From the Earth to the Moon is a documentary that presents the genesis, success and wind-down of the Apollo space program. It begins by depicting the political landscape of the early 1960s and the origin of the space race. The narrative then continues with the early Apollo missions, illustrating the technological challenges and operational hazards of realizing their goal. After slow but steady progress, 1969 sees the first lunar landing by Apollo 11. Follow-up missions build on this success until the last manned mission to the moon in Apollo 17.
Largely faithful to the facts and excellently produced, From the Earth to the Moon is both instructive and enjoyable. The collective effort that was required from a large number of determined individuals and teams to enable Man's first (and till now, only) steps on the Moon is abundantly evident throughout. Not only are the astronauts and NASA mission crew highlighted, but other vital players like engineers and geologists also get their share of the spotlight. The script contains the perfect mix of technical jargon and day-to-day dialogue as to not make it incomprehensible to the general audience while retaining realism and authenticity. The acting is uniformly excellent, the visual and sound effects exemplary for their time and the soundtrack always on point.
However, there are many underwhelming episodes that should be mentioned. Episode 7 "That's All There Is" about the Apollo 12 mission has a very different tone to the rest of the series and serves more like comic relief. Episode 8 "We Interrupt This Program" is almost entirely fictional and better viewed as a piece to showcase contrasting philosophies in journalism. Episode 11 "The Original Wives Club" is confusing in its constant switching of timelines and perspectives. Episode 12 "Le voyage dans la lune" juxtaposes two entirely different settings in a scrambled haphazard manner. Even the first moon landing in Episode 6 "Mare Tranquilitatis" lacks some of the emotional impact in its portrayal. These episodes could have been easily shortened with the time gained being used for other worthwhile purposes such as the early Russian space missions, the Ranger and Surveyor robot missions, technical advancements and new instrumentation, or a larger scope for the success story of Apollo 11 and its far-reaching impact.
These criticisms notwithstanding, From the Earth to the Moon is in equal parts inspiring and entertaining and a must-watch for every space enthusiast.
Largely faithful to the facts and excellently produced, From the Earth to the Moon is both instructive and enjoyable. The collective effort that was required from a large number of determined individuals and teams to enable Man's first (and till now, only) steps on the Moon is abundantly evident throughout. Not only are the astronauts and NASA mission crew highlighted, but other vital players like engineers and geologists also get their share of the spotlight. The script contains the perfect mix of technical jargon and day-to-day dialogue as to not make it incomprehensible to the general audience while retaining realism and authenticity. The acting is uniformly excellent, the visual and sound effects exemplary for their time and the soundtrack always on point.
However, there are many underwhelming episodes that should be mentioned. Episode 7 "That's All There Is" about the Apollo 12 mission has a very different tone to the rest of the series and serves more like comic relief. Episode 8 "We Interrupt This Program" is almost entirely fictional and better viewed as a piece to showcase contrasting philosophies in journalism. Episode 11 "The Original Wives Club" is confusing in its constant switching of timelines and perspectives. Episode 12 "Le voyage dans la lune" juxtaposes two entirely different settings in a scrambled haphazard manner. Even the first moon landing in Episode 6 "Mare Tranquilitatis" lacks some of the emotional impact in its portrayal. These episodes could have been easily shortened with the time gained being used for other worthwhile purposes such as the early Russian space missions, the Ranger and Surveyor robot missions, technical advancements and new instrumentation, or a larger scope for the success story of Apollo 11 and its far-reaching impact.
These criticisms notwithstanding, From the Earth to the Moon is in equal parts inspiring and entertaining and a must-watch for every space enthusiast.