Spoilers U.F.O. TV Series (1970) Discussion Thread.
- Thread starter valkyrie013
- Start date
But it was the 80s.
The groooovy 80's, baby, YEAH! Behave!
But it was the 80s.
Only just...
It's a curious one. I saw bits of it back in the day but it never grabbed me the way Space 1999 did, watching when I was older the appeal was more obvious (and Space 1999 went a little down in my estimation) I haven't properly watched it in ages. I keep meaning to get the boxset. I recall episodes like Confetti check A-OK being very good. Also the one with a wife and her lover planning to kill her husband. ("They're lucky an alien came through the door instead of her husband") and the LSD/sped up time one!
Plus a fab title sequence/music!
As well as Bishop, Ventham, Drake etc it's also notable for Michael Billington, the almost Bond (auditioned more times than any other actor in history but always seemed to be second choice to someone else, he also played the KGB agent killed by Roger Moore at the start of The Spy who Loved Me)
Oh and while it didn't resonate as much with me as a kid, I still own the interceptor and mobile that I had as a kid- both severely worse for wear!
Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny) and Vladek Sheybal (No. 5, in From Russia with Love) also have recurring supporting roles, respectively as Ms. Holland and Dr. Jackson, both in SHADO.
There's not to many british tv/movie actors/actresses, so there will be plenty of spill over into other productions, even if its small parts. The Saint, Avengers, etic. Belive Mis Drake was in Star Trek ( Maybe? there is a photo of her on the transporter pad, but could be a fan made)
Desilu did this to, Watching Mission Impossible old series, it is replete with star trek stars, sometimes doing 2 or 3 different roles, like Mark Leonard.
Up to Episode 21, Still pretty good.
For a Reboot, Could take the premise of "10 years in the future, 1980" and say make it 2030 or 2035 to explain away some advances in technology. So Start off "Today" with Straker getting approval to form SHADO after confirming UFO's exist and that there hostile.
So take the 10 years from "Now" and have Shado set up a moon base, observation satellites, and Sky Divers. Have it a UN agency, so the General Straker goes against is a UN official that occasional hostile, maybe have an AI component, with him saying computers and drones could do a better job. Which with the original series, there was some hostility and infighting between them.
The show is a bit like Godzilla, yes the UFO's and aliens are there, but not every episode deals with them, and alot of the drama is Earth/moon based.
Desilu did this to, Watching Mission Impossible old series, it is replete with star trek stars, sometimes doing 2 or 3 different roles, like Mark Leonard.
Up to Episode 21, Still pretty good.
For a Reboot, Could take the premise of "10 years in the future, 1980" and say make it 2030 or 2035 to explain away some advances in technology. So Start off "Today" with Straker getting approval to form SHADO after confirming UFO's exist and that there hostile.
So take the 10 years from "Now" and have Shado set up a moon base, observation satellites, and Sky Divers. Have it a UN agency, so the General Straker goes against is a UN official that occasional hostile, maybe have an AI component, with him saying computers and drones could do a better job. Which with the original series, there was some hostility and infighting between them.
The show is a bit like Godzilla, yes the UFO's and aliens are there, but not every episode deals with them, and alot of the drama is Earth/moon based.
Last edited:
^This!
Correct. She was in an Emma Peel-era Avengers, tho.
I remember watching the whole UFO series on U.S. network TV (it was on CBS early Sunday evenings) over the summer of I believe 1970 or 1971. (I was 7 - 8 years old and already watching STAR TREK in syndication as well.)
IDK how many UFO fans may be aware of this, but what eventually became Space 1999 started out as UFO Season 2 (I wasn't aware of this until about 1 year ago myself):
IDK how many UFO fans may be aware of this, but what eventually became Space 1999 started out as UFO Season 2 (I wasn't aware of this until about 1 year ago myself):
The Andersons would probably preferred to have had more Ed Bishop and less of the Landaus though.
Ed Bishop did, though. He was in an episode of TAS.
Huh.. Guest stars are like red shirts on this series.. Excellent chance of death..
Huh.. Guest stars are like red shirts on this series.. Excellent chance of death..
George Cole waves hello
I posted this over in the 'James Bond' thread, that Michael Billington, who played Paul Foster, was up more times for the role of James Bond than any other actor.
First, to replace Connery after 'You Only Live Twice' before Lazenby was chosen.
Second, to replace Lazenby, before Connery agreed to return to the role in 'Diamonds'.
Third, to replace Connery before Roger Moore was chosen for 'Live and Let Die'.
Finally to replace Moore if he didn't return after 'Moonraker', 'For Your Eyes Only', and 'Octopussy'.
There's a video on YouTube called 'Paul Foster joins SHADO' that is the edited version of the episode 'Exposed', that plays like a highlight reel of Paul Foster's appearance.
It shows that Billington could pull off a credible Bond, definitely leaning towards the Connery side and not the lighter/quips side of Moore.
First, to replace Connery after 'You Only Live Twice' before Lazenby was chosen.
Second, to replace Lazenby, before Connery agreed to return to the role in 'Diamonds'.
Third, to replace Connery before Roger Moore was chosen for 'Live and Let Die'.
Finally to replace Moore if he didn't return after 'Moonraker', 'For Your Eyes Only', and 'Octopussy'.
There's a video on YouTube called 'Paul Foster joins SHADO' that is the edited version of the episode 'Exposed', that plays like a highlight reel of Paul Foster's appearance.
It shows that Billington could pull off a credible Bond, definitely leaning towards the Connery side and not the lighter/quips side of Moore.
I think I saw one episode of this while visiting as a child out of state.
Was there an episode where the protagonist seemed to be surrounded by duplicates of an enemy, so he just whirls around in a circle with a machine gun firing?
Somehow, the remaining antagonist got all the rounds, and he didn't know which way to fall at first. Sad really.
Was there an episode where the protagonist seemed to be surrounded by duplicates of an enemy, so he just whirls around in a circle with a machine gun firing?
Somehow, the remaining antagonist got all the rounds, and he didn't know which way to fall at first. Sad really.
The episode must be "Timelash". Timelash (ufoseries.com)
Last edited:
Similar threads
