Does Anyone Remember Koenig in The Starlost?

[Nomad V]

I was on Youtube watching the old Canadian TV series the Starlost. It was the "ORO" episode and Walter Koenig was in it. It was so bad it was funny, so I watched another one and another one. I believe that it was cancelled before they saved the Ark, but I cannot recall. Does anyone out there remember how it ended?

 

[Forbin]

OMG, I just watched that episode on the DVD set last week, for the first time in 30 years!

 

[Forbin]

oh - I'm up to the last disc, I'll let you know how it ended in a few weeks when I get back to it. I'm pretty sure it was simply cancelled and ended abruptly.

 

[Valin]

Yeah, I don't remember an actual ending episode.

I do remember reading the novelization of Harlan Ellison's original script; "Phoenix without Ashes," a couple years later. I have the impression that it was much better than what was aired.

Also, Ben Bova wrote an autobiographical sf novel called "The Starcrossed," inspired by his time working on the series.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Like Forbin, I recently got the DVDs and saw this for the first time in... well, closer to forty years now. It was indeed very bad, but I was just a kid when it was on so it's nice and nostalgic for me.

It was actually pretty innovative for its time. It was supposed to be what Babylon 5 eventually was; a five-year novel for television, with a developing story that came to a definitive conclusion. But, no, it was canceled and there was never any conclusion.

Of course, it was a disaster and Harlan Ellison took his name off of it, substituting his Cordwainer Bird pseudonym (he's written about this extensively-- talk about incompetence). It's a shame it was such a disaster, but still it's some fun memories.

Also, in case nobody tumbled to it, the star of the show, Kier Dulleau, was Dave Bowman in 2001.

 

[23skidoo]

I actually have yet to find this set in any stores. Guess I'll have to Amazon it one of these days. I remember seeing the Koenig episode when it first aired waaaaay back in the day.

The show was pretty bad even by early 1970s standards. I remember I had a bit of a crush on the girl, though.

This was the show co-created by Harlan Ellison, and he hated it so much he had his version of "Alan Smithee" used for his credit - Cordwainer Bird. People criticize Ellison for railing against TV producers all the time -- in this case, I think he was justified.

I'd still like to see it again, though, for old time's sake.

Alex

 

[Forbin]

The greenscreen effects are roughly on a par with the original Land of the Lost.

Maybe a little worse.

The stories aren't any worse than other 70s sci fi though.