# From the Earth to the Moon (1998)

> A twelve-episode HBO miniseries tracing NASA's journey from the early 1960s Mercury program to the final Apollo moon mission in 1972.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/3381

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 12
- Episode runtime: 58 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama, history
- Created by: Tom Hanks, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Michael Bostick
- Network: HBO
- Cast: John Slattery, Mason Adams, Mark Harmon, Tom Amandes, David Clyde Carr, David Andrews, Lane Smith, Tim Daly
- TMDB rating: 8.6/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120570/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: earnest, reverent, tense, nostalgic, melancholic

## What critics say

Viewers broadly regard this miniseries as an acclaimed, meticulously researched dramatization of the American space program.

## Synopsis

From the Earth to the Moon (1998) is an American limited series created by Tom Hanks, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Michael Bostick for HBO. Told across twelve hour-long episodes, this docudrama follows the United States space program from its first crewed missions in the early 1960s to the final moon landing in 1972. Rather than centering on a single hero, the series moves between engineers, flight directors and astronauts such as Jim Lovell (Tim Daly), Frank Borman (David Andrews), Deke Slayton (Nick Searcy) and Dave Scott (Brett Cullen), whose drive to beat the Soviets and reach the moon is constantly tested by failed launches, fatal accidents, budget fights in Congress and the sheer improvisation of building hardware that has never flown before. Each episode is built from a specific mission or crisis, so the chronology carries the emotional weight, with the grounded texture of control rooms, cramped capsules and living rooms full of anxious families. The mood is earnest and reverent, tinged with wonder and melancholy about the costs of ambition. Set in 1960s and 1970s America, the series will appeal to viewers who enjoy the cold war space race, prestige history dramas and the procedural rigor of the best true story television. Fans of Apollo 13, The Right Stuff and Band of Brothers will find much of the same tone and craft here, with an HBO production polish.

## Shows like From the Earth to the Moon

- [World War II with Tom Hanks (2026)](https://ember.film/tv/1105057)
- [The Astronaut Wives Club (2015)](https://ember.film/tv/55526)
- [Harley and the Davidsons (2016)](https://ember.film/tv/59494)
- [The Kennedys (2011)](https://ember.film/tv/31781)
- [Hello Tomorrow! (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/103757)
- [Pioneer One (2010)](https://ember.film/tv/30411)
- [The Right Stuff (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/79326)
- [Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space (2021)](https://ember.film/tv/107981)
- [Away (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/75712)
- [For All Mankind (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/74647)

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