One giant leap for womankind! We’re already over the moon for The Astronaut Wives Club, a period show about women in the early 1960s whose husbands boldly go where no men have gone before. The Stephanie Savage-produced ABC drama follows a band of unlikely friends who come together when their men are recruited by NASA.
Believe Us: There’s just as much drama as there is killer fashion, and it’s all thanks to headstrong characters such as tomboy Trudy Cooper (Odette Annable) and leader of the gang Louise Shepard (Dominique McElligott), whose cheating husband is the first man in space.
“I really related to Trudy in the way that, she has her own mind about things,” Annable told Us Weekly of her character. “And I know what I want always, and Trudy did the same. She was a feminist and she was really behind the women. When we started shooting the show, the girls and I really, really got along, and we really grew to love each other. And I think that’s really the story that we were trying to tell, and that’s what ended up happening in real life with all of us as well.”
With plenty of new faces and solid talent, the show is a stylish portrayal of life for women at home in the ’60s — complete with gender stereotypes, sexism, and killer winged eyeliner. Here’s everything you need to know about the new show.
These Ladies Are Basically 1961’s Version of Reality Stars
Unlike most groups of desperate housewives, the Astro Wives are famous by virtue of the fact that they were part of America’s propaganda machine. The USA hoped to beat Russia at its own space game (note: Russia’s space game was strong), which meant the Astro Wives were featured on the cover of LIFE Magazine. In fact, the premiere kicks off with a LIFE reporter named Max Kaplan (Luke Kirby) interviewing the ladies, who spend much of the episode posing for photos, getting to know each other, and rallying for their husbands.
Oh, and if you’re wondering about Max, yes, he is handsome, and yes, he was making eyes at one of the ladies throughout this episode. Love connection alert! On key to their new celeb status is the show’s vintage fashions.
“It was so much fun to see every single morning, every single wife step out of their trailer because everybody looked so different,” Annable dished to Us. “And that was a really important thing for [costume designer] Eric Daman because he wanted every single wife to have a different color palette. And we all really do. Trudy had a lot of Hawaiian inspired outfits because her and Gordon met in Hawaii, and she spent so much of her time out there so that was a big inspiration for Trudy’s wardrobe.”
There’s Already Relationship Drama
All the Astro Wives are married, but some holy matrimonies aren’t exactly ’til death do them part — and it’s all thanks to the astronauts’ wandering eyes. These guys love partying with their fangirls, and several of them cheat on their wives back home.
But this is the ’60s, and divorce is not the first option. Watch the premiere to see who stays with their man and why!
Feminism Is a Hot Topic
There’s no denying that the Astronaut Wives are stuck in a sexist rut. Sure, they’re the face of America’s space-obsessed future, but they’re also expected to sit at home while their husbands act like rock stars. While all the wives want what’s best for their gents, there are already hints that this show will have a feminist bent.
Not only did the wives mock their husbands (“that’s why they call them ass-tronauts”), Trudy serves some pretty awesome pro-lady dialogue. “Being a modern wife means challenging your husband to be better,” she tells a fellow Astro Wife, while encouraging her to confront her husband.
Fly Me to the Moon
As the central wife on the show, Louise’s story is definitely taking the reins. In the premiere, the president will share his plans for NASA — and it’ll mean there’s no end in sight for the Astro Wives. These ladies will undoubtably spend the season getting their sisterhood on, sharing traveling pants, and learning how to balance what makes them happy and what makes their men happy.
The Astronaut Wives Club airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
