I think Space: 1999's greatest achievement was its design. The whole aesthetic, from Alpha's styling to the clothing, is simply gorgeous, and easily surpasses the visuals of many series that followed.
I watched the original series as a kid and when a local TV station sent reruns of 1999 at the nineties and I was so amazed by the design that I only realized how rotten the plots were when I bought a DVD box a decade or two later.
One has to understand that in the 1990s the old popular culture was very much gone. Now it is different. Everything old preserved in the net which is actually probably the biggest cultural change the internet has brought.
Besides I learned why I've always liked wearing black leather gloves: Balor, the evil artist. The coolest character in the series.
The actual plots of Space1999 were pretty laughable but I don’t think the production design has ever been beaten, even it today’s shows. The sets and vehicles look fully functional, even the clothes look perfectly wearable despite being very 70s. Contrast this with Star Trek, with weird consoles and uniforms that look uncomfortable.
The theme is, of course, beyond reproach. I like to imagine the producers couldn’t decide between epic sci-fi chords, funk, and jangly surf guitar so the composer just said screw it and did all three.
The first sesason was solid for its time, a sort of twilight zone in space, or even a more fantastical take on Star Trek. It was less about an overarching plot or consistency or being based on a set of strict rules and more about exploring various themes, such as humans in the face of certain death. Nothing groundbreaking but the production and the actors make it work (some of them anyway - sorry, Barbara Bain is about as convincing as a piece of plywood).
Dragon's Domain has been living rent-free in my head for over two decades now even if I'm acutely aware how silly is the premise.
The plots are also extremely illogical and incoherent. I think though the greatest failure is in character development.
Rewatching it recently I felt like it was a drama about a really bad boss. Martin Landau's character is a terrible leader: shouty, over emotional, inclined to sudden bouts of despair, micromanaging.
It's obviously a great pity because as everyone agrees it's a beautiful show with a top notch theme.
> The actual plots of Space1999 were pretty laughable
And sooooo slooooooooow.
Given the fact that is was such an expensive (for the time) show, I really, really want to know how it is that they couldn't cough up for a writer that could produce something engaging rather than completely forgettable.
I mean it's not like SciFi was new at that point. Flash Gordon, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, etc. were more than a decade old and even Star Trek was more than 5 years old.
It took me 50 years, but I’ve finally started watching and rewatching classic and great old sci-fi, fantasy, thrillers, and just good TV like: Space 1999, Blake’s 7, Outer Limits, Twilight Zone, Doctor Who (even Disney+ specials), Jabberwocky, Darkstar (the beach ball- a classic!), Wild Wild West (especially first season), Amazing Stories, The Ray Bradbury Theater (Drew Barrymore was in it!), IT Crowd (the Internet sits atop Big Ben), Black Books (secure door), It Came From Outer Soace, The Magnetic Monster (which actually is about radiation and theoretical “unipolar magnetism” physics which I didn’t know was a real concern then), and others.
The Omega Factor is another good one you’d like judging by the rest of your list.
Was terrified by the theme music as a child and never allowed to watch it. Managed to find it a little while ago and loved it. Only one season unfortunately.
I’ve been rewatching it recently and thought the first season was awful. The plots specifically, the aesthetics and theme music are awesome and worth watching for that alone. Haven’t gotten to the second season yet but was really hoping it improved…
Biggest disappointment was reading up on it and finding that the Anderson’s had originally intended to do a second season of UFO then changed it up to make Space 1999 instead.
Very cool seeing the old techniques described. The classic special effects teams had to be so creative. These days it’s all green screens and digital effects.
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That, and the funky theme, of course.
One has to understand that in the 1990s the old popular culture was very much gone. Now it is different. Everything old preserved in the net which is actually probably the biggest cultural change the internet has brought.
Besides I learned why I've always liked wearing black leather gloves: Balor, the evil artist. The coolest character in the series.
The actual plots of Space1999 were pretty laughable but I don’t think the production design has ever been beaten, even it today’s shows. The sets and vehicles look fully functional, even the clothes look perfectly wearable despite being very 70s. Contrast this with Star Trek, with weird consoles and uniforms that look uncomfortable.
The theme is, of course, beyond reproach. I like to imagine the producers couldn’t decide between epic sci-fi chords, funk, and jangly surf guitar so the composer just said screw it and did all three.
Dragon's Domain has been living rent-free in my head for over two decades now even if I'm acutely aware how silly is the premise.
Second season is plain awful.
Rewatching it recently I felt like it was a drama about a really bad boss. Martin Landau's character is a terrible leader: shouty, over emotional, inclined to sudden bouts of despair, micromanaging.
It's obviously a great pity because as everyone agrees it's a beautiful show with a top notch theme.
And sooooo slooooooooow.
Given the fact that is was such an expensive (for the time) show, I really, really want to know how it is that they couldn't cough up for a writer that could produce something engaging rather than completely forgettable.
I mean it's not like SciFi was new at that point. Flash Gordon, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, etc. were more than a decade old and even Star Trek was more than 5 years old.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFO_(British_TV_series)
And the Moonbase uniforms were very eyecatching to say the least. And some of the plots were almost as mindwarping as The Prisoner.
OTOH why did the alien craft always approach the Earth from the side where the Moon is ?
Was terrified by the theme music as a child and never allowed to watch it. Managed to find it a little while ago and loved it. Only one season unfortunately.
Dead Comment
I really liked the first season, but season 2 seemed to a been a bit worse, too bad the series ended too soon.
Biggest disappointment was reading up on it and finding that the Anderson’s had originally intended to do a second season of UFO then changed it up to make Space 1999 instead.
UFO was amazingly good