For All Mankind — Series 1: Episode 2 — He Built the Saturn V — A Review

22nd January, 2020.

It’s got to be said … 

My boiler situation?   Still isn’t completely over.

If you’ve been following my Daily Teasers, recently, you’ll know I’ve had my boiler replaced.

It’s working … 

But I was expecting an electrician out, today: between — so I was told — between eight and one.

I phoned to check … and apparently … ?

He’s actually due out tomorrow.

Either between eight and five: according to the office.

Or between eight and eight-thirty … according to a text message the contractors sent me … !

Ho … hum!

~≈¥≈~

At any rate … ?

With no cash until payday — tomorrow, in other words — I felt that staying om and watching TV would be a good idea.

Given I watched the first episode a couple of days ago?

You’re possibly not surprised I watched more of Series 1 of For All Mankind, are you … ?

~≈¥≈~

Episode 2 — He Built the Saturn v — opens with tense scenes in Mission Control: as the team headed by Gene (Eric Ladin) and Werner von Braun (Colm Feore) try to make sure the Apollo Eleven gets off the moon.

Meanwhile … ?

Ed (Joel Kinnaman) is being put on warning, after his disastrous meeting with the Press.   Ed’s also contacted by Senator Sandman (Saul Rubinek): an ambitious senator, looking to oust von Braun from office.

Gordo (Michael Dorman) is having marital issues: which are temporarily resolved when his wife,  Tracey (Sarah Jones) has a long talk with her old friend, Karen* (Shantel VanSanten).

Octavio (Arturo Del Puerto) has concerns about his daughter, Aleida (Olivia Trujillo): who has a bad habit of playing with matches.

Von Braun has problems, as well as pleasures.

His protégé, Margo (Wrenn Schmidt), has been promoted.

And both he, and Ed … ?

Have been called before a Senate committee.

One that has access to Von Braun’s war record.

Things are looking bad.

~≈¥≈~

Now … 

Two episodes in, what am I thinking … ?

Two episode in … ?

And For All Mankind is still looking good.

Granted, I don’t think it’s drifting far from history as we know it.

But then?   It’s a ten episode series: the producers are taking their time to build their world.

So far, though?

They’ve given watchable human drama … and an extremely watchable Senate hearing that leaves you feeling sympathetic to both Ed Baldwin and Werner von Braun†.

I know I’m enjoying series twelve of Dr Who.

I want to see Star Trek Picard, when it’s released.

But?

I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen of For All Mankind, and plan to watch more of it.

*        Karen is Ed’s wife.

†        There’s quite a lot of debate about how much von Braun knew about Nazi activities in the concentration camp near Von Braun’s V2 factory, and how involved he was with both the Nazi regime, and the SS that he was a member of.   I suspect the American government was FAR more willing to overlook this … as they were getting a seriously talented rocket engineer‡, happy to help with both military and space research.

‡        He designed the V2, after all.