SPACE 1999 CLASSIC SCI-FI SERIES

This British series was the last collaboration from the married team of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. They had previous success with science fiction shows using their process of supermarionation. The series were made with marionettes and had wonderful special effects and exciting story lines.



Now the team turned to science fiction using human actors. For their time, the special effects and models were wonderful. Now, of course, they look very dated. The computers were huge and the décor is awful. But in 1975, when the show debuted, this was considered an exciting show.



The series, unlike the Anderson’s earlier efforts, was meant to be a serious sci fi series for adults. It took 2 years for the series to be ready to air and was very expensive. The show was first show in Great Britain, but immediately it was syndicated in other countries, where it was an immediate success. The series was less successful in England and during the show, the creators ended their marriage. This lead to the cancellation of the show, which was going downhill in terms of quality, anyway. But some of the early episodes were very good and the series is worth a second look.

Moonbase Alpha is a thriving station on the moon with over 300 inhabitants. It has various uses, including serving as a base for space exploration and as a dumping ground for nuclear waste. As the pilot opens, there is a problem, some members of the crew are dying. The nuclear waste doesn’t appear to be the problem, but the doctor isn’t so sure.



Commander Koenig has just returned to take command of the station. Earth Command is only interested in getting an explorer ship off the base in time, but Koenig is worried about the deaths and investigates.



By the end of the episode the nuclear waste has exploded and torn the moon out of Earth’s orbit. The station is still intact, but the moon is travelling through space, cut off from Earth. Koenig doesn’t try to get back to Earth, believing there is not a realistic chance of them making it back alive. Moonbase Alpha is now on their own, off to new adventures and dangers and encounters with alien life.

CAST



Martin Landau as Commander John Koenig
Barbara Bain as Dr. Helena Russell
Barry Morse as Professor Victor Bergman
Nick Tate as Alan Carter
Zienia Merton as Sandra Benes
Prentis Hancock as Paul Morrow
Anoton Phillips as Dr. Bob Mathias
Clifton Jones as David Kano
Catherine Schell as Maya
Tony Anholt as Tony Verdeschi



Commander Koenig ran the station, Dr. Russell was head of the medical team and Bergman was the onboard scientist. My favorite character was Maya, who was introduced in the second season. She was an alien with the ability to shapeshift into any living creature.