more fun with Moon Base Alpha

Space 1999 was a diverse series that had it all and then some. It was fun like Doctor Who, as abstract as the Prisoner, as explorational as Star Trek, as light as Lost In Space, as philosophical as 2001, as dark and claustophobic as the most entertaining horror movies and disaster films, as funny as Plan 9, and it even featured pre-Star Wars space battles that were truly a blast. On it's own merit it was also quite a unique series. It was never locked down into just one pattern so it never got sterile. There are episodes for every mood and mindset. One can enjoy the serious episodes or the just plain fun escapism. The setting of 1999 only adds to the fun and the out of control moon idea was certainly original. Many episodes allow the viewer to come to one's own conclusions and there's little clear continuity after the first episode which also allows creativity on the part of the veiwer. It's a very expansive and wonderous universe that's explored in different ways. The diversity of styles and ideas are it's greatest strength. It's always a wild ride.

Two really good episodes, four not-so-good episodes

Missing Link - I didn't care for this one at all. Koenig is captured by some aliens that think humans are the "missing link" in their evolutionary chain. There's a whole lot of standing around talking in cheap acid-trip looking sets. The premise isn't interesting or believable. The ending is really dumb.

The Guardian of Piri - The moonbase crew goes to the planet Piri and lays around acting really stoned. Only Koenig seems immune to the powerful LSD trip that affects everyone else. Kind of like Woodstock if you dressed everyone up in Moonbase uniforms and didn't have any bands playing. Pretty stupid overall. The worst part was watching the Moonbase crew having a party before they left Alpha, like a bunch of 9 year olds at a birthday party looking forward to watching the clown show.

Force of Life - A truly excellent episode. A man who works in one of the reactor rooms is taken over by an alien spirit and starts killing people and consuming Alpha's power. Some great nightmarish sequences and marvelous sets. One of my favorites of the whole series.

Alpha Child - Not very good. Alpha's first child is born and grows up rapidly. A lot of scenes of the Alphans giddily playing with the kid, rather neauseating. The ending was somewhat good, but ultimately unsatisfying.

The Last Sunset - Another great episode. Alpha gets an atmosphere, and Barbara Bain is stranded when her Eagle crashes. Another of my favorites of the series.

Voyager's Return - I didn't like this one at all. The Voyager space probe was launched from earth, but something went wrong with it's drive system and it ended up killing a bunch of people. Now it returns with angry aliens in hot persuit. The doctor who built it just happens to be on Alpha, but everyone hates him because of the previous accident. There are a lot of Nazi overtones in this for some reason (the doctor has a heavy German accent and is treated as some sort of horrible criminal). Doesn't really make sense - do the family memebers of the victims of the space shuttle disasters hate and want to beat up the people who work at NASA? It was an accident for pete's sake. Everyone acts very out of character and I found the whole thing rather painful to sit through.

Overall, a real mixed bag. I give it 4 stars on the strength of the two good episodes, which is being very charitable.

Great fun with human puppets!!

Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, responsible for Thunderbirds, turned their attention of using the same principals of their puppet-shows, but use live actors instead of the puppets, and the result was UFO. Okay the series has some flaws, but die-hard fans loved it. Their next entry was Space 1999. Again, maybe not high brow, and some special effects were low brow..lol, but it was still great fun.

This is the second set of episodes of the Earthlings trapped on the moon now travelling through space due to an accident. With the Oscar winning Martin Landau and this then wife, Barbara Bain, heading the cast they were well acted and rather nifty tales.

This set has Missing Link, where Landau is captured on planet Zenno, where humans appear to the be missing link; The Guardian of Piri, another planet where the Alphans try to land, but run into the Guardian, and once you gaze into its lights you are lost. Force of Life, (starring the wonderful Ian McShane) as a technician that is invaded by a heat-seeking life form; Alpha Child - the first child is born on Alpha Moonbase, but soon the joy turns to fear as the child shows strange powers; The Last Sunset - Suddenly the Moon has atmosphere...but how did this happen?; Voyager's Return. A space probe launched from Earth to acquire information comes back to moonbase with terrible repercussions.

So pop a bunch of popcorn and have a fun evening!