As the program prepares for its first public test launch of an unmanned rocket, the Mercury 7 are put through increasingly tough physical challenges, but also face tests of their own personal fortitudes.

After two opening episodes that concentrated more on the men than any aspect of their mission, this feels like a shift of focus in episode 3 as the show starts to really engage with the physical and mental demands of not just the astronauts but also the mission control crew who will be working with them from the ground. The impending public test launch of an unmanned rocket is a big moment, and that means the pressure is on in the control room, and not everyone is handling it.

As to the astronauts themselves, turns out that one of them isn’t necessarily as all-conqueringly awesome as he thinks he is, as the whole crew is put through a tough physical exercise on a high G training machine which leaves him questioning his own abilities, albeit not quite enough. People who know the story of the Mercury Seven will know who it is and what the issue would eventually manifest itself to be, but it’s interesting to see a dent in this guy’s armour of self-belief, though unsurprising the way he responds.

Aside from tests of their intestinal fortitude, other members of the gang find their faithfulness tested as well, and whereas this makes sense for one of them, for the other – a man well-known and established by the show as a lifelong boy scout with no recorded history of extramarital activity – it can’t help but feel cheap. For the purposes of TV drama I get that you need to inject some actual drama, and having a man be a part of that who is absolutely clean cut and straight up and down may not serve that. On the other hand, when you’ve worked so hard to portray those qualities in him, having him experience even a momentary waver doesn’t feel true to the character, it just feels wrong. Personal opinion, obviously – your mileage may vary.

There’s also the first hint of an actual conflict in the ranks of the seven which doesn’t involve Glenn and Shepard, which makes a nice change, while also presenting some context for those involved, although the way it’s brought up can’t help but feel like it’s more in service of aggravating a different conflict in one of them rather than actually providing character development for the other, hitherto largely ignored. It remains to be seen whether and how this develops.

As it barrels towards its inevitable conclusion, there’s a sense that the writers really want to build up tension to the climactic event even though history tells us what happened and the music and camera shots leave us in no doubt. Everyone does their best with what is given to them, but it can’t help but feel – given the focus of the rest of the show – that this is one event that could have been done off-camera, leaving more time to do what the show has actually been doing to this point.

Verdict: Finally starts to get to grips with the space program side of things, with mixed results. It certainly feels like the opportunity is there now to open up things beyond the central Glenn/Shepard conflict, but only time will tell. 7/10

Greg D. Smith