‘For All Mankind’ Recap: ‘Prime Crew’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 104 of ‘For All Mankind’.
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We are taught at a very young age, to work hard in order to achieve all of our goals, and to be humble when doing so. A lesson that exists, solely to ensure that we stay the course and never let ego get in the way of anything we do. Which is sound advice for certain, since no one enjoys dealing with someone who is full of themselves, regardless of their skill set. But while it is important to be a levelheaded worker and take pride in what you do in a different manner, one should never compromise the gravity of the moment in doing so. Because sometimes, what we do is supremely special and we need to acknowledge that and embrace it, or we run the risk of missing out on the wonder of something important, a lesson that just so happens to serve as the focal point of the next episode of For All Mankind.

Which is a notion that takes the audience off guard, simply because ‘Prime Crew’ appears as though it is going to explore other elements early on in this tale. For this is a story that picks up immediately after ‘Nixon’s Women’, wherein we learn that Patty didn’t survive the crash at the end of that story and her subsequent death has America wondering if women have a place in the stars after all. To the point where legendary astronaut John Glenn takes the time to visit Deke to ask him to dismantle this part of the program, and there’s even excessive pressure from President Nixon to shut this down, in order to save face and keep the ladies safe and well, Deke doesn’t think this is the right course of action at all. Because the other women in this program have dedicated so much to this, and NASA doesn’t back down from missteps, prompting him to do something quite bold and promote all of those left in the class, to active status.

A move that is of course met with ire from the higher ups, but Deke stands by his call and starts to make more bold decisions along the way. Such as pulling Gordo off of Apollo 15, so that Molly Cobb can take his place and while Ed is fine with the call and works to integrate Molly into the synergy of the crew, this change in the lineup doesn’t go as smooth as one might have hoped. Because Molly still has (and understandably so) a chip on her shoulder, and she makes a point to treat like this any other flying gig, one that she will learn along the way and land at some point. And therein begins the exploration of appreciating those special moments. Because Molly is clueless to the gravity of her situation, and that she is about to become the first American woman to venture into space, and land on the moon for that matter as well, and once Margo points this out to a slacking Molly Cobb, everything changes for her. 

For she comes to realize that what she is about to embark upon, is bigger than anything she’s ever known, and what it will mean to America and women everywhere is also beyond comprehension and most important of all, she comes to realize that… she did it. She made it. And there is no more need for the chip on her shoulder, she just needs to put in the work and be the top notch pilot that NASA expects her to be and well, she does just that and prepares herself for the mission like never before and that led to some supremely uplifting moments. The kind where she became the focus of the press and the mission when Ed realized it was best to put her center stage and it was equally as powerful to see women everywhere hold her in the highest regard, to the point where she was able to inspire others and find joy herself, when it finally sunk in, that she was on her way… to the moon.  

If anything, this was just an absolutely wonderful episode. One that really did a fine job of reminding the audience to pick and choose our battles when it comes to humility and keeping our head down, so we don’t overlook the moment, especially when we are faced with a supremely important one. But all uplifting lessons aside, another big reason that this episode works so well and is so satisfying, is Deke. Because it really was wonderful to see him back his new group of astronauts, regardless of the trouble it might get him in and that just speaks volumes to the notion of equality, since he clearly realizes that these intrepid astronauts can do anything asked of them and well, now that this particular tale has come to a close, it is time to start the next episode post haste. Because this is it. Molly Cobb is about to walk on the moon and that is going to be quite the sight to behold. Until next time.   

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