Space 1999

[Third EYe]

I just finished the entire Space 1999 DVD set. I have mixed feelings about it. I liked it, but it was very predictable in it's story telling most of the time. Many of themes repeated themselves.

The first few episodes of season 1 were great. It went downhill from there, until the last episode. The Darcons. One thing that will stick out in my mind is one phrase, one that all us who have ever watched any Star Trek eps with the Borg.

Resistance is Futile.

I do not beleive the Borg were on TV prior to this episode of Space 1999. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. The Darcons told this to the population of Moon Base Alpha. They said it over and over again, like the Borg.

Even though I have a lot of complaints about this series, I really wish it would have continued a few more seasons, at least until they found a permanent home.

[grinner]

Originally posted by Third EYe
I just finished the entire Space 1999 DVD set. I have mixed feelings about it. I liked it, but it was very predictable in it's story telling most of the time. Many of themes repeated themselves.

The first few episodes of season 1 were great. It went downhill from there, until the last episode. The Darcons. One thing that will stick out in my mind is one phrase, one that all us who have ever watched any Star Trek eps with the Borg.

Resistance is Futile.

I do not beleive the Borg were on TV prior to this episode of Space 1999. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. The Darcons told this to the population of Moon Base Alpha. They said it over and over again, like the Borg.

Even though I have a lot of complaints about this series, I really wish it would have continued a few more seasons, at least until they found a permanent home. The phrase 'Resistance is Futile' was first said in a 1966 episode of Doctor Who. The Cybermen said it to the Doctor.

and everyone knows that the Borg are just a cheap knockoff of the Cybermen. :P

[Third EYe]

Originally posted by grinner
The phrase 'Resistance is Futile' was first said in a 1966 episode of Doctor Who. The Cybermen said it to the Doctor.

and everyone knows that the Borg are just a cheap knockoff of the Cybermen. :P

Well everyone knows now........again, I'm the last to know.......bummer........

[vhsiv]

'Space:1999' ran from 1975-1977, and ST:TOS ran from 1966-1969 while 'ST: The Next Generation' ran from 1987-1994. The Borg weren't introduced until 'ST:TNG', so that's that. There's no correspondenc between 'Space:1999' and 'ST:TNG'.

I myself found the first season a bit hard to watch b/c of the sometimes clunky special effects and thin sets, but still have an essential fondness from having watched it when it firt aired. Surprisingly, I found the Andersen's earlier series, 'UFO' to have held up just a bit better, over time.

I don't know if it's the earth-based premise of the former or the metaphysical excesses of the latter that make all the difference, but 'UFO' had/has a stronger story arc throughout.

[BillFrugge]

Funny you should mention... I did some research on this awhile back after I had finished watching both UFO and Space: 1999. I found the following:

UFO was misunderstood. Since Anderson did marionette shows like Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet, TPTB thought UFO was along the same vein. They were surprised that it was actually live action.

Anderson set out to re-vamp UFO. He had decided to increase the size of the moonbase, and set more of the action there. UFO v2.0 eventually DID become Space: 1999. Partly, there was some influence by Star Trek.

Since it was a British programme, many actors who appeared on Doctor Who also appeared on Space: 1999. Did you recognise Patrick Troughton?

IIRC Martin Landau was the original choice to play Mr. Spock on Star Trek. Eventually, Leonard Nimoy replaced Martin in Mission: Impossible.

Resistance is futile? Frell! According to the Vogons, "Resistance is Usless!"

[grapeshot]

and everyone knows that the Borg are just a cheap knockoff of the Cybermen.

Eh? CHEAP? Not to knock Dr. Who, but it's hard to believe that the Borg were cheaper than the Cybermen. Knockoffs they may have been, but it's unlikely that they were cheaper. Furthermore, the Borg were the only truly frightening bad guys on ST:TNG. Despite being knockoffs, they were nonetheless effective.

Also, not "everyone" knows this; only Dr. Who afficianados would know this.

[grinner]

Originally posted by grapeshot
Eh? CHEAP? Not to knock Dr. Who, but it's hard to believe that the Borg were cheaper than the Cybermen. Knockoffs they may have been, but it's unlikely that they were cheaper. Furthermore, the Borg were the only truly frightening bad guys on ST:TNG. Despite being knockoffs, they were nonetheless effective.

Also, not "everyone" knows this; only Dr. Who afficianados would know this. you didn't see the :P that I put on the end of that sentence... that was sarcasm. I truly believe that the Borg are what the Cybermen SHOULD have been portrayed as. If wishes and all that dren.

Yes the Cybermen were cheap... but they could have been so much more.

And yes... probably only a Whovian would know about that sentence being in a Doctor Who episode

[Third EYe]

When you say they were cheap, like McDonalds cheap or they weren't put together very well?

[IcecreamLtDan]

Actually i've been a big Space:1999 fan since I saw the show when it was originally aired in the 70's. I'm not sure where I read it but, the story goes like this. Apparantly Star Trek and Mission:Impossible were filmed on adjacent sets and both Martin Landau and Barbara Bain, who are, or at least were married, were on Mission:Impossible at the time and became big Star Trek fans and jumped at the chance to play in Space:1999 due to it's similarities. Also, it's interesting to note, the same guy, whose name eludes me at the moment, who is generally recognized as killing Star Trek:TOS with his involvement in season three is the same guy who killed Space:1999 with his involvement in season two.