Space:1999 on Comet TV

[CorporalCaptain]

Space: 1999 season one "Ring Around the Moon" is the one where astronomical terms are thoroughly mixed up.

KOENIG:
"This is Triton's galaxy. You acknowledge?" [...]
"This is Triton's star system." [...]
"This is Triton's Universe." [...]
"This is Triton's sun."​

http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/epguide/t04ratm.html#Errors
http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/epimghd/tiratm10.html

 

[Skipper]

Ok, seriously, did they have any scientific advisor? They contradicted themselves in the same episode!

 

[diankra]

Space: 1999 season one "Ring Around the Moon" is the one where astronomical terms are thoroughly mixed up.

KOENIG:
"This is Triton's galaxy. You acknowledge?" [...]
"This is Triton's star system." [...]
"This is Triton's Universe." [...]
"This is Triton's sun."​

http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/epguide/t04ratm.html#Errors
http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/epimghd/tiratm10.html

I think Helena's medical log in Metamorph mentions that they've just dropped through a wormhole to another galaxy, again (as you do).
But Ring Around the Moon is a real mess.

 

[diankra]

Ok, seriously, did they have any scientific advisor? They contradicted themselves in the same episode!

No real scientific advisor. And more importantly, new writers arrived in a rush early in season one: Johnny Byrne was rewriting the second episode as it was shot, which causes some major issues as his changes have to mesh with the nonsense already shot. I think Ring was the next made, so a rush script.
Season two then saw another clear-out, maybe Fred Freiberger just wanted a fresh start (if his version had succeeded, season one would probably be ignored, the way Cagney and Lacey sometimes tries to pretend it began with Sharon Gless's arrival), possibly because he was too insecure to tolerate any veterans who might challenge him.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

Yep, a bit odd. A missed opportunity was that in Last Sunset they have corrosion proof the Eagles: that should have been a plot point that carried over into letting them make planetary landings. Ditto for Black Sun...
Victor: John, the force field, I've just realised. I think I can make one that would fit in an Eagle...
Koenig: You mean it could produce a heat shield?
Victor: Yes. Planetary landing capacity!

They made planetary landings all the time.

 

[diankra]

They made planetary landings all the time.

Yep, and that's one of the problems. Eagle is a great design for a space transporter, but no chance of making an atmospheric landing... without improvements, and with 20/20 Black Sun and Last Sunset could have handwaved through that.

 

[Skipper]

I'm sorry they didn't use an Eagle in the first episode to transport Koenig from the Earth?

 

[diankra]

To the Moon, but not necessarily from Earth. If there's a space station in lunar orbit there's probably a few around Earth (I think we see one in the flashback bits of Dragon's Domain, though it's a model reuse, and could be in lunar orbit).

 

[Galileo7]

To the Moon, but not necessarily from Earth. If there's a space station in lunar orbit there's probably a few around Earth (I think we see one in the flashback bits of Dragon's Domain, though it's a model reuse, and could be in lunar orbit).

http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/images/spacehd/dd/spdd0796.jpg
No other spacecraft was ever shown or mentioned in "Breakaway" or [this image from] "Dragon's Domain" to ferry personnel from a space station to Earth. So, as a viewer, I always saw the Eagle as a spacecraft that can go direct from the Earth to the Moon. As the Eagle did to many alien planets during it's two seasons. No Pan Am shuttle was needed.
http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/cguide/umeagleplanet1.html
http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/cguide/umeagleplanet2.html
Here are the Eagle's specs:
http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/cguide/umeagle.html

 

[diankra]

http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/images/spacehd/dd/spdd0796.jpg
No other spacecraft was ever shown or mentioned in "Breakaway" or [this image from] "Dragon's Domain" to ferry personnel from a space station to Earth. So, as a viewer, I always saw the Eagle as a spacecraft that can go direct from the Earth to the Moon. As the Eagle did to many alien planets during it's two seasons. No Pan Am shuttle was needed.
http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/cguide/umeagleplanet1.html
http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/cguide/umeagleplanet2.html
Here are the Eagle's specs:
http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/cguide/umeagle.html

The lunar spacedock is where the Meta probe is being prepped in Breakaway. It's destroyed (but mentioned in the newsreader report at the end). Dragon's Domain shows the Ultra-probe departing what is presumably the same model.
http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/epguide/t01b.html

Some lovely detail about what kits were used: Saturn Vs and Enterprise
http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/models/spacestn/w2mspacestn.html

 

[Galileo7]

The lunar spacedock is where the Meta probe is being prepped in Breakaway. It's destroyed (but mentioned in the newsreader report at the end). Dragon's Domain shows the Ultra-probe departing what is presumably the same model.
http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/epguide/t01b.html

Yes.
http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/images/spacehd/b/spb0236.jpg

 

[Skipper]

You know, now I appreciate Star Trek (TOS) even more... It almost seems the authors of Space 1999 didn't even try to be consistent...

 

[Marc]

Yep, and that's one of the problems. Eagle is a great design for a space transporter, but no chance of making an atmospheric landing... without improvements, and with 20/20 Black Sun and Last Sunset could have handwaved through that.

last sunset was an abbotation as the eagles were doing a lot more flying than the would normally do and there was a lot more grit in the air because the lunar surface is just dust.

 

[diankra]

last sunset was an abbotation as the eagles were doing a lot more flying than the would normally do and there was a lot more grit in the air because the lunar surface is just dust.

Lunar grit is minor compared with a breathable (oxygen/moisture) atmosphere. And within episode, it's the breathable atmosphere corrosion that's the issue.
As 1999's tech problems go, it's minor. But it's one which they fix in episode, so suggesting it had been carried on would have took one line...

 

[diankra]

You know, now I appreciate Star Trek (TOS) even more... It almost seems the authors of Space 1999 didn't even try to be consistent...

1999 is a lot worse, scientifically, than Trek, B7 or even Who. But I can wave off a lot (the Moon escaping Earth orbit intact) as the Mysterious Unknown Force intervening.
It's the capabilities of the Eagles that irritate me.

 

[Marc]

1999 is a lot worse, scientifically, than Trek, B7 or even Who. But I can wave off a lot (the Moon escaping Earth orbit intact) as the Mysterious Unknown Force intervening.
It's the capabilities of the Eagles that irritate me.

wasn't it mentioned they could get close to light speed at one point?

 

[diankra]

side thought... the tentacle monster in tonight's Who is reminiscent of Dragon's Domain.

 

[Marc]

side thought... the tentacle monster in tonight's Who is reminiscent of Dragon's Domain.

just better sfx.

dragoon's domain a very good ep let dow by a dodgy efcts for the monster.

 

[Galileo7]

1999 is a lot worse, scientifically, than Trek, B7 or even Who. ...

Fear not, Lost In Space(1965-1968) was much worse than Space:1999.

 

[diankra]

just better sfx.

dragoon's domain a very good ep let dow by a dodgy efcts for the monster.

At the time, the Dragon was much scarier than anything in Who at the time (and Who was pretty nasty then). Still chills me now.