'For All Mankind' Season 1 Episode 5 'Into the Abyss' sees America finally take lead in Space Race but with great risk
Apple TV+'s 'For All Mankind' has put NASA through the wringer since its very first episode. After the Soviets managed to land the first man on the Moon and the first woman on the Moon, the Space Race has become an issue of national importance and failure is something that can no longer be tolerated.
With mounting pressure from the Nixon administration, NASA is forced to throw caution to the wind to get results. Episode 5 'Into the Abyss' sees the agency take some massive risks to ensure they're the first to find water on the Moon and establish a lunar base.
To be fair, the Apollo 15 astronauts aren't exactly scared of taking risks either. Edward Baldwin (Joel Kinnaman) makes it quite clear that he has no interest in coming in second place again and despite her reservations, Molly Cobb (Sonya Walger) eventually agrees with him. Ultimately, their mission is a success so you could say it all worked out in the end, justifying the risks that were taken on this mission.
However, what's scary about this new gung-ho attitude is what it could mean for future missions. Now that a precedent has been set, what's to stop NASA from getting sloppy on future trips to the Moon? It's a slippery slope for sure but for now, it's time to celebrate the successful discovery of ice on the Moon and the establishment of humanity's first outpost in space.
The episode itself continues the show's strong run with emotional scenes and inspiring moments balanced with a commentary on the Vietnam war and the psychological strain that the families of astronauts go through every day. 'Into the Abyss' doesn't waste any time setting things up, delivering powerful scenes and performances right from the first scene and telling an excellent story that's both thrilling and inspiring.
'For All Mankind' Season 1 Episode 6 'Home Again' will land on Apple TV+ on November 22.