From: Chris Hlady (chlady@escape4tag.ca) Date: Tue, 7 Jul 1998 12:56:55 -0500 Subj: Space1999: All that Glistens
Good things about All that Glistens:
Maya to Dave Reilly: Too close, too quick can be dangerous.
Favorite Y2 expression: The trouble with you is...
Reilly to Maya: You never had the great state of Texas
Star Trek rip off line:
Helena: I'm a Doctor John, not a miracle worker.
Worst come back:
Helena: For God's sake, it could kill you.
John: So could old age.
Alphan Problem Solving Technique 76:
Koenig: That rock has power, energy, intelligence and purpose.
Maya: If I could reach it, I could save Tony
Koenig: Maybe they're like humans. When they're scared, they don't think too well.
Koenig regarding Reilly: He's going to do something stupid.
Humanitarian gesture:
Helena: John, we'd like to drop some nucleoid crystals into that cloud.
Altogether now: awwwwwwwwwww
Chris Hlady
From: David Acheson (dkach@hot44mail.com) Date: Tue, 07 Jul 1998 20:20:14 EDT Subj: Space1999: All That Glisters
Came back last night from my vacation and just resting at home today before heading back to work tomorrow. Gives me time to get caught up on almost a week of messages.
So we are now into the fourth episode of year two - ALL THAT GLISTERS. This turkey ties with A MATTER OF BALANCE as the most pathetic of all 1999 episodes. It has everything against it: bad storyline, bad special effects, bad sets, bad acting.
The screenplay was from Keith Miles who appears to be a newcomer to the 1999 universe and it was also his last script filmed. Whether he submitted any further storylines I do not know. Whether he was capable of writing any better storylines I do not know but I do know I do not like this entry. I have not been able to find out on the internet what other programs Mr. Miles might have written for so I cannot objectively rate him.
Veteran year one director Ray Austin directed this one. During our discussion two weeks ago on THE EXILES, it was mentioned that Ray Austin appeared to have some difficulties with the Freiberger regime and the year two changes. One can somewhat tell due to the messy execution of an otherwise fine storyline. Well, I must say even the talented Ray Austin wasn't able to save this episode. Since this was his last effort for the second season I assume he gave up on the series by this point.
Generally I do not like living rock stories. Never seen one I liked yet. I didn't care for the Horta episode on STAR TREK as a kid and felt much the same way when ALL THAT GLISTERS first aired. It was a full hour of a rock looking for water.
The rock itself looked pretty bad. Looks like something I made back in kindergarten.
The set of the planet's surface was downright cheap looking - like STAR TREK's low budget planets and not the usual 1999 soundstage planet settings. I realize the point was that the planet was arid and rocky (another move from year one-type worlds - the idea of which I admire attempting)but it looks like a soundstage. Either Keith Wilson, set designer, was off that day or they had no budget for this episode. Fortunately, this was the only real bad planet set the series had.
I did like the idea of Alpha having to seek out minerals from nearby planets and asteroids (a concept used a lot in year two) but cringe when it is made-up minerals that are being sought. Is there such a thing as milgonite and just why is it needed for Alpha's life support system? It was easier to get away with such things on STAR TREK due to the further timeline and the more advanced science. Set a show far beyond your lifetime and people will argue less about the science.
The only guest star in this episode was the unknown Patrick Mower who, unfortunately, adds nothing to the one dimensional character he played. Dave Reilly is the big-hat wearing Texan who loves the ladies. The episode could have easily been played out without this character leaving it as a vehicle for the regulars much like we saw in year one with THE LAST SUNSET and THE FULL CIRCLE. Too bad they did not go this route.
There was somewhat of an attempt to deal with Maya's introduction to Alpha which was commendable. After leaving the sheltered life with her father, Maya appears somewhat awkward with Reilly's advances. He jokes around but finds her attractive nonetheless. She probably had not many males before this (Psychon or otherwise) telling her she was attractive. I agree with many of the fans on this list that more of the introduction of Maya to the base should have been explored in the early year two episodes. I don't think every Alphan would have so easily accepted her as one of them right from the day she arrived.
Its a rarity in the second season but the female voice of Alpha's computer can be heard in the Eagle. This is the only time I remember it being in the second season but some listmembers do remember the voice in THE MARK OF ARCHANON. Still, its a voice that disappeared quickly in the Freiberger year.
Overall, the episode just did not Glister. Despite some fine year two work this was the type of work that only added fuel to the Freiberger bashing. Year one had some turkeys too but, in my opinion, even the worse did not compare to this. Thankfully, the second season marched on.
David Acheson
From: "Brian Dowling" (brian@hellion.pres44tel.co.uk) Date: Wed, 8 Jul 1998 07:31:50 +0100 Subj: Re: Space1999: All That Glisters
The only guest star in this episode was the unknown Patrick Mower who, unfortunately, adds nothing to the one dimensional character he played.
Unknown in the US maybe, but Patrick Mower was one of the most recognised actors in the UK during the 1970s. Dubbed "Action Man", Mower is known for leading roles in Callan and Target, as well as several guest appearances in pretty much every well-known 70s tv series.
I agree that he doesn't add much to the O'Reilly character and his Irish accent was about as good as mine, but I think the O'Reilly character was something of a turkey to start with (An Irish cowboy? Come ON! What were the writers and production crew on?).
Ray Austin is no stranger to action stories and sequences, but can't save this near turkey... Watching this one tonight will be fun...
More later,
Brian Dowling - Online Alphan #144 - Birmingham, England
From: Chris Hlady (chlady@escape4tag.ca) Date: Wed, 8 Jul 1998 18:51:29 -0500 Subj: Re: Space1999: All That Glisters
Hi Brian,
I just watched this episode a week ago. I was surprised. At first, I thought, what are those people thinking? Later, I decided that I liked a number of things about this episode.
First, the silhouette of the space cowboy against the alien sky. Blew me away when I thought about it. Considering the success of Dallas in the years following, this episode suggested a tremendous amount of love for the Texas mythology. Give the devil his due, this alone stands this episode in good stead in my opinion.
Second, the western courting of Maya. I was charmed. I perceived that, due to feedback from the first season, the producers chose to show what works, and what doesn't in budding romantic relationships. The line "you think the rock is all I care about" introduced the complex cowboy to the future world. The tension in Maya's understanding of her new companions was well played. "Too close, too quick can be dangerous" suggested a woman establishing boundaries that needed to be respected. Many men still aren't capable of distinguishing between infatuation and a relationship. Throughout series two, little lessons like this are invaluable to developing healthy social relationships.
Third, the riddle of what different coloured spotlights mean. "Red is death" is a bit of an exaggerated mood ring, but the principle of colour representing mood suggests discernment of intent. Intent, misunderstandings, and compassion were welcome benefits of this episode.
All That Glisters views well 20 years later in the context of our changing world. Where current drama can be slim on such subtleties, it's a joy to view a drama that handles nuances indirectly.
**** in my opinion.
Look forward to feedback,
Chris
Chris Hlady
From: Simon Morris (simes01@global44net.co.uk) Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 19:47:18 +0100 Subj: Re: Space1999: All That Glisters-yet again!!
This is a very interesting analysis I feel,Chris.....:-) I wonder if you are a connoiseur of the Ray Austin "deep thought" school of meaningful drama and direction?
On the other hand,I suspect you were laughing like hell when you wrote the above. Laughing as hard as I was when I read it!!!! If *I*started to see stuff like that in Y2 episodes(or even Y1 episodes :-)!) I'd be ready for the lunatic asylum.....!!!!!
Simon
From: Chris Hlady (chlady@escape4tag.ca) Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 14:39:13 -0500 Subj: Re: Space1999: All That Glisters-yet again!!
Hi Simon, I have no idea what you're talking about in regard to Ray Austin. But, I'm glad you enjoyed a good laugh while reading it. I do try to carve an interesting (and humourous) construction in my writing. Some may like it, some not, some may not understand it, but to me, that's beside the point. I enjoy the writing.
As for *you* not seeing such things in Y2 episodes, no problem. If you saw what I saw, you would have lived my life. As it is, I'm sure you're enjoying your own.
I do try and examine the creative process. Eg. What unstated things may be implied by the final filmed version? I may be wrong, but I like to question.
As well, for me, a viable reason sometimes justifies a horrible end product. In such a case, I try to focus on the viable reasons. Sometimes, it's a stretch.
Chris
From: Simon Morris Date: [Either 09 or 10 Jul] Subj: Re: Space1999: All That Glisters-yet again!!
Hi Chris
ref: Ray Austin,there was a List member who thought Ray Austin was the greatest director ever and that one of his episodes in Y1(Ring Around the Moon)was a Work of Art. And it was repeated to the List at every opportunity. In the end another List member got so exasperated that he fired off a rather pointed note telling him to stop saying the same thing several times over. Unfortunately the first List member now seems to have left the List which is a pity as he made a lot of interesting contributions and I'd have loved to see what he thought of Y2 episodes. (If you are new to the List you may not have been aware of all the above but I can assure you the irony in my "Ray Austin" comment hasn't been lost on some of the longer serving List members!
Regarding your comments above,I think they were very thought provoking. I too can see good in most things and,despite everything,I still enjoy ALL THAT GLISTERS(as well as all the other supposedly rubbish episodes of Y2(eg RULES OF LUTON,SPACE WARP,etc). In fact,the Y2 episodes are my favourites of all 48 SPACE 1999 episodes.
My philosophy was made clear on the List a long time ago:- to me,SPACE 1999 is simply a superior sci-fi series with action adventure elements,or "Its only a tv series"(and not High Art). The difference to me between the two seasons: Y1 is sci fi with action adventure elements. Y2 is action adventure with sci-fi elements. In your previous comments to the episode I felt sure you were somewhat tongue in cheek. If that is what you feel,I respect that although I can't see that sort of thing myself(I suspect a lot of others won't either when it comes to "All That Glisters"!). But I hate a lot of the anti Y2/Freiberger comments that come out of the List. How can Space 1999 fans present a united front to STAR TREK fans when there is sometimes civil war amongst 1999 fans re: the Y1 versus Y2 issue?
I look forward to reading more of your comments Chris. What I've seen so far- I like.
Best Wishes
simon
[lau98710y12&STerif;]
From: South Central (Tamazunchale@web44tv.net) Date: Wed, 8 Jul 1998 16:24:04 -0700 (PDT) Subj: Space1999: All That Glisters
A while ago people were discussing this episode and saying that what the rock wanted wasn't just water. It wanted the Alphans to take it in its entirety from the planet.
Is this true?
Mateo
From: "Tom Miller" (tmiller@north44net.org) Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 12:08:11 -0400 Subj: Space1999: glistens/where
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Relevant part only.]
There is not much more critisism for this than has already occured on the site. But let me ad one more thing. Bring the entire command staff here, why that's just great. One of the better command desicions. The reason tony was left behind in the previously discussed episode was that Koenig wanted him to be in command if there was a problem.
This is one of the reasons I am a die hard year one fan...
Cheers from Northern NY....
Tom
From: "Simon Morris" (simes01@global44net.co.uk) Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 19:26:23 +0100 Subj: Space1999: All That Glisters
I have to be honest and say that I always enjoy this episode. I really don't know why when it has to be one of the dumbest. Watching it repeatedly only makes some of the silly dialogue even more apparent,but maybe that adds to the charm! I would certainly agree with Chris Hlady that the episode shouldn't be completely written off.
The central idea behind the script is nothing new,and parallels have been drawn between "All That Glisters" and the Star Trek episode "Devil In the Dark" which I have never seen but have heard what the show was about. The problem with Space 1999's version of this sort of story is the way it is executed. The idea of a living rock just seems silly as presented here-and makes for some excruciating dialogue throughout the episode.
I liked Keith Wilson's set. It looks like it took a long time to construct and I think they made an impressive job of it. I also quite liked the Dave Reilly character,except that(as Brian Dowling pointed out) the idea of an "Irish Cowboy" was basically silly. Why did they not get Patrick Mower to play Reilly as "himself"? Mower was neither an Irishman or an American in the episode and he seemed to forget the Irish accent in parts of the script...just speaking in his own voice. I can't remember now...but I'm sure Mower comes from Liverpool-Irish stock or something. Why not just play the part as he would any other? (Incidentally I'd just like to back Brian Dowling by saying that Mower was certainly one of *the* leading men on British tv in the seventies. While I'd agree he was no "character actor",he has always been a dependable face in many UK series,such as the government agent Cross in "Callan", Detective Superintendent Steve Hackett in the BBC Police drama "Target" and also as Det Chief Inspector Tom Haggerty in Thames TV's "Special Branch". In fact,if Mower had played Reilly as he had played Haggerty(the same name wouldn't have been out of place either!)the character might have come off as more properly drawn). IMHO any fault in the character of Dave Reilly lies with the writer/producer of the script rather than Mower's performance.....
I presume the decision by Koenig to reduce to minimum power to conserve energy(on landing)was a device to allow the lighting on the Eagle to be reduced so that they could come up with a few shadows etc to induce some basically artificial suspense.
There is some nice character work in the episode,Reilly flirting with Maya(and who can blame him?),Tony's jealousy(and who can blame him?),Koenig's exasperation with Reilly ("You've got a one track mind in a stone age skull!!"),and I suppose a sugary ending which establishes the basic goodness and humanity of the Alphans,i.e: "OK,it tried to kill us but what the hell----lets help it to live by starting the rain cycle again". Universally decent of them,I thought......!
But the episode is full of dumb dialogue. Here's the stuff that made me cringe:
"If I can break up the romance between you and this rock...."(Koenig)
"Rocks understand me Commander .None of my wives did,but the rocks do"(Reilly)
"The rock hit me with a blue light. It caused a paralysing pain....."(Koenig)
"Maybe its like humans. When they panic,they don't think too well." (Koenig)
Reilly to Maya: "You too huh? You think the rock is all I care about..."
I guess a lot of this is subjective,and what I thought were stupid lines someone else will like . I am aware that this script was being re-written while it was being shot so it is difficult to tell if Keith Miles or Fred Freiberger is responsible for the script going off the rails.One thing though: Keith Miles was an experienced scriptwriter in England who contributed to various drama series and historical serials. He is also a novelist. I suspect Freiberger may be the bigger villain here,and while I don't argue with his assertion at the time that this was a very *sci-fi*-type story,the way it was done in the televised version did not impress.
As I say,I did enjoy the episode---but I have to forgive a hell of a lot of downright stupidity in the way the episode was mounted. No other regular cast members,not even a shot of Alpha.....its as if they were trying to save money early on in the shooting schedule! As a supporter of Derek Wadsworth's music in the second year I regretfully cannot say that the score here adds anything to the episode,basically being a compilation of cues from previous episodes(including one sequence in the Eagle which was cut and looped to play the same bars endlessly!). And the mismatching of some SFX shots(eg the different eagles-one with extended passenger module and then one without)was extraordinarily sloppy work by Brian Johnson and his team.
There should ultimately have been a re-write from page 1 of this script before they ever went and shot it. And if it *still* stunk,then they should have scrapped the whole story. Sorry 'bout that,Fred.........
Simon Morris
From: "Simon Morris" (simes01@global44net.co.uk) Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 19:34:53 +0100 Subj: Space1999: All That Glisters-again
One other thing I forgot: Chris Hlady in a previous posting quoted the following reply by Koenig as "Worst Come Back":
HELENA: "For God's sakes John,don't go near it. It could kill you!"
KOENIG: "So could old age......"
I don't know,maybe it was Martin Landau's flip and casual delivery,but I LOVED that line!!!!!!!!
Simon
From: Chris Hlady (chlady@escape4tag.ca) Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 14:28:03 -0500 Subj: Re: Space1999: All That Glisters-again
Hi Simon. Great comments. In my part of the world, that line is known as a groaner. For the record, I tend to appreciate "groaners" that make utterly no sense. Very funny.
It was amazing watching Landau's acting in the two seasons of Space, and to compare it with his role in the X-Files. He's an excellent actor.
Chris
From: "Brian Dowling" (brian@hellion.prestel4tag.co.uk) Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 20:37:15 +0100 Subj: Space1999: Re: All That Glisters
Hi folks,
I had another look at All That Glisters today, and what I wrote earlier is still what I'm thinking. Patrick Mower could have played Dave O'Reilly without the Irish accent, which does drop a few times during the story. Incidentally, Mower guested in an episode of The Sweeney (I think it may have been a 2 parter?) as an Australian. For me, the two characters were very similar and the (dodgy) accent didn't really enhance either character.
I did enjoy the Callan stories Mower appeared in, culminating in the suicide of Cross at the hands of a Ukranian assassin in Cambridge. Now if a Cross character had been in All That Glisters, that would have been interesting!
Chris's point about the cowboy and the pioneer / Dallas thing is a good one, though cowboys and all that kind of thing aren't my cup of tea. And can I ask without offending anyone or starting a flame war what is so good about Texas?
So far during Y2, the guest cast has been a high standard, but if one takes the idea that FF and crew were aiming at the US Market, I can't help but feel that some of the Y1 guests would have been better suited for US exposure. Compare David Welle's [Editor's Note: probably meant David Acheson's] comments about Patrick Mower to what Simon and I have said for a good example.
Freddie Jones, Patrick Mower, Isla Blair, Leigh Lawson and Billie Whitelaw, are all well known actors in the UK, but I wouldn't have thought they would have much audience pull in the US. Hey, I was only 4 at the time, so please correct me if I'm wrong.
Like Simon, I do like Koenig's off the cuff "so could old age" riposte to Helena. That's one of his best replies in the series for me.
Dave's flirting with Maya and Tony's reaction is good, though might I say that Irish charm usually works <grin>, but that would probably have ruined the episode! :-) It would have been nice to see more of the Dave-Maya thing, and how Tony would react.
The idea of John, Tony, Helena, Maya and Alan all going along does make me wonder what would happen if... you see where I'm coming from? Bets please on who would run Alpha if they all failed to return...
Fraser? Sandra? Yasko?
For me there is one main character too many in the story. It's a bit cluttered. Poor Tony just looks jealously at Dave, gets blasted, used by the rock, blasted again, and then looks jealously at Dave again. I think the story could have been rewritten without Tony there (see previous para), and Alan gets the blast from the rock.
The ending is a bit cheesy (is it me or when that final scene gets frozen, it takes on a yellow shade?), and some of the dialogue isn't so hot ("Ooh, I can feel that Milgonite!" comes to mind), but I did enjoy the episode. Yeah, I had a good giggle in places, but to my mind that's better than cringing and thinking "That's total crap". But Brian The Brain is a later episode.
By the way, over here the saying is "All that glistens is not gold".
From: "Simon Morris" (simes01@global44net.co.uk) Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 22:32:15 +0100 Subj: Re: Space1999: Re: All That Glisters
That is surely right,Brian. Mower appeared as the same character in 2 episodes of THE SWEENEY(for non UK List members this was a tv series of the seventies which told of the exploits of Scotland Yards Flying Squad). These were the episodes "Golden Fleece" and "Trojan Bus",both conceived and written by Roger Marshall. They were linked episodes but not a 2 parter as such. Actually,Mower played an Australian layabout/conman/crook called Collin("Col" for short),while George Layton played his sidekick Ray. Yes,there was a similarity in character and similarly a very doubtful Australian accent from Mower. I much preferred his straightforward characterisation as Det Chief Insp Haggerty in SPECIAL BRANCH,one of my favourite Thames TV/Euston Films productions.
I did enjoy the Callan stories Mower appeared in, culminating in the suicide of Cross at the hands of a Ukranian assassin in Cambridge. Now if a Cross character had been in All That Glisters, that would have been interesting!
Right on!! I thought Callan was a great series,with or without Mower/Cross!
Like Simon, I do like Koenig's off the cuff "so could old age" riposte to Helena. That's one of his best replies in the series for me.
Works for me......mind you Brian we probably just have the same taste in dialogue....:-)
Dave's flirting with Maya and Tony's reaction is good, though might I say that Irish charm usually works <grin*gt;, but that would probably have ruined the episode! :-) It would have been nice to see more of the Dave-Maya thing, and how Tony would react.
Thats an easy one to figure. Tony would smash Reilly's teeth down his throat....
Yeah, I had a good giggle in places, but to my mind that's better than cringing and thinking "That's total crap". But Brian The Brain is a later episode.
I quite agree. I have to say that IMHO there is *no* Y2 episode that is "total crap". Not even Brian the Brain............!
Simon
From: Mike Lynch (Mike-Lynch@big44foot.com) Date: Thu, 09 Jul 1998 18:30:28 -0500 Subj: Space1999: All That Glisters...
Just as a little note regarding the order of the episodes: In John Kenneth Muir's EXPLORING SPACE: 1999 the episode JOURNEY TO WHERE is the fourth episode in season 2 and ALL THAT GLISTERS is episode five... but, hey I like ALL THAT GLISTERS and I'm more than willing to discuss it this week.
I liked this episode when I was little, and I still enjoy it today. Yes there are moments that make me cringe ("Red is death! Red is death!"), but it is enjoyable none the less.
First, I feel I need to add my view regarding the "Reilly issue." I don't find the Irish Cowboy idea at all distracting or unrealistic. As a matter of fact - I like it. Dave's view of himself as a cowboy, and near fetish for Texas is rather plausible if you actually sit back and think about it. Dave was born and raised in Ireland - obviously, but for all we know he may have studied geology in an American University... perhaps in Texas. He may also have spent time training as an astronaut in the American West and/or South West where the barren landscapes of deserts and the Grand Canyon would make for excellent Lunar Geology training. His time there would allow him to develop a love for Texas and the American South West. It's not so odd that a person born in one country can become so interested in another. An example would be an Art History professor I had in college: he was from the U.S. (New England somewhere... I don't remember which state), but he absolutely loved Egypt. To look at him you would think he was the epitome of W.A.S.P., but if you ever met with him in his office, or sat in on one of his lectures his love for Egypt, and ancient Egyptian art/architecture, just engulfed you. To add to the Irish cowboy believability there is also the fact that Dave's infatuation with Texas seems to be a bit of a joke on Alpha. Tony makes a joke about it very early in the episode when Dave tells Maya, "that's what's wrong with Psychon... they didn't have the great state of Texas." and Tony adds, "or Irish cowboys." Alan also makes a reference to Reilly being the "fastest gun on Alpha..." now if I didn't know any better I'd think that Alan was making fun of poor ol' Dave.
The fact that Dave's Irish accent seemed to fade at times does bother me, and denotes a certain lack of attention from the production staff and Mower. I also get the feeling that Dave was not meant ot live through this episode, even though I'm sure he was. There is something very vague about his character, as if we are not supposed to worry about him since he is not a primary cast member. I find it very difficult to care that Dave is "taken over" by the rock and almost killed. The character of Reilly seems to fall prey to the infamous "red shirt syndrome" - something that became very prevalent in the original Star Trek and was carried on even through today's television shows. The "red shirts syndrome" (for those who aren't familiar) only affects expendable members of the crew: we are introduced to a new character (in Star Trek they would invariably be wearing a red shirt) and that character is then killed off, kidnapped, transformed, or mutilated before the end of the episode. And to make matters worse Reilly is wearing a Main Mission/Command Center uniform (red)! To be honest, I wouldn't have minded if Reilly had been killed. Yes, I feel his Irish Cowboy thing is believable, but that alone is not enough for me to really enjoy his character. Now, don't misunderstand - I like the addition of Dave Reilly to this episode. And it's nice to see a geologist live through an adventure (unlike Picard in THE METAMORPH). I just wish we had been offered something else of his character so that we truly feel satisfaction when he makes it through to the end.
I like the silicon-based life form idea, and I think the rock design was rather well done (I still like the Horta from DEVIL IN THE DARK better... which is also one of my favorite Trek episodes). The notion of encountering something that is so radically outside the realms of known science further emphasizes the alien environment of the planet and the fact that humanoids are only a drop in the galactic bucket of life and evolution. I especially like the "drinking" sequence when the rock consumes the Alphans' water supply. Even though I know how the effect was achieved just by looking at it I still like it, and feel that it was superbly executed.
I am a bit curious as to what really happened to the planet so that it was absolutely devoid of water. Natural selection and the natural workings of an ecosystem would seem to dictate that even if there was a population explosion among the "rocks" there would still be water. As the population increased the food supply would lessen; as the food supply is reduced malnutrition and starvation would begin to claim the lives of members of the over-extended population; as the population lessened the food supply would gradually increase again as it is given the chance to expand; as the food supply increased again so does the population; and so on. So something would have had to have happened to reduce the moisture in the atmosphere to the point that it would no longer rain... something other that over population of water-greedy rocks. Perhaps the rocks were brought there by an unsuspecting alien race thousands of years prior to the Alphans discovering them. Perhaps the rocks had natural predators on their home planet, such as mosses or lichens that would use the rocks' own water to sustain themselves (rather like a tape worm), thus keeping the rock population in check. But once on a new planet away from any natural/ecological checks the population became unbalanced and over ran the planet - ultimately causing the planet to dry up... but I digress.
One reason I like the idea of the living rocks is that it adds a creepiness to the episode that is very refreshing. It is rather like the addition of the Horta to the Star Trek universe, or the silicon-based fungus from the X-FILES, or the living rocks from THE OUTER LIMITS. Any time a seemingly harmless amorphous object such as a rock is given the qualities of life it becomes unnerving. Who wouldn't would be freaked out by a rock that suddenly began to move on its own, or bleed when broken? This is why I really enjoy the creatures in THE BRINGERS OF WONDER - they are so completely alien that they physically defy any immediate classification (the Bringers of Wonder also had the added benefit of being repulsive). The rocks also are not readily identifiable as either "good" or "evil" until late in the episode. Had we found out early on that the rocks only wanted water to survive then there would have been no threat, no mystery. I can't help but think that an added threat of having one's own bodily fluids absorbed by the rock would have elevated the creep-factor of ALL THAT GLISTERS. Maya even brought this issue up at one point, and I rather wish that this had become yet another matter for the stranded crew to deal with. Helena would have made a wonderful meal (or at least a light snack to be nibbled on periodically) as she was held paralyzed. Perhaps it was out of fear of re-telling FORCE OF LIFE that this aspect was never fleshed out, but I can't help but feel that an added element was missed by not following up on Maya's observation.
The environment was also very well done. The post-appocolyptic sky and wasted landscape also add to the episode.
There is a technical aspect of this episode that I find most enjoyable as well - the tampering with the stun gun to get all four barrels to fire a once. We learn that the stun guns aren't constructed for that type of use, and we get to see Maya toiling over a dismantled side arm stating that the task is more difficult that initially thought. This very nicely steps outside of the BATMAN-like arena of season 2 that I brought up when discussing THE EXILES. Here we finally get to see someone working to create one of the gadgets that will serve the necessary purpose to accomplish a goal. Unlike the grab arm from THE EXILES, the remote laser from AB CHRYSALIS, or the re-entry glider from THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME which appear in a single episode, serve the required purpose, and are never seen again. This actually seems reminiscent of some season 1 writing. In season 1 we were much more prone to seeing new Alphan toys being constructed than in season 2. Take VOYAGER'S RETURN for example: had this been a season 2 episode Alpha probably would have naturally had the necessary equipment to communicate with the probe's on-board computer.
Over all, I enjoy ALL THAT GLISTERS.
Mike
From: David Acheson (dkach@hot44mail.com) Date: Thu, 09 Jul 1998 20:24:24 EDT Subj: Space1999: Repugnant Glistering Rocks
Thanks to our UK friends who helped us out on who the hell Patrick Mower was. As you may have guessed he is not very well known in North America. I have seen many of the UK guest actors on the series from time to time on many British imports but somehow I missed out on who Mr. Mower was. Still, the Reilley character was fairly one dimensional and not much could be done by the actor to save it. As for the Texan thing one has to remember that DALLAS (another 2 years to go)had not yet hit the airwaves so there was no trend at that time. Just a silly western cowboy who made eyes at the ladies. In other words, a stereotypical skirt chasing good time Charley. Why the Irish Cowboy? Maybe he supposed to have been an Irish-American?
I thank Simon for pointing out who Keith Miles is. I never heard of him before and all searches on the net ended up at a dead end. Simon might be right that the script was heavily rewritten to accomodate Fred Freiberger's visions. However, we really don't know at this point. But I'm likely to believe this to be the case.
I am somewhat surprised by all the defence in favour of this episode but nothing has yet changed my mind about it. Still stinks and I still think the planet set was FAKE as fake can be. No ill feelings towards those who liked it but I just cannot agree with you.
Time to enter a space warp and push myself away from this rock. And no I am not a season two basher.
David Acheson
From: "Ellen C. Lindow" (sfdxb@scfn.thpl4tag.lib.fl.us) Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 20:48:28 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Space1999: Horta vs. Glisteroid
I'd never thought to compare the mobile horta with the life form in All that glisters. Although I like that Star Trek episode, I thing that the Glisteroid is a much more--um-- rocklike creature. It's sheer immobility makes it intriguing. Do they reproduce by erosion? Why would a rock have involved intelligence? Perhaps the planet had once had a much more active environment? We know it included more water that is for some reason now locked in the atmosphere, not cycling through the surface.
There were definately things they could have done to make this episode more exciting, and others have already mentioned most of them. I would like to know why they used the word glister. Especially since the quote is "all that glitters is not gold". Can anyone give me a good definition of Glister?
From: "Ellen C. Lindow" (sfdxb@scfn.thpl4tag.lib.fl.us) Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 21:14:40 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Space1999: What's so great about Texas?
I'm not a native of Texas, but I have been a frequent visitor all my life. I understood Dave's obsession with the american west, and have to admit a similar feeling myself. Texas is the embodiment of freedom, independance and the open skies of the Old West. The state encompasses an incredible variety of environments from sandy beaches (where I experienced my first encounter with a jelly fish), to rolling green hills, beautiful rocky creeks in the central hill country, to stark desert landscapes in the west. As much in love with Florida as I always have been, I'm usually homesick when I _return_ from Texas. If Dave managed to receive some of his education in Texas, I don't doubt he would be heavily influenced by that. As for the hat and boots-- a good pair of cowboy boots are the most comfortable shoes in the world, and it genterally takes a few years to break them in properly and a good stetson (hat) is ideal for all weather, rain or shine. I have a geologist friend from Colorado who never wears any other type of shoes or headgear, despite the fact that he has worked in Florida for 20+ years. I liked the Dave character, and one of the nice things about Y2 was the introduction of minor characters that they _didn't_ kill off.
From: Ina Litera (ilitera@idt4tag.net) Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 11:32:28 +0000 Subj: Re: Space1999: Re: All That Glisters
Hey all,
Someone (Ithink it was Ellen) was looking for a definition of Glister According to my dictionary Glister means "archaic. glisten; glitter; sparkle"
so there you have it. Why use it in this context - I have no idea.
Later,
Ina
From: mcevoyc (mcevoyc@rcsn4tag.nb.ca) Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 08:47:03 -0300 Subj: Space1999: All That Glisters
With many of the negative comments about this ep, I have step forward and count myself as a fan of this episode. While I thought it was very stupid during the original series run, I have come to really enjoy this episode and to appreciate the job that Freiberger had undertaken to improve the series. I would rank it among the best of both seasons!! (Of course, I still cannot stand that brief scene of Maya superimposed on the rock!)
The pace and the better-than-usual fleshed out characters certainly were improvements over previous episodes. I particularly liked the 'character conflict' as espoused by Freiberger---this later became transmorgrified later in the series to mean physical fights. I love a good argument and Y2 had some great scenes of conflict that did not result in someone getting thrown into a compost.
Glisters, Seed of Destruction, Mark of Archanon, and One Moment of Humanity are all stories that really tried to probe the deeper conflicts within people and, therefore, remain among my favourites of the series.
Now, having come to the defense of Y2 yet again I have to stop and sound very hypocriticial----please do not read further you Y2 only fans....
All of the above episodes (I believe the first 6-7 of Y2) are basically Y1 stories without the Y1 characters and with Tony and Maya inserted to reflect Y2. I would certainly appreciate any info someone would have on the history of the various Y2 eps and which ones began their life as Y1 stories (The Metamorph and The Exiles are well documented). Does this now mean that I prefer Y1 over Y2? Certainly not, both have their strengths and weaknesses and attempeted to make the best out of what was available for that season. I digress.....
From: djlerda@juno4tag.com Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 09:37:06 EDT Subj: Space1999: All That Blisters
Well, I am also somewhat surprised at all of the positive remarks about this particular episode. If it floats your boat, so be it. But I personally rate it as the second worst episode of the entire series. It was a bad rip-off of "The Devil In The Dark" and had some of the worst dialogue uttered by the characters. The plot was basically: Tony gets zapped and killed and then doubletalked back to life, the rock hijacks the Eagle with Helena, Reilly gets zapped, they throw the rock out, seed the clouds, the end.
According to SFX magazine's "Episode Guide to the Galaxy", this episode was re-written no less than 5 times during filming. It shows.
I think someone has already mentioned the blooper of the laboratory pod vanishing when the Eagle lifts off with Helena inside.
One thing I always wondered, if the planet was an arid desert, what good would seeding the clouds do in the long run (that shot of the crystals being dropped was one of the phoniest looking of the series)? After the initial storm, wouldn't the rock be back to square one as far as the water situation is concerned?
Anyway, a silly episode right up (or down) there with "A Matter of Balance" and "Ring Around the Moon." Grade: D-
David J Lerda
From: Chris Hlady (chlady@escape4tag.ca) Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 09:14:36 -0500 Subj: Space1999: OT: Warm in Winnipeg
It's a blistering Friday, out today, and I'm going to enjoy it.
Kind of a "Last Sunset" thing.
Toodaleedoo
Chris Hlady
From: Ariana (ariana@n44direct.co.uk) Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 15:50:01 +0100 Subj: Re: Space1999: OT: Warm in Winnipeg
Meanwhile, it's raining here in Britland... the weather is nothing if not predictable over here...
Emma
From: Chris Hlady (chlady@escape4tag.ca) Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 22:06:03 -0500 Subj: Re: Space1999: OT: Warm in Winnipeg
Hi Emma, we received a bit of a downpour this afternoon. One thing about Winnipeg: if you don't like the weather, wait ten minutes and it will change...
Chris
From: "Atomic Possum" (atomicpossum@toast4tag.net) Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 10:59:59 -0500 Subj: Re: Space1999: Re: All That Glisters
"archaic. glisten; glitter; sparkle"
I think this was gone over on the list a long time ago--the actual quote is "All that glisters is not gold," but the word 'glister' (as above) is an archaic form that is not used anymore, replaced more commonly with 'glitter.' The episode title, therefore, is more traditionally accurate.
Jon "Mr. Wonderful" Stadter
From: jcg@vh4tag.net Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 12:26:46 -0400 Subj: Re: Space1999: Re: All That Glisters
My uneducated guess before reading the [above] was that it sounds harsh....blister-glister. A pretty glowing rock that ends up hurting you.
From: Mike Lynch (Mike-Lynch@big44foot.com) Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 15:19:57 -0500 Subj: Re: Space1999: Re: All That Glisters
Since I was six years old I had known this episode as ALL THAT GLITTERS simply because I misread the title on screen. To make matters worse Starlog Magazine misprinted the title of this episode *TWICE* in the same magazine (Starlog #2 - once on page 36 and again on page 39) as ALL THAT GLITTERS.
I am rather embarrassed to say this but... it wasn't until a few months ago that I actually noticed the "s" in "glisters!" I was having a discussion with a friend about this episode when about midway through the conversation he pointed out that I had the name wrong. When I got home I put in the video and sure enough, there it was in big white letters "Glisters..."
...I even misread it in EXPLORING SPACE: 1999...
Doh!
Mike
From: jcg@vh4tag.net Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 15:39:13 -0400 Subj: Space1999: All That Glisters
Very weak episode.
I didn't write a whole lot because it didn't seem worth it.
What I did write:
Tony's heart's not pumping, but his other organs are still working? Not even in scifi. Better to have had him is stasis except when the rock was puppeting him.
Koenig tells Helena she's safe in the ship with the dangerous rock since Tony is walking around outside?
They have sensing equipment to detect life forms, but they look for Tony on foot? And he makes a direct path from the ship to the cave, and they can't track him?
I rather like Koenig's old age line.
One very nice moment is when Helena is ordered off the ship, but she hesitates, wrestling with the idea of leaving Tony behind.
Opps! Wrong eagle hovering in the sky.
That modified eagle makes no sense. It went a little too far in the inside not matching the outside...what IS the purpose of those pieces over the center of the ship...especially if there's no matching space inside?
It is very hysterical that their base of operations is in the cave with the parent rock, where they make their plans in front of the rock, including the shooting of Tony, yet the parent rock does nothing.
I like that a red shirt did not bite the dust, and their not holding a grudge and seeding the clouds. I've never figured out if the rain they cause is a temporary measure, or if starting the rain breaks the drought and restarts the weather patterns on that planet.
It is hard to take the whole thing seriously...this completly alien form of life can sense the moon million of miles away, analyze their needs, transmit false telemetry...and on and on. After awhile watching these various series, you start to wonder: can't our heros just once be the superior life form, the all-powerful life form? I've often wished for a show (Space, Trek, Lost In, whatever) to write a similar story, but where it's us humans with the upper hand, who seem to have the power to completly control a visiting race's complete life and mechanical processes...not with anything supernatural, but with what we've got (in the context of whichever show did it.)
From: Chris Hlady (chlady@escape.ca) Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 22:06:11 -0500 Subj: Re: Space1999: All That Glisters
Tomorrow, I'll watch the Truman Show. I'm looking forward to it. However, I suspect complete control of others is a tendency that humans should generally try to avoid. Maybe, there'll come a story where all the farm animals rebel. (oops, George Orwell beat us to that with Animal Farm)
A story about a boy and his gold fish could be interesting. Hmm, call the fish Wanda, but I digress...
How about dressing Men in Black? No, been there. Done that.
Trust no one. Well, I trust myself, but am I even I? No, no. Too mind-numbing.
Disneyland and customers? Old as the hills. Right. You got me.
Enjoy the weekend (i'm listening to the 3 tenors right now)
Chris
PS. Go France at Sunday's World Cup.
It is very hysterical that their base of operations is in the cave with the parent rock, where they make their plans in front of the rock, including the shooting of Tony, yet the parent rock does nothing.
yes
Chris Hlady
From: Monica Maria Chagas Pereira (nick@msm4tag.com.br) Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 00:17:16 -0300 Subj: Space1999: All that Glisters
Hi, Folks.
I just don't know from where John got the idea that Helena would be safe inside the Eagle with the rock that had just "killed" Tony! Another one from our dear Commander:" That rock has power,..energy,..intelligence..and purpose." I loved that one! :-))
I agree with Mike about that Maya's line. But as awful as Maya's "Red is death, red is death..." was Helena's "He's moving; he's making some sounds." Was it my non-native English or was it a rather poor and silly observation for the Chief Medical Officer(!)? Shouldn't she have come out with something more elaborated?
...even though, I like this ep...it was a funny one, probably for the very aspects we've been 'complaining' about...
See U all around...
Mônica
From: Patricia Embury (Patriemb@sprint44mail.com) Date: Sun, 12 Jul 1998 20:14:13 -0400 Subj: Space1999: All that Glisters
I don't have too much to add to the discussion. I tend to think this episode wasn't that bad. Sure, there was some dialogue that was really stupid (I'm not a doctor..) and I have to agree about the Irish cowboy thread. I also think that either Carter or Verdeschi could have been eliminated, and have either one, or the other featured as the "Rock boy"
The one thing I found interesting, that no one has mentioned, is the near overruling of Koenig's desire to get the rock out of the Eagle in the beginning of the episode. Carter is the only one who supports him on this, after Tony is "possessed". Everyone else, led by Helena, wants the rock to stay, so they can see how it caused Tony's problem. Koenig grudgingly accepts, until the danger is quite obvious. Then everybody jumps to his perspective. It sets up the future episode with the evil Koenig being taken over by the rock.
From: Paul Dorion (pdorion@mediom4tag.qc.ca) Date: Sun, 12 Jul 1998 23:54:11 -0700 Subj: Space1999: Space:1999 All that glisters
mcevoyc wrote:
With many of the negative comments about this ep, I have step forward and count myself as a fan of this episode. While I thought it was very stupid during the original series run, I have come to really enjoy this episode and to appreciate the job that Freiberger had undertaken to improve the series. I would rank it among the best of both seasons!!
I certainly agree that there are good points (pace being one of them) in this ep which brings me to like it (I rank it as number 12 out of 24 - middle of the pack). Although this is not a personal favorite for Y2, it is way better IMO than the truly embarassing and abysmally bad episodes that are the Taybor, Brian the Brain.
I particularly liked the 'character conflict' as espoused by Freiberger---this later became transmorgrified later in the series to mean physical fights. I love a good argument and Y2 had some great scenes of conflict that did not result in someone getting thrown into a compost.
Yes. Another great conflict scene was in the Exiles, where Koenig was at odds with Helena and Tony over accepting the exiles into the community. And the greatest conflict-ridden Y2 episodes would be Seeds of destruction and Seance Spectre.
Mike Lynch wrote:
First, I feel I need to add my view regarding the "Reilly issue." I don't find the Irish Cowboy idea at all distracting or unrealistic. As a matter of fact - I like it. Dave's view of himself as a cowboy, and near fetish for Texas is rather plausible if you actually sit back and think about it.
Indeed! This is no less plausible than some people I know who are infatuated with exotic (to the eye of the beholder) places, such as the African continent, or Japan. Or infatuated as I am with a TV show that went out of the air over 20 years ago!!! ;)
Dave tells Maya, "that's what's wrong with Psychon... they didn't have the great state of Texas." and Tony adds, "or Irish cowboys."
In the french version of this episode, all this thread about an Irish cowboy is removed. Tony's remark is about Dave being a bragging character. It is only with your posting that I understood why he was referred as an Irish cowboy, as in the french version he is, for all purposes, a native texan.
The rocks also are not readily identifiable as either "good" or "evil" until late in the episode. Had we found out early on that the rocks only wanted water to survive then there would have been no threat, no mystery.
As I have already said, a meeting with a *truly* alien is what I find most interesting about science-fiction... The attempts (and failures) to communicate with the rock are quite plausible, and much of the ep involves the alphans trying to understand what the rock wants. I too liked very much that Maya was not able to communicate with the parent rock.
Brian Dowling wrote:
I think the story could have been rewritten without Tony there (see previous para), and Alan gets the blast from the rock.
The main problem is finding the reason why having your security officer on a geological survey in an unhabited planet. I agree that Tony is out of place in this ep. For the record, Tony is out of Moonbase on nine episodes, but on most occasions, he is either brought by aliens (One moment of humanity, New Adam New Eve) or his presence on the Eagle is linked to his being chief of security (Brian the Brain, Seeds of destruction, A Matter of balance). His presence planetside on All that glisters, Rules of Luton and Immunity Syndrome (or in the Eagle in Space Warp) is less explainable.
The ending is a bit cheesy (is it me or when that final scene gets frozen, it takes on a yellow shade?), and some of the dialogue isn't so hot ("Ooh, I can feel that Milgonite!" comes to mind), but I did enjoy the episode. Yeah, I had a good giggle in places, but to my mind that's better than cringing and thinking "That's total crap". But Brian The Brain is a later episode.
Many bad lines, bloopers and/or unreasonable plot details (many listed in Brian's, Simon Morris' and JCG's posts). One particular moment I found less than satisfying was Koenig's reaction to Dave as the Eagle lifted off the planet, leaving them behind. I feel a cardinal rule of leadership in moment of crisis is pulling your team together, and I do not think that physically assaulting a member of your team is an appropriate response while you need all your wits to take care of an immediate crisis (mind you, I agree that Dave deserves some king of bashing, but *not* at this particular moment).
Simon Morris wrote:
As a supporter of Derek Wadsworth's music in the second year I regretfully cannot say that the score here adds anything to the episode,basically being a compilation of cues from previous episodes.
I respectfully disagree. I find the musical cuts from the previous episodes match perfectly with the scenes from this ep. A personal favorite is the cue music played at the end of Act one when Koenig discovers that he lost control of the eagle and they cannot leave the planet. A creepy moment greatly enhanced by the choice of music. Another example is the music which also greatly enhances the scene when the team searches for Tony as he is dispatched by the cloud to collect and bring another sample from the parent rock ( I *know* this scene does not make much sense, but the editing and the music of this scene makes me suspend my disbelief for a while).
Paul :D
From: Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no) Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 10:38:32 +0000 Subj: Re: Space1999: episode guide book / All that Glisters
I did indeed watch ALL THAT GLISTERS again during the weekend, and with previous comments by Chris and others in the back of my mind it comes across even more fascinating episode now than before.
My impression is the ALL THAT GLISTERS is perhaps written from an ecological point of view with the oil crises being high on the agenda at the time. It seems that Dave Reilly is to be a personification of human stupidity; quick and easy, shooting before thinking, emptying the earth of its resources without any concern for the future.
I believe his cowboy attitudes and fascination with oil wells and Texas may been Keith Miles's idea of describing states of utter stupidity in human kind. The stupidity of Reilly is nicely mirrored in the rock creatures who have emptied their planet of all it's resources. When looking for a lifeform to be the epitone of stupidity, Keith's perhaps though rocks would be a nice form. Stupid as a rock certainly seems like a nice metaphore, and having Reilly being a geologist makes his rapport with the rocks evident.
At the height of raving idiotic behaviour he says things like the rocks being able to understand him, and feeling more comfertable with the rocks than his ex-wives.
I'm beginning to like this story, and in many ways it reflects the spirit of Year Two and shows how writers like Miles manages to use the Freiberger format ironically to get his Year One type ecological concern through. In some ways the episode comes across as a thinking man's version of THE RULES OF LUTON.
Like Chris states below, I can well imagine the actors and crew having fun on the set wondering how to cross boarders of avant-garde stupidity. Catherine Schell tells in the interview with Muir that the episode was so hopelessly silly that she had a very hard time keeping serious during filming.
Now to the meat: Petter, excellent comments on John Kenneth Muir's "Exloring Space: 1999." I can barely wait to read the book. Particularly, the interview with Catherine Schell. I enjoyed the reference to "All That Glisters." With so much talent and ego on the set, it was probably mayhem on the set, as everyone's expectations of the state of the series were in flux. No doubt, there was second guessing, "did we make a mistake with...?" "is this high concept or stupidity?" "aaaarrrrrggggghhhhhh." Truly, I believe that it's not the end result, but the journey that's the fun.
There are also references to ALL THAT GLISTERS in Tim Heald's THE MAKING OF SPACE:1999. Here we have the anecdote about Ray Austin's total frustration over the episode and wrapping a rock in paper and presenting it to Freiberger at the end while he says something like "I herby name this rock Fred Freiberger".
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