fred freiberger : hack or hapless?
- Thread starter PCz911
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The problem as I and other fans in my area saw it was that they were continually cancelling programs people liked and wanted more of. Nowhere Man, the first season followup for Voyager, was one of UPN's highest rated series ever, yet they cancelled it as though it was universally hated and unwatched. They did it again with the next show, and the next. Then the Richard Burgi show The Sentinel became the only Voyager followup to get moved to its own slot on another night, and Seven Days comes in. It lasts a couple of seasons, is popular with the Voyager hangers-on, and is cancelled when someone decided that the 'magical creatures that aren't actually magic, but still cause all kinds of trouble' show (I don't remember its title) would be a better followup for Voyager's last season or two.
Oh, I agree that UPN's execs made some poor decisions in the early years. My particular pet peeve was Legend. It was a brilliant show, and since it was co-created by Voyager's Michael Piller, it should've been a no-brainer to schedule it after Voyager and promote it as "From a creator of Star Trek: Voyager!" But by the time UPN finally started to do that, they'd already decided not to renew it. That was when I thought, "Okay, UPN has finally proven it's a real TV network, because it's making stupid decisions just like all the others."
But you phrased it as if the alternative to cancellation was moving the shows to new nights in order to expand their schedule, and my point was that there was no reason to think that would've helped them avoid cancellation. Moving Legend to a better slot in the existing schedule could've helped, but that was because of having Voyager as a lead-in.
But you phrased it as if the alternative to cancellation was moving the shows to new nights in order to expand their schedule, and my point was that there was no reason to think that would've helped them avoid cancellation. Moving Legend to a better slot in the existing schedule could've helped, but that was because of having Voyager as a lead-in.
Obviously Luton is an Arena/Gamesters/Curtain type of episode that they copied from Trek but I liked Beta Cloud with all it's imperfections I must admit! Space Warp reused Dave Prowse's costume although modified a bit but considering it aired here in the UK before Cloud the changes were not appreciated!
JB
"Space Warp" is the one where an Eagle takes off and crashes inside the hangar. For the fx alone, that was great television. As a teenager at the time, I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen on TV.
And of course, I wouldn't have a VCR for years, so it was something you saw briefly and then it was gone. Very tantalizing, very frustrating.
And of course, I wouldn't have a VCR for years, so it was something you saw briefly and then it was gone. Very tantalizing, very frustrating.
For season one I tend to concur, though I'm not as keen on Darians and Another Time.
Gerry Anderson relates that Rules of Luton started with FF seeing "Luton" on a motorway sign, driving in to work one day. FF thought it would make a great planet name. "You know, Fred, Luton is a very well known London suburb," is what GA said vaguely... FF was insistent.
To veer wildly OT, "California" was actually the name of a fantasy realm in a novel before the state was named, after it. So there.
I rather like the State of Euphoria, which in David Lodge's novels is a small one between North and South California.
Must be the Bay area...
Yep. In the late 60s its Governor is a certain Ronald Duck, an ex-actor. Might ring a bell.
In Lodge's novels Rummidge replaces Birmingham on the map of Britain.
To Freddie the place was called LUTAAN, but to the locals it's just plain old Luton!
JB
Hey hang on a minute Luton is in Bedfordshire!!! 
JB
JB
"Obsession" is pretty strong also, though of course not as strong as Doomsday.
Another Time Another Place is my favorite Sp99 ep, that I appreciate much more as an adult, for the mystery, imagination, and atmosphere. It's season 1.
Same for Mission of the Darians... there, so much is up to you to imagine. If you think about the size and age of the ship, and imagine the possibilities, it means much more.
Darians and Another Time are two of 1999s greatest episodes to be sure! In fact in the first series there are only one or two shows that don't make the grade! Infernal Machine was one I was never too happy with even if the eagle attack scenes on Gwent were stunning!
JB
JB
My pick for the top three episodes for both seasons:
1. "Dragon's Domain"
2. "Another Time, Another Place"
3. "Earthbound"
1. "Dragon's Domain"
2. "Another Time, Another Place"
3. "Earthbound"
They're three of the best agreed! Earthbound with it's Commissioner Simmonds holding the base to ransom, Another Time with it's return to earth and meeting their own possible future selves and Dragon with it's Spidery Octopoid monster and graveyard of spaceships!
JB
JB
For me, first season Space: 1999 was at times pretty scary, which was something that I think was unfortunately lost in season two. I really don't recall feeling frightened in season two, the way that season one could pull off.
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