That, and the funky theme, of course.
The actual plots of Space1999 were pretty laughable but I don’t think the production design has ever been beaten, even it today’s shows. The sets and vehicles look fully functional, even the clothes look perfectly wearable despite being very 70s. Contrast this with Star Trek, with weird consoles and uniforms that look uncomfortable.
The theme is, of course, beyond reproach. I like to imagine the producers couldn’t decide between epic sci-fi chords, funk, and jangly surf guitar so the composer just said screw it and did all three.
And sooooo slooooooooow.
Given the fact that is was such an expensive (for the time) show, I really, really want to know how it is that they couldn't cough up for a writer that could produce something engaging rather than completely forgettable.
I mean it's not like SciFi was new at that point. Flash Gordon, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, etc. were more than a decade old and even Star Trek was more than 5 years old.
You never got the equivalent of "The City on the Edge of Forever" or "Balance of Terror" or ...
Space 1999 had resources and star power. It should have kicked ass and taken names. And it just ... didn't.
Rewatching it recently I felt like it was a drama about a really bad boss. Martin Landau's character is a terrible leader: shouty, over emotional, inclined to sudden bouts of despair, micromanaging.
It's obviously a great pity because as everyone agrees it's a beautiful show with a top notch theme.
Dragon's Domain has been living rent-free in my head for over two decades now even if I'm acutely aware how silly is the premise.
Second season is plain awful.
I think the show worked best when it was a review of variations of loneliness.
* Dragon's Domain - Tony Cellini is burdened by the loneliness of a demon no one else sees. * Guardian of Piri - John Koenig is surrounded by the best of the best in his senior staff. But under the "spell" of the Guardian, he has disagree with all of them and make some very lonely decisions. * Voyager's Return - Ernst Queller is burdened by the memory of his mistake many years ago with development (and many deaths) of the Queller Drive. And it comes back to haunt him in real life, not just his imagination. * End of Eternity - The alien Balor shows us that immortality could be the ultimate form of loneliness.
One has to understand that in the 1990s the old popular culture was very much gone. Now it is different. Everything old preserved in the net which is actually probably the biggest cultural change the internet has brought.
Besides I learned why I've always liked wearing black leather gloves: Balor, the evil artist. The coolest character in the series.
And the Moonbase uniforms were very eyecatching to say the least. And some of the plots were almost as mindwarping as The Prisoner.
OTOH why did the alien craft always approach the Earth from the side where the Moon is ?
Presumably because they'd read the script? :-)
Was terrified by the theme music as a child and never allowed to watch it. Managed to find it a little while ago and loved it. Only one season unfortunately.
jmclnx•2mo ago
I really liked the first season, but season 2 seemed to a been a bit worse, too bad the series ended too soon.
funnybeam•2mo ago
Biggest disappointment was reading up on it and finding that the Anderson’s had originally intended to do a second season of UFO then changed it up to make Space 1999 instead.
UFO was amazingly good
djmips•2mo ago
JKCalhoun•2mo ago