From: South Central (Tamazunchale@web44tv.net) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 09:18:21 -0700 (PDT) Subj: Space1999: Episode by Episode
This week: SPACE WARP. Discussion goes from Monday, September 28 to Sunday, October 4.
Chas P. Calm down. :-) Just kidding! You've waited a long time--have fun!
Mateo
From: "Anthony D." (atd64@yahoo4tag.com) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 11:39:38 -0700 (PDT) Subj: Space1999: Space Warp
Here's my initial 2 cents on this episode:
As a kid, I loved it because we got to see lots more of Alpha than ever before! How did you like the monster in the travel tube? Kinda neat. All-in-all, it was a pretty fun romp throuhgout the base.
Nowadays, I can see the episode for what it is - the third leg of the Frieberger "action" trilogy. It's not bad; it serves a purpose (I guess to allow double-filming of episodes). It brings up the Maya issue - how does she change into so many creatures in such short intervals? Helena's line about not "knowing this species so how can I treat it" brings up the issue of whether Maya was the creature itself. If she physically (inside and out) becomes the creature then how does turning into another creature "heal" her previous injuries? How does she return to being Maya?
The part with Tony and Koenig was absolutely stupid. The idea of using alien technology hooked into Earth technology is stupid and overused in sci-fi. Does anyone recall how many times this was done in the first season? I don't think it was done that often -- while it was certainly too highly coincidental in Year One to constantly bump into other humans that got lost in space, it was a better logic device (ie, they could use the same technology and speak English) than mixing alien technology and Earth technology. We can't even mix PCs and Macs...never mind alien stuff!
Anyway, that's my quick view...hope others' comments spur more discussion...there are probably lots of holes in this story....but hey, what can we expect from Fred?
Anthony
From: Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1998 10:42:40 +0000 Subj: Re: Space1999: Space Warp
The third leg or the third part of Freiberger's Woodgrove trilogy, that's how I see it to. As the final piece in the Woodgrove "action" trilogy it is quite an interesting piece, at least in terms of understanding Year Two of SPACE:1999, although I think there are other Year Two episodes, perhaps less influenced by Freiberger, that are more interesting.
Nevertheless, its nice to read about how much Chas likes this episode. Its almost difficult to watch SPACE WARP without thinking of Chas' enthusiasm for this episode, I think, which is nice.
It's not bad; it serves a purpose (I guess to allow double-filming of episodes). It brings up the Maya issue - how does she change into so many creatures in such short intervals?
Maya being one of the most essensial Freiberger contributions to the series, it is natural that he brings attention to her character in the Woodgrove trilogy. I'm not sure of the deeper meaning of SPACE WARP, if there is one, but the transformation ability of Maya is very much its focal point I think.
Maya being ill most of the time could, of course, reflect that Freiberger felt that the British writers did not make full use of her in their scripts, and SPACE WARP being perhaps about his growing recent and problems with SPACE:1999.
Helena's line about not "knowing this species so how can I treat it" brings up the issue of whether Maya was the creature itself. If she physically (inside and out) becomes the creature then how does turning into another creature "heal" her previous injuries? How does she return to being Maya?
Helena's line is very interesting indeed, I think. Perhaps Freiberger is admitting that Maya was indeed a wrong inclusion to the series, that it is impossible to understand her character in human terms and therefore difficult to integrate as a vital character of the series.
Of the three Woodgrove episodes this is perhaps the most aggressive one, perhaps Freiberger being more frustrated on this stage than he had been before as the series is perhaps not turning out the way he wants it to. Anyway, the Alphans spend a lot of time smashing their own equipment. A very bad sign indeed.
I wonder if this was SPACE WARP or THE BETA CLOUD, I keep mixing up the episodes, but in one of these Tony is teasing the monster to smash the Alpha video screens for no apparent reason, probably another outlet for Freibergers anger and frustration with the series. Thinking about it, it must have been in THE BETA CLOUD.
The part with Tony and Koenig was absolutely stupid. The idea of using alien technology hooked into Earth technology is stupid and overused in sci-fi. [....]
As I've only seen the German version of this episode, the subplot about Tony and Koenig on the alien space ship didn't make much sense. Perhaps it was edited down.
Anyway, that's my quick view...hope others' comments spur more discussion...there are probably lots of holes in this story....but hey, what can we expect from Fred?
Agreed, but then again, it was probably not the intent of Freiberger to make an episode free of plot holes. Quite to the contrary, I feel, the Woodgrove trilogy focusing on action, the only thing that seem to matter is to flow of the story, logic is perhaps more or less irrelevant.
Petter
From: Jeff Doyle (jdoyle@computer44land.net) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1998 23:27:18 -0700 Subj: Space1999: Space Warp
I wonder who the Psycon male Maya turned into was supposed to be? Her father, Mentor, or her unnamed brother mentioned in Luton?
Also it is amazing that Maya can (apparently) heal herself by changing shape. Yet another example of how little the ability was thought through.
-Jeff
From: Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 12:13:32 +0000 Subj: Re: Space1999: Space Warp
Jeff Doyle wrote:
I wonder who the Psycon male Maya turned into was supposed to be? Her father, Mentor, or her unnamed brother mentioned in Luton?
Heh heh. Wonderfully put!
Freiberger makes up things as he goes along and we all sit here for weeks and weeks and try to find out what he really ment. Its absurd, but I like it. Nice touch, Jeff.
Also it is amazing that Maya can (apparently) heal herself by changing shape. Yet another example of how little the ability was thought through.
The idea of Maya was idiotic from the very beginning. That is my opinion.
Nevertheless, what Catherine Schell manages to get out of this ridicolous premises is nothing less than astounding. I must admit though that I liked her better in GUARDIAN OF PIRI.
Petter
From: Petter Ogland Date: [unknown] Subj: [unknown]
On Oct 2, 10:04pm, Mark Meskin wrote:
I like the character of Maya, but the way the writers abused her is just ridiculous...perhaps it is Catherine Schell that makes the character. I'd have to say that no other actress would have filled that role as well, thats for sure.
Catherine Schell is a wonderful actress. I liked her very much in GUARDIAN OF PIRI, the ice cold and mysterious charm. As Maya I don't know. She may have been better in some episodes than others, but I can't think of any episode in particular where she excells. ALL THAT GLISTERS was perhaps not all that bad in terms of Maya, and I think she looked rather funny in CATACOMBS OF THE MOON quite early on where she strolls down a corridor and detects the battle between Tony and Osgood.
Petter
From: "Simon Morris" (simes01@global44net.co.uk) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 17:37:19 +0100 Subj: Space1999: Space Warp
Like THE BETA CLOUD, this episode is one that I hugely enjoyed in 1976 but now find it to be merely mildly entertaining. My,how my tastes change....
There just isn't much that can be said about this one that I didn't say about BETA CLOUD. Its a series of admittedly well-staged action pieces but not a hell of a lot else. Catherine Schell must have had an hour's work shooting her scenes before handing over to a series of actors in frog/gorilla/monster suits. Changing from one creature to another on the rather shaky pretext that she is ill makes me hollow-eyed with boredom and tedium. Watching Alphans continually being thrown about corridors by these creatures also is a pleasure I can easily pass over. Sloppiness and general carelessness in production I can't ignore: in one of the numerous creature-throws-Alphans-around routines,the wall visibly shakes as a security guard hits it. And the oft-quoted(and unfortunately easily spotted)moment when Carters visor flips open should have been cut from the final print if the editors had been doing their job properly.
Being a fan of many aspects of Y2,and a supporter in general of Freiberger's more positive influences,its depressing indeed to report that there is very little I can say about SPACE WARP in 1998. I find it amusing that Nick Tate always slags off Freiberger and yet Y2 episodes like this one gave him more to do(and more screen time)than most of the Y1 episodes. Its just a pity that he wasn't given a chance to act and speak dialogue rather than just acting as some kind of stuntman throughout. There is some excruciating dialogue in the epilogue spoken by Anholt,Bain and Landau (who is sorely underused in the entire proceedings)and the whole episode becomes a series of admittedly smooth-flowing and fast moving action set-pieces,without even much of the character work that lifted many Y2 stories.
There are only a couple of really good elements. The spectacular Eagle Hanger crash was a fantastic piece of filming(and having seen this once on a full size screen,I can tell you its a thousand times better on a big screen than on a normal tv screen). And once again Derek Wadsworths score carried the episode,with his action themes providing pace and excitement. I also liked his elegaic theme for cello(?) which played when Maya as a creature sank down into the cockpit of the Eagle. Truly this underrated composer's score fit every scene like a glove.....
But that's about it folks. A fast moving 50 minutes but no substance whatsoever...just like BETA CLOUD,in fact. I actually liked Freiberger's RULES OF LUTON,and even episodes like ALL THAT GLISTERS and (to a lesser extent) THE TAYBOR.These all had some redeeming features,not least some pleasant character work. So its with some regret that I declare BETA CLOUD and SPACE WARP to represent much-if not all-of what was actually *wrong* with Year 2. Good job it didn't get any worse than this,and I look forward to watching the remaining episodes!
Simon
From: "Petter Ogland" (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 17:16:24 +0000 Subj: Re: Space1999: Space Warp
Changing from one creature to another on the rather shaky pretext that she is ill makes me hollow-eyed with boredom and tedium. Watching Alphans continually being thrown about corridors by these creatures also is a pleasure I can easily pass over.
I agree about this, although I find BETA COULD and SPACE WARP far superior to RULES OF LUTON, one of the most boring hour of SPACE:1999 even in the faster edited 40 minute German version. At least in SPACE WARP we have sets, not just people walking around at randomn in the outskirts of Pinewood.
Being a fan of many aspects of Y2,and a supporter in general of Freiberger's more positive influences,its depressing indeed to report that there is very little I can say about SPACE WARP in 1998.
Supporter in general of Freiberger's positive influences?
It is interesting that you say this, Simon. Personally I believe the Woodgrove trilogy is the best hint of what Freiberger wanted SPACE:1999 Year Two to look like, and consequently I don't find his influence all that positive, but, nevertheless, perhaps by giving the more respected writers, such as Byrne, Terpiloff, Penfold, Feely etc. some friction to work with, he may have had them work over their scripts more thorougly than they would otherwise have done.
Even so, as what he wanted the final result too look like was probably along the lines of the Woodgrove episodes I find it a bit difficult seeing that there was all that much positive to say about Freiberger's influence.
I find it amusing that Nick Tate always slags off Freiberger and yet Y2 episodes like this one gave him more to do(and more screen time)than most of the Y1 episodes. Its just a pity that he wasn't given a chance to act and speak dialogue rather than just acting as some kind of stuntman throughout. There is some excruciating dialogue in the epilogue spoken by Anholt,Bain and Landau
In the Woodgrove episodes the dialogue seems more like sound effects than having anything to do with what one usually thinks of in terms of dialogue. I don't think I would have lost much even if I watched a version dubbed into Russian or Japanese.
There are only a couple of really good elements. The spectacular Eagle Hanger crash was a fantastic piece of filming(and having seen this once on a full size screen,I can tell you its a thousand times better on a big screen than on a normal tv screen).
Well done, I agree, although risking the Eagle Hanger against Maya is not a very good idea, I think. Just like BETA CLOUD the script seem to have been written like THE BLUES BROTHERS (1980), smashing up things just for the fun of seeing things being smashed up. Not a politicy I'm all that enthusiastic about.
I actually liked Freiberger's RULES OF LUTON,and even episodes like ALL THAT GLISTERS and (to a lesser extent) THE TAYBOR.These all had some redeeming features,not least some pleasant character work. So its with some regret that I declare BETA CLOUD and SPACE WARP to represent much-if not all-of what was actually *wrong* with Year 2.
ALL THAT GLISTERS and THE TAYBOR seem like Shakespeare compared to SPACE WARP and the rest of the Woodgrove trilogy. Unlike Simon, however, I feel RULES OF LUTON is the weakest part in the trilogy. SPACE WARP I would place in the middle, however, finding BETA CLOUD slightly more amusing in its own insane way.
Good job it didn't get any worse than this, and I look forward to watching the remaining episodes!
According to my list we are going to do THE BRINGERS OF WONDER next week, at least the first part of it. I'm still reading John Fowles THE MAGUS (1965), however, which seemed highly relevant for understanding NEW ADAM/NEW EVE.
It shall be nice to have to discuss something of more substance again, although my impression is that Feely was not all that happy with the "positive" influence of Freiberger in THE BRINGERS OF WONDER. Well, more about that later.
I suppose we have only scratched the surface of SPACE WARP, and are just about ready to do some serious analysis of what it was really all about.
I wish Chas P. would contribute to the discussion. He must be one of the members on this lists who seems to enjoy the episode the most. Perhaps he could point out some of the nicer things about it.
Petter
From: South Central (Tamazunchale@web44tv.net) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 10:36:26 -0700 (PDT) Subj: Space1999: IN DEFENSE OF SPACE WARP
C'mon Chas P.!
The week is almost out and you have hardly said anything. Well, I LOVE the music where the creature eases itself wearily into the cockpit. I don't know if the intention was to make us feel sympathy for the desperate creature (Maya) but the match of the actor's movements and the music is wonderful.
BTW, for those of you who do NOT have a copy of the Y2 promo CD--THIS PIECE IS NOT ON IT!! I was disappointed by that!
Unlike Chas P. I really don't like the action music so much--it seems bombastic (rightly so, I admit) and dated. That's just my opinion though!
Mateo (searching his brain for a good suggestion for the list when ExE comes to a close)
From: LKJ1999@aol4tag.com Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 16:31:23 EDT Subj: Space1999: SPACE WARP
All i can say is, I love it! Love the music, the actoin , and everything about this episode!!!
Chas P. LKJ1999
From: "Brian Dowling" (hellion@easy44net.co.uk) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 22:48:30 +0100 Subj: Space1999: Space Warp
Hi folks,
Once again we have an episode which I enjoyed as a younger person, and like Simon, can't quite figure out why some years later. The high points we are all pretty much agreed on, especially Derek Wadsworth's score and the scene in the Eagle Hangar. but there doesn't seem to be much else to endear it to me now.
Of course, all aliens have the good taste to speak English - the language of the universe, unless the Alphans have a secret supply of Babel fish! - all spacecraft have one universal docking fitting, and bits of alien kit fit quite easily into Eagles. And are seen in later episodes doing something completely different (Devil's Planet).
Doctor Russell is happy to carve up an alien species she knows nothing about (maybe too much exposure to hairspray addles the thought processes), Carter survives yet another certain death (how does he do it???) and the command crew allow yet another alien creature (ie - Dave Prowse, Albin Pahernik or some other guy in a rubber suit) to rampage around Moonbase Alpha unhindered.
Oh, and in a freak happening even more unlikely than yours truly opening the innings in the next Ashes test match, John and Tony get home safely and in time for tea.
There is one scene which is a permanent memory for me now...
Maya in Medical Center, wearing silk pyjamas, hair loose and looking *damn* foxy, begging to be tied down... "PLEASE use restraints!".
The possibilities are very interesting.... and I'm off for a cold shower.
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Triggers a thread on Space Babes and Hunks.]
From: Mike Lynch (Mike-Lynch@big44foot.com) Org.: LSRO Date: Thu, 01 Oct 1998 17:52:50 +0000 Subj: Space1999: Space Warp... or Beta Cloud?
As Petter alluded earlier SPACE WARP and THE BETA CLOUD are almost interchangeable: they are 100% action eye candy with little the lend in the way of plot or adding to the mythos of SPACE: 1999. The creatures in the two episodes are almost identical which makes me wonder about Maya's Metamorph capabilities (more on this in a bit), the music is very similar, and the tour of the base via monster chase is damned near the same as well. And to be honest - I often get these two episodes confused.
So, yeah, about Maya's transforming abilities - in THE BETA CLOUD she said that she couldn't transform into the creature because it wasn't a living being... so how in the world did she turn into the same creature in SPACE WARP. Not only did she turn into it, but she was able to withstand complete vacuum, noxious gas, getting shot, and so one just as the creature in BC... so what happened? How did she suddenly gain the ability to transform in to this creature? I also noticed there was a distinct lack of movement in its jaw as compared to THE BETA CLOUD - I guess Maya had a hard time with that part of the creature's anatomy.
Is tape standard issue by NASA, the ESA, and the RSA for ruptured air tanks? Wouldn't Carter's tank have burst when it was punctured? Not that it would matter since his visor flipped open as he was bouncing off the rock after being thrown by Maya in the above mentioned state.
In all honesty I can overlook to the two above problems - they are just some nit-picks, but I can't stand the whispering alien that Koenig and Tony meet via recorded message on the derelict. I really find the whole concept of the whispering alien annoying - I didn't like it in RING AROUND THE MOON and I found it to be almost unbearable in SPACE WARP - I just wished the alien would die and cut the message short.
This is not one of my favorite episodes, by it is fun in that it supplies us with a rather steady stream of action, and it was rather fun to watch Helena getting tossed around. I would have liked to have seen how Victor would have handled the whole situation, and I think that this episode would have benefited greatly by Victor's presence - there is just something about it that requires Professor Bergman. And i also like the fact that there was some thinking involved in the writing on this episode: Helena's remarks about not knowing the alien anatomy and not being able to judge dosages or undergo operatting procedures. I also rather enjoy the fact that Maya's first transformation enjoyed watching the lights move past the elevator and travel tube. ...And do I need to say that the Eagle crash in the hanger was great? So aside from my problems with logic, and the limited plot I can still enjoy sitting through this episode (though I have been known to fast forward through the tape of the whispering alien a couple of times).
Mike
From: Ariana (ariana@ndirect4tag.co.uk) Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 15:38:43 +0100 Subj: Space1999: MST: Space Warp - Part 1
PRODUCTION SCHEDULE
An alternative version of "Space Warp"
by Ariana
Well, I hesitated and thought I wouldn't have much to say after my Beta Cloud spoof, but finally the temptation proved too strong. I'm not mad about "Space Warp", but I just want to remind you I love Space:1999 and its characters and its groovy music and flares, and I have nothing personal against Fred Freiberger!
This is a draft, so if there's anything you think could be improved, do let me know! Here's hoping some of this is funny...
[EDITOR'S NOTE: I think Ariana has the Space Warp MiSTing up at her website, Space: 1999 Fiction Archive, so I will not repeat the full text here. Problem is, I don't know where to link to it at the moment.]
From: jcg@vh4tag.net Date: Sun, 04 Oct 1998 18:47:45 -0400 Subj: Space1999: Space Warp
There's no science personel on the eagle to check out the ship. Maya's not the only science person.
Why is Koenig in his pink parka? He's not expecting to go outside.
I'll get a little artistic here and say the wide shot of the eagle cockpit when they realize Alpha is now beyond reach gave a good feeling of isolation.
I can see Maya fighting the guards when they attack her, but I do not care how delirious she is, she would not attack Helena the way she does.
After Maya/creature is out of the hanger, why don't they just open the doors to the surface and extinguish the fire? We start to see the fire fighters go into the hanger as the scene ends.
Why is Alan in the operation field? He should have stepped back when Helena starts to operate.
Now...did we all see Alan's face plate fly open on the surface? Doesn't Pinewood have even one role of duct tape? It must have been a factor of economics that made them keep the shot and not shoot it over again.
From: David Welle (dwelle@itol4tag.com) Date: Sun, 04 Oct 1998 18:14:13 -0500 Subj: Space1999: Space Warp
This is one I haven't watched for awhile. On further viewing, it is still enjoyable, to a degree, though parts are yawners, and I have seen many more questionable sections than I can think of decent explanations for.
I'll review this a little differently. Instead of fully sequential, I'll split up the two major plot paths this story had, and deal with them separately.
The first starts out with Maya being ill. I still think that was a good premise to start with. We already know she can't be infinity strong; now she can get sick -- but not sick like us. She gets sick like a Psychon, which, given their metamorphic ability, means uncontrolled, delirious transformations. It's a good premise. She's having nightmares about the destruction of Psychon; that's a good touch, fitting well with the fact she'd probably be haunted by that for the rest of her life.
The episode starts out with some sparkling scenes between Maya and Helena, with Maya begging Helena to be restrained. Maya knows she's capable of damaging Alpha, and its people, if she losses control. Helena is reluctant to restrain a friend, but sees reason soon enough (a plus for Helena's character, considering how many bad decisions I think she made in Y1). Maya pleads to talk to Tony, indicating they're obviously growing close emotionally, and trying to seek some emotional comfort from a mysterious physical ailment.
Maya looks stunning with her hair down. Too bad she didn't have her hair down some other time too. Foxy indeed.
Then there is the ailment. The episode seems to intentionally leave it a mystery. It isn't hard to guess that the space warp we soon see could be the culprit. Maybe Psychons, given their molecular control abilities, don't take well to some disruptive fields around a space warp, even before passing through. At least that's what I assume. In fact, I made a little further use of it in a somewhat different situation in one of my stories.
Then the space warp hits, turning Alpha topsy turvy (excellent camera work). You can even hear Maya going nuts, screaming out, obviously unable to make sense of a jumble of sensations, while Helena struggles to hold her still in the chaos of the warp.
This seems to be the last straw for Maya, for a short time later, Maya loses control, transforming into a creature that knocks out Helena. The creature is soon found wandering the halls. I just love how many things set on Alpha in both seasons. I'm not being sarcastic, it's just intriguing how many surprises turn up. This surprise comes internally, and considering it soon hurts a couple Alphans, it is promptly considered a threat. No one guesses it's Maya (considering the number of external threats that materialize on Alpha, it wouldn't be the first thing I think of).
The first problem is with Alan. I've come to realize, in analyzing both
seasons, that Alan is more of a hot headed character than I had first
figured. Between his intent at shooting for kill back in "Full Circle,"
which I criticized then, and him ordering others to shoot to kill in
this episode too, I'm not so sure about his judgement. At times, it almost
seems Tony's cooler when it comes to decisions like this. He looked pretty
sheepish, though, when Helena comes to and fills Alan in on just *who* the
creature is. First, he almost killed Helena when she
was in altered form; now it's Maya he nearly (indirectly) kills. At least
he liked Sandra.
But he catches the guards with new orders, just in time. The resemblance of parts of this episode to parts of "Beta Cloud" kick in when the guards try to take on Maya, an obvious exercise in futility, and foolhardiness. Trying to stun her was one thing, but I'd have backed off after that.
She tries breaking out of Alpha, and Helena smartly connects this with Maya's nightmares and feverish ravings about Psychon, and decides Maya, in her delusional state, is probably trying to save Mentor. She'd die is she breaks out into the vacuum, and when she does, and collapses, everyone is horrified. They all care a lot about her (and this aspect is well acted). Then she stuns everyone by getting up, still in that other form, and heads away, wandering delusionally on the surface. Maya's pulled another trick out of her hat, as amazing as many of the others.
Then they realize a new problem. She has to revert sometime, they think, and in humanoid form, would most certainly die of exposure. So they have to try retrieving her. Here, though, the plot starts going a little awry. First, there's two key personnel going out on such a task. Often, they do have to (and that makes for good stories); but this does not feel like such a situation.
They kept the sequence inside Alpha good, and very well-paced; but now, it slows. The music is great, but the lunar sequence seems too long, and with no Maya & Tony thing like in "Beta Cloud" or John & Maya thing like in "Rules of Luton" -- i.e. something "else" to add some depth -- it just gets weak. (And speaking of lack of depth, there's the time when the soundstage was revealed under the the "lunar soil.").
Eventually, the creature weakens on its own, and is brought in, but not before damaging Alan's air tank, requiring help from Helena. I did like that minute where Helena moves to help him but is slowed by having to move in low gravity.
Maya, brought back into medical center, shifts directly from one dangerous form, into another, startling form: a male Psychon. She wanted to get back to Psychon, so it's not surprising that she turns into one -- but not herself. Instead, she becomes a male Psychon on a rampage, attacking people until stunned. Psychons apparently react a little strangely to a stun beam, for s/he doesn't fall right away, and when s/he does, goes into some sort of convulsions. In another story of mine, I made use of the first part of the reaction. In another sense, it's like s/he was on PCP, in the state that seems to convey incredible strength in not feeling pain.
She's not entirely knocked out, and in fact undergoes another transformation, into a bizarre looking creature which is scarcely bothered by stun beams at all, adapting to the temporary setback. I always wondered whether attempting a "kill" shot might have been enough to stun this otherwise rather impervious creature, but who knows, "kill" may have been ten times more energy than "stun." There weren't any in between settings, after all.
This one makes it through, virtually unimpeded, to an Eagle, and seems more intelligent than the first creature was. Nonetheless, she's still delirious, apparently still trying to get to Psychon. Desperate to help her, they bring down the Eagle, into the hanger bay. That's where the creature's intelligence ends, or Maya's carried over delusion desperation starts, for it tries launching the Eagle inside the bay, resulting in extensive destruction, and leaves Maya, still as the creature, essentially comatose.
It appears to be injured, and several people have a good scene debating the merits of meddling with an alien's biology. The creature loses what medical stability it temporarily had, becoming unfit for surgery (and saving the medical staff any qualms there). Finally, it reverts back to Maya.
I like Maya's breathy comment about the experience ("Like I've been... riding the tail of a comet... for days on end."), though I don't like Helena's too casually spoken follow up ("We all do") -- the tones clash too severely.
I can imagine Maya feeling quite guilty about a number of things afterwards: injuring several Alphans, including Helena and Alan, wrecking several doors, and destroying several Eagles. Imagine someone, be it Alan, Helena, or Maya herself, finally getting around to explaining what happened. No wonder they went along with John's cheer and evaded telling him what happened. Maybe not the most responsible, but at that point, what could they do with burdening Koenig with something he couldn't do anything about at that point anyway?
That brings up the other major plot thread, with John and Tony stuck on the wrong side of the space warp. They had gone to explore the derelict, only to watch, in shock, Alpha plunged into chaos and the Moon warping away in space.
They try to find the warp's position, but the Eagle cannot detect it directly, and it is apparently too small in the vastness of space. Having nowhere else to go, they return to the derelict. It's in bad shape internally, but power is still intact (but unusable to the Alphans and their Eagle), and they find a working console (hmmm, tough technology).
An alien visage (interesting mask) appears to give their hard luck story, in a sometimes chilling whisper (I hear the "movie" version "Cosmic Princess" voiced this over; probably a stupid thing to do). The narrative gets a bit long, but the Alphans hear an alien hard luck story worse than Alpha's. Their ship went through the warp, which was obviously bad luck to start with. Most ships are not long-term habitations, unlike Alpha, so they try to figure out where the invisible warp is. The second half of their bad luck is that they suffer another catastrophe, just after they had figured out the warp's position, but before they could go through.
It's sad, but a bit too easy, plotwise, in that the Alphans are now able to use what the aliens had already discovered but hadn't been able to use, which itself brings up questions about being able to use an alien device so quickly, as well as reintroducing the whole language question again. Whatever sort of babelfish they seem to have not only confers auditory understanding, but ability to read writing and math as if they were familiar numbers and equations, which is really pushing suspension of disbelief too far. I like to believe some aspect of transmutation rubbed off in "Collision Course," as if Arra had left them a gift, however incomplete it was (whatever her people were familiar with), though that is pure speculation, and though "Space Warp" pushes it in too many ways.
This whole plot thread plays like a puzzle to solve; but things come just a bit too easily, I feel. Finally, there's the Eagle propelling the much larger ship. They do refer to the problem, which I am glad to hear; but I'm still not convinced they could accelerate the combination that fast.
BTW, the alien device does appear in a couple latter episodes (and was it seen on Alpha in prior episodes?), though it's not clear whether this represented continuity, or just a too-casual borrowing of prior props.
They do find the space warp, and return to where the Moon had emerged; but someone was thinking, because the Moon had moved on by that point. Alan (together with Helena?) had some forsight, sending a refueling Eagle to wait as long as possible, near the warp. Quite a sight to see not just John & Tony's Eagle, attached to the derelict.
I split the discussion of the threads for convenience sake (mine), yet they are largely independent threads anyway, from the moment the Moon disappears, to the moment the refueling Eagle meets the two other ships.
I don't mind that aspect, though it does feel a little extreme in the separation, as compared to more moderate separation of plot trains seen in other episodes. The problem is more that neither thread is too strong.
The one with Maya, Helena, and Tony is exciting, most of the time, but has some problems, and lacks any major glimpses of depth that even "The Rules of Luton" and "Beta Cloud" had at points. I happened to like the premise of Maya getting sick and how devastating it was, though, so that I'm somewhat more forgiving in this case, because the premise was pretty well played, most of the time. Character was great, plot was fair, but it's a "what you see is what you get" theme. Pacing was good, as was the music.
The one with John and Tony was, despite the less pure action plot, the weaker (well, a little weaker, maybe), because there's just too many convenient things, which made for a problematic plot. It showed a few flashes thematically (not many, though). Characterization was okay -- nothing special. Pacing was a bit too slow for the material at hand, I think.
So, I give "Space Warp" maybe a 2.5 rating (0 - 4 scale) altogether.
----David
P.S. I think this is my shortest full (i.e. ExE-based) review of an episode, ever.
From: Jenny Lobb (LOBBJ@gunet.george44town.edu) Date: Mon, 05 Oct 1998 19:37:56 -0500 Subj: Space1999: Space Warp -Reply
Why is Koenig in his pink parka? He's not expecting to go outside.
Maybe he ran out of clean clothes and he couldn't get to the alphan Laundromat in time. :)
Speaking of the Alphan Laundromat, how'd you like to be the one to have to get out the Dragon's Domain monster stains? Bet that's not on the stain charts!
Jenny Lobb
From: "Ellen C. Lindow" (sfdxb@scfn.thpl.lib4tag.fl.us) Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1998 21:06:26 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: Space1999: Space Warp -Reply
That's obviously what you use Space Brain soap suds on!
When I watched this episode with my son this weekend he pointed out something that I'd never noticed before. In the final scene when Helena is telling John what an easy time they've had of it, and the camera zooms in on her, she's sporting two black eyes-- the left one darker than the right, but both quite apparant. Somehow this makes the line much more ironic.
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