Space 1999

1 9 7 5 - 1 9 7 8 (UK)
48 x 60 minute episodes

Space 1999 cost around $300,000 per episode and it showed. The show (a semi sequel to a previous Gerry Anderson production, UFO) was visually stunning and yet one of the biggest flops in TV history.

In the year 1999, the colonised moon was blown out of orbit by an explosion in a nuclear waste dump on its dark side (It's always the nuclear waste dump, isn't it?!). Moonbase Alpha and its crew of 300 are sent spinning off into space.

Their subsequent adventures throughout the galaxy bring them into contact with giant man-eating squid, moving rocks that murder humans, cosmic gas clouds and new planets. The Moonbase was headed by Commander John Koenig and chief medical officer, Doctor Helena Russell (played by real life husband and wife, Landau and Bain).

The plot lines were depressing and the crew of Moonbase Alpha seemed to constantly lose their battles. They encountered all sorts of alien life forms and intergalactic dangers on their travels. Among them were: a blob of living foam; sexy robots of the planet Pirl; a gigantic, people-eating squid; a man-turned-machine name Gwent and the fearsome and mythical Arra, queen of the planet Astheria.

There were lots of futuristic weapons and gadgets like laser beams, Queller Drive engines, Camelot Locator beams and a talking computer - which, in moments of danger, would say really useful things like: "Not enough data to formulate parameters. Human decision required."

Other key crew members included Professor Bergman, a brilliant scientist with an artificial heart, Chief Space Pilot Captain Alan Carter  and Maya, a female alien "shape shifter" from the planet Psychon who could transform herself into other forms (an orange tree, a lion, a gorilla, etc) for short periods of time by rearranging molecules.

There was also suggestion that Gerry Anderson may have solicited more emotive performances from some of his original marionettes . . . For all that, I loved this show and heartily recommend it to you for the production values and space ephemera alone.