the surface of the moon, and we hear the thud of each impact.
- A formulaic, fairy-tale ending where the astronauts face some life-threatening ordeal Through clever MacGyver improvisation and a stroke of ever-present luck, everyone lives happily ever-after.
- Actors we'll see in the coming years becoming stars of note to varying degrees. In Episode 1, McCauley's wife is played by Angie Dickenson.
So do I like it after decades? Definitely. Part of the appeal is purely nostalgic, and the other part is looking for examples of the above and how they were woven together in a half hour show in 1959. The show tells us a lot about ourselves two years before Alan Shepard's first US manned space flight, and a mere 10 years before the moon landing. "2001: A Space Odyssey" with its attention to scientific detail is just nine years off. As a kid, I would have given Men Into Space 11 stars, Today, not so many.