Episode Details

In this episode of pplpod, we dive into one of the most iconic phrases in space history and pop culture: "Houston, we have a problem." But did you know this legendary line is actually a popular misquote?

Join us as we travel back to April 1970 during the Apollo 13 NASA mission, which was the third mission intended to land on the Moon. We explore the terrifying moments 56 hours into the flight when an explosion rocked the spacecraft. We break down the real, historical dialogue between command module pilot Jack Swigert, mission commander Jim Lovell, and Mission Control in Houston. You'll learn the true, original phrase Swigert used to report the incident: "Okay, Houston ... we've had a problem here".

We also uncover how the 1995 film Apollo 13, starring Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell, changed the grammatical tense of the phrase. Screenwriter William Broyles Jr. explains that the original past-tense line simply "wasn't as dramatic" for a Hollywood suspense movie, especially since viewers already knew the outcome. Discover how this slight cinematic tweak helped the line rank #50 on AFI's 100 Greatest Movie Quotes and cemented it in our everyday language as the ultimate phrase to describe an unforeseen problem with a sense of ironic understatement.

Tune in for a deep dive into space history, Hollywood screenwriting, and the power of a good misquote!