The bottom line for me is that I enjoyed "Space:1999" It's interesting reading the reviews here ranging from condemnation to adulation. Any movie or TV series will inspire as many opinions as there are viewers.
I thought that the series was well thought-out and the premise was sound. The crew of Moonbase Alpha had to face many perils and surprises after the moon has been knocked out of its orbit by mis-calculated nuclear explosions and wanders through the reaches of space. I thought the special effects, the acting, and the scripts added up to a great sci-fi series. Unlike some other reviewers I do not believe it was a knock-off of "Star Trek." No, "Space:1999" was oriiginal and many episodes had plots with subtleties and deeper meanings.
Of the characters, I especially liked the brave Alan Carter (Nick Tate) and Dr. Victor Bergman (Barry Morse), the scientist and philosopher. Some other reviewers have criticized Martin Landau, but he did a faithful job of playing Commander Koenig, a very reserved and serious man who carried the responsibility for the entire colony. I think Mr. Landau is an excellent actor, but he has been typecast to playing characters with a very serious personality, and sometimes the villians. You couldn't possibly like James Mason's henchman in "North by Northwest" for example.
Several shows stand out in my memory. In one episode, a superior civilization sends thousands of small cylindrical devices to the Moon which suddenly gush out air. The Moon has an atmosphere and gravity just like Earth, and the Alphans rejoice in the opportunity to enjoy a land like their long-lost home. Like all good things, however, it is a double-edged sword. With atmosphere comes weather including storms. Their Eagles encounter trouble flying and they soon are reminded of the effects of weather on radio signals. After the Moon has passed out of the range in which the Eagle spacecraft could reach the donor planet, the cylinders suddenly inhale their air back in and blast off from the again-sterile Moon. A message from the "generous" planet reveals that they feared the violence of Earthlings and created a diversion until the Moon had passed.
What about the second season? In 1976 I happened to be attending the "August Party" at the University of Maryland, an annual Star Trek convention organized solely by the fans. By coincidence they managed to get Nick Tate to appear. Mr. Tate was very well received, and the fans enjoyed seeing the advance copy of the second season opener. Maya (Maria Schell) added another dimension to "Space:1999." Her ability to change into any other animal life form came in handy, and it pre-dated the short-lived "Manimal" series. And Ms. Schell is an excellent actress.
Reading all these comments in IMDB has renewed my interest in this show. Overall, "Space 1999" is a GREAT show!!!!
I thought that the series was well thought-out and the premise was sound. The crew of Moonbase Alpha had to face many perils and surprises after the moon has been knocked out of its orbit by mis-calculated nuclear explosions and wanders through the reaches of space. I thought the special effects, the acting, and the scripts added up to a great sci-fi series. Unlike some other reviewers I do not believe it was a knock-off of "Star Trek." No, "Space:1999" was oriiginal and many episodes had plots with subtleties and deeper meanings.
Of the characters, I especially liked the brave Alan Carter (Nick Tate) and Dr. Victor Bergman (Barry Morse), the scientist and philosopher. Some other reviewers have criticized Martin Landau, but he did a faithful job of playing Commander Koenig, a very reserved and serious man who carried the responsibility for the entire colony. I think Mr. Landau is an excellent actor, but he has been typecast to playing characters with a very serious personality, and sometimes the villians. You couldn't possibly like James Mason's henchman in "North by Northwest" for example.
Several shows stand out in my memory. In one episode, a superior civilization sends thousands of small cylindrical devices to the Moon which suddenly gush out air. The Moon has an atmosphere and gravity just like Earth, and the Alphans rejoice in the opportunity to enjoy a land like their long-lost home. Like all good things, however, it is a double-edged sword. With atmosphere comes weather including storms. Their Eagles encounter trouble flying and they soon are reminded of the effects of weather on radio signals. After the Moon has passed out of the range in which the Eagle spacecraft could reach the donor planet, the cylinders suddenly inhale their air back in and blast off from the again-sterile Moon. A message from the "generous" planet reveals that they feared the violence of Earthlings and created a diversion until the Moon had passed.
What about the second season? In 1976 I happened to be attending the "August Party" at the University of Maryland, an annual Star Trek convention organized solely by the fans. By coincidence they managed to get Nick Tate to appear. Mr. Tate was very well received, and the fans enjoyed seeing the advance copy of the second season opener. Maya (Maria Schell) added another dimension to "Space:1999." Her ability to change into any other animal life form came in handy, and it pre-dated the short-lived "Manimal" series. And Ms. Schell is an excellent actress.
Reading all these comments in IMDB has renewed my interest in this show. Overall, "Space 1999" is a GREAT show!!!!