Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 13:39:48 -0700
From: Van A Plexico (plexiva@mail.auburn4tag.edu)
Subject: Hawks
I remember hearing somewhere, a long time ago (when I was fascinated by
the Hawks), that they were originally designed to fight the UFOs from
that series, as the two shows supposedly are in the same "universe." Is
this accurate? I think I read it in Starlog...
Supposedly, they were upgrades of the SHADO interceptors (I've never seen
that show, but I do remember the toys!)
--Van
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 19:25:54 -0700
From: Sfcafeguy@aol4tag.com
Hi Van:
I have never heard such a thing and I don't believe it. From everything I've
read, what became Moonbase Alpha was designed and built for the planned
second season of UFO but when UFO 2 was left behind in favor of developing a
new space-based (versus Earth- and moon-based) series (Space: 1999) nobody to
my knowledge ever proposed that they existed in one another's universe.
UFO was forgotten about in favor of the new series that eventually became
known as Space: 1999. Also, I remember reading that the Hawks were designed
to look similar to the Eagles (the command module anyway), and "War Games,"
the episode in which the Hawks appear, comes rather late in the first season
of Space: 1999, so I think it unlikely that they were planned for UFO, though
they may have been developed from an old sketch that was done for UFO and
never used.
Interestingly some of the foreign model boxes use UFO as part of the logo,
like UFO Eagle, etc., but I think this was done for name recognition in their
various markets, rather than something Gerry Anderson and friends set out to
do or encouraged.
Robert
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 06:18:36 -0700
From: David Weis (dweis@indiana4tag.edu)
I know nothing about UFO, but judging from the title, it involved life
from another planet. Recall that in "Breakaway" the Meta probe was
receiving signals from planet Meta that suggested intelligent life. I
specifically recall Simmonds making a big deal out of this. From this, I
think it's safe to conclude that in the Space 1999 universe, no
information about extraterestrials had reached earth prior to Sept. 13,
1999. From all of this we can conclude that UFO and Space 1999 take
place in different universes.
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 13:55:03 -0700
From: Van A Plexico (plexiva@mail.auburn4tag.edu)
No--I didn't make this clear enough. The Hawks were supposedly EARTH
interceptors vs. the UFO attackers. Taking the place of the older SHADO
interceptors. That is why the Alphans recognized them--the Wargames
aliens pulled the Hawks out of their memories, from Earth. Just like
they pulled the "bomber" out of Alpha Child memories.
I know I read that somewhere but I still can't remember where.
--Van
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 07:23:01 -0700
From: "Ellen Lindow (LIS)" (lindow@luna.cas.usf4tag.edu)
Subject: UFO and 1999 in the same universe?
I think they were in the same universe. There was just some air of
sameness about them. I loved UFO way before Space 1999 ever aired. All
the action in UFO was way way beyond top secret. If you knew something
you shouldn't they gave you this amnesia drug, so you forgot it. The
aliens weren't anti-matter, so they didn't come from Meta, but they were
mean nasties who were here to collect body parts. (I don't know why
their own weren't good enought, ask the Voyager crew who seemed to run
into a similar problem last season.)
You always got the feeling that somewhere just over the horizon from
Alpha was the SHADO base waiting to be discovered. The technology was
similar. SID, UFO's computer was very similar in design to Eagles, and
the interceptors could have been modified command modules. Hmm, I feel a
crossover fan fiction story coming on. I'll have to think about this
some more.
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 08:11:19 -0700
From: "Gina L. Prosch" (glprosch@cs1.presby4tag.edu)
You're right Ellen. And Straker and Koenig both have similar styles of
command. As for the two bases (Shado and Alpha), perhaps they are
connected underground?
And while we're momentarily on the subject of UFO --why did those moon
girls have purple hair? Are they supposed to be alien? Or is that just
the style in 1980, seven years before the atomic war?
Richie Prosch
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 19:02:16 -0700
From: PatriEmb@aol4tag.com
Subject: Re: UFO and 1999 in the same universe?
Don't forget the grey "catsuits" the mission controllers wore!!
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 08:24:58 -0700
From: Amardeep_Chana@xn.xerox4tag.com (Chana,Amardeep)
The purple wigs were a part of the moonbase uniform. I'm not sure why
only the women's uniforms, but in my opinion they looked really good
in purple (especially Lt. Ellis: hubba hubba).
I would argue that SPACE: 1999 and UFO were not in the same universe
because in UFO they actually had successful deep space missions...
(i.e. Close Up).
Amardeep
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 08:41:14 -0700
From: mpoindexter@class44train.com (Marshall Poindexter)
Subject: Re: Purple hair in UFO
Ironically, as those of you familiar with the New Wave/Punk movement of the
late 1970s/early 1980s would know, purple hair WAS popular about 1980.
Yeah, it wasn't necessarily mainstream, but these gals with the purple hair
in UFO may simply have been accurately reflecting the times (at least in a
coiffed sense).
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 08:55:15 -0700
From: David Weis (dweis@indiana4tag.edu)
Subject: Re: UFO and 1999 in the same universe?
On Tue, 30 Apr 1996, Ellen Lindow (LIS) wrote:
> The
> aliens weren't anti-matter, so they didn't come from Meta, but they were
> mean nasties who were here to collect body parts.
I assume that when you mention anti-matter that you are referring the
episode "Matter of Life and Death" in which Lee Russell is discovered. I
haven't seen this episode in a long, long time, but I was not aware that
the anti-matter planet was Meta. Can someone clear this up?
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 12:46:37 -0700
From: "Ellen Lindow (LIS)"
Subject: Meta and antimatter
That was inference on my part. Matter of Life and Death follows
Breakaway in the novelizations and the tech manual. However, the planet
name in MoL&D is not Meta, and those funky wave signals from Breakaway
were never mentioned. The series was not continual, and never discussed
previous episodes or events in them, (same with classic Trek, UFO, and
this season's Sliders, which occaisionally drives me nuts) I believe in
the novelizations Tubb does segue from one episode to another by
mentioning a name change to "Terra Nova". Also, if they were headed in
the direction of Meta in the first episode and have already reached a
planet in the second episode, it seems reasonable that it's the same
planet, unless they just didn't talk about what they found on Meta.
(Maybe they took some of that amnesia drug from UFO) :)
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 12:55:56 -0700
From: Gary Girouard (GGirouard@ri44hosp.edu)
Subject: Meta and antimatter -Reply
the planets name was terra nova, new earth.... gary
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 13:46:23 -0700
From: LOG ME ON AND WATCH ME GO (boomershine@ACAVAX.LYNCH44BURG.EDU)
Subject: Meta/Terra Nova discussion
I think maybe Meta got bypassed entirely as the Moon left the solar system.
Going to Meta might have been less dicey than evacuating and returning
immediately to Earth after the Moon blasted out of orbit, but still not a wise
chance to take... E.C.Tubb's novelization notwithstanding...
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 13:18:05 -0700
From: atomicpossum@usa.pipe44line.com (mr. wonderful)
Subject: Re: Meta and antimatter
>The series was not continual, and never discussed
>previous episodes or events in them, (same with classic Trek,
Trek did.
--
Jon "Mr. Wonderful" Stadter
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 13:37:59 -0700
From: Ronald Dudley
On Tue, 30 Apr 1996, Ellen Lindow writes
> , , The series was not continual, and never discussed
> previous episodes or events in them, , , , , ,
Not quite "never".
Freddy did force Year2 to have episodes with things that were the basis of a
later episodes. "Rules of Luton" mentioned the Psychons who left their
Planet, and "Dorzak" was about one such person. "The Exiles" mentioned
how Koenig had to abandon some space-disease infected scientists to die,
and in "Lambda Factor" Koenig had guilty halucinations of them.
There might be really vague things in common, like when Koenig tells
Taybor that they have been through spacewarps, suggesting "Taybor"
takes place after "Space Warp".
But otherwise, not only did 1999's episodes not discuss previous episodes,
but they sometimes seemed in conflict with eachother. The waste dumps
in "Bringers of Wonder" look very different from those in "Seance Spectre".
"Seance" is dated after "BoW" by Helena's (often absurd) log dates, yet
Koenig tries his hardest to blow them up in "Seance", but to not let them
be blown up in "BoW". So which is it? Would blowing up the dumps would destroy
the alphans, or not?
Maya fights spacesuited alphans out on the lunar surface in "Space Warp" and
"BoW" by turning into a different creature in each episode! There was a
missed opportunity for some story continuity. Her clorine breathing
creatures in "A B Crysalis" and "Beta Cloud" were also unalike. Fred must
have made a rule that no rubber monster should be reused without changes.
Koenig's caution in accepting the neutrino signals from earth in the early
episode "Journey to Where" is very difficult to reconcile with how everyone
accepts the rescuers in the Superswift in the later episode "BoW". It's
almost as if the writer of "JtW" was trying to sabotage the credibility
of "BoW" when he had Koenig put Logan to the test of knowledge about
the 1998 World Series and Yuri Gagarin's (very real) wife. Yet "JtW" comes
before "BoW" in the Tech Notebook. Michael Butterworth did a better job
by putting it in the last of the novelizations.
How to reconcile Year1 episodes into a sensible order can be a really tough
task. "Black Sun" supposedly comes before "Earthbound", so why didn't
Simmons demand to be on the escape Eagle in "Black Sun" like he demanded
to be on Zandor's ship in "Earthbound"? "Earthbound" makes better sense
before "Black Sun", yet comes after in the Tech Notebook.
Inspite of the Year2 log dates, not only was it not continual, it was
often incoherent.
Ronald
PS. the atomicpossum@usa.pipeline.com (mr. wonderful) is correct:
Original Trek did get continual:
Harry Mudd showed up twice, Klingon Captain Koloth invoked the Organia
treaty to get his men shore leave on the tribble infested space station,
and Spock referred to using mind melding trick in the episode about the
Andromedans in a manner to escape inprisonment just like he did from
the planet in a computer simulated war with another planet.
There were probably others too.
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 14:06:33 -0700
From: LOG ME ON AND WATCH ME GO (boomershine@ACAVAX.LYNCH44BURG.EDU)
Subject: Star Trek original series continuity
Ah, short diversion off the beaten path here...
The original Star Trek episode "By Any Other Name", with the Kelvan invaders
from the Andromeda galaxy, actually pays homage at least twice to other Star
Trek episodes: "Where No Man Has Gone Before", as they attempt to cross the
'Great Barrier' a second time, and "A Taste of Armageddon" when Spock uses his
'mind touch' to compromise the guard.
Carol: I suppose we could put a Freddie Freiberger character in the computer
game, and shove HIM in the disintegrator booth...
And now, here I have concocted the first two ideas for the first "Space: 1999:
The Customizable Card Game" card; please feel free to let me know what you
think... or submit your own ideas...
(from the Alien player's set) (from the Alphan player's set)
WILD CARD (Common) PERSONNEL CARD
EAGLE MALFUNCTION COMMANDER JOHN KOENIG
(Picture of crashing Eagle) (Picture of Cmdr. Koenig)
"We're losing control!" "Vaan! I'm not an animal, I'm a man!"
- Alan Carter - John Koenig
Plays on any Alphan player's Eagle SKILLS: COMMAND
as it begins to move. Unless two PILOTING
pilots are aboard, the Eagle crashes. MARKSMANSHIP
If no pilots are on board, the Eagle FENCING
is destroyed, with all aboard. This DIPLOMACY
card also works on Mark IX Hawks. POWER: 6
Talk at you later!
- John Boomershine
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 12:32:37 -0700
From: "Ellen Lindow (LIS)" (lindow@luna.cas.usf4tag.edu)
Subject: Re: UFO and 1999 in the same universe?
> You're right Ellen. And Straker and Koenig both have similar styles of
> command.
Yes, they did, You almost got the feeling that Straker could have
had a hand in training, or at least influencing Koenig.
> And while we're momentarily on the subject of UFO --why did those moon
> girls have purple hair?
They were purple wigs, when any of the women from moonbase showed up at
SHADO headquarters they had regular hair. One episode even showed
someone going off duty and taking the wig off when she reached her
quarters. They never explained why they were worn. Some possible
explanations are:
1) Make everyone look alike and fool the aliens
2) Some sort of radiation screen/telepathic sheild used in the command
center which was the only part of the base unshielded.
3) A sophisticated computer link feeding data directly into the brain.
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 12:49:29 -0700
From: Gary Girouard (GGirouard@ri44hosp.edu)
** High Priority **
could it be also that the women were working in such a vital area that it
prevented the ufo from homing in on life froms? in such a critical area as
a control center, could be a lifeform sheild
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 14:40:41 -0700
From: agirton@accs4tag.net (Alan Girton)
Subject: RE: UFO and 1999 in the same universe?
I remember reading on the UFO web page (sorry, can't remember the =
address) that Sylvia Anderson used the wigs because she believed wigs =
would be as much a part of a uniform as the clothing (ie powdered wigs =
of the 1600 and 1700s).
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 14:51:53 -0700
From: Joseph Theotime Chiasson
Subject: Re: UFO and 1999 in the same universe?
Okay, since this is likely my last reply on this account, here it goes.
You can relegate this to the rumour file, because I can't find the
article to go with it, but I suspect it's from an early Starlog issue.
Aeons ago, while disco was in its dying throes, I read about a new
program coming on tv, put out by the guys who brought you UFO,
Thunderbirds, etc. This series was initially a sequel to UFO, based 20
years later or so on an expanded moonbase, but because of major revisions in
storyline and philosophy, is no longer had that particular tie. The
series was to be called Space 1999. ( the series we've come to love so well)
As I said, unless you can find the article, you can file this under
rumour.
I always had an ambiguous attitude towards this series. The ships were
the strongest plus for me, appearing practical in design, even if they
were a little clunky. Alpha was also a functional, if flawed design.
Many of the stories were at least interesting, although there was an air
of excessive tolerance when dealing with encounters (seems the scripts
generally went out of their way to portray humans as warmongering
savages, to varying degrees). The whole idea of the moon traipsing gaily
through space, being able to find a system about every 1.4 episodes with
some form of life, really irritated me, because it implied a "Supreme
Cosmic Intelligence" guiding the moon like a piece on a gameboard (that's
not a bad idea, but they could at least have done more with it, like
maybe introduce a game between Odin and Loki).
Uniforms were a problem for me. While I emphathise with the idea of
keeping the crew fashionable, the only justification for the uniform they
had was that it required a really simple patter. The amount room each
person had left me with the impression that these people were not rotated
crew, but colonists.
Anyways, having had my say and made my complaints, I wish you all a good
day.
Joe Chiasson
P.S. I did enjoy the series, even if I do pick on it. :)
Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 03:33:34 -0700
From: William Lloyd Siebart (ws16+@andrew.cmu4tag.edu)
Subject: Re: Purple hair in UFO
I seem to recall an episode of UFO in which, after an accident resulting
in the loss of an interceptor, a female leutenant was recalled to Earth
for an inquiry. She was shown to have purple hair on the moon, a
"normal" color/style on Earth, and purple hair upon her return to the
moon.
So, why the wigs?
my $.02,
Bill
Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 04:52:57 -0700
From: atomicpossum@usa.pipe44line.com (mr. wonderful)
Subject: Re: Purple hair in UFO
The episode was "Close-Up." Why the wigs? Only Sylvia knows for
sure....
--
Jon "Mr. Wonderful" Stadter
Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 08:20:20 -0700
From: Nemo66@aol4tag.com
Subject: Re: Purple hair in UFO
In the late sixties when UFO was produced, wigs were very popular. Sylvia
Anderson thought that it would be quite acceptable for people to be wearing
wigs in 1980 ( the year the show was set in). All three lead actors, Ed
Bishop, George Sewell, and Michael Billington actually also wore wigs during
most of the episodes as well. I just think Sylvia thought it would look
futuristic. And remember that color TV was new as well. A litttle purple on
Moonbase added a lot to the surroundings!!
Mike Prendergast
On Thu, 2 May 1996, Ronald Dudley wrote:
> Alpha was also supposed to guard Earth against alien attack.
> That's why the eagles had lasers and targeting systems.
Ronald,
That's a good point, and considering our discussion earlier this week
regarding UFO, very appropo. Also, regardless of whether 1999 is in the
same, exact universe as UFO, it seems clear that they're not too weirded
out by alien life existing. Is this the case? I don't remember the
specifics regarding Meta, but it seems that Koenig and company were never
too awestruck that life DID actually exist elsewhere in the galaxy.
Richie
Date: Sat, 4 May 1996 05:53:12 -0700
From: dbdlee@terra44port.net (Danny Lee)
Subject: The real reason for purple hair in UFO and other thoughts...
In the UFO/Space 1999 Offical guide by Chris Drake, the reason for the
purple hair is this: The special "UFO detecting" radar gives off headache
enducing radiation. The purple hair is supposed to be made from a metal
that shields the operators from the radiation. Hence that is why you only
see the women wear the purple hair on the moon.
As for growing "special" crops in the hydroponics. Well, I'm sure that if
some enterprising and/or drug hungry hydroponic tech was growing opium
poppies or even coca plants OR a chemical tech who is very good at producing
Ecstacy or LSD or Crystal Meth then it might explain the stupidity of some
of the members of Alpha. In some ways it wouldn't surprise me if they even
had a drug problem. Many of the alphans are doing the same jobs over and
over and over again, and if they needed a change of scenery, there really
isn't much to see. "Gee, let's go to Clavius again. I need some more
moondust for my collection!!" In all situations like that, some workers
tend to hit the drugs and booze. I know, I have worked on a construction
site, in many ways very similar unless you are management, and seen these
things happen. Also I have friends who have worked at mines up in Northern
Canada who have told stories about the quantities of drugs consumed up
there. I know that the Alphans are screened psychologically, but how about
spending several years doing the same things over and over and over again?
I don't know about you, but I'd go insane. I'd like to hear what others
think about this. (I know about the episode titled: "Seance Spectre")
As for the fellow who asked about Canadian episodes of Space 1999,
unfortunately we Canadians are inundated by commercials. A typical yankee
show has 12 minutes of those blasted time fillers and the same show in
canada has 16, yes, 16 minutes. I'm sure we lost more scenes than in the
states.
Hmm, a new Space series. Never. I seem to get a disasterous concept of
Space 1999: The next generation. I still flashback on Galactica 80, the
first two and a half seasons of ST:TNG, all of DS9 and Voyager. Without a
doubt, with very few exceptions, the remakes/sequels of shows suck even
worse than the originals (however, the originals could suck rocks as well).
What are we going to have? The son of Koenig and Russell hanging out with
the daughter of Maya and Tony? (A Science Fiction Gen X whine show perhaps)
Or how about the rest of Alpha? Considering the rate the producers here
killing them off, uh, I think we'd have some serious inbreeding going on
here. Also, it would seem that they would be fighting over how to use the
ONE eagle left in operation. Ugh. For some reason, I see the alphans as
Darians...
It would seem better to try and get a Space 1999 game of some sort. X-COM
or UFO Defence as it was known in Europe was based on the UFO TV series.
The programmers have said as much. It was a great game. Being a mild UFO
fan, I named all my commandos after UFO characters. The name was changed
because a certain person who shall remain nameless sued Microprose UK
because it was similar to his show. Considering the recent sale of
Thunderbirds props by this person's ex wife and the fact that he could not
afford to buy them from her might explain his reasons.
If there is an ambitious person willing to make this game, I strongly
suggest that they contact this person before doing anything to save on the
legal hassle or make it into something similar but different.
Anyone have any ideas? The only thing I could think of was a game similar
to Star Trek: the 25th anniversary game et al meets Sim City. Between
episodes, the player would manage the base's resources to research, etc.
This would have an impact on the next episode. I don't know how it would
exactly work, but I know it can be done. I don't exactly have the time or
the temperment to do it. Hey, I'm an electrical engineer, not a computer
programmer.
Other ideas that didn't pan out...
An eagle flight simulator? Maybe not. I'm sure in this one that you would
get points for making the most spectacular crash/explosion.
An Alan Carter Fight game a la Mortal Kombat? The only problem is that your
goal is to get beaten up not to beat on the other guy.
Mentor's mind game... Never mind.
Doom type game. You play Balor and earn points on the number of Alphans you
can beat on per level.
A Dr. Russel medical game. Sort of Operation meets Alien. Let's do surgery
on alien beings we know nothing about. Remove the, er, heart and you lose!
Dr Bergman's The Incredulous Machine. The one drawback is that it only
lasts one level.
A war game. Ultra high tech aliens do battle with human upstarts. If you
lose, it's just a dream...
Like I said, anymore brilliant ideas?
Date: Sat, 4 May 1996 08:00:17 -0700
From: mmartin@cnw4tag.com (Marc Martin)
Subject: Re: The real reason for purple hair in UFO and other thoughts...
I'd hardly say that the "UFO & Space:1999 Book" by Boxtree is a reliable
source of anything -- there are lots of statements in that book that are
downright laughable! The purple wig one is one of those -- there was no
special scientific reason for them at all, it was merely Sylvia's idea of
having some fun with making the Moonbase gal costumes. All scientific
explanations about the purple wigs are simply rationalizations done after
the fact. The "headache protection" explanation above is the most popular,
as it was used in the UFO novelizations.
Date: Sat, 4 May 1996 11:41:00 -0700
From: graphcom@isn4tag.net (Graphic Communications Inc)
Subject: Boxtree 1999 Book
Hi Everyone,
In a couple of recent posts there was mention of something called "The
UFO/Space:1999 Official Guide" by Chris Drake (published by Boxtree). I
don't believe I'm familiar with this book. Could anyone provide some
background info. on it and is it still available anywhere?
Also,is anyone familiar with an issue of a local New York Area
entertainment guide called 'CUE'? The December 26, 1975 edition carried an
article called "Can 1999 Match Trek?" I'm not sure if it was a very lengthy
piece but the cover contained a large color illustration (very nice!) of
Landau and Bain with their weapons drawn on Shatner and Nimoy. I don't have
a copy of this magazine but have seen a small repro of it. Does anyone have
this so it can be posted to the list. The illustration alone would be a
beautiful piece to add to the cybermuseum. Any New York members know
anything about this publication? Thanks.
Curt Duckworth
graphcom@isn.net
Date: Sat, 4 May 1996 13:53:48 -0700
From: mmartin@cnw4tag.com (Marc Martin)
Subject: Re: Boxtree 1999 Book
I did a review of the UFO portion of this book for a UFO fan club some
years ago. The text of this review is at:
http://www.cnw.com/~mmartin/ufo/text/ufoAnd1999Book.txt
I'm not sure where you can get one these days, although I don't imagine
it's too hard to find...
Date: Mon, 6 May 1996 06:38:16 -0700
From: James Laursen (74344.475@CompuServe4tag.COM)
Subject: RE: Boxtree 1999 Book
Curt
The ISBN is 1 85283 393 9. I got my copy in Toronto 2 months ago at the "The
Worlds Biggest Book Store". There were three copies left. Give them a call and
you might get lucky.
James
Date: Mon, 6 May 1996 06:54:33 -0700
From: Sfcafeguy@aol4tag.com
Subject: Re: Boxtree 1999 Book
If memory serves we're talking about Chris Drake's UFO and Space: 1999 book
here. If that's the case, anyone interested had better get lucky in a hurry.
I just checked and was told this book is now out of print.
Thanks to James for the ISBN.
Date: Mon, 6 May 1996 18:35:23 -0700
From: PatriEmb@aol4tag.com
Subject: Re: Boxtree 1999 Book
I was in Toronto last weekend and saw about 3 copies at the World's Biggest
Bookstore. Their phone number is: 1-416-977-7009. While I was there, I
picked up a Gerry Anderson book: Gerry Anderson's Fab Facts by Simon Archer,
filled with little infobits about various Anderson shows. The majority of
the content is about the Thunderbirds, but there are some things about 1999,
and a couple of pictures.