ORBzine - Space 1999 TV Review

Martin Landau as Commander John Koenig

Barbara Bain as Dr. Helena Russell

Nick Tate as Alan Carter

Zienia Merton as Sandra 'Sahn' Benes

Barry Morse as Prof. Victor Bergman [ 1 ]

Anton Philips as Dr. Mathias

Prentis Hancock as Paul Morrow [ 1 ]

Clifton Jones as David Kano [ 1 ]

Suzzanne Roquette as Tayna Alexander [ 1 ]

1st Series 1975 ITV

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 1] Breakaway
Shown 17 Oct 75
Shown 7th January 2006 [Sunday]

Political Commissioner Roy Dotrice [ Beauty and the Beast, B5 ] assigns Commander Koenig to Moonbase Alpha. Koenig's first duty is to discover the source of a mysterious virus that's killing the astronauts.

It turns out that using the moon as a huge dump for all of Earth's nuclear waste is actually a bad idea!

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 1] Force of Life
Shown 24 Oct 75
Shown 20th July 2008 [Sunday]

A subspace anomaly flies past Moonbase. Most of the crew are knocked unconscious - but one is cursed with an awful power. He freezes to death anyone he touches!

  1- 3     113     31 Oct 75   Collision Course

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 4] War Games
Shown 4th December 2005 - Sunday

Moonbase is attacked by a swarm of alien spacecraft. Coincidentally the Aliens' technology and tactics are identical to those used by the Moonbase personnel!

It turns out they are being manipulated by Alien geniuses Anthony Valentine [ Robin of Sherwood ] and Isla Blair .

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 5] Death's Other Domain
Shown 11th December 2005 - Sunday

The Moonbase command crew explores an ice-planet. Yes, like the Trek Federation they send their leader intoi the most dangerous situations!

Luckily the planet is inhabited. Brian Blessed [ Flash Gordon, SWI: TPM ] and a buck of fur-clad cossack-looking people are there, looking for the secret of eternal life. They're all english-speaking caucasians, by the way.

Blessed is best known for over-acting, and the rest of the cast do their best to keep up with him.

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 6] Voyager's Return
Shown 18th December 2005 - Sunday

Voyager, the unmanned space probe, approaches Moonbase Alpha. However, this is not the simple 1970s probe. This is a 1986 probe equipped with an FTL drive!

The FTL drive, AKA the Quellar Drive, is leaking radioactivity. It must be remotely deactivated before they can recover the info the probe gathered. Luckily, the best scientific experts are aboard Moonbase.

An alien armada is following Voyager. They are survivors of the world that it contaminated with radiation. They want revenge!

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 7] Alpha Child
Shown 28 Nov 75

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 8] Dragon's Domain
Shown 1st January 2006 [Sunday]

We get a flashback, narrated by Barbara Bain. In 1996 a manned space probe was sent to an Earth-type planet named Ultra. It's in a different solar system, so it's only 6 months away! The crew, led by a pal of Koenig's, encounters a murderous beastie ...

Koenig's pal is the sole survivor. After being blamed for the loss of the crew, and treated like a delusional nut-case, he gets reassigned to Moonbase Alpha.

When the Moon drifts near a cluster of abandoned ships, the Dragon-slayer gets a re-match.

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 9] Mission of the Darians
Shown 8th January 2006 [Sunday]

The Moon encounters a huge spaceship, a flying city that floats in the void, crippled. Naturally, the senior staff [plus a few redshirts] go to explore. Splitting up, of course.

Koenig discovers that Joan Collins runs the spaceship.

The others encounter a gang of scraggly rejects from a medieval-era planet.

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 10] Black Sun
Shown 15th January 2006 [Sunday]

The Moon floats near a Black Sun, which can destroy it.

The crew endure a buildup of tension. Nicely done!

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 11] Guardian of Piri
Shown 22nd January 2006 [Sunday]

The Moon drifts near a strange planet. When a shuttle flies out to investigate the world, it goes missing. Was it due to a computer glitch or pilot error?

The computer becomes so unreliable that everything has to be switched to manual. However, the crew also become unreliable.

Koenig discovers that the planet is not merely inhabited by a forest of giant mushrooms. There is also a strange glowiung light, and a shapely woman clad in tin-foil. Not unlike most other worlds in this show.

The result seems an adaption of an episode of Star Trek: TOS .

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 12] End of Eternity
Shown 9 Jan 76

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 13] Matter of Life and Death
Shown 5th February 2006 [Sunday]

Eagle One returns from surveying an Earth-type planet. However, Dr Russell's husband has appeared aboard the ship. Mysterious, because he went MIA 5 years previously!

The planet is ideal for colonisation. Koenig has a few days to decide whether to land the entire crew there, or to continue floating around in the confines of Moonbase Alpha.

This was directed by Charlie Crichton , famous for the Ealing Comedies and A Fish Called Wanda.

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 14] Earthbound
Shown 12th February 2006 [Sunday]

After a staff meeting, Koenig is criticised by Political Commissioner Roy Dotrice [ Beauty and the Beast, B5 ] for not trying to return the Moon to Earth. Of course, Koenig tells him that it's impossible. Just then, a mysterious starship arrives from Earth.

Koenig and Dr Russell board and explore it. Aboard is Christopher Lee [ Dracula, LOTR, AOTC ] in a wig.

This was directed by Charlie Crichton , like the previous ep.

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 15] The Full Circle
Shown 19th February 2006 [Sunday]

An Away Team goes MIA. Their shuttle is investigated, and contains a cave-man!

Koenig and Dr Russell lead more Away teams to search for the first one. More disappearances follow, because a tribe of primative humans is living in the caves.

What's outstanding about this ep isn't the story - that's formulaic and predictable enough. It's the locations. The explorers drive about a huge deciduous forest on yellow 6-wheel buggies, and the caves look like genbuine caves rather than a flimsy studio set made of cardboard!

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 16] Another Time, Another Place
Shown 26th February 2006 [Sunday]

A strange flash renders the crew briefly unconscious. One girl becomes mentally unstable as her grasp of reality goes.

The moon returns to Earth orbit. But there's a parallel Moon already there!

The crew meet parallel versions of themselves, and get to see an alternate version of what could have happened. After all, there's worse things to happen than being stranded on moonbase, floating into a new solar system every week.

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 17] The Infernal Machine
Shown 5th March 2006 [Sunday]

The Moon arrives at a habitat controlled by a living machine. A giant computer that has achieved sentience.

Leo Mckern [ The Prisoner ] guest-stars.

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 18] Ring Around the Moon
Shown 12th March 2006 [Sunday]

The moon floats by a new planet. something on the surface takes over the mind of a crewman, and uses his mind to hack the Moonbase computer. The downloading burns out the human mind, however - and after using up a couple of Redshirts it takes over Barbara Bain .

The hacker is actually an AI on a probe from the planet Triton, from a distant galaxy. Somehow the Moonbase scientist knows more about this, including Triton's destruction, than the probe does!

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 19] Missing Link
Shown 19th March 2006 [Sunday]

Koenig is involved in a shuttle crash. He encounters an alien species led by Peter Cushing [ Star Wars IV: ANH ].

Koenig's comatose body is recovered. All signs point to him being dead. Will Barbara Bain switch off his life-support?

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 20] The Last Sunset
Shown 26th March 2006 [Sunday]

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 21] Space Brain
Shown 2nd April 2006 [Sunday]

The moonbase crew detect a strange energy field approaching.

Moonbase Alpha is smothered in green soapy bubbles. The crew run around in EVA suits.

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 22] The Troubled Spirit
Shown 9th April 2006 [Sunday]

Moonbase is hunted by a supernatural entity. Not an alien, this time, but perhaps the ghost of a staff member.

Agricultural experiments have been made on Moonbase. The entity kills people who have arguments with the scientist in charge ...

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 23] The Testament of Arkadia
Shown 26 Mar 76

Space 1999 [Season 1, Episode 24] The Last Enemy
Shown 7th May 2006 [Sunday]

Moonbase floats into a solar system that contains 2 inhabited planets. They are on opposing sides of their sun, and their orbits match each other so they are never in sight of each other.

One world, peopled by beautiful women sends a ship to investigate. Koenig assumes it's a warship because it is very big - either it has huge firepower, or an army-sized landing party!

2nd Season 1976

Catherine Schell as Maya [ 2 ]

Tony Anholt as Tony Verdeschi [ 2 ]

John Hug as Bill Fraser [ 2 ]

Jeffrey Kissoon as Dr. Ben Vincent [ 2 ]

Yasuko Nagazumi as Yasko Nugami [ 2 ]

Sam Dastor as Dr. Ed Spencer [ 2 ]

Alibe Parsons as Alibe [ 2 ]

Space 1999 [Season 2, Episode 1] The Metamorph
Shown 14th May 2006 [Sunday]

Moonbase is back, with new faces among the crew. It approaches a new planet. An exploration ship is attacked by the natives, and Koenig has to negotiate for the crew's return.

The natives are led by Brian Blessed. His daughter [ Catherine Schell ] is Maya.

Unfortunately, Big Brian has evil plans for the humans.

Space 1999 [Season 2, Episode 2] The Exiles
Shown 11 Sep 76
Shown 21st May 2006 [Sunday]

Moonbase detects objects floating in space. One is recovered and opened - it is a cryopod containing Peter Duncan [ Flash Gordon ]. He says the other cryopods are his people, exiled from a nearby planet 300 years ago.

Maya's shape-shifting comes in useful. She has an intimate moment with Barbara Bain and Koenig!

The aliens have psi-powers too. And a hidden agenda.

Space 1999 [Season 2, Episode 3] Journey to Where
Shown 18 Sep 76
Shown 28th May 2006 [Sunday]

Moonbase gets a phone call from the future. In the 23rd Century, some Texan scientists have invented a transporter beam that can rescue the Moonbase crew.

Koenig is initially suspicious, but eventually agrees to try the plan. He, his wife and third senior crew-member test the transporter out. Yes, no redshirts on this show!

The 3 explorers end up on an unknown M-Class planet ... It's full of medieval Scotsmen!

Space 1999 [Season 2, Episode 4] One Moment of Humanity
Shown 25 Sep 76
Shown 11th June 2006 [Sunday]

Billie Whitelaw beams aboard Moonbase.

Space 1999 [Season 2, Episode 5] Brian the Brain
Shown 1 Oct 76
Shown 18th June 2006 [Sunday]

The moon strays off its trajectory.

Space 1999 [Season 2, Episode 6] New Adam, New Eve
Shown 8 Oct 76
Shown 6th August 2006 [Sunday]

A stranger appears aboard moonbase. He has a goatee beard, but claims to be The Creator. Moonbase must select one male and one female, as a new Adam and Eve.

Space 1999 [Season 2, Episode 7] The Mark of Archanon
Shown 15 Oct 76
Shown 13th August 2006 [Sunday]

Moonbase astronauts discover 2 humanoid, a man and a boy, who have been cryogenically frozen. Naturally, they ignore the warning signs, and take them to Moonbase!

Turn out the strangers have psychic powers. Wow, never saw that coming.

  2- 8     207     22 Oct 76   The Rules of Luton
  2- 9     204     29 Oct 76   All That Glisters
  2-10     206      5 Nov 76   The Taybor

Space 1999 [Season 2, Episode 11] Seed of Destruction
Shown 12 Nov 76
Shown 19th September 2006 [Sunday]

Commander Koenig, supreme leader of Moonbase Alpha, visits a mysterious asteroid. Since he has no bodyguards he is easily overpowered by a doppelganger, who replaces him aboard the Moonbase.

Barbara Bain and the other officers must work out why their boss is acting strangely. Will they mutiny?

  2-12     211     19 Nov 76   The AB Chrysalis
  2-13     212     26 Nov 76   Catacombs of the Moon
  2-14     216      3 Dec 76   Space Warp
  2-15     215     10 Dec 76   A Matter of Balance
  2-16     214     17 Dec 76   The Beta Cloud
  2-17     219     24 Dec 76   The Lambda Factor

Space 1999 [Season 2, Episode 18] The Bringers of Wonder (1)
Shown 4 Aug 77
Shown 26th November 2006 [Sunday]

Koenig goes into a coma. He perceives the other Alpha crew members as green slimy monsters.

The alien babe changes shape - into an insect [regardless of the differences in body mass] and a Kendo player [with full body armour and fighting stave]!.

Space 1999 [Season 2, Episode 19] The Bringers of Wonder (2)
Shown 11 Aug 77
Shown 3rd December 2006 [Sunday]

It turns out that Alpha has been invaded by telepathic aliens. They live off radiactive waste - but rather than just asking for it, they fool the pilot into trying to blow it up!

Koenig must prevent the explosion ...

Space 1999 [Season 2, Episode 20] The Seance Spectre
Shown 18 Aug 77
Shown 10th December 2006 [Sunday]

It turns out that Alpha has a specialist team of explorers. Their leader is unhappy, though. I mean, Koenig always leads the Away Teams and always discovers the planets are uninhabitable. Naturally, this leads to mutinous behaviour ...

Turns out that yet ANOTHER uninhabitable world is in their path. The only way to save moonbase is by pushing it onto a new course. Koenig must explode the radiactive waste. He evacuates Moonbase, leaving himself [and an untypically weak Maiya] to detonate the waste.

Space 1999 [Season 2, Episode 21] Dorzak
Shown 25 Aug 77
Shown 17th December 2006 [Sunday]

Alpha encounters an alien ship. Aboard are a couple of beautiful women, and their prisoner. His name is Dorzak, and he is the last man of Maiya's race.

Dorzak is regarded as a dangerous maniac by the alien women. He doesn't have Maiya's shapeshifting skill, but he is a powerful telepath instead.

Space 1999 [Season 2, Episode 22] Devil's Planet
Shown 1 Sep 77

Koenig's shuttle crash-lands on a prison-planet. The convicts are men, the sadistic guards are beautiful women in skin-tight costumes. More than a little bit reminiscent of The Two Ronnies sketch The Worm That Turned ...

Space 1999 [Season 2, Episode 23] The Immunity Syndrome
Shown 8 Sep 77

Space 1999 [Season 2, Episode 24] The Dorcons
Shown 19th June 1999 [Saturday]

This ep sees Moonbase Alpha encounter a spacecraft of unknown origin. The Earthlings are duely scanned with that mainstay of British 1970s SPFX - the flashlight.

The ship turns out to belong to The Dorcons after whom this episode is entitled. Their leader, Patrick Troughton [my least favourite Doctor in Doctor Who , but now a rather competent villain] wants Maia the Zykon's brainstem so he can replace his own with it and become immortal. Lucky for Commander Koenig, the Dorcons have a few problems with internal poiltics.

The idea behind immortality in this episode, that it requires the life of another sentient, appears in Season One of Babylon Five . It appears that Blake's 7 was not the only British 1970s TV show that influenced JMS!