5 reasons we’re signing up for ‘The Astronaut Wives Club’
Attention Gossip Girl fans: Stephanie Savage, one of GG’s co-creators has a new show premiering tonight and it looks all kinds of awesome. The Astronaut Wives Club may not take place on the Upper East Side in the early 2000s, but it does promise to have that addictive quality GG possessed in its finest hour. The show, in case you haven’t heard about it (promos seem to be everywhere), follows an inner-circle of astronaut wives during the 1960s space race. And that’s just scratching surface. Here’s what else you need to know about the new series:
1. It’s based on a true story
Yes, it’s technically based on a book, but the book by Lily Koppel tells the true stories of the women who stood by their Astronaut husbands during the space race of the 1960’s. The series seeks to provide the untold story behind the women who were, at the time, forced to abide by sexist standards of housewife “perfection” for the sake of the media blitz surrounding their husbands. IRL, their experiences were far more human, compelling and powerful. It’s crazy it’s taken so long to hear the truth about the women behind the men.
2. It may just fill the Mad Men-sized hole in our hearts
As the New York Times notes in its review: “This show applies the Mad Men formula to the women who stood behind the heroes of the conquest of space.” In addition to the throwback style the series will undoubtedly trot out on the regular, the theme of overcoming old-fashioned gender notions will run throughout. It was, as the Times notes, an era when “Men made the rules, but women got to work and found female solidarity.”
3. It’s all about female friendship in a pre-women’s lib era
Koppel’s book, published in 2013, is about what women went through during a revolutionary time for not only our country, but the world. The astronaut wives went through more than a bonding experience and have remained friends for over 50 years. I’d say that’s BFF status, wouldn’t you? Granted, the show might take some TV-worthy plot twists, but let’s hope they keep the message of lady power going strong
4. Its creators are responsible for our television addiction!
Stephanie Savage and co-executive Producer Josh Schwartz have quite the television track record. They first met while making Fox’s The O.C. back in 2003 (Seth and Summer all day, everyday) and then created their own production company, Fake Empire. Their next venture was The CW’s Gossip Girl (Hellllo, Chuck Bass!). Schwartz also simultaneously created and produced NBC’s Chuck, which satisfied my personal inner geek. Schwartz and Savage also executive produced the gone-but-not-forgotten show based on Sex and the City, The CW’s The Carrie Diaries (I’m still mourning its cancellation). Basically, they understand our TV needs.
5. The soundtrack is going to be epic
OK, so maybe you know, maybe you don’t, but the show’s music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas has put together every great TV series soundtrack ever! Yes, that’s a bit of an overstatement, but really, she has put together the BEST soundtracks in recent years. A few of her credits: The O.C., Gossip Girl, The Carrie Diaries, Twilight, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Grey’s Anatomy, you get the idea. And with this show’s setting (i.e. the 1960s), we’re undoubtedly going to hear music we should have been listening to, well, years ago!
The Astronaut Wives Club premieres on ABC tonight at 8/7 central.
(Images via thats-normal.com, via tvrage.com, via www.sheknows.com, via tvline.com.)