With the future of the “24” franchise – and her role as Jack Bauer's latest trusty sidekick – in limbo, Yvonne Strahovski has gone back to the past in more ways than one with her new gig, playing one of the title roles in ABC's “Astronaut Wives” club, written and executive produced by Stephanie Savage, and by “Chuck” co-creator Josh Schwartz.
Based on the best-selling book by Lily Koppel, “Astronaut Wives Club” tells the story of the women behind NASA's early astronauts, and how they deal with being catapulted into national celebrity overnight even as their husbands are preparing to be launched into orbit.
Strahovski will play Rene Carpenter, wife of Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter. The press notes suggest that “Her modern attitudes are source of both conflict and courage for the other Astrowives. Over time, Rene finds her own voice and awakens to a higher calling in politics, civil rights and women”s issues.” She joins a cast that already includes JoAnna Garcia Swisher as Betty Grissom and Odette Annable as Trudy Cooper.
Since “Chuck” ended, Strahovski wasn't always well-served on “Dexter” as serial killer Hannah McKay, while “24: Live Another Day” essentially used her as a humorless (but still very effective) spin on Sarah Walker. This is a different kind of character for her, with no inherent action or suspense component. Then again, maybe the best performance she's given in the last few years was her guest stint on “Louie,” where she played a supermodel whose father was… an astronaut.
As a fan of her work and an early NASA buff, I'm very intrigued by this casting.
What does everybody else think? You going to check out “Astronaut Wives Club” when it debuts sometime at mid-season, or would you rather see Strahovski find some way to stay in the spy world?