Truth Behind the Moon Landing

Killing Armstrong is a one‑off TV episode that dives into the lesser‑known side of the Apollo programme. It stars veteran British actors Tom Bennett as the lead aerospace engineer and Claire Morris as the sharp‑tongued journalist who’s chasing the story. The premise is simple: a team of experts re‑examines the 1965 Lunar Landing Research Vehicle crash that almost killed Neil Armstrong during his training runs. Think of it as a cross between “The Right Stuff” and a classic BBC investigative drama, only set on a dusty test field rather than a glossy launch pad. The episode follows the investigators as they sift through old footage, interview the surviving mechanics, and piece together why the vehicle spun out of control. Along the way we get a glimpse of Armstrong’s own nerves before the historic moonwalk, plus a few tense reenactments of the crash itself. The narrative stays fairly linear, never spilling too many spoilers, and it keeps the focus on the human error and bureaucratic pressure rather than turning into a full‑blown conspiracy thriller. Honestly, it’s a mixed bag. The script is surprisingly good – the dialogue feels proper and the period details are spot‑on – but the pacing drags a bit in the middle, and the special effects look ropy by today’s standards. If you’re a space‑history buff you’ll appreciate the granular look at a forgotten incident, yet casual viewers might find the slower sections a tad tedious. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s a solid, if dated, piece of docudrama that holds its own against more polished series like “Apollo 13” (the TV version). Rated TV‑14: there’s mild peril, some period‑appropriate language and a few tense crash sequences that could unsettle younger kids. First terrestrial showing on BBC Four this Friday, it runs just under an hour. Fair warning – bring a cuppa and a bit of patience for the slower bits, but you’ll come away with a richer appreciation of the risks behind the moon landing.