Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site ucdavis.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!ucbvax!ucdavis!ccrdave From: ccrdave@ucdavis.UUCP (Lord Kahless) Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers,net.startrek,net.tv Subject: Re: SPACE 1999. Message-ID: <238@ucdavis.UUCP> Date: Wed, 5-Jun-85 12:15:55 EDT Article-I.D.: ucdavis.238 Posted: Wed Jun 5 12:15:55 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 8-Jun-85 02:11:30 EDT References: <2051@topaz.ARPA> <576@west44.kcl-cs.UUCP> <577@west44.kcl-cs.UUCP> Organization: University of California, Davis Lines: 39 Xref: watmath net.sf-lovers:7864 net.startrek:3278 net.tv:2974 > The series, in my opinion, relied to heavily on special effects and did not > concentrate on the characters and plot as heavily as they should have to make > it a very good series. The problem with Space 1999 was (as is usually the problem w/ t.v.) a lack of good scripts. From what I know, lack of scripts usually comes from lack of time to develop the scripts. Lord Lew Grade is famed for quickie Sci Fi productions. Lord LOW grade :-) I remember an abominable series (which I think they got some of the sets for 1999 from) in which the premise was another bunch of aliens out to conquer earth. The series was named something like UFO, and was set in the 1980's. The bad taste must be somewhere in the back of your mind. > If handled correctly the series could have become a cult > series (almost as much as STAR TREK).But it was very badly handled and then to > compound matters the show brought in Fred Freiberger to produce the show I think it was more Low Grade's fault. Look at his track record with earlier productions. > (after he had cocked up the third series of STAR TREK),and they bought in a > shape changing alien????? I dunno about having an alien regular. I seem to remember a series in the 1960's that did quite well with an alien regular. The shape changing bit became the catch all escape for the show, though. (When in doubt, Maya can bail us out.) They abused the character. A MUCH more limited shape changer might not have hurt too badly, although I never did quite understand how a normal sized woman can convert her mass into a bumble bee and then into a ten foot alien and then back to herself again. > This really killed of the series in alot of fans eyes and did not help > encourage new people to watch and like the series. Again, I think it was the lousy scripts that abused the character that had more to do with the death of 1999. It was a pity that the show didn't live up to it's potential, but any time a series takes the easy way out (gadgets and bug eyed monsters instead of good scripts) the same seems to happen.