Destination: Moonbase Alpha
Page 6
To put those ratings into a more recent context, Star Trek: Enterprise premiered on 26 September 2001 with a 7.0 rating, but on several occasions in its first season it scored only a 3.0. By its fourth and last season, ratings were even lower – at their best scoring a meager 2.2 (for the final episode on 13 May 2005) and at worst an abysmal 1.4 (on 22 April 2005). Another modern comparitor would be the revived Battlestar Galactica. A brief sample of ratings for this space series includes one of its better performances at 2.6 on 14 January 2005 ranging down to an astonishingly low 1.1 on both 25 February and 4 March 2007. Certainly the television markets of the 21st Century are more fragmented than those of the 1970s, but it’s clear that either of these series could only dream of securing the ratings that Space: 1999 enjoyed.
As Martin Landau stated, ‘As we all could have predicted, when the series was sold to individual stations across the [US] it sold like hotcakes. The ratings showed it to be miles ahead of anything else in that time slot, including all the network programmes.’
The 155 US stations that screened the show (88 of which pre-empted network programmes in favour of it) represented 96% of American homes. Abe Mandell stated at the time: ‘We’ve created our own network – the Space: 1999 network.’
The ratings response to the series in the UK was far less successful than in the US. The poor showing of Year One ended up resulting in Year Two failing to secure the nation-wide screening that Year One received, as these quotes attest: ‘The first series of Space: 1999 was not a success in this region. In consequence, we did not screen … series two.’[6] ‘Imaginative storytelling combined with visual excellence created in the first series of Space: 1999 not only Anderson’s crowning achievement, but also what has turned out to be the apogee of science fiction on the small screen. Regrettably, although it became a cult series overseas, as far as the ITV companies were concerned it was a ratings flop, so when the second series came along it was [considered] an item principally for export.’[7] Nonetheless, Space: 1999 did find its niche in the science fiction void between the landmarks of Star Trek and Star Wars.
Airing in over 100 countries worldwide, Space: 1999 went network virtually everywhere around the globe except the US and the UK. The series was broadcast in Italy under the title Spazio: 1999, France as Cosmos: 1999, Portugal and Brazil as Espaço: 1999, Germany as Mondbasis Alpha 1, Denmark as Månebase Alpha, Sweden as Månbas Alpha 1999, Finland as Avaruusasema Alfa, Poland as Kosmos 1999, Hungary as Alfa holdbazis, Poland as Kosmos: 1999, Mexico as Odisea 1999, in Spain, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Venezuela as Espacio: 1999, and in South Africa as Alpha 1999. Around the world, viewers were entertained by the voyage of Moonbase Alpha.
RECKONING
Space: 1999 has often been a target for criticism over the years – much of it arguably unwarranted, and most of it sadly uninformed. In fact, the most damning criticisms have tended to be the least accurate, and have often been peppered with comments betraying the reviewer as cannibalising previous negative reviews rather than offering a fair-minded, first-hand opinion. Other commentators have simply failed either to appreciate or to comprehend what Space: 1999 was attempting to present. Actually more than the sum of its parts, it is – as writer Johnny Byrne explains in the coming pages – an epic origin story of a remarkable tribe of humans. None of this is to say that Space: 1999 should be exempt from criticism – certainly, all dramatic productions open themselves up to the potential praise or scorn of viewers. What Space: 1999 does deserve is an honest reckoning, not just through the words of a critical analysis, but also through the retrospective wisdom of those who worked on the show.
Some contemporary critics loved the series, as the following selection of comments attests:
‘Space: 1999 has demonstrated itself to be the finest SF television series ever produced, both in concept and in execution.’[8]
‘Space: 1999 is like Star Trek shot full of methedrine. It is the most flashy, gorgeous sci-fi trip ever to appear on TV.’[9]
‘To put it simply, Space: 1999 is the best science fiction show on television … The believability is heightened by handsome, authentic-looking sets and some good performances by Barbara Bain, Martin Landau and others.’[10]
‘The second episode in the series (“Matter of Life and Death”) gave several indications the series will offer that which science fiction fans have been clamoring for. Its story was an adult theme complete with moral; its production values stressed explosive special effects as well as impressionistic renderings; the direction by Charles Crichton was imaginative and the acting was unimpeachably above the average for television. It was material far better suited for the big screen than little.’[11]
‘Space: 1999 is a visually stunning, space-age morality play that chronicles the downfall of 20th Century technological man … That Space: 1999 is a brilliant piece of 20th Century technological art, filmmaking, is readily evident at a glance. What is perhaps less obvious is that the producers are using technology and art to talk about other issues.’[12]
‘Space: 1999 is important because it fills a need. It satisfies a genuine hunger in the TV audience: a national longing for a good new science fiction series. The networks, economically flat and creatively stale, seem locked into a mind-set incapable of imagining anything but new cops and sitcom spin-offs. Space: 1999 is a handsome rebuke to that kind of thinking.’[13]
Other commentators, by contrast, hated the show:
‘The plots and characterisation on Space: 1999 have been primitive. All the events that take place are science fiction clichés.’[14]
‘This series wasn’t produced – it was committed, like a crime … The special effects are good, but the actors are awful, even Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. Miss Bain’s part is the zombiest, which is some distinction, as the cast is huge.’[15]
‘Space: 1999 is also guilty of giving its actors lines pedestrian enough to qualify as instant camp.’[16]
‘A disappointing collage of wooden characters, boring dialogue and incomprehensible plots.’[17]
‘The main characters were all as cold as a Pluto moonrise, and the plots didn’t make a lot of sense.’[18]
Some aspects of Space: 1999, such as the subtle performances of many cast members, play better now than they did decades ago. Today, viewers have adjusted to a more understated style of acting thanks to shows like The X-Files. Back in the mid-1970s, people who were expecting Martin Landau to emote like William Shatner on Star Trek would have been disappointed.
There are those who might infer that Space: 1999 is limited by the date in its title and is now little more than a relic of the past. However, George Orwell’s 1984 and Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey are shining examples of science fiction with virtues that carry on untarnished by the passage of dates on a calendar. Space: 1999 presented stories of people like us, alone against the unknown and often in awe of the infinite complexities and mysteries of the universe. At times abstract, esoteric and metaphysical, Space: 1999 was anything but a standard by-the-books televised adventure series.
In the words of Johnny Byrne, ‘Space: 1999 was remarkable for many things, but one of the things that it was truly remarkable for … wasn’t so much that it was multicultural – there was no talk of white or black, or Jew, or straight or gay, or men or women. What united [the characters] was the thing that unites all of us. I think it’s summed up in “The Metamorph” with, ”We’re all aliens until we get to know each other.” It is that humanity. Sometimes humanity does not march to the same beat as political expedience … The only divisions the Alphans had were the coloured costume sleeves that showed the areas in which they worked. There never seemed to be a problem.’
In the following pages, the episodes will be explored in depth. Complementing this author’s Reviews are the Commentary sections, featuring the words of the actors, writers, producers, and others who actually made Space: 1999. Finally, memorable dialogue quotes round out the review sections and help to provide a greater sense of t
he highs (or lows) of each episode.
As promotional material for Space: 1999 would state, ‘The Future is Fantastic!’
YEAR ONE
PRODUCTION CREDITS
CREDITED ON EPISODES
Executive Producer Gerry Anderson
Producer Sylvia Anderson
Story Consultant Christopher Penfold (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10, 1.12, 1.13, 1.14, 1.15, 1.16)
Script Editors Edward di Lorenzo (1.1, 1.2, 1.5, 1.6, 1.8), Johnny Byrne (1.3, 1.4, 1.7, 1.10, 1.11, 1.13, 1.14, 1.15, 1.17, 1.18, 1.20, 1.21, 1.23) * No Script Editor credit appears onscreen for episodes 1.9, 1.12, 1.16, 1.19, 1.22 or 1.24.
Moon City Costumes Designed by Rudi Gernreich
Series Created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson
Music by Barry Gray
Music Associate Vic Elms
Special Effects Brian Johnson
Production DesignerKeith Wilson
Production Manager Ron Fry
Director of Photography Frank Watts BSC
Casting Director Michael Barnes
Supervising Editor David Lane
Camera Operators Tony White (1.1), Neil Binney (1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10, 1.11, 1.12, 1.13, 1.14, 1.15, 1.16, 1.17, 1.18, 1.19, 1.20, 1.21, 1.22, 1.23, 1.24)
Assistant Director Ken Baker
Sound Recordist David Bowen
Editors Derek Hyde Chambers (1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, 1.10, 1.12, 1.14, 1.16, 1.18, 1.20, 1.22, 1.24), Alan Killick (1.9, 1.11, 1.13, 1.15, 1.17, 1.19, 1.21, 1.23), Mike Campbell (1.3, 1.5, 1.7) *No Editor credit appears on episode 1.1, although this is attributed to Supervising Editor David Lane.
Sound Editors Peter Pennell (1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 1.7, 1.9, 1.11, 1.13, 1.15, 1.16, 1.17, 1.18, 1.22, 1.23, 1.24), Roy Lafbery (1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, 1.10, 1.12, 1.14, 1.19, 1.20, 1.21)
Music Editor Alan Willis
Continuity Gladys Goldsmith (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.9, 1.10, 1.11, 1.12, 1.13, 1.14, 1.15, 1.16, 1.17, 1.18, 1.19, 1.20, 1.21, 1.22, 1.23, 1.24), Phyllis Townsend (1.8)
Make-up Ann Cotton (1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.7, 1.10, 1.11, 1.14, 1.15, 1.17, 1.20, 1.22, 1.24), Basil Newall (1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, 1.9, 1.12, 1.13, 1.16, 1.18, 1.19, 1.21, 1.23)
Hair Designer Helene Bevan
Wardrobe Eileen Sullivan
Special Effects Director Nick Allder
Lighting Cameraman Harry Oakes
Camera Operator Frank Drake
Electronics Michael S E Downing
An ITC-RAI Co-Production
Produced by GROUP THREE for World-Wide Distribution
Made at Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire, England
Special Effects created at Bray Studios, England
Processed by Rank Film Laboratories
UNCREDITED ON EPISODES
Miniatures Brian Johnson, Martin Bower, Wag Evans and Space Models, Terry Reed, Derek Freeborn, Brian Eke, Eric Backman and Mike Trim.
Matte paintings Ray Caple (Zenno, Daria interiors, ‘Last Enemy’ surface)
Floor SFX Les Bowie
The following additional production employees were listed on an August 1973 Group Three Productions ‘unit list’ for Space: 1999:
Executive –
Group Three Productions Reg Hill
Second Assistant Director Steve Lanning
Third Assistant Director Roy Button
Production Secretary Jane Oscroft
Gerry Anderson’s Secretary Kate Curry
Sylvia Anderson’s Secretary Linda Matthews
Follow Focus Mike Tomlin
Clapper/loader Paul Turtle
Boom Operator Fred Tomlin
Sound Camera Operator Maurice Smith
Sound Maintenance Austin Partridge
Electronic Effects Operator Geoff Grimmell
Electronics Engineer Michael Faithful
Assistant Art Director Michael Ford
Draughtsman Dennis Bosher
Art Department Assistant Richard Holland
Production Buyer Sid Palmer
Construction Manager Bill Waldron
Hairdresser Maud Onslow
Wardrobe Assistants Elvira Angelinetta and Betty Rogers
Script Secretary Diana Healy
First Assistant Editors Peter Gray and Colin Needs
Second Assistant Editor Linda Pearce
Assistant Dubbing Editors Phillip Sanderson and Edward Bond
Special Effects Technician Allan Bryce
Casting Secretary Rosemary Palmer
Production Accountant Terry Connors
Assistant -
Production Accountant Ray Buckley
Accounts Assistant Margaret Woods
Secretary to M Landau
and B Bain Gail Samuelson
Driver to M Landau
and B Bain Ray Atkins
Unit Drivers Doug Lister and Brian Boreham
Electrical Supervisor John May
Chargehand Electrician Freddie Webster
Chargehand Props Wally Hocking
Standby Props John Gillies and K Wilks
Chargehand Dressing Props Chick McCarthy
Standby Carpenter K G Mears
Standby Stagehand L Bailey
Standby Rigger J Kelly
Standby Painter G Honor
Grip Michael Beauchamp
Unit Runner Steven Homes
Special Effects Unit (Bray Studios)
Special Effects Art Director Cyril Forster
Design Draughtsman Ron Burton
Special Effects Assistant Alan Barnard
Focus Puller David Litchfield
Clapper/loader Terry Pearce
Secretary Jill Larkin
1.1
BREAKAWAY
Screenplay by George Bellak and Christopher Penfold*
Directed by Lee H Katzin
*Christopher Penfold does not receive on-screen credit.
Selected Broadcast Dates:
UK London Weekend Television (LWT):
Date: 6 Sept 1975. Time: 5.50 pm
Granada:
Date: 26 Sept 1975. Time: 6.35 pm
US WPIX (New York):
Date: 20 Sept 1975. Time: 7.00 pm
KRON (San Francisco):
Date: 5 Sept 1975. Time: 10.00 pm
Australia HSV7: Space: 1999 World Premiere
Date: 23 July 1975. Time: 7.30 pm
Credited Cast: Martin Landau (Commander John Koenig), Barbara Bain (Doctor Helena Russell), Barry Morse (Professor Victor Bergman), Prentis Hancock (Controller Paul Morrow), Zienia Merton (Data Analyst Sandra Benes), Anton Phillips (Doctor Bob Mathias), Nick Tate (Captain Alan Carter), Philip Madoc (Commander Anton Gorski), Lon Satton (Benjamin Ouma), Eric Carte (Astronaut Collins)
Guest Artist: Roy Dotrice (Commissioner Simmonds)
Uncredited Cast: Suzanne Roquette (Tanya Alexander), Barbara Kelly (Voice of Computer), Don Fellows (GTV Newsman), Roy Scammell (Jim Nordstrom), Alf Joint (Steiner), Laurie Davis (Eagle Stewardess), David Rhys Anderson (Frank Warren), Shane Rimmer (Voice of Eagle 2 Pilot), Loftus Burton (Operative Lee Oswald), Chai Lee (Operative Anna Wong), Paul Weston (Operative Lew), Michael Zorba (Operative Michael), Christopher Matthews, Valerie Van Ost, Norma West, Maggie Wright (Main Mission Operatives), Alan Harris (Alphan), Tony Allyn (Security Guard Tony Allan), Quentin Pierre (Security Guard Pierce Quinton), John Clifford (Security Guard)
Previously Titled: ‘Zero G’ (a 30 minute script by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson), ‘The Void Ahead’ (a 60 minute script by George Bellak) and ‘Turning Point’ (60 minute length, re-written by Christopher Penfold)
Plot: In the year 1999, mankind is using the Earth’s Moon as a dumping ground for nuclear waste. Moonbase Alpha, with a population of 311 men and women, has been established in order to monitor the waste dumps and function as a large-scale scientific space research station. While Alpha prepares the launch of a probe to the newly discovered planet Meta, problems are mounting … An unexplained illness – the Meta Probe Astronaut Virus Infecti
on – is killing astronauts, magnetic radiation of unprecedented violence has been detected and Nuclear Waste Disposal Area One burns itself out in a sub-surface firestorm. Then, on 13 September 1999, Nuclear Waste Disposal Area Two erupts in a massive explosion. The blast, acting like a gigantic rocket motor, hurls the Moon and Moonbase Alpha out of Earth orbit on an unknown trajectory into deep space …
Quotes:
Collins: ‘Move aside, Commander – I’m getting out of here.’
Koenig: ‘The giant leap for mankind. It’s beginning to look like a stumble in the dark.’
Helena: ‘We’re looking for answers, Commander. Not heroes.’
Koenig: ‘You were right, doctor. It was radiation – magnetic radiation. Now we’re sitting on the biggest bomb man’s ever made.’
Koenig: ‘I see men risking their lives to avert disaster – total disaster. Now wake up, Commissioner. If this goes wrong there won’t be anybody to issue a communiqué. There will be no survivors!’
Paul: ‘Commander! It’s going up!’
Computer: ‘Human decision required.’
Koenig: ‘Attention all sections Alpha. This is Commander John Koenig. As you know, our Moon has been blasted from orbit. We are completely cut off from planet Earth. As we are, we have power, environment and therefore the possibility of survival. If we should attempt to improvise a return to Earth without travel plots, without full resources, it is my belief that we would fail. Therefore, in my judgment, we do not try.’
Koenig: [Final voice-over] ‘September 13, 1999. Meta signals increasing – yes, maybe there …’
Significant Dates (Prior to Filming) from Barry Morse’s Diaries: