Good intentions do not always make for good television.  Such is the case with Nova's latest episode, "Missing in MiG Alley."  What should be a fascinating look at technological, political, and military issues that developed during the Korean War is little more than a hodgepodge of stories that are far more interesting separately than together. 

The episode examines the circumstances under which several different pilots were shot down and captured during the war, the current push by the families of missing pilots to find their loved ones, and the official searches for the missing pilots.  There is also a discussion of the design of the MiG plane as well as the U.S. Sabre fighter jet, as well as a look into Russia's role during the Korean War.

There are no fewer than three or four good episodes of Nova here. 

The developments in fighter jet technology, including the swept-wing design that both the Sabre and the MiG used from Nazi designs, is fascinating.  The MiG's speed advantage over the Sabre was due to its using British Rolls-Royce engines given to the Russians by England, out of friendship following the Second World War.  These are interesting, salient facts around which an entire episode could be built.

Another episode could focus exclusively on politics of the day.  According to "Missing in MiG Alley," it has just recently come to light the that UN forces were not just battling Chinese and North Korean soldiers and airmen, but Soviet pilots as well.  The U.S.S.R. was using North Korea as a testing ground for pilots and planes, anticipating upcoming battles between the U.S. and itself. 

Then, finally, there is the story of all the lost pilots, and whether they were captured or killed.  The hunt for pilots shot down during Korea continues today, and is still a very fresh wound for the families of those missing. 

To a certain extent all these issues are intertwined.  The changes in fighter technology are, of course, related to the politics of the day.  The search for missing pilots is harder today than it may have been, because if a pilot lived after being shot down they could now be in North Korea, China, or Russia.