Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 01:05:42 -0700
From: Levi@spirit4tag.com.au (Graham Levi and Cecilia Levi)
Subject: War Games.
Hi Everyone,
Just thought after all this trouble going on, we should get back to talking
about the show. We wouldn't want someone petty to ruin it all for those of
us who enjoy this list.
Well, that brings me to the episode of "War Games". I feel that this has to
be one of the most interesting episodes of the first season of Space 1999.
Even thought I love "Mission Of The Darians" and it will always be my
sentimental favourite, "War Games" is probably the sleekest and tightest
plot controled episode. Even the technology buffs can get their fill of Hawk
1X's and the superbomber, plus enough explosions to make even the most
destructive glad to the heart.
Its strengh though lies in its moral tale. That humankind is full of fear
and ignorance, and though those faults will destroy all that is important
and vital to them. It is interesting as most of the characters seem to be
viewed as hostile - even Victor is prepared to shoot first and ask questions
later. It is only Dr Russell that can be slightly redeemed from the
suspicion and violence of her collegues. Koenig appears to be overtly
hostile and primitive when trying to solve problems. He can only resort to
violence to get his own way.
Each person will destroy what they love - is also another theme. Koenig
through his lack of trust and his ability to have very limited patience
destroys his beloved Alpha. Then, he takes Helena to the planet, where he is
killed( although a temporary state) and abandons her to the forces of the
alien brain. When Helena saves him from death in the planet's atmosphere,
his resolve is to destroy. He kills the brain and in that action believes
that he has killed the woman that he loves. He knows that only death can be
looked for now. He tells Paul to return to Alpha to face certain death
because you might as well die somewhere that you know.
It has been about ten years since I had seen this episode. It amazes me
that the themes are still so relevant. I suppose that is the strengh of
sci-fi: it will never date as humankind don't seem to interested in changing
their habits. With all our technology and advances, we are still primitive
in our mind set and suspicious of others. We just have to watch the news to
see that it is so. The aliens at the end were right - we are still full of
fear. Our outer shells might change, but do we internally change. It is the
basis of the story "Full Circle" and "The Lamdba Factor". (So long live the
platform shoes and mininalist styles of the 70's revival - Just kidding?!)
It does give us some room for thought??!!
Yours,
Cecilia.
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 12:00:58 -0700
From: Van A Plexico (plexiva@mail.auburn4tag.edu)
Subject: Re: War Games.
A funny note about War Games--the UHF station that showed 1999 when I was
young would edit the episodes tremendously in order to squeeze in more
commercials. A favorite spot for them to edit was the ENDING!! So it
was years and years before I found out what happened at the end. The
version I saw had the station blown up and John and Helena on the planet,
and it ends. I figured that must be the last episode of the series!
(Hey, I was 7 or 8 at the time!)
Man was I shocked to see it finally, all the way through--it was like a
new "lost" episode! ha!
Hey, you don't suppose there are any lost episodes of 1999 out there, do you?
--Van #107
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 03:01:52 -0700
From: Levi@spirit4tag.com.au (Graham Levi and Cecilia Levi)
Subject: War Games
Hi Everyone,
Well, I thought this might interest some people out there. A friend and I
were watching War Games again - he had never seen the episode. I told him
and let him read the post I had made on the episode. We got to talking about
the idea of test and challenge offered to the Alphans in War and its place
in 70's science fiction. It was interesting to get a very scientific view
point from a scientist. Here is what he had to say:
>>It is only Dr Russell that can be slightly
>>redeemed from the suspicion and violence of her collegues. Koenig appears to be
>>overtly hostile and primitive when trying to solve problems. He can only resort to
>>violence to get his own way.
The base Human Animal is revealed and the characters revel in it. Koenig
seems to almost enjoy the ultimate test that war brings. Alan, the good
soldier, responds the same way.
Science is used for killing and in the gaining of power. It was warped from
its original purpose to inform and better the human condition. It is solely
used to destroy more efficiently.
It was unfashionable to talk about the possibility of superpower nuclear war
in the mid-70's. People were too pre-occupied with learning the latest
Disco-Dance.Once again, Space 1999 is (at least) ten years ahead of it's
time. WAR GAMES would have been better received in the mid-80's when STING
was singing about the Russian's loving their children too.
I thought his comments about Carter and Koenig reveling in war was very
insightful. I hadn't thought of it in that way before. The characters are
almost lustful for combat. It is a strange way to view the characters that
you think of only searching for their survival. This episode shows them to
be vicious and violent - ready to kill to win. Hmmm.... A little disturbing!!!
Does anyone agree or disagree?? I 'd love to hear what you think.
Yours,
Cecilia.
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 16:56:02 -0700
From: Levi@spirit4tag.com.au (Graham Levi and Cecilia Levi)
Subject: Re: Survive or Destroy?... What would YOU do?
From? toblanbr@cadvision.com (Brenna R Toblan)?
Subject: Re: Survive or Destroy?... What would YOU do?
>I disagree with the cut-and-dried consideration of Cecilia's learned friend....
>
>It's easy to continue to accuse Koenig of overt hostility and blood-lust...
>Remember, he can only do what the script-writer tells him to do. It's the
>scripters' notion that Koenig is bloodthirsty, not his. Anyway, the War Game
>beings fired first- to deadly effect. What was Koenig to do, confronted by
>an obviously hostile force? He must defend the base at all costs, and the
>lives of the crew even to the destruction of another race. ESPECIALLY a race
>that speaks with its energy weapons first.
>
>Koenig and Carter are NOT lustful for combat... they are lustful over the
>SURVIVAL of themselves and the rest of the Alphans.
>
>By the way... Koenig DOES learn his lesson at the end and holds his fire at
>the critical moment.
>
> Does that seem like bloodlust to you?:)
I thought about that - the idea that Koenig and Carter were reacting to a
situation. But, as the aliens state - it was a situation of their own
making, in their own minds. Their are lustful for combat in the sense that
they fire first when they perceive that they are under attack. The aliens
never attack Alpha nor do they fire first - it is the perception through
Koenig and Carter that they do.
Anyway - it is interesting what ever way you see it. I think the debate
about what are real options in survival of our species is fascinating. In
Space 1999, they have looked at both views in "War Games" and "Mission Of
The Darians". What would you do??
Yours,
Cecilia.
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 19:26:48 -0700
From: GLEN_MCBRIDE@Bay44Networks.com (Glen McBride)
Subject: War Games
Its interesting to note that when the alien ships are approaching, Victor
turns to John and says "It's an attack John" and then "Alpha's wide open!".
Following the initial firing, Victor then turns to John and says "That's not
like you John, fire first and ask questions later"
The first part definately adds to the bloodlust theory with even Victor
adding his weight to the desire to see the destruction of the alien ships.
just my $.02 worth
Glen McBride
Melbourne, Australia
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 21:08:06 -0700
From: Levi@spirit4tag.com.au (Graham Levi and Cecilia Levi)
Subject: Re: War Games
Hi Everyone,
I think Glen has really hit on a good defense of the characters as willing
in the game of War that is set before them. Victor sanctions the use of
violence in War Games. But, at other times, he is opposed to that style of
violent response. He really believes in talking about what is going on. This
is a very valid point that you bring up. It was strange to think about the
characters as violent and lustful for war. I had never viewed it that way.
It was a fascinating way for my friend to put it. I suppose what the writers
wanted was a review of the idea of survival. In the whole of season one, it
is the Alphans who seem to be at the violent whims of the alien life or
forces that they encounter. But, in War Games, it seems to be the Alphans
that are the aggressors. I nice touch of irony.
Yours,
Cecilia.
Date: Tue, 16 Apr 1996 09:30:17 -0700
From: gwr@easy44net.co.uk (Gareth Randall)
Subject: Re: War Games
>The first part definately adds to the bloodlust theory with even Victor
>adding his weight to the desire to see the destruction of the alien ships.
I'm with you 100% on that. Victor acts so completely out of his established
character, it could almost be a Fred Freiberger episode (apart from the fact
that the rest of it is pretty good!)
Gareth
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 1996 14:50:47 -0700
From: "Ellen Lindow (LIS)" (lindow@luna.cas.usf4tag.edu)
Subject: Violence in War Games
I'm spending the day at the Florida Libraries Association conference and
am finishing up the day waiting in the internet room for a friend to come
pick me up. Some thoughts occurred to me this afternoon about the
violence that's been commented on in War Games. (Probably because one of
the sessions I attended was on violence in the workplace -- a scary
subject with Florida leading the nation in violent deaths in the
workplace.) The violent tendencies for everyone seemed to be showing.
It seems to me that there is a difference between thinking about an
action and performing that action. The action in WarGames took place
within the minds of Koenig and Russell within the space of a few
seconds. Koenig did not act on the violence within himself. In all
other episodes, both first and second season, he explains that they will
do what is necessary to survive but Alphans are not violent by choice.
This doesn't mean he doesn't consider the possibility of shooting first
and asking questions later, he just doesn't ACT on it. Everyone sometime
imagines what it would be like to shoot the driver who cut in front of
you on the highway, or the annoying neighbor or co-worker. We just don't
act on it. It could be that the aliens they encountered were in a
different mind state where they could not tell the difference between
what Koenig was thinking and how he would choose to react. Koenig and
Russell (I don't believe anyone else remembered the incident) imagined
the consequences of their violent tendencies, and followed them to the
conclusion based on information supplied by a combination of their
imagination and communication with the aliens. But when the time came
for action, they chose a peaceful solution, as they usually did, with
violence as a last resort.
I think they really killed more people out of ignorance than malice, but
that is part of the charm of the show. These guys were fallible, they
made mistakes, then dusted themselves off and tried again. And that's
why I still watch the show 20 years later.