Set in Los Alamos, New Mexico the series centers around the lives of scientists who are working secretly on the Manhattan Project. As we know from our history books, the Manhattan Project was the American part of the race to build the first atomic bomb. The fact that they have to keep their jobs a secret from their families and friends causes problems for those involved. Secrets and lies could have been another title for this show.
Episode 1: You Always Hurt the One You Love: A professor named Frank Winters (played by John Benjamin Hickey) is hired to lead the Manhattan Project, a scientific project with the aim of building the first atomic bomb. The sacrifices he is making to help the Allies win World War II are taking their toll.
Episode 2: The Prisoner’s Dilemma: The wives all band together to try to spice up the town they live in. Frank attempts to protect his team and pays the price.
Episode 3: The Hive: After a death the community is sent in a tailspin. The scientists are having trouble working efficiently with all the new security measures hanging over them.
Episode 4: Last Reasoning of Kings: Glen Babbit’s (played by Daniel Stern) past comes back to haunt him. In order to protect his mentor Frank gets into it with Charlie (played by Ashley Zukerman).
Episode 5: A New Approach to Quantum Cosmology: Babbit is under investigation. Frank is still in defense mode.
Episode 6: Acceptable Limits: Part One: Charlie and Helen (played by Katja Herbers) try to solve a problem at the reactor. Frank and Liza (played by Olivia Williams) attempt to help Paloma’s (played by Tailinh Agoyo) family.
Episode 7: The New World: Abby (played by Rachel Brosnahan) begins a journey of self-discovery. Charlie and Helen are still attempting to save the day.
Episode 8: The Second Coming: Both Charlie and Frank are faced with some serious questions about whether what they are working on is going to continue.
Episode 9: Spooky Action at a Distance: Frank and Charlie have to work together to come up with a plan to save the project. After hitting a wall, Frank decides on using an atypical resource.
Episode 10: The Understudy: The Hill gets a surprise visitor. Frank goes about solving an ignition problem in an unconventional way.
Episode 11: Tangier: Something happens overseas that steps up the search for the spy on the Hill. A plan with Frank is in jeopardy so Charlie and Abby make a sacrifice.
Episode 12: The Gun Model: The Thin Man’s limitations call Abby to action. Unfortunately this leaves her Abby exposed.
Episode 13: Perestroika: Frank is faced with an opportunity that could change everything. Charlie is put in an uncomfortable position with the U.S. Army.
Special Features: Ground Zero: Bringing the Bomb to the Screen, P.O. Box 1663: Creating a City That Didn’t Exist, “Now I Am Become Death”: J. Robert Oppenheimer, Recreating an Era: Manhattan Costume Design
