From: South Central (Tamazunchale@web44tv.net) Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1998 11:49:38 -0800 (PST) Subj: Space1999: Episode by Episode
Well, fellow listmembers, this marks my last weekly announcement with regards to an episode discussion. I first came online in early September 1997. Before that time I had little to no knowledge of the internet itself, much less online Space: 1999 fandom. Very quickly I found the Cyber Museum (and later the Cybrary). Marcy was very kind and helped me to find my first copy of Earthfall--and find this listserve. Once subscribed to this list I realized that I was NOT alone--I had, for years, thought I was the lone fan, having never met anyone else who even remotely LIKED the show. I also realized that there was a LOT that I didn't know about the show.The more I learned, the less I knew...to paraphrase someone we all know.
Episode by Episode was initiated by me in an effort to get the list back on task. A heated disagreement had arisen over the MORESPACE campaign (I won't go into it now.). People were unsubscribing and generally getting pissed off. ExE, I feel, was a concept that pulled us back together (most of us). It has gone on for 51 weeks now. 47 episodes and 4 original novels. This is the start of week 52, episode 48. So here goes:
This week's episode is THE DORCONS by Johnny Byrne. Discussion will last from Monday, November 23 through Sunday, November 29.
After this, a two week SERIES REVIEW commentary period will begin.
It's been a pleasure and an honor!
Mateo
From: "Brian Dowling" (hellion@easy44net.co.uk) Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1998 21:33:35 -0000 Subj: Re: Space1999: Episode by Episode
And so the end is near...
47 episodes down, 1 to go then fan fic and novels. Where do we go after that?
What has the exercise done for you? Perhaps it has shed new light on episodes you might not have seen for years, given you a boost to seek out your favourite episodes on video, reinforced long held beliefs, shattered others, made you laugh at others' witticisms, made you cry with anguish at opinions you disagree with, made you scream at the mention of certain episodes (Brian the Brain is stil the pits, IMHO)... all this and perhaps more. If any of the above is true, then the ExE exploration has been worth doing.
The last 4327 messages (or thereabouts - there have been a couple of crashes in this padded cell) since 30 Nov 97 have covered many topics - an average of 80 postings per week is a pretty good figure, 30 postings higher than the Doctor Who mailing list average over the last four months or so. Some have been issues where there have been disagreements, but folk being folk these things will arise. For the most part, we are still here discussing one of our favourite tv series. Whilst it has fared well on- list, how has Space:1999 fared in real life with its big anniversary approaching?
Video releases in Australia, the USA and Canada (though there is questionable commitment by Columbia House) and something planned by PolyGram for the UK next year. Put your money on VHS releases, alongside whatever Comet Miniatures are planning. TV showings elsewhere I know little about, but Space:1999 sporadically occupies the Monday 1825 slot when the BBC hasn't got any sport or anything trendy to show then. Current progress suggests that with its usual sporting commitments over the coming year, there will still be episodes of Space:1999 waiting to be aired on the BBC after the Breakaway convention.
DVD releases seem very unlikely, but I would love to be surprised. Soundtrack releases - well, you know my opinions on that issue.
In many respects, Space:1999 and Doctor Who are on very similar ground. Before you start flaming me, let me explain... Both with fairly significant anniversaries now or impending, both with owners who aren't that in touch with the fans of the series, and both getting shabby treatment from the channel with the rights to show it. As far as anniversaries go, Blake's 7 gets a complete reissue with cool artwork, and negligible publicity. Doctor Who gets The Ice Warriors set - 2 videos, a CD of missing audio soundtrack and a book, all in all a fascinating package demonstrative of the great deal of work put into it.
What will 1999 hold for Space:1999? On-list, I hope for the stimulating discussions to continue. In real life, the optimist in me says "I hope it will be good", the cynic in me suggests otherwise.
I'm off to celebrate a very special 35th anniversary...
Brian Dowling - Birmingham, England
Online Alphan #144
From: Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no) Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1998 11:01:45 +0000 Subj: Re: Space1999: Episode by Episode
You know, Mateo, your idea of the ExE thread is the best thing that has appeared on this list as long as I've been around there, since July 1997 that is. The way I see it, it was the right thing at the right moment.
One very positive thing about the ExE discussions, I think, is that it has made it possible for people to speak their hearts content about episodes, directors, writers, producers etc. without risking the stirring the waves too much as we have all become more or less a family by now, it seems.
My impression is that the list has now matured to the level where everybody seem to respect each other and yet do not hesitate to defend what they like and express what they like less. The ExE discussion has been of great help in achieving this, I feel.
It is especially nice that so many Year Two fans have expressed their feelings for the series and contributed with analysis and comments. As a person who is not a fan of Year Two and still find this nice and healthy for the group, the pro and contra discussion during the Y2 sequence of ExE being every bit as lively and philosophical as the Y1 sequence.
I have the greatest respect for people like Simon, Emma, David Welle and the rest who for various reasons prefer Y2 over Y1 although my personal preferences are the other way around.
Thanks Mateo, for a wonderful initiative and well executed job as moderator during this extremely creative and enjoyable period on the list.
Petter
[EDITOR'S NOTE: First part refers to a thread I have not yet posted.] From: David Acheson (dkach@hot44mail.com) Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 06:36:20 EST Subj: Space1999: Maya and Year Two
In regards to Teralisha@aol.com who feels put off by what she feels to be constant negative criticism towards what she enjoys about Maya and Year Two.
I understand you completely but please do not take the criticisms personally. I, and probably a lot of other listmembers, went through the same sort of feelings at some point in regards to something that they enjoyed about the show only to have it laughed at by others. We are all individuals who have different likes and dislikes. Sometimes those who do feel the same as you do not speak up right away but you will find that usually over time there are indeed those who feel the same as you on any one topic.
I know for a fact that there are indeed those on the 1999 list who prefer year two over year one. David Welle, for example, has been a constant advocate but, like everyone else, has a busy schedule so does not appear often to give us his detailed comments. I myself believe Maya to be the best character on the series because of the wonderful portrayal by Catherine Schell. Ms. Schell was able to give us a three dimensional character who sometimes was more human than the humans on the base. I also feel the metamorphing idea was interesting and probably way ahead of its time. Odo on DEEP SPACE NINE owes a lot to her.
Although I prefer year one over year two I do find that there are some episodes of year two I still enjoy. I love THE DORCONS and find it a fascinating HAMLET/GREEEK TRAGEDY meet 1950's B film combination. Although not a good closure to the series it is a good action story. The Dorcons had the potential to be 1999's recurring aliens such as the Klingons on STAR TREK. For many years during my childhood and to this day I have made up several storylines with the Dorcons it it. Some more hilarious than others. How about the Dorcons as members of STAR TREK's federation? I do know how you feel as I decided not to comment on this episode myself after Petter's rambling about Byrne's intentions to destroy Maya and the series. I don't feel the same as Petter but I am not going to start World War Three.
So I'll conclude by saying if one feels put off by criticisms just sit back and take a deep breath. I find your time comes around eventually. We have lost listmembers in the past over personal attacks of which many were from perception rather than real criticism towards one. I almost left a few times in the past but have managed to make it through one and a half years so far.
David Acheson
From: Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no) Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 15:37:04 +0000 Subj: Space1999: The Dorcons
David Acheson wrote:
Although I prefer year one over year two I do find that there are some episodes of year two I still enjoy. I love THE DORCONS and find it a fascinating HAMLET/GREEEK TRAGEDY meet 1950's B film combination.
Heh heh. Wonderful description, David. Not too sure about the 1950's B film production though, but there is a certain cheap-element in the episode that could easily blend with some of the visuals. Maya is perhaps rather 1950's kitch in a sort of way. At least the costume she wore in THE METAMORPH indicated that the visual designers perhaps wanted to assosiate with 1940's and 50's sort of glamour, Billy Wilder's SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950) set in space so to say, or perhaps even closer to the sort of trash-glamour that Andrew LLoyd Webber went for in his three last musicals; PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1986), ASPECTS OF LOVE (1988) and SUNSET BOULEVARD (1992).
Although not a good closure to the series it is a good action story. The Dorcons had the potential to be 1999's recurring aliens such as the Klingons on STAR TREK. For many years during my childhood and to this day I have made up several storylines with the Dorcons it it. Some more hilarious than others. How about the Dorcons as members of STAR TREK's federation?
Byrne might have scored some points with Freiberger here, adding elements of STAR TREK to SPACE:1999. Personally, though, I think THE DORCONS should be read in more of the style of MISSION OF THE DARIANS, putting a civilasation of culture and sophistication against barbariens, the Dorcons representing the civilised and the Alphans the barbarians, of course, studing behavioural patters in order to survival in both groups and concluding with how the civilised world collapse as they are outnumbered by the barbarians.
Favourite theme of Byrne this, is it? MISSION OF THE DARIANS is, of course, significantly more substancial in that it makes explicit references to Hellenistic history in particular, using the loss of science and culture that was inherit in this culture in much a similar fashion as the gene bank of the Darians.
It is anyway an interesting theme in history, similarities with the fate of the Greeks are of course the fate of the Roman empire, the British empire and perhaps the Nazi empire, Byrne making some wordplay on Darian/Aryan, and apparently wanted the story to have a much more focus on Nazism, science and survival in earlier scripts as he comments in an interview somewhere.
In this perspective THE DORCONS comes across as a light version of MISSION OF THE DARIANS. As Johnny Byrne also contributed to DOCTOR WHO, a fact that has been mentioned by some in relevance with MISSIONS OF THE DARIANS, I've noticed, I assume that even if THE DORCONS seem to have strong elements of satire in it, it was, nevertheless, a format that was not entirly unknown to him.
I do know how you feel as I decided not to comment on this episode myself after Petter's rambling about Byrne's intentions to destroy Maya and the series. I don't feel the same as Petter but I am not going to start World War Three.
Ramblings indeed, but, nevertheless, having in mind that Johnny Byrne, the heart and soul of Year One, had three of his apparently best contributions to SPACE:1999 ever wrecked by Freiberger, only two of them surviving in close to lobetomized condition, he couldn't have been all that cheerful about the dictatorship I suspect.
So I'll conclude by saying if one feels put off by criticisms just sit back and take a deep breath. I find your time comes around eventually. We have lost listmembers in the past over personal attacks of which many were from perception rather than real criticism towards one. I almost left a few times in the past but have managed to make it through one and a half years so far.
I don't think there has been much critisism of individuals on this list. There are different opinions, that's right, and while some find pleasure in THE DORCONS in reading it as a Johnny Byrne statement about what went so terrible wrong with the second season of SPACE:1999, others enjoy reading it as adding context to the SPACE:1999 universe, now also including Dorcons who apparently are in conflict with Psychons.
One of the strong points about the list, as many have posted recently and to which I strongly agree, is the diversity of it all. Some are in it for the episode analysis, some are in it for the models, some for the fan fiction and so on. If there is something this list has shown to full extent during the last 12 months, it must have been that there is more than room enough for all.
Petter
From: "Simon Morris" (simes01@global44net.co.uk) Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 16:10:53 -0000 Subj: Space1999: The Dorcons
Could I just preface my comments on this episode by just briefly saying that I could identify with the pissed-off feelings of Teralisha and the perception of antipathy by a number of List members to Y2 in general and to Maya in particular. I suspect the vast majority *do* actually think Maya/Catherine Schell was one of the most positive aspects of Y2...its just that many were unhappy with the comic-book way she was sometimes used. And thats an opinion I can sympathise with. What annoys me more(and I vented my spleen on this before Teralisha joined the List I think ) is that a number of Y1 fans are quite rudely dismissive of Y2 supposedly as it is too brainless for them etc. Intellectual snobbery...that sort of thing. I can remember no Y2 fans treating Y1 with the same discourtesy.....but all the above said, I do not think there is *anyone* on this List who would wish in any way to prevent Teralisha from commiting a particular point of view to print. Whether it be about Y1v Y2,Freiberger,Maya or whatever.
I think it was John Kenneth Muir in EXPLORING SPACE 1999 that said that THE DORCONS is the best episode of Year 2. I am equally adamant that it is not. Watching it today I have a slightly higher opinion of it than I have ever held before,but to me it remains a disappointment given that it came from Johnny Byrne. THE METAMORPH (even after being revised by Freiberger to fit his Y2 mould) remained a superlative script which retains a certain "Y1 air". THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME for me was a very effective melding of Y1 and Y2 in that there was a certain philosophy,humanity and thought behind the story whilst being clothed in the pacier and more immediate style of the Freiberger era. THE DORCONS is by comparison standard Y2 fare, higher in standard than,say, BETA CLOUD or SPACE WARP,but otherwise unremarkable. I don't think I'd have guessed that Johnny Byrne wrote it if I didn't know...though there are one or two flashes of brilliance now and then.
As I may have said before, I hate the old sci-fi standby of characters being 'frozen',ie actors standing stock still- a technique much beloved in the Irwin Allen days of tv sci-fi. This is how the episode starts and for me its not a good beginning:-) Anyway,we are faily briskly launched into the story from here on in.
A word about the guest characters. Ann Firbank is quite effective as a silkily polite alien with a very hard centre. She never strikes me as evil...she is doing a job which has to be done for the sake of millions of people,and I suspect she does not relish it. Firbank does,I think,give a good portrayal as someone with at least a veneer of civility and fairness about her(she vetos Aarchon's instruction to kill Koenig on the grounds that she promised that he would not be harmed).
Patrick Troughton as Aarchon isnt given much to do or base his performance on,but Consul Varda gives us the impression that he rules for the benefit of his people,that he has brought peace and stability,and that he has kept them all from misery and disaster(as she tells Koenig). OK,so he and all the other Dorcons are bastards for wanting Maya's brain stem,but there is a certain Byrne-like examination of motives etc here. The Dorcons don't seem to be inherently bad people...and to me there does seem to be a certain reluctance in what they are doing. Varda tells Koenig that the security of an empire is at stake and asks "What is one Psychon life against that?". I'm not saying here that the attempt to rob Maya of her brainstem was justifiable of course...merely pointing out that there is a nice "Does the end justify the means?" question being posed by Johnny Byrne somewhere-I suppose-along the same lines as that posed in the smashing Y1 episode MISSION OF THE DARIANS. Its all right for the viewer to side with Maya and Koenig over their 'inhuman' intentions for Maya-but what would we do if *our* civilization depended on Aarchon surviving?. There's no easy answer,is there? Going back to the character of Aarchon,when he says about Maya: " To reduce a beautiful living creature to a living husk...." I get the distinct feeling he is not at peace over what is being done in the name of securing his immortality. (He could also be mourning her loss as a potential bed-mate as well I suppose....<grin>)
Gerry Sundquist as Malic is totally evil in a camp sort of way. In fact the performance is completely over the top IMHO. To me it always comes over as a hammy performance of a Shakespearian type villain.....a different actor might have transformed Malic into something rather harder-edged than we got. As it is we have a typical power-monger who wanted to rule for his own pleasure and benefit rather than his people. Nonetheless Malic generates some effective conflict in the script with his dealings with Aarchon and Consul Varda..and this is always a good element in the SPACE 1999 series.
Another question Byrne poses in the episode is how far would the Alphans go to protect one of their own? Verdeschi rather immaturely strikes down an operative for daring to suggest that perhaps they should let Maya go for the safety of them all. When Verdeschi belts him I always mentally pat him on the back as any Alphan who can be so callous towards such a lovely creature should be torn limb from limb....but then I thought: "Well,hang on! If *I* was on Alpha and facing certain death because of an alien in my midst,would I necessarily feel any different?"
There are some exchanges of dialogue in the script which I relished...both in Byrne's writing and in the performances. I am thinking chiefly of Koenig and Varda here. I particularly liked the segment where Varda is telling Koenig how Aarchon has brought peace and stability,kept them from war and misery etc and Koenig replies(Landau plainly and effectively sneering his dialogue here) "What are you doing-trying to justify your actions to me or to yourself?". Nicely played and written.
The SFX (both miniature and on the studio floor) were quite spectacular as Alpha is being blown to pieces stage by stage. I wonder if these FX ate into the rest of the episodes budget, as I got quite fed up with the spartan sets and also the makeshift cut-outs which the actors were standing behind in lieu of tv-comm screens seen elsewhere in the series.
Finally I would be amazed if Johnny Byrne wrote the epilogue as I found it quite embarrassingly unfunny...as indeed I suspect the cast did. I liked the addition of humour to Y2 and I liked many of the epilogues(such as Maya changing into an old hag as Tony is about to kiss her in THE EXILES),but some were just excruiciating...and this was one of them. What a shame....
Overall a reasonably enjoyable episode lifted for me by some individual Byrne touches. I would dispute Petter's contention that Johnny had any intention of making a comment on his view of Maya as a tool of convenience in Y2,or that Johnny was perversly trying to "kill Maya off". I can see why Petter might think this,and indeed its a good way of starting a debate/argument,but nowhere in any interviews with Johnny has he ever stated that this was his intention. He has,however,said that the episode was written to fulfil his contractual obligations and Freiberger's requirements rather than to offer a personal view of anything or any particular philosophical take on the series. In my view, THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME would have made a far better episode on which to end the series but it was not to be,alas.
'Damn good job they never got hold of Maya though....I'd never have forgiven them!
Simon Morris
From: "Ariana" (ariana@ndirect4tag.co.uk) Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 10:56:35 -0000 Subj: Re: Space1999: RE: Space: 1999
I'll start off tonight by saying: HELP! HELP! I feel lonely in my defense of Year 2 and the introduction of Maya's character.
Do not despair: there *are* Y2 fans out here. Personally, I haven't been very active because I've been concentrating on writing (it's all very well threatening to post my story here -- I could do with having a story to post! ;). I have already expressed my interest in Maya at length on the list and did not feel the need to reiterate the points already discussed. Suffice it to repeat that she was the main reason I got hooked on the show in the first place -- at last a female role model in scifi... it certainly beat dressing up as the Y1 computer! <g>
Therefore I'm seriously debating as to whether I should post any thoughts on the episode "The Dorcons" since I detect extreme hostility towards the Dorcons
You're only detecting extreme hostility from Petter. Ignore him. <vbg>
I enjoyed the Dorcons very much. It gave the Psychons some back history and also offered an interesting insight into the way the other Alphans might view Maya -- we already saw Carolyn Powell's hostility toward her in "The Lambda Factor" and now that guy Tony punches expresses the view that they should hand her over to be lobotomised. Petter can read in dark motives from the writer, but what I see is that humanity's good old xenophobia is still at work on Moonbase Alpha. Some rare exceptions notwithstanding (Dave Rilley, perhaps), I get the impression that Maya has very little interaction with the Alphan population at large, beyond her relationships with Koenig, Russell and Verdeschi. She's fortunate to have the affection of the command staff (and the security chief so utterly besotted) -- btw, I wonder, in the light of this, how good Alpha's internal race relations are...
The personal aspect aside, I believe this is the first time (and last time) we see Alpha getting a RL pasting from a superior force capable of warp speed and beaming... oops, wrong terminology. :) The Alphans were jolly lucky again; without that usurping Dorcon twerp, they wouldn't have got away at all.
I agree that the extreme vehemence of some Y1 fans is sometimes depressing, but I suggest we Y2 fans try to rise above this and not descend into calling things "pure crap". This is RL, there's no such thing as absolutes, only subjective opinions, and value judgments lead nowhere. Let the Y1 fanatics talk themselves into their little blinkered ghetto and meanwhile, the rest of us will enjoy the show. :)
Emma
From: "Anthony D." (atd1999@yahoo4tag.com) Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 14:11:27 -0800 (PST) Subj: Space1999: The Dorcons - Petter for a Day - Pt. I
Hi!
I thought I'd throw in my .02, too.
I rather enjoy this episode. I like the "Shakespearean" style show. I agree with Simon (?) who said that it is not the "best" way to end the series. Who knows, perhaps they thought they would be renewed for a third season? The simple sets add to the script...*many* episodes of Y1 (if I recall correctly) used simple large sets similar to those seen here. I think Y1 had more "grandeur" (re: Collision Course) in those simple sets, but hey, I'll take what I can get. There is only one or two simple Maya transformations, but nicely, they FIT into the story!!! I mean, hey, why not change into a human if you see PSychin hunters on the big screen! Nively done, though I think the extra that she turned into was not much of an actress!
As for the Dorcon's being Space:1999's Borgs or some such, it's interesting to note that the phrase "Resistance is futile" came from this episode! I did not realize that until I read the Columbia House box and then watched the episode...now, before we all get sweaty about the possibility that a Trek writer was a 1999 fan...the phrase is not that unique, though it is WAY COOL to see it used 20 years (+/-) before Trek! Has anyone done any research to see where this phrase came from in the Trek world (God forbid I got off my butt and did it, of course ;)??
I would not want the Alphans to land and settle on any planet, unless the series was to be spun off ala Babylon 5's spinoff this January, 1999. Think about it...if they have an episode that has them find a new home planet, what would you feel when you watched the other 48 episodes? It would be a bit of a let down I would think. For those of us in the US (perhaps it was shown in Europe too), the 1980's had three Gilligan's Island TV movies (one of them had Barbara Bain and Martin Landau too!). The first one had the castaway's find their way home. Then the next I think they got shipwrecked again. Forget the third, but the point is that you don't want them to find a new home. You want the adventure to continue! Now, saying that, I could see Star Trek: Voyager making it home at the end of its TV life. This would open up the possibilities of a spin-off series. Since Star Trek is all about space travel, galaxy travel,etc. the idea of a ship lost is not that "over the top". That is, it doesn't really add much to the series as you hardly see the ships in the other series interact with Earth on a consistent basis anyway...
Oh by the way, Petter...I disagree about Space:1999 being a career "killer"...Martin Landau went on to win an Oscar and play some very good roles in film. Barbara Bain seems to have chosen a lower profile, but has played guest roles in a few different series. Nick Tate has appeared on Star Trek...I think he might also be on a future Voyager episode. I'm not sure about the rest, but I don't think being on Space:1999 had anything to do with their future careers.
Well, I've got more to say....I'll be playing "Petter for a day"...
Anthony
From: Mark Meskin (plastic.gravity@new44rock.com) Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 21:34:56 -0600 Subj: Re: Space1999: Maya and Year Two
From: David Acheson
So I'll conclude by saying if one feels put off by criticisms just sit back and take a deep breath. d
Well said David. One of the things that has always kept me coming back is the people here, you folks are just about the most insightful, thoughtful bunch on the Internet. This list is the best thing that ever happened to Space:1999's fandom!
I disagree constantly with some people on this list, but hey, its never personal. I'm glad everyone else is somewhat different than me, life would get pretty boring otherwise. And now this is just my personal opinion, but I like Y1 much better than Y2, although when I was 8, the situation was reversed! We all change, even Space:1999.
Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving and managed to catch "Sleeping in Light" last nite....it was incredible, wasn't it? I'm still misty eyed today about it!
Mark
From: actingman-jc@Worldnet.att4tag.net Date: Fri, 27 Nov 1998 00:25:24 -0500 Subj: Space1999: The Dorcons
This episode has what I think is an interesting mix of elements. You have long dialog scenes of slight philosophical content with the aliens, you have explosions and fires, you have chases, and you have a hokey tag. But I think it works. It is one of the better episodes. Anybody tempted to say it's another chase episode should be reminded that halfway through the episode they are still on Alpha.
I thought this episode was more violent then most...from the destruction of the buildings on Alpha, to the brain probes and the intended violence we saw prepared for Maya.
It's a little strange (or stupid) seeing Stewart standing there when Varda arrives, after what he did, with a laser in his holster. Also, in the tag he is there again with a weapon, looking like nothing has happened.
It will take a starving actor to point this out, but Maya changing into the Alpha technician gave that actress whom we have seen in the background this season a nice little bit of business.
Once again we see the use of scrim and lighting to create the effect of viewscreens on the alien ship, when it is actually the actors standing behind the wall doing the communications scenes in real time. That saves quite a bit of money and time, especially with the number of times they used the effect in this episode.
I've always thought it would have been a more interesting and stronger ending if instead of Varda's weapon going off and starting the destruction of the ship, Maya, in the confussion, was able to get a weapon and she instead purposly sets the destruction in progress. Then they could have a more philosophical tag where she either is in conflict with herself for doing what she had to do by destroying a ship full of people (even though they are the dreaded enemy) or that she felt no guilt, and seeing how the Alphans react to this in her.
the former jcg@vh.net
From: South Central (Tamazunchale@web44tv.net) Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 23:45:02 -0800 (PST) Subj: Space1999: Varda=Gwent
Think about the similarities:
This had never occured to me before.
Mateo
From: "Petter Ogland" (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no) Date: Fri, 27 Nov 1998 11:09:39 +0000 Subj: Re: Space1999: The Dorcons
Simon wrote:
I suspect the vast majority *do* actually think Maya/Catherine Schell was one of the most positive aspects of Y2...its just that many were unhappy with the comic-book way she was sometimes used. And thats an opinion I can sympathise with. What annoys me more(and I vented my spleen on this before Teralisha joined the List I think ) is that a number of Y1 fans are quite rudely dismissive of Y2 supposedly as it is too brainless for them etc.
I can't remember anything about people saying that Y2 is brainless for them or similar, far less any rude remarks of any kind. On the contrary, actually, I think there has been a splendid discussion of both Y1 and Y2 with lively participation.
More than ever I feel that the inhomogenity of the group makes this into a very versatile and interesting list. While some find Maya a symbol of what went wrong with the show others find her the major reason for watching. Whatever opinion, most seem to be happy with Catherine Schell as a very good actress indeed. As an interesting parallell, Yasko does also have the ability to stir up emotions in a similar way. In this case the majority, or at least what appears to be the majority, have very little nice to say about her while there are a few persons who think she is absolutely the tops and even get frustrated by people hacking on her pronounciations.
To me SPACE:1999 is mostly about RING AROUND THE MOON and the other early Y1 episodes slightly reminicent of this style. To me Helena Russell is an immensly more interesting character than Maya, at least in the early episodes such as BREAKAWAY, MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, BLACK SUN and RING AROUND THE MOON. I don't know how many times I've heard negative comments on Barbara Bain in relation to some of these episodes. Quite extraordinary, I must say, but, nevertheless, we all have different tastes, and I accept that.
If peopel start to trash RING AROUND THE MOON, however, rather than finding it offensive, I read this as an invitation to discuss my favourite episode, and RING AROUND THE MOON that gives me very much enjoyment, I can easily go on discussing this episodes for days and days, weeks and weeks, perhaps even months and months.
Other favourite moments of SPACE:1999 are the incidents in FORCE OF LIFE and THE TROUBLED SPIRIT where we see Helena sitting at her desk at night doing research. Quite fantastic, and wonderfully congruent with the prologue of BREAKAWAY that really gives away her character, and such highlights as the keyboard punching sequences in RING AROUND THE MOON. If there is something that really gives me pleasure it is to watch Helena on the punchboard panel seen through the eyes of Triton. Absolutely fantastic!
.....but all the above said, I do not think there is *anyone* on this List who would wish in any way to prevent Teralisha from commiting a particular point of view to print. Whether it be about Y1v Y2,Freiberger,Maya or whatever.
I don't think there are anyone who would really prevent anybody from writing anything about SPACE:1999 on this list. In the beginning of the Y2 ExE discussion there were quite a lot interesting comments on Maya, what she represented, what kind of person she was, what she felt, what she liked and so on.
Just like DORZAK was an excellent opportunity to try to figure out how Penfold felt about SPACE:1999 and its development, I think THE DORCONS is a wonderful opportunity to make some comments about Maya. It is, anyway, one of the few episodes that try to give some insight into her character, and, as I see it, we really only have two people, apart from Catherine Schell of course, that seem to have helped deveoping her character and that is Johnny Byrne in THE METAMORPH and THE DORCONS, and Fred Freiberger in his Woodgrove trilogy.
As far as I'm concerned, the insights into human nature given by Johnny Byrne are far more insightful and interesting than those of Freiberger although he has some points as well.
As both THE METAMORPH and THE IMMUNITYSYNDROM were written before the production of Y2 had started, at a time when Johnny Byrne was appointed the script consultant role of Chris Penfold that was eventually given to Fred Freiberger, it comes as no surprise that both these episodes have much of the Y1 air about them, even though they are heavily watered down in order to fit the Y2 format, as is explained on the Catacombs sites.
THE DORCONS is, contrastingly, written at a moment when Y2 had gotten a shape, and was not an adaption of another script in order to fit in with the new concepts. I have personally chosen to read it as partly a satire on SPACE:1999 with some sad and bitter utterances about what was going on behind the scene, why there would be no Y3 for instance and partly as development of the MISSION OF THE DARIANS episode.
I don't think it is the worst of episodes, although far to much time is being spent just running around according to my taste, but it is neither the best episode of the second series, if though, a nice conclusion to the series the way I see it, a bit like the Monty Python boys just snipping of the film in the final act of THE HOLY GRAIL (1974), a voice-over shouting "Show's over! Go home!" while the cast is being arrested by the police, filmed documentary style, THE DORCONS makes a splendidly absurd ending to it all in the finest expressionist and surrealist traditions of Bert Brecht and Jean Cocteau, I think.
Patrick Troughton as Aarchon isnt given much to do or base his performance on,but Consul Varda gives us the impression that he rules for the benefit of his people,that he has brought peace and stability,and that he has kept them all from misery and disaster(as she tells Koenig).
I like this too. The quiet desperation displayed by Firbank and Troughton is immensly fit for the Shakespeare and Sofocles subtext of the episode. There is much the same type of characters in MISSION OF THE DARIANS, but I think the characters in this episode are no less interesting. I even though Gary Sundquist made a good Hamlet/Oidipus in a performance that comes rather close to what Malcom McDowel did in CALIGULA (1979).
I'm not saying here that the attempt to rob Maya of her brainstem was justifiable of course...merely pointing out that there is a nice "Does the end justify the means?" question being posed by Johnny Byrne somewhere-I suppose-along the same lines as that posed in the smashing Y1 episode MISSION OF THE DARIANS.
These are some of the very good points about the episode, I agree. It poses some of the very same questions of MISSION OF THE DARIANS indeed, although, interestingly, while the Alphans were observers to the conflict in that episode they are every bit involved in this one. Interestingly enough Byrne makes the assosiation between the Psychons and the primitive barbarians on "Level 9" or whatever it was called in MISSION OF THE DARIANS, probably a comment on to what level the series had sunk I believe, but, nevertheless, interesting point of view as the purpose of the Alphans is not to save humanism like the Darians but it is a question of survival at all cost, the question of the survival of their alien friend Maya put against the survival of Alpha and civilization as we know it. It is the paradox of war, I suppose, individuality being ignored for the sake of community, probably one of the major reasons for human beings having conquered this planet.
Another question Byrne poses in the episode is how far would the Alphans go to protect one of their own? [....] but then I thought: "Well,hang on! If *I* was on Alpha and facing certain death because of an alien in my midst,would I necessarily feel any different?"
Perhaps Johnny Byrne was contemplating the problems of those who were housing Jews in Europe during WWII. Would you risk your home and family for the sake of a stranger living in the attic? There were some brave people who did, but I suppose most would be thinking about their own survival. Very much the same type of conflict that was the main thread in THE SURVIVORS, wasn't it? I don't remember that one as well as SPACE:1999 back in the 1970's, but I still have an image of some of the grim bits.
There are some exchanges of dialogue in the script which I relished...both in Byrne's writing and in the performances. I am thinking chiefly of Koenig and Varda here. I particularly liked the segment where Varda is telling Koenig how Aarchon has brought peace and stability,kept them from war and misery etc and Koenig replies(Landau plainly and effectively sneering his dialogue here) "What are you doing-trying to justify your actions to me or to yourself?". Nicely played and written.
Johnny Byrne in top form, I agree.
As we go on discussing this episode, it appears to me to be more below the surface than what might seem at first. Personally I still have difficulty reading the sequences where Maya pleads of getting killed off as not having anything to do with how Johnny Byrne was feeling about the series when he wrote this. Nevertheless, the episode seems to be about other things as well, and apart from the "standing still and being investigated by an omnious light" routine once again and the boring running around on the Dorcon space ship, there is much good that can be said about the episode, I think.
Petter
From: TERALISHA@aol4tag.com Date: Fri, 27 Nov 1998 11:30:36 EST Subj: Space1999: RE: Space: 1999
Hi All!
Fortunately my sense of humor has returned. Me fellow & I did something different this year for Thanksgiving - we stayed away from all of them - easy for him to do because he doesn't get home from work until 1:00 am so he can sleep late everyday. We did leftovers in the late afternoon. Nice & quiet. Now I sit here drinking Orange juice and battling a head cold & have lost my voice completely. I wonder if Dr. Russell has a cure for the common cold? As for being po'd, nah never. It must have been the pre-effects of the cold.
As for the Dorcons - this is one my favorite episodes of Yr2
"Resistance is futile" - I think someone already mentioned the possibility that a 99 fan had written this into the trek world so I won't. The Dorcons are an interesting bunch, aren't they? But one question: If they knew of Maya's existence, how come they didn't know of Dorzak's? How did they find out about her being on Alpha in the first place? One would think that if they had gone back to Psychon & found that the planet no longer existed that they would have assumed there were no Psychon's left. Are their scanners that sophisticated that they "sensed" Maya clear across the galaxy, after if I remember correctly, that the moon had gone through a space warp catapulting it several light years further into the universe? Oh my I'm rambling, oops!
I like the opening, but could have done with a little less screaming Bravo to the performance of Catherine in the beginning - I think she did a superb job in showing both total fear and yet trying to explain to her Alphan friends that there was no way to get out of this situation, at least not totally intact.
The scenes of Alpha being blown to bits were nice - but very eerie. While I can understand Tony's viewpoint, I do think that the rest of Alpha would have preferred to give her up - one life compared to 200 some? I also thought that Helena's refusal to kill Maya was a nice friendly gesture and that the scene where Maya is on the floor and Helena is with her is nice too and then Varda kicks the laser away. Ouch, you're thinking Maya's in trouble now!. Bain has a way of not saying anything but yet using that hug or pat or touch very effectively.
Koenig's effort to buy more time by threatening to shoot Maya was clever on his part - a Commander who thinks on his feet is always handy to have around. Then there's the internal conflict between the Dorcons Malic and the Archon - and Varda's loyalty to the Archon - very good subplot.
Koenig's last ditch effort by jumping into the transporter beam is a good way of showing that he cares for what happens to his personnel and with Tony & Alan knocked out he had to do the crazy "Look at me, I'm a hero bit!" I liked that characteristic in him - it reminded more of the Commander that we saw in Breakaway in Yr1.
Most of the action on the Dorcon ship was ok but I feel we missed out by not checking back in with Alpha to see their reactions. Poor Tony was probably a wreck and Helena too, afterall she had no idea if John successfully got to the ship or if he was disintegrated as the beam cut off.
The last scene on the Dorcon ship was too easy, almost. And just how convenient that they could beam back to Alpha. But I'm glad they got back. Depending on how you look at it the ending scene on Alpha can be successful or not.
If they were planning to do the 3rd year, & I think they still were at that point - then it works because it just goes with the Tony/Maya's relationship - keep the viewers in suspense as to where it's headed - just like other shows have done & still do - don't let the romances go to quick or the viewer will lose interest in that aspect. Nice humor with John/Helena as she flirts with him. Nice friendly humor and just lead right into the 3rd season opener.
BUT:
if you look at it as the closure to the series - it just - excuse me for saying this- bites. I mean really "Damage repairs are well in hand, 100% imitation coffee?"
Wait a minute - I think the base just suffered HOW much damage? People killed, , The least they could have done was shown them complaining about how long repairs would take, yetta yetta...........and that titanium or tiranium supplies were nearly depleted, that hydroponics was in deep serious trouble...........
Oops, I'm rambling again.
By the way, do they have any laser cannons left at this stage of the game?
And how many Eagles are still functional?
How many personnel left alive & functioning on Alpha?
Well, I think I'll quit rambling at this stage of the game and go get more orange juice
It's become obvious that this episode leaves a lot of open room to discuss lots of things..........
Maybe that's why I know of a fanfic story using this as a jumping off point.
Now where is Dr. Russell with that cold cure?
Bye all & Have a very good day!
From: "Simon Morris" (simes01@global44net.co.uk) Date: Fri, 27 Nov 1998 17:20:43 -0000 Subj: Re: Space1999: The Dorcons
Petter wrote:
I can't remember anything about people saying that Y2 is brainless for them or similar, far less any rude remarks of any kind. On the contrary, actually, I think there has been a splendid discussion of both Y1 and Y2 with lively participation.
Oh yes they have Petter!! You're right about the splendid discussion but some of the remarks made(including some of your own) have made it quite clear that,intellectually, Y2 is a poor relation to Y1. That's fine if thats your opinion and that of others. For the sake of my blood pressure I shan't requote some of your own phrases that you have used but I think your memoery is being somewhat selective here.....<grin>
More than ever I feel that the inhomogenity of the group makes this into a very versatile and interesting list. While some find Maya a symbol of what went wrong with the show others find her the major reason for watching.
Thats right. She wasn't the major selling point of Y2 for me but I still found her a neat addition to the cast. Thats not to say that I didn't miss Victor Bergman because I plainly did;however I did not find the loss of Kano and Morrow especially upsetting as there was very little characterisation in either role. At least Barry Morse did inject a little personality into his role. Maya and Victor together on Y2 would have been fascinating!
It all depends how it is done,doesn't it? I was not always happy with the comic book way that Maya was used(gratuitous transformations etc) but I never kept repeating the "Hanna Barbara" approach either,which was beaten over the head by certain people. Freiberger had a background(amongst many other things)in childrens tv which sparked his imagination. That's all he ever said.....
To me SPACE:1999 is mostly about RING AROUND THE MOON and the other early Y1 episodes slightly reminicent of this style. To me Helena Russell is an immensly more interesting character than Maya, at least in the early episodes such as BREAKAWAY, MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, BLACK SUN and RING AROUND THE MOON. I don't know how many times I've heard negative comments on Barbara Bain in relation to some of these episodes. Quite extraordinary, I must say, but, nevertheless, we all have different tastes, and I accept that.
Right again. I felt Helena came over a lot better in Y2,certainly a lot less starchy. She was also a far more attractive lady in Y2 IMO. She didn't really have a hell of a lot to do in either year though...though THE LAST SUNSET in Y1 gave her a more active role than normal and likewise I suppose ONE MOMENT OF HUMANITY(and others)in Y2. In RING I didn't see any discernible characterisation..she just goes about whispering a lot.
If peopel start to trash RING AROUND THE MOON, however, rather than finding it offensive, I read this as an invitation to discuss my favourite episode, and RING AROUND THE MOON that gives me very much enjoyment, I can easily go on discussing this episodes for days and days, weeks and weeks, perhaps even months and months.
Yes, we noticed Petter! To be fair,RING *has* had more than its fair share of detractors-and not just on this List. I watched it again the other night and my opinion has not changed: that it is essentially boring,slow moving and a 30 minute story stretched to 50 minutes. My opinion of MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH and MISSING LINK is much the same. OK if you think otherwise. I liked DEATHS OTHER DOMINION(my favourite episode of Y1 *and * Y2)and DRAGONS DOMAIN...but these two episodes that I thought fabulous,you were not so impressed with. As you say,we're all different.
I don't think there are anyone who would really prevent anybody from writing anything about SPACE:1999 on this list. In the beginning of the Y2 ExE discussion there were quite a lot interesting comments on Maya, what she represented, what kind of person she was, what she felt, what she liked and so on.
Absolutely Petter,and I hope Teralisha takes this point on board.
As far as I'm concerned, the insights into human nature given by Johnny Byrne are far more insightful and interesting than those of Freiberger although he has some points as well.
Well I agree with you here. Watching THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME just makes me ache for more of Johnny Byrne in Y2. If only some of the positive influences of Freiberger could have married with the thoughtfulness of Johnny Byrne,we might have had a Y2 that *all* SPACE 1999 could have praised. The thing that I liked most about Y2 was its fast pace compared with Y1. I also liked the addition of humour but not especially Freiberger's idea of humour...rather the wittiness of Terence Feely in NEW ADAM NEW EVE,for example.
THE DORCONS is, contrastingly, written at a moment when Y2 had gotten a shape, and was not an adaption of another script in order to fit in with the new concepts. I have personally chosen to read it as partly a satire on SPACE:1999 with some sad and bitter utterances about what was going on behind the scene....
No,I don't think it was intended as a satire or comment about Maya or Y2 . It was Johnny knocking a script out as quickly as possible so that he could get off the series. Interesting thought occurs to me here...would THE DORCONS have been better thought of if it had not been the last episode?. To me, the episode is not of sufficiently high quality for the show to have "gone out with a bang". It was the last show in production and yet there is no sense of "Well,this is it...the least ever. Lets make it unforgettable!". And as others have pointed out,a little bit of re-writing could have made THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME a suitable and quite poignant final episode,though not as much as the CHILDREN OF THE GODS story could have done.
THE DORCONS makes a splendidly absurd ending to it all in the finest expressionist and surrealist traditions of Bert Brecht and Jean Cocteau, I think.
Interesting comparison but I haven't a clue what you mean here Petter. I've never seen Y2 in intellectual terms,but then I didn't see Y1 in such terms either. Its all entertainment to me. Y1 was science fiction with action-adventure. Y2 was action adventure with science fiction. The mix was different.
I like this too. The quiet desperation displayed by Firbank and Troughton is immensly fit for the Shakespeare and Sofocles subtext of the episode. There is much the same type of characters in MISSION OF THE DARIANS, but I think the characters in this episode are no less interesting. I even thought Gary Sundquist made a good Hamlet/Oidipus in a performance that comes rather close to what Malcom McDowel did in CALIGULA (1979).
Good point Petter! I especially like your comparison of Sundquist and McDowell in CALIGULA,which I don't think is too wide of the mark at all.
Perhaps Johnny Byrne was contemplating the problems of those who were housing Jews in Europe during WWII. Would you risk your home and family for the sake of a stranger living in the attic? There were some brave people who did, but I suppose most would be thinking about their own survival. Very much the same type of conflict that was the main thread in THE SURVIVORS, wasn't it? I don't remember that one as well as SPACE:1999 back in the 1970's, but I still have an image of some of the grim bits.
Well,its the same sort of principle isn't it? If I'd been on Alpha as an operative somewhere other than Command Centre I wouldnt have had a great deal of involvement with Maya. Someone else said that Maya probably didn't inter-react very much with anyone other than Koenig,Helena,Tony, etc. I wouldnt therefore want my life and survival to be on the line just to save her from an unpleasant death!. Actually,there is a theme that could have been explored here but wasnt. We all know that in 1998 racism is still apparent in the world. There's nothing to suggest in SPACE 1999 that it isn't an issue then(and ok there is nothing to suggest that racism is a problem either;it just isn't mentioned,but maybe it should have been?)but supposing there were members of the Alphan community who actively discriminated against Maya as an alien being?
........ apart from the "standing still and being investigated by an omnious light" routine once again and the boring running around on the Dorcon space ship, there is much good that can be said about the episode, I think.
Its not one of my favourites Petter,but anything which Johnny Byrne has a hand in can't be all bad.
Simon
[EDITOR'S NOTE: This subtopic, already half-straying from 'The Dorcons', then proceeded to further "evolve" into a fully separate thread called Intellectualizing 1999.]
From: David Acheson (dkach@hot44mail.com) Date: Fri, 27 Nov 1998 21:34:44 EST Subj: Space1999: The Dorcons
Here goes! What I like about THE DORCONS is not substantially its chase and destructions sequences (although the base being blasted is visually spectacular) but rather the sequences with Varda, the Archon and Malic and the Varda-Koenig scenes. Here, we move away from a cartoon cut out and into a real flesh and blood storyline.
To me the real interesting and well-acted character is Consul Varda as played by Ann Firbank. I believe Ms. Firbank is an accomplished stage and film actress but is mainly unknown outside of Britain. I think I've only seen her in one old film so far. She gives Johnny Byrne's lines real life as a believable character torn between what her job is and what is right. Her duty first and formost is to the security of the empire and its leader, the Archon - at all costs. This doesn't necessarily make her a bad person nor the Dorcons an evil race. I believe someone earlier brought this up. She constantly had to tell Koenig the reasons for her actions which prompted Koenig to shout out whether she was justifying her actions to him or herself. Its probably a bit of both.
In fact, I never got the impressions they were pure evil - except maybe Malic. The Dorcon empire seemed plagued with political problems. I believe, in the end, we really see no differences between the technologically advanced Dorcons and the backwood Alphans. My how some of those Alphans were so willing to sacrifice Maya for their own lives? 1999 touching on a risky subject as racial intolerance was interesting indeed. Are we (and any race) only civilized when our bellies are full, we are comfortably sheltered and there are no threats to our lives?
I agree (with whoever mentioned it) that Patrick Troughton did not have much to do in the episode. Bringing him onboard to play such a small role was more for star power than anything. However, as the wise and gentle Archon who appears to be the glue holding the empire together, we can understand Varda's loyalty to him. In many ways, we may even feel sorry for the old fella. He looked tired and reluctant to go on with this mission but understood quite well why he had to do so. Duty calls. Petter relates the episode to Johnny Byrne commenting on the demise of the series and the death of Maya but I sometimes feel he had the British royal family and its set of duties and pageantry in mind when writing about the Dorcon hierarchy. Its particularly relevant in the post Diana and Fergie days.
As for that brat Malic. Any hack actor could have played the role just as hammy so Gerry Sundquist does not go down as a memorable 1999 guest actor. However, the over the top jealous nephew thwarting to take the throne himself is the closest to Shakespeare this episode can get. Don't you just want to swat him when he takes the amulet off his dead uncle and proclaims himself the new Archon. It is Malic that is representative for all the evils in Dorcon society - evils that again are easily found in our own human civilization.
Like all Shakespearean tragedies the players have to die. Thus the internal gun fire and the destruction of the battlecruiser.
As for the Alphans, this is John Koenig's episode. Koenig is thrown in as the unofficial referee between the two opposing Dorcons sides represented by Varda and Malic. He also shows himself as the protector of his base by risking his own life going after Maya. Maybe not a smart move but he definitely doesn't feel the same as that Alphan who Tony hit. Maya is one of his family. Except for Maya who was the reason for the Dorcons' arrival in the first place, Tony, Alan, Alibe and Helena had little to do and were virtually non-existant in the last half hour.
With the Alphans not pertinent to the story THE DORCONS does not make a great swan song to the series as a whole. However, it is still an interesting action story that has some philosophical depth to it which tended to buck the Freiberger direction. Maybe, Johnny Byrne was smarter than Mr. Freiberger realized. Smile.
So we reach the end of the episode by episode discussions. Its been a fun 48 episode review and enjoyed the comments. What next?
David Acheson
From: David Acheson (dkach@hot44mail.com) Date: Sat, 28 Nov 1998 06:05:01 EST Subj: Space1999: Return of the Dorcons
Someone asked how was it that the Dorcons were able to cross space to find Maya but did not know of Dorzak's existence?
First of all, I believed the Dorcons stumbled across Maya quite by accident. They, like most other races, truly believed the Psychon race to be mainly destroyed upon the destruction of the mother planet. However, they could understandably be prepared for the accidental arrival of a rogue Psychon. Rumours have flown since even before Psychon's destruction that several inhabitants had flown off into space seeking a new home. Remember that Maya told us this back in THE RULES OF LUTON and told us that her brother was one of those who left. Although communication with the others was cut off that does not mean there are still a few Psychons out there.
That probe in the beginning of the episode was probably just doing a rountine patrol and was only lucky in finding Maya on the base. However, as soon as it detected a Psychon lifeform it alerted the Dorcon homeworld and the battlecruiser flashed across space appearing over Alpha.
Once in their capture, they prepared Maya for the surgery but I don't believe they ever actually read her memories. If they did that they may have known that Dorzak was still alive and was on his way to a penal colony. Hmmmm, I smell a sequel.
David Acheson
From: South Central (Tamazunchale@web44tv.net) Date: Sat, 28 Nov 1998 12:13:41 -0800 (PST) Subj: Re: Space1999: Return of the Dorcons
If the Dorcons DID find Maya by accident, then it was pretty damn lucky that it was by a ship on which the Archon was traveling, and pretty damn unlucky (and stupid for the Dorcons) that the the Archon, his heir AND his "First Minister"--or whatever Varda's title was--were on board. Seems like a dangerous way to run an empire--then again, the Minbari did the same thing.
Mateo
From: actingman-jc@Worldnet.att4tag.net Date: Sat, 28 Nov 1998 15:27:57 -0500 Subj: Re: Space1999: Return of the Dorcons
I was under the impression that the first ship was more of an unmaned probe, and when it reported back that it had located a Psychon, then the Flag ship with the Archon materalized at that point to capture Maya.
From: TERALISHA@aol4tag.com Date: Sun, 29 Nov 1998 15:10:09 EST Subj: Space1999: re: those dorcons
I mentioned the questions on the Dorcons finding Maya because I assumed that since Varda said something like "We've journeyed across the galaxy to meet your people" (something to that effect) that it was a planned journey for the Dorcons.
Oh well I could be wrong.
From: "Robert Gilbert" (bcpgd@shaw.wave4tag.ca) Date: Sun, 29 Nov 1998 14:24:46 -0600 Subj: Re: Space1999: re: those dorcons
Unless they are Omnipotent, so know the Future!