I dunno, but I was always seriously disappointed with Barbara Baine. Blank stare. Flat delivery: "John..."
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Revisiting Space: 1999...
- Thread starter Warped9
- Start date
I dunno, but I was always seriously disappointed with Barbara Baine. Blank stare. Flat delivery: "John..."
So far, I'm for Andrew and Warped doing a point/counterpoint review for these episodes (I'm very much in the mode of Andrew's thinking, and I'm really wondering now what he'd say about Year 2 - I'm a Year 1 kinda guy myself).
I don't think Warped is going to make it to Year 2.
I agree with Andrew - if you find the series a chore to get through while it was at its height, you're going to hate it when it gets to season 2 (or maybe even sooner). I can't stand some series that others love, for example, A Game of Thrones. No way would I make myself sit through a whole season in order to review it. I'm willing to accept that I just don't "get it" and that it contains much of worth that I am unable to see.
I'd be up for it, but I'm not sure I can keep up with it at the moment. My home computer is kaput, so I can only really look in on the thread during break periods at work. Shame.
I'm a year 1 man all the way too.
I think so, too. It's in my top ten of favourite tv episodes of all time. I love the atmosphere they create, the mis en scene, everything. It's both intimate and epic and I love it.
Here's a test...Warped_9, how do you feel about Star Trek Season 3, you know, when Freiberger got his hands on it...not the good stuff - the bad stuff, because that's Year 2 (actually, IMO, it's better than Year 2).
Check!
Tony Anholt's cute but even he doesn't make up for the loss of those first season visuals and atmosphere.
"Ring Around The Moon" ***
An alien intelligence captures the Moon and takes over Dr. Russell.
This was better, but really only marginally so. Candidly I find the writing in these episodes to be inconsistent and generally rough as if it really needs a final good re-edit. In hand with that is acting all around thats also inconsistent and alternately wooden or hammy.
While the model work in 1999 is good a lot of the visual and audio f/x are cheap looking as if it wasn't really thought through for best effect. Star Trek had its missteps, but overall its f/x were generally better, particularly for an older production of limited means.
It's odd to think of this show as something of a spin-off from UFO because so far I'm being reminded how much better UFO was than 1999. It made better and more effective use of its resources overall.
"Earthbound" ***
An alien spacecraft enroute to Earth lands on the Moon.
Although it's still not what I'd call good it is a fair step up from what I've seen so far. Christopher Lee brings a measure of dignity to the alien Kaldorian Captain. The episode's ending is satisfying poetic justice seeing as Simmons was such a jackass.
The thing I'd criticize most in this is the design and model of the alien spaceship. I thought it just looked silly.
An alien intelligence captures the Moon and takes over Dr. Russell.
This was better, but really only marginally so. Candidly I find the writing in these episodes to be inconsistent and generally rough as if it really needs a final good re-edit. In hand with that is acting all around thats also inconsistent and alternately wooden or hammy.
While the model work in 1999 is good a lot of the visual and audio f/x are cheap looking as if it wasn't really thought through for best effect. Star Trek had its missteps, but overall its f/x were generally better, particularly for an older production of limited means.
It's odd to think of this show as something of a spin-off from UFO because so far I'm being reminded how much better UFO was than 1999. It made better and more effective use of its resources overall.
"Earthbound" ***
An alien spacecraft enroute to Earth lands on the Moon.
Although it's still not what I'd call good it is a fair step up from what I've seen so far. Christopher Lee brings a measure of dignity to the alien Kaldorian Captain. The episode's ending is satisfying poetic justice seeing as Simmons was such a jackass.
The thing I'd criticize most in this is the design and model of the alien spaceship. I thought it just looked silly.
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"Another Time, Another Place" ***
An unexplained anomaly duplicates the Moon and everyone on it.
This anomaly not only duplicates the Moon and everyone yet also shifts them in time and transports them back to Earth. This is the kind of story that raises the questions of alternate timelines and/or parallel universes.
In terms of story ideas it isn't bad, but once again I don't feel very engaged by it. It doesn't really address any questions raised. Why was Regina singled out while everyone else was unaffected? When the other Alphans arrived back at Earth was there already another Moon there or not and if so then what happened to it? It's possible the Moon wasn't duplicated but that two timelines or parallel universe briefly intersected.
None of that matters I suppose because the point of the story seems to just want to suggest a different outcome for the Alphans and the chance for some to meet themselves.
"Missing Link" *
An alien scientist believes Keonig is the missing link between ancients humans and themselves.
Boring. Just boring and slowwwww...
The acting is getting somewhat better, but I don't know how much longer I can hang in. I can see why my younger and more impatient self couldn't be interested in this show. It makes 6th and 7th season TNG feel exciting.
"Guardian Of Piri" *
A machine intelligence wants the Alphans to stay on its world.
1999 does a cross between Star Trek's "This Side Of Paradise" and "Return of The Archons" only it's a shoddy effort. Really, no one can tell me about Shatner's hammy acting after watching the 1999 cast in this. The acting is bad, the f/x are cheesy and it drags. It's just bad, bad, bad.
I'm going to have to bail on this for now and maybe watch an episode once in awhile. Lost In Space may have been screwy, but at least you could watch it. This is like contemplating the grey sealant drying on a cement floor.
An unexplained anomaly duplicates the Moon and everyone on it.
This anomaly not only duplicates the Moon and everyone yet also shifts them in time and transports them back to Earth. This is the kind of story that raises the questions of alternate timelines and/or parallel universes.
In terms of story ideas it isn't bad, but once again I don't feel very engaged by it. It doesn't really address any questions raised. Why was Regina singled out while everyone else was unaffected? When the other Alphans arrived back at Earth was there already another Moon there or not and if so then what happened to it? It's possible the Moon wasn't duplicated but that two timelines or parallel universe briefly intersected.
None of that matters I suppose because the point of the story seems to just want to suggest a different outcome for the Alphans and the chance for some to meet themselves.
"Missing Link" *
An alien scientist believes Keonig is the missing link between ancients humans and themselves.
Boring. Just boring and slowwwww...
The acting is getting somewhat better, but I don't know how much longer I can hang in. I can see why my younger and more impatient self couldn't be interested in this show. It makes 6th and 7th season TNG feel exciting.
"Guardian Of Piri" *
A machine intelligence wants the Alphans to stay on its world.
1999 does a cross between Star Trek's "This Side Of Paradise" and "Return of The Archons" only it's a shoddy effort. Really, no one can tell me about Shatner's hammy acting after watching the 1999 cast in this. The acting is bad, the f/x are cheesy and it drags. It's just bad, bad, bad.
I'm going to have to bail on this for now and maybe watch an episode once in awhile. Lost In Space may have been screwy, but at least you could watch it. This is like contemplating the grey sealant drying on a cement floor.
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Ah, Space: 1999. The poster child for bad TV sci fi (at least until nuBSG). 
I watched it, of course, because it was Space Opera and I was 12 years old or whatever, and because those cool people from Mission: Impossible were on there, but I didn't really like it from the start. I could see what it was trying to do-- be all artsy and enigmatic, and recapture the feel of 2001-- but it just never worked. The standing sets and costuming were very bland and so was the acting; the acting was not the fault of the actors, who were all very good in their own right, but due to the attempt to be understated or subtle. This approach, as well as the starkness of the sets, works for a large-canvas work of art like 2001, but is a bad choice for a continuing series where the viewer should feel a bond with the characters and some comfortableness with the setting.
And, of course, the complete idiocy of the Moon leaving orbit and traveling from star to star within a Human lifetime goes without saying. An explosion like that would have shattered it, and if it didn't the sudden acceleration would have killed everyone on it. Also, space is mostly space and it would have been traveling in a straight line (more or less), so even if it came within reach of one planet the chances of it coming within reach of two is slim, to say the least. Not to mention the disruptive effect it would have on any solar system. The scenario is even worse than Lost In Space, but in this case it's not forgivable because the intention was to be a serious show.
At this point, it's been nearly forty years since I've seen it and I remember very few specifics; I don't know if I ever made it all the way through the second season, although I do remember that shape shifter. It would be interesting to see how it looks to me now.
I watched it, of course, because it was Space Opera and I was 12 years old or whatever, and because those cool people from Mission: Impossible were on there, but I didn't really like it from the start. I could see what it was trying to do-- be all artsy and enigmatic, and recapture the feel of 2001-- but it just never worked. The standing sets and costuming were very bland and so was the acting; the acting was not the fault of the actors, who were all very good in their own right, but due to the attempt to be understated or subtle. This approach, as well as the starkness of the sets, works for a large-canvas work of art like 2001, but is a bad choice for a continuing series where the viewer should feel a bond with the characters and some comfortableness with the setting.
And, of course, the complete idiocy of the Moon leaving orbit and traveling from star to star within a Human lifetime goes without saying. An explosion like that would have shattered it, and if it didn't the sudden acceleration would have killed everyone on it. Also, space is mostly space and it would have been traveling in a straight line (more or less), so even if it came within reach of one planet the chances of it coming within reach of two is slim, to say the least. Not to mention the disruptive effect it would have on any solar system. The scenario is even worse than Lost In Space, but in this case it's not forgivable because the intention was to be a serious show.
At this point, it's been nearly forty years since I've seen it and I remember very few specifics; I don't know if I ever made it all the way through the second season, although I do remember that shape shifter. It would be interesting to see how it looks to me now.
^ Going by what you just wrote, if I were you I wouldn't bother watching it now.
^^ It's just hard getting past the premise; if they had been on an O'Neill colony that fell into a wormhole or something it might not have been so bad. And that brings up another question: What's the point of them being on a runaway moon? How does it define the theme or direction of the show? It adds nothing and detracts quite a bit.
Well, just an episode maybe, just out of curiosity. It's like a B-Movie-- it can still be enjoyed despite its badness.
I can't disagree. The basic premise isn't bad if they had gone about it differently. Charles Sheffield wrote some great stories as part of his Great Ship chronicles about a massive jovian sized starship that enters our galaxy and seems to be coursing through it. Enroute many races including humans hitch a ride aboard while trying to unlock its secrets. It's effectively a rogue planet only of artificial construction. The first novel in the setting was called Marrow. If 1999 had been something like that it might have been different, but they were basically trying to do Star Trek only without the actual starship. Problem is that somewhat like DS9 you mostly have to have the action come to you rather than going out to deliberately meet it. To me thats another part of the flawed premise, that all this weird shit will come your way as opposed to you actively seeking it and having freedom in where you want to go. In 1999 they have no such freedom.
Thats the flaw of the premise. The writing and the rest are further problems in their own right.
Agree, Simmons was the resident pain in the ass
(such as Dr. Smith was in Lost In Space) from "Breakaway" to this final farewell.
^ and then he turned up on Babylon 5 to be a pain the ass. 
"Force Of Life" ***
An alien entity possesses an Alpha technician.
I actually found this watchable although I could nitpick in regard to other things. I really dislike the music in these episodes. It comes across as a '70's version of the electronic music in some '50's era sci-fi flicks only not as good or creative. But the writing and acting seemed better this time around.
I know I'm seeing it with hindsight, but seeing them having to read a little piece of paper printout every time they want information from the computer is funny. I also find those devices they use to open all the doors rather odd.
"Alpha Child" **
The first child is born on Alpha and he's not what he seems.
This started off decently enough, but about halfway through it veers into schlock. It had to have been hard for some of the actors to say some of the cheesy lines without cringing or cracking up laughing..
About a decade before TNG we get an episode here thats something of a cross between TNG's "The Child" and "Power Play." This also isn't long before Roddenberry and company started putting ideas together for Star Trek: Phase II including the proposed story called "The Child." I doubt there's any connection whatsoever, but who really knows.
I also have to laugh at the f/x and production. At the beginning we get yet another glowing circle of light thats so obviously a cheap effect, the silvery costuming of the aliens, and the so obvious rip-off of the Discovery from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
An alien entity possesses an Alpha technician.
I actually found this watchable although I could nitpick in regard to other things. I really dislike the music in these episodes. It comes across as a '70's version of the electronic music in some '50's era sci-fi flicks only not as good or creative. But the writing and acting seemed better this time around.
I know I'm seeing it with hindsight, but seeing them having to read a little piece of paper printout every time they want information from the computer is funny. I also find those devices they use to open all the doors rather odd.
"Alpha Child" **
The first child is born on Alpha and he's not what he seems.
This started off decently enough, but about halfway through it veers into schlock. It had to have been hard for some of the actors to say some of the cheesy lines without cringing or cracking up laughing..
About a decade before TNG we get an episode here thats something of a cross between TNG's "The Child" and "Power Play." This also isn't long before Roddenberry and company started putting ideas together for Star Trek: Phase II including the proposed story called "The Child." I doubt there's any connection whatsoever, but who really knows.
I also have to laugh at the f/x and production. At the beginning we get yet another glowing circle of light thats so obviously a cheap effect, the silvery costuming of the aliens, and the so obvious rip-off of the Discovery from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
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